Buying Comics On A Budget
Reading comics can be an expensive hobby. Many current comic books are two to four dollars each. Reading as little as ten titles a month may be many times more expensive than a Netflix subscription. We may pay full retail price for the newest books, but there are a ton of ways to get comics without emptying your pockets.
Local Comic Book Stores
Though we have access to thousands of free digital comics many of us still enjoy owning issues and trade paperbacks. Our local comic shop may offer a lot of discounts. Many stores offer a discount for opening a pull list. This is great if we want to keep up on current weekly and monthly titles. Comic shops often have clearance and discount bins that where we can pick up titles at good prices.
Let’s not forget Free Comic Book Day. Not only is this a day to support your local comic shop, but this is also a day to get a lot of free comics. Many comic shops will throw parties or have other goodies and giveaways. Hit up as many stores as you can, but make sure you drop some cash at each stop. I typically set some money aside for Free Comic Book Day. Even if you spend twenty-plus dollars at each store you will still walk away with more than you paid for. Many publishers will also put out free books for Halloween.
Going To Conventions
Comic books, toys, and collectible conventions are the perfect place to pick up comic books on a budget. Comic book conventions often have a section dedicated to writers and artists who are looking for you to read their books. Similar to Free Comic Book Day, we can spend money supporting creators while also taking the benefit of free stuff. Conventions in general also promote local comic book shops and sellers. Instead of traveling from store to store, we have many vendors in one place.
Garage Sales and Library Sales
One man’s trash is another man’s collection. There are always people looking to get rid of their possessions. Garage sales can be hit or miss, but the hits can offer high rewards. We can keep an eye out for garage sale signs in our surrounding area. Many local newspapers offer a listing of local garage sales. Neighborhoods will often agree to have one large garage sale on the same day. This is a great way to cover a lot of ground in the least amount of time.
Libraries, churches, and other establishments may hold book or bag sales. I have been to bag sales that let me fill a very large paper bag for two dollars. I was able to pick up many books for pennies each. This is helpful for avid readers and those looking to build their collections.
RELATED: Dry Foot Issue 1 Review
Discount Stores and Thrift Stores
Discount and clearance-based stores have a constantly changing and seemingly random selection of items. I once found a box full of ska CDs in a sketchy discount store in the basement of an apartment building. Sometimes these stores happen to be comic books. I went to my local Ollies this weekend. They just so happened to be selling DC trade paperbacks for $3. Though I did not end up purchasing any I was surprised at the selection of available titles.
Thrift stores often have a section for books, including comic books. Not only can we pick up some good comics, many thrift stores also donate a portion of the proceeds to charity. Much like garage sales, these stores can be hit or miss. You never know what you might find.
The Internet
The world wide web has everything on it. We all know this. There are many great ways to read comics online which we will discuss in the second part of this article. There are also many outlets where we can purchase physical comic books.
There are message boards dedicated to buying and selling comics. Auction sites like eBay are loaded with comic books. There are a plethora of online comic book retailers that offer sales and discounts.
I have had really good luck with finding cheap comic books on Amazon. The prices for new books often rival detail, but the used options from third-party vendors often have competitive pricing.
I have picked up trade paperbacks for as little as one penny. These books often come from thrift stores and libraries. Though the books are used I have never received a comic that was severely damaged or unreadable.
RELATED: Pizza Boyz Issue 10 Review
How Do You Buy Comics On A Budget?
Sometimes you just need cheap comics! We hoped you enjoyed our guide on how to buy comics on a budget. Did we miss any of your favorite strategies? Let us know on social media!
