Market Spotlight: Halloween Edition!

Well, it's just about Halloween, which means it's about time to bust out that Crow DVD and see what Eric Draven is doing.  It can't rain all the time, I know that for sure.  Love that movie.  Love it!

You know what's better than a sack full of tiny Butterfinger bars?  Making some damn money off your horror trade paperbacks, that's what!

Dracula TPB

ISBN:  1883313007

SRP:     $13.95

Amazon min:    $15/$50

Once upon a time Topps made comic books, and as I recall the X-Files books were pretty darned good.  And they had Lady Rawhide in all her bondagey goodness, carrying a whip and what-not in case Zorro got out of line.  Those were the days.

They also adapted the Dracula movie starring Gary Oldman.  Don't ever say that guy can't act - he almost made us believe he was attracted to Winona Ryder, for crying out loud.  Roy Thomas did the adaptation, it was almost required in those days that if you had an adaptation, that you must shackle Thomas to it.  Which wasn't a bad idea, really.  The guy could write and that Star Wars thing worked out pretty well.

The point, finally, is that the collected edition is fairly scarce, particularly in nice condition.  I would pay up for a really nice copy, but I'm looking for 50% or more before I pull the trigger on something well loved.  There's money to be made there, though.  You have to be patient on a book like that, give it time to breathe and find a home.  The market is there, but it's niche.  There won't be 1,000 hooligans banging down your door for a twenty year old collected adaptation of a disappointing film.

Resident Evil: Collection One

ISBN:    1563895722

SRP:      $14.95

Amazon Min:    $33/$60

I've had a lot of success selling this book.  Flipped it about a half dozen times, and I don't think I ever got less than $50 for it.  Long ago there used to be a Resident Evil magazine, and this collection reprints stories from the first four issues.

It's one of those books that is legitimately scarce.  Resident Evil also has a more rabid and well-populated following than say, the Gary Oldman Dracula movie, which helps.  Apparently those video games are huge or something.

Not a great chance that it's sitting at your LCS, but I could definitely see somebody cycling this through Half Price books, and neither the customer nor the retailer will have a clue that their fingers are dancing on Gamer Gold.  I like this book at full retail in almost all conditions, and I'd be very surprised if it ever goes back to press.

Thing From Another World:  Climate of Fear

ISBN:  187857485X

SRP:      $15.95

Amazon min:     $87/$150

This one has cycled quite a bit in the past.  I've sold this book for as little as $15, and as high as $80.  Depending on condition, I think you could probably get closer to $100 for the book as I type this, and that probably has a lot to do with the fact that there's a new movie out prequelling The Thing.

This is a Dark Horse collected edition, I've read it, and it's actually kind of fun to see the further adventures of McReady.  I'll tell you one thing - it's tough to find a copy of this that hasn't been abused.  Certain books just don't lend themselves to NM, and I don't exactly know why all the time.  Like the Elfquest Reader's Collection series -what the hell happened to those?

At any rate.  I advocate picking up copies of this right now in almost any condition at full retail, and I advocate paying up for a copy if it's really shiny.  Remember, though, this one cycles.  That movie sheen is coming off sometime soon.  I think the book stays profitable, but not crazy profitable for much longer.

EC Archives:  Tales From The Crypt Vol 1

ISBN:    1888472553

SRP:       $49.99

Amazon Min:   $130/$185

Tales From the Crypt - how are you going to get any more Halloweeny than that?  This is a great series, and this is a great book, particularly if you can find it sealed.  Often times the big ticket hardcovers are very profitable, but they take longer to move.

Not so with this little beauty.  When I've found it new and sealed, I can't keep it in stock, even when the price tag eclipses $100.  I would say that over the last 5-10 years, the demand for the EC material has softened a little, but it's still incredibly strong.  This book is not going out of style, and an easy purchase even at the steeper investment rate.  The tough part is finding it.  Duh.

Cheaper Deeper Sleeper:  Faust Communion Edition Vol 1

ISBN:    N/A

SRP:      $12.95

Amazon min:  ???

Faust is an odd duck.  David Quinn and Tim Vigil self-published Faust at the tail end of Ye Olde Black & White Explosion, and it was part Wolverine, part Twin Peaks, part Ron Jeremy.  It was boobs and blood in an era where people could actually be titillated by such things.  Seems sort of precious now, with its adorable psychodrama cuttin' people up riffs.

Oh, and they made it into a completely intolerable film, too.  Do avoid that.

I'm probably being unduly unkind to the work, which was relevant and daring when it broke, and honestly ought to be remembered with fondness.  The "communion" editions are just TPBs, nothing more, nothing less.  The first edition collects the first three "acts" of Faust.  (do you see how precious it all was?)  They're quite difficult to find in any condition, and I've never laid eyes on one in near mint.

If you want to know just how scarce it is...try finding a good listing for it on Amazon.  I'm pretty good at this stuff, and I can't seem to find anything I trust.  eBay is not exactly a road map either.  Tough to find a listing that actually closes, and the few listings you do find are usually at price gouging rates.

It's a niche product, and the print runs make it pretty attractive.  If you have this laying around your LCS or find it at a convention, I bet you can get it for cover or less, and I certainly think it's worth that and then some.

- Ryan