Customer Reviews

The Official Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, Edition #35

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

By the time the annual Overstreet Guide is published, the pricing on some titles may be outdated. This has been the main criticism coming from the comic book collectors' community. By the same token, it is fair to say that some of the quarterly publications overstate the value of certain titles. However, Overstreet is the only guide that offers a comprehensive, all-inclusive guide to comic book collecting. The 35th publication also includes a brand new category called the "Pioneer Age" for comics dating back to the 15th - 18th centuries. At this point, there is no competition.

The Overstreet Guide to comics has been around 35 years and they're a reason. Not only does it have a complete listing of comic books and their values, but hundreds of pages of ads that will enable you to communicate with a vast network of dealers, and dozens of articles on everything from CGC, to Teen Titans, to Little Lulu and everything in between. I do concur that some of the pricing is out of date, but most of it is accurate. Not only are prices listed for the titles, but the years it was published, by what company, whether or not the issues have been collected into compilations, and if so, which issues are in each compilation. Amazing.

Whether you're a veteran collector or a beginner, the Overstreet Guide to Comics is a must have. Don't get one of the cheaper guides, it's just not the same.

It's been almost 30 years since I bought my first overstreet Guide way back in 1977 featuring a Porky Pig cover by legendary Dondald Duck artist Cark Barks. While the Overstreet Guide remains the gold standard for comic book price guides, it is now without it's weaknesses. It is certainly the most comprehensive guide listing books from the so-called platinum age to the present and this time including info on books dating back to the 1700's although calling these books "comic books" is a bit of a stretch.

But the question is "Is more necessarily better?" Do we really need to include 1700's era comics? Are there really that many collectors for Platinum age comics? Approaching 1000 pages now (my first in 1977 was less than half that page count) the book borders on being a bit unwieldy. The type face had been reduced down to the small print of a shady contract and the book is sandwhiched between almost unending pages of ads. The market reports which I once loved to read are now basically out of date by the time the book hits the shelves and in today's age of online buying and online auctions et eBay, the market reports have outlived their usefullness.

While I will still buy an Overstreet every couple of years just to have one, I'd love to see them break down their guides, perhaps having a separate guide for Gold, Silver, and modern day comics both to make it more manageable and to target collectors who may only deal in one of these eras.

Reviewed by Tim Janson

The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide is considered by many
as the bible, when it comes to collecting, grading and
pricing comic books. Robert M. Overstreet began the concept
in 1970 as a guide for fellow fans of Golden Age era
comics. The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide has since
expanded to cover the entire history of comics'
publications. It has grown to encompass a broader range of
information than later competitors such as the Comics
Buyer's Guide or ComicBase.

Although many price guides come and go, this long-standing
publication (which has been running for over 35 years) has
become one of the inextricable elements of comic collection
history. The Overstreet guide is a premier resource for
collectors and enthusiasts seeking information on anything
comic book related. It offers comic book collectors one of
the best pricing resources available.



Using the Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, I checked out
one of my magazines. Depending on what grade or physical
condition I use, "The Amazing Spider-man", issue #252, is
worth $24 to $32 dollars. Not bad for having paid about a
quarter for it. I wouldn't have known this without the
guide. As I get my collection cataloged and using the guide
to estimate worth, I imagine my new collection will show a
value of a substantial amount more than my 50-dollar
investment.

One drawback I have discovered with my guide, is the
extensive nature of all the information. It takes some time
to browse through and get used to how to use it. But it has
become an invaluable tool as I continue to build by comic
book website "www.comic-book-collection-made-easy.com". In
building this website, I have gained enough information and
knowledge to make a reasonable, rational evaluation of this
much-needed guide.

This book is the industry standard for pricing comics. Additionally, it contains a good amount of info on grading, history, CGC and more.

This book was everything I thought it should be. Very informative and helpful when looking up old comic books.
Was volumous in information. Worth the purchase price.

Very useful and well thought out. A fantastic annual guide down memory lane.

The guide was informative and up to date again. I would recommend this book to any comic collector.

This book contains a lot of information, however some of it is too difficult to locate and the print is so small that you have to use a magnafying glass to read it!! I have used it twice and threw it in a drawer. I would not recommend this book!!!