How to get rid of comics

mphil · January 2016

Ok, what does everyone do? I've tried selling on eBay and most of the time I wind up spending money relisting several times and getting relisting fees, all while lowering the price each time until it finally sales for break-even price. If people aren't willing to spend more than $5 on a collection of 30+ comics, then it's not worth my time listing it, taking it to the UPS store, etc.

It feels wrong just throwing them in the trash but I'm at the point where maybe that's what I should do. Thoughts?

CaptShazam · January 2016

If money is not an issue, you can donate them to a library or childrens hospital

I have friends with kids and I have just given away age appropriate stuff to them to hopefully spark an interest in the hobby.

I hate to say it but there have been times where I just threw something out because it was not suitable for kids and not worth the effort to sell.

TheOriginalGMan · January 2016

Just throwing this out there, but many towns have theirs own "Buy/Sell/Trade" or "Yardsale" Facebook pages where folks post items for sale. Obviously no fees associated, but not sure how successful you'd be moving them though. Again, just a thought.

EDIT ...
Here's a Facebook page devoted to buying and selling comics:

https://www.facebook.com/ComicBookTradersAndSellers

compsolut · January 2016

Other options are to take them to a Half Price Books, or something similar. Also, if there are local cons in your area, many times you can find a volume seller or two who will pay around $15-30 per long box for common titles. If the runs aren't anything limited or special, chances are your effort on eBay isn't going to be as fruitful as you would like.

Alternatively you can also donate them to hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and schools.

mphil · January 2016

I'm looking for someone who will buy in bulk. I don't want to piece meal sell an issue here and there. If libraries will take a box and take what they want and throw away the rest, that's an option.

mphil · January 2016

compsolut said:
Other options are to take them to a Half Price Books, or something similar. Also, if there are local cons in your area, many times you can find a volume seller or two who will pay around $15-30 per long box for common titles. If the runs aren't anything limited or special, chances are your effort on eBay isn't going to be as fruitful as you would like.

Alternatively you can also donate them to hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and schools.

I, luckily, don't have a long box of comics I don't want. I have 2 short boxes where all of my monthly comics go. Every month I get worried that I won't be able to fit this months worth in those two boxes.

Maybe 50% are stuff I'll want to collect long-term. I'll move those titles into another box when their runs end and/or bind them. The other 50% I have to get rid of and I don't want to store them in a long box until that long box is full enough to sell.

Mr_Cosmic · January 2016

mwhitt80 · January 2016

Mr_Cosmic said:

May have used that method a few years ago.

Newsprint burns 1000% better than glossy paper.

bralinator · January 2016

mwhitt80 said:

Mr_Cosmic said:
May have used that method a few years ago.

Newsprint burns 1000% better than glossy paper.

I know my parents definitely used that method at least once.

fredzilla · January 2016

CaptShazam said:
If money is not an issue, you can donate them to a library or childrens hospital

I have friends with kids and I have just given away age appropriate stuff to them to hopefully spark an interest in the hobby.

I hate to say it but there have been times where I just threw something out because it was not suitable for kids and not worth the effort to sell.

If you're giving them away, this is better than dumping them in a fire or the trash. As a middle school language arts teacher, I would also recommend donating them to a local elementary or middle school (I suppose high schools would do good by them as well). Just make sure they're all kid appropriate. You could call the school and talk to the librarian, or ask for the English/Language Arts department head.

I've donated some of mine to our local children's hospital, and I've given some away to my students. While I wish I could have got some money by reselling them, once I got over the fact they weren't worth much financially, it was a lot easier to let them go. Especially when it was going to some one that would likely get as much joy from them as I got.

TheOriginalGMan · January 2016

I wonder if you donate them if you'd be able to take a tax credit? And, if so, would you be able to claim, say, the Overstreet value? Any accountants here that can weigh in ... ?

CaptShazam · January 2016

Not an accountant but yes you can claim the donation on your taxes - at least if it is to a library. They will give you the form or in some cases you can download it from their website. At least on the form my library system has given out, you write in the estimated worth of the items. I have only donated trades. I used the cover price as the worth as long as they were in good shape.

Hex · February 2016

Hand out the kid appropriate comics at Halloween. or use them as wrapping paper at X-mas.

Torchsong · February 2016

Give yourself some credit. You didn't amass all these comics in one fell swoop and it's unlikely you'll get rid of them as easily. One thing you can be sure of, and that's that you'll have a hard time selling them all as one big chunk. You could consider piecing them out, but I personally think, to me, that you'd find it a much easier thing to sell like issues together in batches. That's a tip from your ol' pal Torchsong! :)

nweathington · February 2016

Torchsong said:
Give yourself some credit. You didn't amass all these comics in one fell swoop and it's unlikely you'll get rid of them as easily. One thing you can be sure of, and that's that you'll have a hard time selling them all as one big chunk. You could consider piecing them out, but I personally think, to me, that you'd find it a much easier thing to sell like issues together in batches. That's a tip from your ol' pal Torchsong! :)

dubbat138 · February 2016

Hex said:
Hand out the kid appropriate comics at Halloween. or use them as wrapping paper at X-mas.

Before I moved,when I still got kids trick or treating at my home,I would make a stack of say 100 kid friendly comics I didn't want anymore. Had a few times were a kid would ask"If I don't get any candy can I have two comics?" And I would just give them another comic along with their candy.

My issue now is I have pretty much culled all the kid friendly stuff I don't want out of my collection. And now I got at least 2 longboxes full of 80s and 90s indie comics that might be kid appropriate.

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