Graphic Novel Collections: Are Reprints Collectible?

A fairly new phenomenon (the last ten years or so) has manifested itself in the comic book collecting and reading community.

Graphic Novel Collections (specifically soft and hardbound reprint collections) are very popular for a number of reasons.

Many comic book fans are holding off buying an entire series or storylines consisting of several issues of comic books.

Instead they purchase the Graphic Novel Collections that contain ‘entire’ storylines that they can read in one sitting.

Also, collectors of single-issue comics that have escalated in value are bagging and boarding their ‘first print’ comic books and opting to read the reprints when the to read them urge strikes.

It saves wear and tear on original expensive comic books, thus keeping collectors’ originals in better condition-thus keeping their value.

All these are good reasons to purchase Graphic Novel Collections.

What I don’t understand are those individuals who purchase such ‘collections’ and look at then as collections that will increase in value.

One, they are reprints (in most cases). Two, comic book shops, discount stores (such as Ollie’s) and major bookstore chains are discounting said Graphic Novel Collections.

The conclusion: the collections will never be worth much more than their cover price no matter how attractive or compelling they may appear.

If a comic book reader goes into collecting Graphic Novel Collections to safeguard their original issues or for reading entire storylines, by all means buy the collections.  Buy them to read and enjoy them and forget the value of the collections.

The value is in the reading them.  The money simply will not be there it the future.