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The reader's handbook

Comic book guides

Plain advice for readers, collectors and parents: selling a collection, grading, pull lists, release day, storage and Free Comic Book Day. No price predictions, no hype.

Comic books sorted into stacks and long boxes on a living-room floor before selling Selling How to sell your comic collection Sort the boxes, find the keys and older books, and choose between a local shop, online marketplaces, auctions and conventions. Slabbed comic books in clear plastic holders next to a jeweler’s loupe and cotton gloves Grading CGC grading, explained What CGC and CBCS do, how the 10-point scale and label colors work, pressing, and when a grade is worth paying for. Pull-box cubbies behind a comic shop counter while a clerk hands a customer a stack of new issues Pull lists What is a pull list? How a pull list or pull box works, how to set one up, why ordering ahead matters, and the etiquette shops appreciate. A comic shop clerk stocking the new-release wall with this week’s comics before opening Release day New Comic Book Day, explained Why new comics land midweek, what Wednesday and Tuesday releases mean, and how to make release day easy. A parent and child reading comics together in the aisle of a comic shop New readers How to get into comics Single issues, trades and omnibuses, where to start, all-ages and manga picks, and how a local shop helps. Comic bags, backing boards and a cardboard short box laid out on a table Storage How to store comics Bags and boards, Mylar or polypropylene, short and long boxes, upright storage, and keeping heat, damp and light away. A festive line of fans waiting outside a comic shop on Free Comic Book Day Free Comic Book Day Free Comic Book Day guide What the yearly event is, how to plan your day, and the etiquette that keeps it fun for shops and fans.

City guides

The 10 cities with the most comic shops in the directory. Each guide lists the city's shops and shows which ones have pull lists, back issues and manga or buy collections, with the review quote or website line behind every claim.

Find a shop

Comic shops by state Shops that buy comics Shops with pull lists All specialties