Collectors roll in for Q-C comic book convention

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By Tamara Fudge | Sunday, June 22, 2008 |

What do G.I. Joe, Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Indiana Jones have in common? They were the subjects of comic books available for purchase at Saturday’s Comic Book Convention at the Ramada Inn in Bettendorf.

You may have thrown your comic books out after grade school, but those who saved them have preserved a bit of fun reading history, and collectors such as those who came on Saturday were eager to find and buy these treasures.

The small conference room had a steady stream of customers by midday, notably nearly all male even though one Barbie comic was in plain sight. Vendor Leroy Harper guessed that typically only 1 out of 30 customers are women.

Superheroes always sell well: from Shazam and Captain Marvel to newer Spiderman issues, the show had them all.

Harper is in his 24th year of buying and selling comics. Based in West Paducah, Ky., he travels to shows most weekends but sells higher dollar items on eBay. “It’s a hobby that turned into a side business,” he said.

He said that price guides (like those for stamp and coin collecting) help sellers and buyers alike understand the value of individual comic books and offer an opportunity for advertising as well.

Several Dell Little Lulu Tubby Annuals from the 1950s stood out; they were quite thick and sell for up to $100 depending on the volume and condition. “For a non-superhero type book, they’re above average sellers,” said Harper. “They actually have a big following.”

Bill Nereson of Minneapolis, Minn., brought several thousand comic books to sell on

Saturday. Although he is retired, he says he hauls his wares to different shows nearly every weekend, too.

“Comics aren’t just for kids anymore,” said Nereson. “Lots of popular writers and novelists aim at adult audiences, although there are still a lot of comics for kids.”

Indeed, titles such as Sonic the Hedgehog and Transformers appeal to the younger set. Mission Impossible and Planet of the Apes might better entice those who lived through those eras.

Serious collectors look at comics in terms of eras. The “Golden Age” is a name for comics of the 1960s and the “Silver Age” represents the 1970s, according to Phil Jackson of Bettendorf, a collector/seller who stopped in to look for items especially from Marvel and DC Comics publishers.

To illustrate the serious nature of this business, some buyers intend to read their purchases, while others wish to preserve them in the best condition possible. To that end, vendors use specially sized clear plastic sleeves and cardboard backs; no new fingerprints or bent corners happen before purchases leave the showroom.

Show organizer Alan Morton of Wyoming, Ill., said the recent river flooding did affect the show, as a few vendors originally intending to participate were not able to come. Despite this, Morton has another show today at the Holiday Inn in Cedar Falls.

Admission to today’s event is also free, and the hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit epguides.com/comics.

The city desk can be contacted at (563) 383-2450 or newsroom@qctimes.com.