The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, 30e (Official Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide) (Paperback)

~ Robert M. Overstreet (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Since 1970, only one comic book price guide has been dubbed "the Bible" for casual and die-hard collectors alike. While others have come and gone, The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide has maintained its stature as the premiere reference source for the hobby, covering more than a century of comic book history. The essential tool for collectors and investors, the Guide is highly regarded for its well-researched pricing, in-depth historical information, and incomparable insights into the marketplace. If you have a comic book collection or are thinking about starting one, you simply can't do without this book!

This 30th Anniversary Edition Includes:

The most complete record of existing comic books from the 1800s to the present

Redesigned feature sections for greater clarity and easy reference

Market reports by Robert M. overstreet and the Overstreet advisors network

Exclusive feature articles on the origin and history of EC Comics, now celebrating the 50th anniversary of the "New Trend" titles, including interviews with Overstreet cover artists Al Feldstein and Al Williamson!

Exclusive 30th anniversary feature looking back at the birth of a comic book fan, the first-ever article written for the Guide by Robert M. Overstreet himself!

Up-to-date directory of comic book fan wbsites

Tips about collecting, grading and caring for your comics

All-new additions to Overstreet Hall of Fame, key sales lists, and exhaustive indices

And much, much more!

About the Author

Robert M. Overstreet lives with his wife, Carol, outside of Baltimore, Maryland.

Product Details

• Paperback: 992 pages
• Publisher: Collins Reference; 30 edition (April 26, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060957344
• ISBN-13: 978-0060957346
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,346,276 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Accepted Standard For The Comic Book Market, February 25, 2001

By A Customer

I've collected comic books for over fifteen years and I have found through my experience that Overstreet's Price Guide serves the purpose of grading comics best. One the opening articles of the guide is decicated to grading comics. This includes grading terminology with a succinct description of each major grade(Near Mint, Very Fine, etc.), factors that will influence the price of a comic(for example, high-grade comics will generally be sold for 50% to 100% over the listed guide price), tips on how to put a collection together as well as sell a collection ( for instance, the guide indicated which category of books would need to be listed individually when selling to a dealer), and a report of some of the top comic book sales of the previous year, plus much more. In my opinion, these opening articles embody the fundamentals of comic book collecting and are required reading for anyone seriously entering the hobby. The Overstreet Guide is also more thoroughly illustrated with black and white photos of comic covers than any other guide I've seen.

Whether I've bought or sold books (I'm not a professional dealer, by the way, I simply sell books from my collection from time to time to generate cash for a new comic I really want) I've always found that the prices and particularly the grading standards listed in the Overstreet Guide are what is almost universally excepted by collector and dealer alike.

I've consistently found the listings in the guide to be thorough and complete. Overstreet makes a concerted effort to indicated which issues have artists and key events that many collectors are looking for(An example would be: N.Adams art, 1st appearance Ras Al Gul). Of course, everyone has their own opinion of which issues are most important, but Overstreet does a fine job of listing the ones that most people demand, and there are many. A previouse review indicated that the Platinum Age listings may be incomplete. However, I believe there is an article preceeding this listing that indicates that, because material from this period is so rare, the listing is more than likely incomplete. Additionally, the author invites any collectors who have issues from this period that are not included in the listing to contact the author so that the new information can be incorporated into the new edition. Another reviewer felt that the listing for Modern Age comics was also lacking. There may be two reasons for this. First, the edition you purchase takes several months to prepare, and when it is published, it represents the activity in the comic book market for the previous year. The Modern Age issues in question may have been published durning the period of time that the guide does not cover. Second, the comics produced in the last ten years, with a few exceptions, represent, in my experience, a very glutted market. Supply of these books far surpasses demand. Thus, most of these books don't experience much of a price increase. So it's possible that a book published within the last couple of years that hasn't increased above its cover price in value may not be included in the guide. What would be the point? And in either case, these issues will more than likely be included in a future edition.

As regards the claim that Mr. Overstreet "fixes" the prices in the guide to suit his personal interests, who can really say? What can be said is this: only a person who has a thorough knowledge of and an avid interest in the medium (i.e. a collector) could produce a comprehensive grading and price guide for the use of other collectors. I can't imagine a guide put together by someone who had absolutely no interest in the hobby. Where whould such a person get his information from? He'ld have to depend on other collectors and thus you'ld more than likely have the same charge of conspiracy all over again. Mr. Overstreet evidently has not only the the knowledge and interest but the experience as well as the knowledge and experience of his many adivsors. He's just as qualified, if not more so, than anyone else.

Let me provide a word of caution. The Overstreet Guide contains numerous dealer advertisements. Some are genuinely strict graders and provide excellent products and service (Four Color Comics and Metropolis Comics are two of these). However, there are many who are VERY liberal in their grading and whose claim of "unconditional money back guarantee" quickly evaporates when you try and make a return (Want List Comics comes to mind). Buy all means, take advantage of these dealer listings, but do so with carefully.

To conclude, I sincerely feel the Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide is the best available. If your serious about collecting comics, it's a valuable tool for buying, selling, and personal research. I've learned much from just going through the guide page by page and discovering books I never thought existed. Additionally, it's more than likely that at some point in your collecting you'll have to deal with someone who uses this guide a the standard.

47 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Comics Guaranty Corporation - Certified Grading System, May 5, 1999

By	[e-mail] "fa1" (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide (29th Ed) (Paperback)

In Overstreet's 1999 Comic Price Guide (29th edition), a new concept in comic grading is being introduced. Robert Overstreet and his senior advisors are endorsing The Comics Guaranty Corporation (CGC). CGC "is based on the model of successful certification used by the leading grading service in rare coins, and the fastest growing grading system in sports cards" according to the Overstreet Guide. The books are to be graded and evaluated by CGC using exacting standards and sealed in a special holder. If the books are removed from the holder, then re-certification would be necessary. Sounds good, Think again! Excuse the pun, but to compare certification of coins or cards to comic books is like comparing The Batman to The Wasp. Coins and cards can be seen from both sides supporting the grading system, while the pages of a book can not. How would you ever know if all the pages are intact? I guess you have to trust the "integrity" of the grader. Lest we forget, What made comic collecting the hobby it is today are the stories and adventures of our favorite characters. What about the comics who are not considered keys? Would these books fade into oblivion? Who would want to spend money to grade these books? Maybe the best of intentions are being made to honestly grade books, but what happens when there is competition with less accuracy, consistency, impartiality and integrity? The early 1990's proved to be diasterous for the industry with inflated high prices on low-grade books. This concept appears to be heading in the same direction with very few reaping the rewards with monetary gain. Com'un Guys, Back to Basics! The industry has already been monopolized by a few who are cornering the market. How will this entice new collectors? Apparently, it has been forgotten that these books, with our favorite characters,were meant to be read, treasured and enjoyed. They were not made to line the pockets of the few who monopolize the industry. I can not help but wonder how The Batman or The Wasp would feel about being evaluated, encapsulated and never to be read.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Best of its type but don't buy the hype., March 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide (29th Ed) (Paperback)

This really is the best book published of its type but this is partly because Mr. Overstreet controlled a large part of the market for some time. Many of the books listed may have inflated prices owing to Overstreet's vested interest in the value of a particular title in some particular condition. In general, only Mint condition comic book values are accurate. In nearly every other case, values are slightly to greatly inflated. Many books, such as Amazing Fantasy # 15, exist in such great numbers that they are held artificially high by the impression of scarcity implied by this book and fostered by those who own copies of that title. On the positive side, this is the single most complete guide of comic book values and it is the only book one needs in order to fare well in the used comic book market.