Nowadays, you can’t go to any comic forum on the internet without seeing discussions about the “bubble” that the market is in. Collectors are speculating that the rise in prices during COVID will ultimately fall, or “pop” the bubble. Some key books, such as Giant-Size X-Men 1, Hulk 181, Etc. have certainly dropped a slight amount, but that’s not unusual. The comic market has historically gone up and down, so this shouldn’t surprise us.
But, at the same time, huge keys, (such as last week’s Amazing Fantasy 15), are still putting up record sales across the board. With about 2 days left on the auction, this copy of Batman 1 CGC 8.0 is bound to put up some impressive numbers for sure. Boasting the first appearance of The Joker and Catwoman, this is a book that any collector could only dream of owning in any grade, let alone an 8.0.
So let’s talk about who is buying these high-priced books for a second. Is it just random uber-rich people? well, obviously, but let’s go a little deeper. Are these comic and who finally have the money? That could certainly be the case, and honestly, it likely is, but what if it’s not? Are comic books now seen as an actual investment to people outside of the hobby? As collectors, we know that books can be enjoyed for pleasure or profit, but to non-collectors, they usually say “who would pay that much for a comic book?”.
It seems that although we are seeing rises and dips in the market, these blue-chip books are being seen as sound investments to the wealthy, which is a great thing for the market. just as with stocks, comics are a viable investment that will continue to gain followers and collectors, which should be great for the market as a whole in the long run.
