COMIC BOOKS: ILLUSTRATED INVESTMENTS NOT JUST FOR KIDS ANYMORE

Comic book collector Anthony Boyce, like many enthusiasts, monitors the comic book price guide like investors follow stock market reports, checking how his illustrated investments are faring.

Boyce, 27, of Cape Girardeau, has been collecting comic books since he was five years old. He is among thousands of comic book collectors nationwide.

"I started with Captain America," he said. "Right now I'm collecting Aquaman, X-Men and the Justice League."

Boyce said he rarely reads the comic books he buys. "I usually buy then and put them up. I guess it's mainly an investment."

He wouldn't estimate the number of titles or the value of his collection. No matter how valuable his collection gets, Boyce said he would never sell. "I couldn't do it. But I like to know what they are worth.

"This is a hobby for me," Boyce said. "Most of the guys I know stopped collecting comic books a long time ago. But if I didn't do comics, I don't know what I'd do. Life would get pretty dull."

Boyce has plenty to keep him busy. Comic books have become big business. Each month, over 300 new comic book titles are released.

While Marvel and DC Comics are still the top publishers of comic books, hundreds of independent publishers are trying their hand at the lucrative comic book market.

"There is a lot more available now than even 10 years ago," said Andrew Johnson.

Johnson's comic book collection lead him to open a business four years ago. He owns The Comix Strip on Broadway where new and old comic books are sold, bought and traded.

"It's amazing what all is available."

Larry Ward, owner of B&L Coins at Town Plaza where comic books are also sold and traded, said, "The comic book people are putting out more and more stuff, just like baseball cards. They are redoing and revamping figures and story lines so people will pick them up and read them again."

B&L Coins handles both new and old comic books. "We have people who come in every week and get the latest issue. Others just want to fill in gaps on the ones that they collect."

Ward joked, "I guess comic book collectors are just crazy like all other collectors.

"Some people collect by the author, some by the guy who does the artwork, and others by the character who appears in the comic book," Ward said.

Very few comic books today are comical; Most are fairly violent.

Funny books, like The Archies, Donald Duck or Richie Rich, are relegated to a small rack in the very back of Johnson's store. "They don't sell. Even little kids don't want these," Johnson said.

Comic characters like Punisher, Wolverine and Ghost Rider are very popular.

"They are sort of vigilante characters. They don't work well in groups," Johnson said.

"The Batman movie made Batman more of a dark character," Johnson said. That movie caused Batman popularity to soar. While the popularity has tapered off, Johnson said the books are still much more popular than before the movie.

"Superman has been around over 50 years, but sales are kind of flat."

In an effort to boost sales of the new books, Johnson said, "Superman is more vigilante. He has killed in self defense and he goes out on dates."

Ward said all types of people buy comic books - from children who have just learned to read to grandparents.

But the majority of comic book collectors are young men, ages 9 to 30. Johnson said very few women collect comic books. Nationally, female readers make up just about 2 percent of total readers.

"I think about 90 percent of my customers buy the books to read them," Johnson said. "Probably about 10 percent buy the books solely as an investment."

But most readers also consider the investment potential of the books, buying protective plastic covers and acid-free boards to keep the books from being bent or damaged.

Comic books can be a good investment, Johnson said. "It's very rare that a comic ever loses its cover value."

In fact, if comic books don't sell during the first month after their release, the price goes up 25 to 50 cents.

"Some guy who is collecting a certain comic and missed one is willing to pay 50 cents more to make sure his collection is complete," Johnson said.

Even old comic books that no one wants are priced at several dollars.

Not every title goes up significantly. But books do go up from $1.25 to perhaps $20 in just a couple months.

Some old comics bring big dollars. The first edition Superman in mint condition is valued at $55,000. Johnson has a Spiderman comic in the store now priced over $700.

Many comic books and characters are tied to movies. "When there is a movie, it adds to the popularity of the comic book greatly," said Ward.

Case in point Batman. The phenomenal success of the Batman movie has died down, but Batman comic books are still popular.

"They are doing a Spiderman movie news year," Johnson said. "So Spiderman sales are really going up already. It could be like Batman."

While many people enjoy reading the story, it's the artwork that really sells comic books.

The printing quality has improved dramatically over the past decade, Johnson said. "There is better printing, better paper and the colors are more vibrant.

"Marvel comics used to have a house style and every artist was about the same."

Now comic book artists are allowed to use a wide variety of styles.

Johnson said, "For me personally, if it's not a book I enjoy looking at, I can't get into the story."

Scott Mayo of Bloomfield comes to Cape Girardeau about once a week and makes a point to stop by the comic store.

"The new comics come in on Thursdays, so I try to come to Cape on Thursdays," he said.

Last week he bought about $25 worth of new books. "That's about two weeks worth.

"Once in a while I'll buy a book for an investment, but really I just like reading them."

Mayo is a faithful reader of the Incredible Hulk and Ghost Rider.

"I used to collect comic books when I was a kid," he said. "But when the price went up to 50 cents, I swore I'd never buy another comic book.

"But a couple years ago, they caught my attention again. I got hooked. I don't read novels, but I like to read these."