Wolverine Back Issue Talk, Part One: I’ve Got Claws, I Can Use ‘Em!
Going back to philfromgermany’s comment, asking “whither the demand for [assorted books]?” And in this post, I’m going to look at Wolverine comics. That is, comics actually titled “Wolverine,” versus Incredible Hulk #180-#182, which I think we all understand that, as those issues comprise the initial appearance of Len Wein, Herb Trimpe and John Romita’s creation, they have no trouble selling in any condition. Boy howdy, how I’ve sold those in any condition.
Now, philfromgermany wondered if any Wolverines after the 1982 mini-series by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller would continue having any demand. And I’d say “sure, there are a few.”
Well, let’s look at the Wolverine mini first, since you mentioned it:
Just within the last week, I acquired a couple of copies of this first issue in…less than pristine condition, but it didn’t matter since they both sold immediately anyway.
Here’s a funny thing about trying to buy these from folks who bring them into the shop…a thing that, to be fair, usually applies to almost any comic or collection brought into my shop for sale, but it especially applied to the Wolverine mini. And that thing is the seller’s belief that the comic is worth far more than it actually is.
I mean, yeah, it can be a pricey comic. In nice shape. Which is the trick. The copies i usually see where like the two I had just within the last few days…one of those was in Very Good Minus, the other just a straight-up Fair. These were part of a large bulk sale of items, so there wasn’t any haggling over the prices I offered for those particular ones.
But when those Wolverine mini-series is the only comic a person’s got to sell, they don’t want to hear that they’re in worn condition and won’t go for high prices. Invariably I get the “I’ll hold onto them [‘I’ll sell them on eBay’ implied]” because they think their $8 Wolverine #1 in Fair is actually worth hundreds if not thousands. I offer real money they can have right now, they prefer fantasy money they’ll never see outside of their heads.
Ah well, What Can You Do™ as I say probably too often. Usually I have pretty good luck explaining price versus condition to someone unfamiliar wit the hobby, but that mini-series is like a force field against my cunning retailer powers.
Hoo boy, I can already tell this is going to run long. Is this going to be “Wolverine Back Issue Week” here on Progressively Ruinated Dot Edu? Maybe, but I think we should discuss at least one more Wolverine comic with potential collectible staying power. And that comic is…the very first issue of the original ongoing Wolverine title from 1988:
Well, yeah, sure, just look at that. It’s one of the most iconic covers featuring the ol’ Canucklehead ever produced, in this case by John Buscema and Al Williamson. And you’ll find in my ongoing list of “Wolverines What Still Sell for Money” that in a lot of the cases we’re about to look at, it’s the cover that makes the comic desirable.
It’s also the first issue of the first ongoing Wolverine series, and on-go it did for nearly 200 issues, before the dreaded “Relaunch with a New #1 for That Temporary Boost in Sales” strategy got applied and we got a whole lotta “ongoing” Wolvies over the decade or two that followed. Up until a new #1 just a few months ago, in fact!
But I’ll shout at the clouds about those later. Let’s get back to this #1 from 1988. Iconic cover, first issue of what we all thought at the time would be the one and only continuing title until the end of all things. And as that series plugged along every month, that gave collectors jumping on the Wolverine train a little late inspiration to fill in back numbers, including that elusive first issue, driving up demand and price.
Another point to note is that the cover is colored largely in black, so that imperfections (like chips or color-breaking spine breaks) are easier to both acquire and spot. That gives a little extra boost to the premium for high-grade copies, as presumably they’d be harder to track down.
Demand as such remains high for Wolverine #1 (1988). It’s a perennial mover for me and I have no trouble finding buyers for it, and I don’t expect that to change anytime soon. On a scale of 1 to 3 Wolverine Claws, 3 being highest, I’ll give this a 3. I get one in the shop, it’s unlikely to spend the night.
Okay, that’s Part One of this nonsense…philfromgermany, what have you wrought? Anyway, pop back in next time as I discuss a couple more early issues in this run of Wolverine, including a two-parter with a big grey guest star, and a once-hot book that guest-stars a long-time adversary!
I’m loving this topic. So interesting to see what’s entered the “perennial sellers” canon and what hasn’t.
I’m curious — how immediately does “sold immediately” mean? Does someone oversee you buying Incredible Hulk #181 and demand it on the spot? Does it get bagged, boarded, and put on the wall where someone sees it later that day? Do you have a list of interested customers you call up?
I’m sure it varies, but just trying to picture the transaction in my head.
Thom H. – yes, “sold immediately” does sometimes mean exactly that…I once handed a fella a check for a HULK #181 I purchased from him, and before he was even at the door I had someone at my counter wanting to buy it.
But usually “immediately” means “within a day or two” — like, if I still have it on my counter ready to sort into either the cases or the New Arrivals boxes, that counts as “immediate” to me. Those two WOLVERINE #1s sold the same day I priced them.
And yes, I do have some folks I can call when Items of Immense Interest show up!
“Incredible Hulk #180-#182”.
Must be annoying for Hulk completists who don’t care about Wolverine.
Great covers on both! I’m sure that helps with demand- same for the first Punisher mini-series.
What have I wrought, indeed?
Thanks for the in-depth look at Wolverine, which I guess will all sell well up to, at least, the Gehenna Stone Affair.
My original reply was mostly just my two cents on the local market flooding with “collectors items”. But what I’m really curious to know is what happens when a rare gem with a small market pops up. Sure, everyone and their cousins is gonna want a Byrne X-Men book.
But what I’m really curious about is what will happen if you get 20 Wicked Wandas, Alberto Breccia’s Draculas, Zot, Puma Blues, Counterfeid Cerebus #1s or some such books. Rare, somewhat expensive, but more underground. I heard HATE Revisited is commanding some high prices.
Or what if you get more of those low print run zines in?
With the Wolverines you can base your pricing on a lot of hard data, CGC census, many ebay sales and, of course, your own experience as a purveyor of fine art.
But what price would you slap on 20 Vecna – Hand of the Revenants?
Snark Shark-I’m sure it is annoying for Hulk collectors. When we were growing up, my cousin collected Iron Man comics. It always annoyed him that the first appearance of Thanos (issue #55) was worth more than Iron Man #1.
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Puma Blues has never really gone up in value. Every issue is going for pretty cheap at online retailers. The final issue is slightly more expensive. The only two issues that are worth some money would be the issue with Alan Moore writing (which is also selling for a lot less than one would expect) and the #1/2, which are both more rare. I have no idea what the #1/2 goes for due to it coming up so rarely, in fact.
I’ve mentioned the Salvation Army before–getting MAGE and MAUS for @2.95 the same day. Its next to the gym so an easy stop. So I found the complete PUMA BLUES (omnibus?) for $7.95 as it was in the larger book section where everything was $7.95.
We did sell the book at my old comic shop, even to even have a few in the $2.00 bin. Weird having things go bad in 1997 when the book was barely out in 1992.
We did pretty well with B&W comics, Caliber in particular.
@ Wayne Allen Sallee
Awhile back I picked up a copy of Continum
Presents no. 1 for 50 cents. First Michael Linsner art, apparently…
Great, I didn’t buy Wolverine #1 back in 1988 because I thought “that won’t be worth anything, everyone will surely save a copy of it, there will be a million of those”.
Also ask me about the time I traded ASM #300 (then a couple of months old) for some sci-fi books because “Venom sucks” and “this character is a fad”.
“It always annoyed him that the first appearance of Thanos (issue #55) was worth more than Iron Man #1.”
Ha! Good Ol’ Thanos.
“Caliber”.
DeadWorld and the Crow come to mind. Do people still look for The Crow?