This is part two of a two part blog about Marvel Masterworks, DC Archives and archives from other companies.



In our last episode,  I wrote:

Originally, in the late 1980s Masterworks were $30, quickly going up to $35. DC Archives were $40.  There was no on-line shopping then. With Superman Archives Volume 4, in 1997, DC prices  jumped to $50, skipping over $45 and Marvel soon did the same. I was able to get them on line for about $35.  This started a riff between me and my comic book store which would not match Amazon's, or anyone's price. Sadly, that store is gone as is so many others. But I had a choice, I could pay less and buy more, or buy less and pay more.

Now the Marvels list for $75 for the Golden Age Masterworks and $70 for the Silver Age ones. All DC Archives are now $75 and about $50 on line. Last year, the latest Green Lantern Archive was listed at $60. In 2013, the next Metal Men archive will be $75. This blog will be concerned with only the Omnibuses whose reprints were NOT featured in Masterworks. Originally $100, Omnibuses now list for $125. On line they are now about $75, up from about $65. 

There are three on-lines stores that I found very helpful and I suggest that you compare prices! Note that prices change often and I am giving the prices that were up in Mid-March 2013.

Amazon.com
Tales of Wonder aka TOW (great, especially when they are running sales)
CheapGraphicNovels.com aka CGN: Often the very cheapest prices!!!

 Let me demonstrate two examples: Wonder Woman Archives Volume 5 and Volume 7.
Wonder Woman Volume 5:
Amazon.com: $16
Tales of Wonder: $31
Cheapgraphicnovels.com: $20

Wonder Woman Volume 7:
Amazon.com: $36
Tales of Wonder: $37
Cheapgraphicnovels.com: $30

Some archives, such as Wonder Woman, Plastic Manand many of the Marvel Atlas Masterworks  have mostly gone dramatically down in price to $17-$25 during sales at  TOW or CGN. Amazon is a great place to find them used.



Usually used books come up quickly on Amazon, but the speed in which they come up is often an indicator of how good or how popular the book is.  Generally, if the books comes up used quickly it wasn’t very popular and the price will go down dramatically if you hold on.

If you prefer only new books, check the alternative prices on Amazon.  Right now, you can get the Man Thing Omnibus directly from Amazon for $87.50, or through another listed dealer for $70.


However, sometimes the prices of these books go up, probably because their demand is greater than the supply. Take a look a sample list below/ originally they listed for $50-$60, but were available for about $40 at the stores I previously mentioned. I do buy these books both new and used. If they are in great condition, I don’t care if they are used. It is weird, however, that sometimes the used price on Amazon is higher than the new price.



Wonder WomanArchive 6               $200/150 (new price/used price)
Batman Archive 7                             $260/180
Sgt. Rock Archive 3                          $110
JSA All Stars Archive                        $97
Legion of Super-Heroes  Vol. 5        $95/50

Omnibuses were listed at $100 but generally sold on line for about $65-70. Check out the prices now on Amazon and Ebay. 
Fantastic Four Omnibus 1:                  $188
Fantastic Four Omnibus 2:                  $349
Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus           $320/290
Iron Man Omnibus 1                          $800/400
New Teen Titans Omnibus                  $140/120
Silver Surfer Omnibus                        $210/150
Uncanny X-Men Omnibus:                 $400/200
X-Men Omnibus                                 $300/280
Wolverine Omnibus                            $200/150
Howard the Duck Omnibus                $700/300
Tomb of Dracula Volume 1                $370/200

There can be a risk involved with waiting, especially with Omnibuses. However, when I bought volumes of Creepy, Eerie and Boris Karloff’s Tales of Mystery I waited until TOW had a half-price sale. I bought a few at a time to avoid a shipping cost too.


Recently, using Amazon and buying from Powell’s BookstoreI bought the three Herbie Archives for $7.50 each and the Thunda Archives, by Frank Frazetta, which lists for $50, for a meager $10. My on-line friend, Scott e-mailed when I mentioned this and he wrote:“Just this week I got all three Herbies, still in shrinkwrap, for $9 each (marked $9.99 minus 10 percent librarian discount) and thought I got a bargain! Looks like I overpaid! Wouldn't mind finding Nemesis and Magicman at similar prices, even though I've got all the original comics.”


I see today it is listing at $15. Of, course there are shipping costs, usually $3-4, but there is also no sales tax…yet. 

Well, I got them just a little while ago.


Cheap Graphic Novels has a great many Atlas Era Masterworks on sale for $20 or less. These include: Atlas Era Heroes Masterworks Volume  02  and Journey Into Mystery Vol. 1, Jungle Action and Strange Tales. For a while, Tales of Wonder had many of these this on sale too.

I have been very happy with used books bought on Amazon. Many times I have gotten books I normally would not have but they were so cheap! And, often the condition is really as good as new.
I had, in ten years, two problems, both were resolved quickly.  After a couple of weeks, when my Herbie Archives did not arrive from Powell’s, I sent them an email. They immediately responded and sent out a new shipment.

With another dealer, TextbooksRus.com. the Sugar and Spike Archives arrived with big used stickers on the front and back covers. I didn’t like that and they did offer a refund.



I recently bought the Spirit Artist Edition from CGN for $132, with shipping.  It would have been about the same at TOW, sometimes they add a shipping charge to this and sometimes they don’t.  My local store however, after taxes, would have charged $162.


There is a bit of controversy here.  I wrote last time that “This started a riff between me and my comic book store dealer who would not match Amazon's, or anyone's price. Sadly, that store is gone, as is so many others. But I had a choice; I could pay less and buy more, or buy less and pay more.”

In 1995, I had not had a long term relationship with this dealer; I really didn’t think that his survival depended on me, and others, to get hardcover and trade paperbacks from him. But it did. The issue has become, “how much extra money do you want to spend to keep your dealer open?”
By the way, the dealer did get mad at me. I started buying fewer books from him, but not because of pricing alone. I had to order books from him and it took months for him to get, I was getting them in a couple of days on line. I also liked that the books were dropped off at my house and I didn’t have to go pick them up.

Do you pay $50 to buy, the “Genius, Illustrated: The Life and Art of Alex Toth” at the Manhattan bookstore, or do you buy on line for $30?  Forbidden Planet is a famous Manhattan comic book store. Right next to them is the Strand Bookstore, which sells many of the same books for half price. For example, I bought the Mad Fold In book there for $50. It sells on Amazon for $91 and in the comic book store for $125.


What do you think?
Please feel free to list where you get your books at the best prices.