Where Are The Best Places to Buy Comics These Days?

[DavidKW]

I'd just like to ask where the best places to go and buy comics both in person and on line these days? And I mean actual physical comics, not E comics (as I'm still not that technically savvy).

I've been buying for many years mainly from 30th Century Comics, and still do On Line (though presently not as frequently since they went on line only).

I uses to love going to Sheffield and visiting Tilley's magazines, and still but off them on line occasionally (as their shop has been shut since bloody Covid), and have been buying many magazine sand a few comics from their Chesterfield branch, whose owner is about to retire any day now.

I finally bit the bullet and have started to use Amazon, largely prompted by receiving an Amazon voucher card as a Birthday present, and have bought a few comic related items from themselves, amongst many other assorted things.

I'm still not that trusting of buying over the internet though, and I'm still not that computer savvy (I finally got my own laptop - a new one - in 2019, but am still learning).

Can anyone tell me and advise my as to whether E Bay is safe?

Are there any other quality and reputable dealers I could check out online (both for comics and vintage magazines perhaps?).

I will also put out on your buying and selling forum a list of what I'm still looking for and/or would like the most (in some cases I'm only a few short of a full set from a particular year of a title).

Many Thanks

[Tin Can Tommy]

I tend to buy most of my comics off eBay. The only problems I've had with buying stuff of eBay is annuals missing pages. But I've managed to get (partial) refunds when that was the case and I've had that same problem buying stuff in actual shops too.

Regarding buying stuff offline, charity shops, 2nd hand shops, antique shops, 2nd hand book shops and carboots is where I've bought most of my stuff. There is no where in particular I can recommend I just tend to look round shops when i go on days out. I hardly ever see actual comics for sale though and when I do they're usually from the 80s or newer.

[Goof]

I can only speak about buying in my particular area of interest, which is girls’ comics.

I don’t know of any bricks and mortar shops in London which stock significant amounts of these titles, so all purchases are online, usually 30th C or eBay.

You will probably get a lot of different responses about experiences with eBay, but as far as I’m concerned, I’ve had no particular problem with them. They carry a far bigger range of comics than Amazon, and are much more likely to show you photos of the actual copy you’ll be buying, rather than a stock image. I’ve never yet been conned or seriously let down by an eBay seller, or (as far as I know) been attacked by a virus from their website.

The main snag I’ve had with eBay sales have been postal problems, and I find it’s worth taking a hard look at the type of postage the seller is going to use – some seem to be quite happy to send you even high-value rarities by bunging them in an envelope and dispatching them second class post. I’m not sure how reliable the feedback scores are (there seem to be an awful lot of 100 percenters) but it’s worth checking the bad feedback comments for any obvious problems.

Hope this helps.

[Adam Eterno]

EBay, general auction houses, and Facebook for me. Probably most on EBay still. Also never had any major problems and if you did, eBay would refund you as they usually side on the seller’s side.
I also use 30th Century, but only for gap filling, as the prices are quite a bit higher than I pay elsewhere and their postage costs can be high.

[Captain underpants]

EBay seems to be now the best place to obtain vintage uk comics, boot sales seem to only have 2000ad comics in my area. Not seen good vintage comics in the wild for years now, the new toy and comic shop a short walk from me has plenty of American comics but stocks second hand British edition reprint marvel comics from the 70s and 80s I now only buy non war pocket library comics , graphic novels and silver age DC comics ( my era ) these do seem to reasonable able to get on my pensioners budget without too much trouble.