If you’re a fan of comics, there are lots of ways to get started. You might be interested in the newest issues that hit shelves every Wednesday, or maybe you’d rather pick up some classic stories from your local comic book store.
If you’re looking for something more accessible and affordable, though, I’ve got just the thing for you: annual passes to your local library.
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Find a good local comic book store
Once you’ve decided to start your own comic book collection, the next step is to find a good local comic book store.
Your best bet for finding one is to ask friends, who will likely keep their eyes open for new stores in their area. If you’re not sure who in your life reads comics and can help you out, try searching online for recommendations from other fans of the medium.
Once you’ve found a few potential stores, visit them and look around: Do they seem well organized? Are they focused on selling comics or do they have other merchandise as well?
Are there lots of titles available (and are those titles ones that appeal to your interests)? These are all good questions to ask when assessing whether or not this would be a place where you’d like to buy your comics.
Try an anthology series
Anthologies are a great way to try new artists and writers. Anthologies are collections of short stories from various authors, often released in a series of volumes.
You can find anthologies in the back of comic book collection. They’re often released as part of a collection, or as standalone graphic novels.
If you can’t find any anthologies at your local library or bookstore, there are many online retailers that carry them like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Buy it online.
There are a few different places to buy comic books online. I recommend Amazon because they have a great selection and free two-day shipping on orders over $35 (which is usually what I spend on comics).
If you’re going to be buying older, more valuable issues of comics, eBay might be better for you since there will often be less scammers trying to scam buyers out of their money.
Pick up a trade paperback.
The first thing to start your collection is a trade paperback. A trade paperback, also known as a TPB, is a single book that collects multiple issues of a comic book series into one convenient package.
They’re often printed in black and white but can also be colored. Most comics shops will carry them, but you can also look online if you have trouble finding them locally.
If you aren’t sure what to buy first, try some of the following suggestions:
- The Walking Dead: This amazing horror comic has been around since 2003, it’s far more than just zombies. Check out our review here.
- Saga: A sci-fi epic that’s been called “Star Wars meets Game of Thrones.” It’s set in an interstellar war between two sides with opposing views on life itself, and everyone gets caught up in the crossfire. Find out why we love this series so much here.
- Astro City: If superheroes aren’t your thing but science fiction is, then Astro City might be up your alley. This award-winning series imagines what it would really be like if superheroes existed (instead of just fighting crime) and how their lives would change over time as they deal with growing up or getting old or even retiring from duty entirely.
Get an annual pass at your local library.
If you’re new to comics, your local library is a great place to start. Many libraries offer an annual pass that allows customers to borrow comics, graphic novels, and trade paperbacks.
This is a great way to build up your collection without spending money on items you might not enjoy.
Libraries often have new releases as well as older issues of popular series like The Walking Dead or Saga in their catalogs, so it’s worth checking out what they have before buying all the comics you want individually.
Conclusion
I hope this article has given you some ideas on how to start your own comic book collection. Remember that it’s always better to buy things in physical form because then you can read them again and again.
But if electronic copies are more convenient for you, there are still plenty of ways to get started with digital comics.
