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Comic Book Convention: Collectors search for colorful treasures

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By Tamara Fudge | Sunday, September 23, 2007 | No comments posted

About a hundred comic book collectors wandered into Saturday’s Comic Book Convention at the Ramada Inn in Bettendorf, hoping to dig for treasure among the thousands of plastic-sleeved artful narratives.

“These kinds of shows give people an opportunity to pursue a hobby or to find something from their childhood,” said vendor Brian Wampler of Greentop, Mo.

Related items, such as a Dick Tracy lunchbox and novel-sized paperback comics shared the tables with action figures from Star Wars and Team Titan.

An antique “Tom Mix Plays a Lone Hand” book was among the more unusual items. And lest one thinks this is a hobby just for men, there was an “I Dream of Jeannie Wishbook” comic for sale as well.

Wampler had Heroclix figures for sale — these are miniature models of comic book heroes, each with a special dial in the base to play a game on a map-like board.

Show organizer Alan Morton of Wyoming, Ill., said that Marvel and DC comics account for about 30 percent of the market each (“they’re neck in neck,” he said), with smaller companies comprising the rest.

These might be comics, but this is serious business. John Hauser of Milwaukee, Wis., pointed out that some his stock was graded and sealed from Certified Guaranty Company, which guarantees its condition under stringent rules.

Hauser also said that comics today are more geared towards an adult audience because of some violent themes as well as the price of a new comic.

According to online sources, a new comic before 1962 cost 10 cents, but a new one today can be $2.99 or more.

“I had fond memories as a child reading comic books,” said John Chaffee of Belleville, Ill., “but I sold my comic book collection when I was in college for $75.”

He said that today the same collection would be worth $10-12,000.

Later, Chaffee saw a Star Trek Next Generation No. 1 comic at a store.

Hesitantly (but with his wife’s approval, he added), he purchased it and his hobby was reborn.

It is a hobby still shared by generations, as Chaffee’s 3½-year-old grandson Joey Johnson is now fascinated by Spiderman and The Hulk comics. Although Joey can’t read yet, Chaffee makes up stories to go along with the pictures.

“Kids tend to buy tie-in comics to supplement what they’re already doing” in terms of toys and television viewing, said Wampler, whose son Gabriel, 8, eagerly looks for Pokémon-related items.

Why sell comic books? “It’s cheaper to buy a collection, keep what you want and sell the rest,” said Chaffee. “It’s not a lot of profit — you’re in it for the love of comics.”

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