On Collectibles: Comics - Daredevil/Kevin Smith Crash

At the first of the year, I paid $24.00 for a copy of the late 1990's Daredevil relaunch, written by Kevin Smith. The Comic Book Price Guide 2010 (CBG) now lists it at a measly $7.00 -- that's right -- a 75% loss. It lists a Dynamic Forces variant for $50.00, but that is not the one I have. The place from which I purchased the book is now selling a 9.4 NM copy for less than $6.00! However, it is also selling the Dynamic Forces variant for less than the list CBG price.

This has nothing to do with the economy and everything to do with Kevin Smith's involvement (though there are other factors). I am a self-proclaimed Smith fan, but I have not been following his work outside of his burgeoning, and quickly expanding, world of podcasts. Smith had a rocky year, both good and (mostly) bad, and I believe this to be a dominant factor in the price-drop.

He made international headlines for tweeting about an airline incident with which he took issue, his movie Cop Out was overwhelmingly panned, and his recent Batman mini-series met with jeers as well. Within the last few weeks, Smith once again slammed paid critics for receiving free passes to movie screenings, and announced he only wanted hand-chosen reviewers to screen his movies from now on. Critics responded by suggesting Smith was soliciting one-sided, mostly favorable, "reviews" from an audience predisposed to enjoying his films.

SPOILERS - Shadowland

Another factor in Daredevil's recent price plunge is the Shadowland event which seems to have gone largely overlooked, judging from a lack of response. I have all of the issues involved in Shadowland (including the numerous one-shots and mini-series) and have so far overlooked it, myself. Daredevil is ending yet another run, but it appears that Jock will be taking over with Andy Diggle on yet another (possibly ongoing) Daredevil series in 2011. Black Panther has apparently taken over the Daredevil cowl for now, along with the "Man Without Fear" subtitle.

END SPOILER ALERT

All of this confusion as to the direction of the character and title also contributed to this drop on a title I would have considered a stable investment even three months back. I bought high in retrospect, but at the time, the price was stable, as Kevin Smith's problems had not begun, nor had Shadowland been announced. At least two retail outlets currently list the issue in the high range ($15+), which is a good indicator that the value will hold, despite the new lower listing in the CBG.

But this case study reinforces everything I've told you about collecting comics. There are so many factors involved in assessing value, which can and does change rapidly, that it makes comics a waiting game for collectors (as opposed to straight investors). Comic books are a high-risk investment and if you're looking to make money from them, you need to keep a close eye on the market and learn to better gauge consumer interest, then act fast. Comics properties have now become so closely tied to pop-culture and mainstream entertainment that this is an increasingly difficult feat.

There are limited options -- auction sites, conventions (maybe), storefronts, sell to retailers -- for clearance, but no "broker" to call for a fixed, "list" payment. Plus, stocks and similar investments bring much higher returns, often in both the short and long -term. While fandom often maligns collecting comics as a prurient interest, it requires a love of, and great interest in, the medium -- it's the hobby behind it, and what made these characters, titles, and ideas so popular in the first place.

With the newest reboot of Daredevil, we're apt to get a slew of cheaply-produced TPB reprinting key runs from the second series, driving the prices down even further. This is lamentable and something I hope doesn't occur, but begrudgingly accept as probable. The value of the entire series is now in the hands of the creators of this yet-released incarnation -- and those are very capable hands -- but I also believe Daredevil, and the misdirections and creators behind this price drop, interesting and endearing enough to outlast this short-term fall.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010