In the 1960s, a comic book cost about twelve cents. In 2009, a soft-cover graphic novel costs about $19.99 plus tax. This exorbitant price tag prohibits many readers from expanding their collection as rapidly as they would like. In response, many collectors are choosing to buy comics used. This option can save you money and can be done in a multitude of ways.

eBay – the world’s garage sale. It’s a story repeated every decade: an epic comic collection becomes instead an epic waste of space. While once-beloved comic collections used to end up at garage sales, the rise of internet culture has also made eBay a popular selling tool. Use the search bar to look up specific titles, or broader keywords to peruse titles. Just watch out for those shipping fees! Books can be heavy and expensive to mail.

Craigslist. The website may look suspicious, but Craigslist contains millions of bargain bin classified ads. Often, retired comic book devotees will put their entire collections up for sale at exceptionally low prices. The only drawback is that shoppers are usually expected to come to the seller’s home to pick up their desired item. Obviously, extreme caution should be exercised when entering a stranger’s house.

Used book stores. Yes, a comic collector can walk into Borders and pour over the glossy covers of DC Vertigo – but this offers a frightfully limited selection of the comic world. What about rarer Fritz the Cat comics, or Oni Press’s more obscure titles? This is where used book stores come to the Superman-style rescue. Although not something typically encountered in a strip mall, used book stores are valuable for comic readers. One of the world’s most famous – the legendary Strand Books – is located off Union Square in New York City. If you are located outside the metropolitan area, however, a Google search may be the most efficient way to locate a secondhand book store.

Flea markets. Whether you eek out a life in the wilderness or pride yourself on being a city slicker, you have probably encountered flea markets. Essentially, they are “advanced garage sales”, in which multiple families put their old belongings on tables or blankets to be displayed and sold. This is an excellent place to pick up someone’s unwanted comic book collection.

Haggling tricks. Used comic books aren’t expected to be in mint condition. However, buyers should still pay close attention to the condition of their items. “Edgewear”, in which the corners of a book’s cover are frayed, is one of the most common conditions of used books. Is there a coffee stain on page sixty-four? Has the comic yellowed at all? These are factors that should be taken into consideration and used as grounds for haggling.

Investors beware! Investing in comic books – or any other hobby item, for that matter – is almost never a good idea. The value of comic books fluctuates and is unpredictable. The only people who posses the level of expertise to confidently make these hobby items an investment are either art historians or managers of independent comic shops. If you are starting a comic book collection, your primary motivation should be fun.

Comic books are an ever-advancing genre of art. All enthusiasts need to support their habit, but buying freshly-printed volumes can run up a gasp-inducing bill. Instead, try to buy secondhand. It could potentially save you hundreds of dollars.