DC comics

Sell your DC collection.

Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, Vertigo and everything in between. Honest offers from a collector who actually reads them.

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Selling DC comics in the UK

DC collections are a particular pleasure to buy because they tend to have been built by readers rather than speculators. That means long runs, odd corners of the line and the occasional key that the owner never realised was one. I price everything against what it is selling for now, I collect for free anywhere in the UK, and I pay on the day.

If you are not sure what you have, that is fine. Photos of the covers and spines are enough for me to tell you which books matter and which are readers, and I would rather tell you honestly than let you find out later.

The DC books I am always looking for

Detective Comics #27 (1939) and Batman #1 (1940), the first Batman and the first Joker and Catwoman. I have to mention them, though they are museum pieces

Action Comics #1 (1938) and the early Superman keys: Action Comics #23 (first Lex Luthor), #242 (Brainiac), #252 (first Supergirl, 1959)

Batman #232 (1971, first Ra's al Ghul), Detective Comics #400 (1970, first Man-Bat), Batman #181 (1966, first Poison Ivy), Detective #66 (Two-Face) and #140 (Riddler)

Batman #357 (1983, first Jason Todd and Killer Croc), Batman #436 (1989, first Tim Drake), Batman #655 (2006, first Damian Wayne)

Batman Adventures #12 (1993, first Harley Quinn), Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1 (1992), Batman: Sword of Azrael #1 (1992)

Showcase #22 (October 1959, first Hal Jordan), Showcase #4 (1956, first Barry Allen), Brave and the Bold #28 (1960, first Justice League)

Green Lantern #76 to #89 (1970 to 1972), the O'Neil and Adams run, with #85 and #86 (the Speedy issues) and #87 (first John Stewart) as the keys inside it

House of Secrets #92 (July 1971, first Swamp Thing), Saga of the Swamp Thing #21 (February 1984) and Swamp Thing #37 (June 1985, first John Constantine)

Vertigo: Sandman, Preacher, Y: The Last Man, Fables and Hellblazer first issues and complete runs

The Absolute line: Absolute Batman #1 and Absolute Green Arrow #1 (2024) are already the modern DC keys

Beyond the keys, complete runs sell. Batman, Detective Comics, Superman, Action, Green Lantern, Flash and Wonder Woman all have collectors who want a stretch of consistent copies rather than a pile of singles. I also buy the runs nobody else seems to want, because someone always does.

What I actually look at

Condition. DC keys from the seventies and eighties turn up in UK collections more often than Marvel ones, and often in better shape, because they were bought by adults. I grade honestly and I will point out the flaws I find.

Pence copies. A lot of Bronze Age DC came into Britain with a pence price on the cover. Those are their own market. Here is what to look for before assuming your copy is the ordinary one.

Reprints and facsimiles. DC has reprinted its biggest keys many times. Detective Comics #27 is a museum piece; the copy in most collections is a facsimile, and I check the indicia before anyone gets excited. The barcode guide helps if you want to check first.

Graded books. CGC and CBCS slabs are welcome and quick to value. Raw books do not usually need grading before you sell, and I have written about when it is worth it.

What is usually worth less than people hope

Nineties DC was printed in the same huge numbers as everyone else's. Death of Superman, Knightfall and the polybagged black Superman #75 are common in any grade. Most Vertigo runs are worth more read than sold unless they are complete. Water damage and missing pages take a lot off anything. I will still make an offer on all of it, and I will explain the number.

Questions people ask before selling

Do you buy Vertigo and Black Label as well as superhero DC?

Yes. Sandman, Preacher, Hellblazer, Y: The Last Man, Fables and the newer Black Label books all have buyers. Complete runs do best.

I have a lot of Batman. Is that better sold as one lot?

Almost always. A Batman run with the keys still in it is worth more to me than the keys on their own, and it is far less work for you.

Are pence copies worth more or less?

It depends on the book and the era, which is exactly why I check rather than assume. Send photos of the price box and I will tell you.

Do you collect from anywhere in the UK?

Yes. Free collection nationwide, paid on the day. Tracked post works for a handful of books.

How it works

01

Send a few photos

Covers and spines, and the indicia page if you can. That is enough for a first look.

02

Get a straight offer

A clear valuation based on what these books are actually selling for now, and an honest note on anything that is worth less than you hoped.

03

Get paid

I collect anywhere in the UK for free and pay the same day. No fees, no waiting for an auction to end.

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Prefer email? lee@retrorelicscomics.co.uk

First appearances I am always looking for

If any of these are in your collection, mention them when you send photos.

All 197 first appearances, A to Z

Worth reading before you sell