Older comics

Another amazing little tidbit that I recently remembered is the price of comic books today.

My latest issue of Superman costs $2.50. The latest issue of The Uncanny X-Men costs $2.25. And these are the cheapo comics. I get a few that are $2.95 and DC's latest blockbuster Identity Crisis cost me $3.95 per issue for a seven-issue limited series. That's $27.65 for all seven issues. Ouch to the pocketbook. (The really sad part is that when it is finally collected into a trade paperback, which I know it will be, it will probably be half the price. That's one reason I personally place on the death of the comic book in the early 90s...but I digress.)

So I decided to fill a few holes in my back issues. I realized that I had some series where I was missing key issues or missing some finales of limited series. (I have had the first two of the four-issue limited series called Havok and Wolverine: Meltdown since the late 80s but I have never finished the series.)

In the last two weeks, I placed two orders with Mile High Comics. I used these guys in the 80s and early 90s when I was still in high school. My first order was about $42 and I got almost 50 comics. My second order was for 67 comics and it only totalled $58. Abso-flippin-mazing.

The important part for me is that these are reading comics. I saved the few dimes and got fine instead of near mint condition. When I got my first order last week, what they were calling fine I was calling near mint when I was a kid. So they were in great condition. And to top it all off, orders of $40 or more were sent via UPS with free shipping.

This is the way to go. The only problem that arises is if the issue that you need in your series raises in value. Action Comics #813 had some new villain and skyrocketed in value from its $2.50 cover price to $7.50 in near mint condition. But I was able to pick up Action Comics #815 that I missed for only $1.20. That's $1.30 off the cover price.

I am going to get more back issues and fill holes. I can remember when I was in my early teens and before, where Morgan is now in age (almost 11), where I wanted to read certain comics but I couldn't afford them and mom and dad couldn't (and shouldn't have) bought me all the comics that I wanted. I can go back and collect, and still get good reads for a cheap price.

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