How to Buy Comics

• The easiest and fastest way to buy comics new and old is to go to your local comic book store. If you don't know where your nearest comic store is, try looking in the yellow pages or calling the Comic Shop Locator Service at 1-888-COMIC-BOOK. Pharmacies and book stores may also carry comic books, but they are likely to be only new releases. Only a dedicated comic book store would have a back issue selection.

• You can have new issues of comics sent right to your home by subscribing through the mail. The phone number for DC Comics subscriptions is 1-800-887-6789, or you can e-mail DCOSubs@aol.com for more information. DC Comics also has a web page with subscription information. When subscribing through the mail, comics will usually arrive at your home a week or two after the official release date.

• If you've been looking everywhere for an old issue that you simply cannot find anywhere, then I suggest visiting the Mile High Comics back issue website. Mile High Comics is the largest comics retailer in the United States. They have a huge inventory of back issues which they list on their website, and it is updated every day.

• Another source for back issues are local comic conventions. There are dozens of conventions held each year in cities throughout the country, and they always feature retailer tables with thousands of comics for sale. To see if a convention is coming to your area, check your newspaper.

• Finally, if you are still not able to find that one comic that you just have to have, you can place a  WTB (wanted to buy) ad in the rec.arts.comics.marketplace newsgroup. You can also try searching the comics listings on Ebay.com, an online auction site. These are the riskiest options because you can never be quite sure who you are dealing with. Exercise caution!