eBay Seller Story: The Superman of Comic Book Sales

Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, 2010

This weekend in Miami, fans of comic books, graphic novels, manga, anime and more—many dressed head-to-toe like their favorite superheroes—will descend on the city's beach-goers and retirees for one of the most-anticipated pop culture conventions of the year, Miami Comic Con. We found it fitting to reach out to an industry expert, eBay Power Seller Joel Elad, an eBay vet of 15 years who specializes in comic books, action figures and other collectibles from these iconic franchises. A former Silicon Valley guy, Elad turned his comic book hobby into his profession and now offers about 100 to 200 different items on eBay at any given time. We chatted with him about his evolution from comic book collector to merchant, and learned about his role as an eBay representative at comic book conventions.

The Inside Source: When did you start selling on eBay and how did you get started?

Joel Elad: Officially, my join date is August 2, 1996. (Back then, it was known as AuctionWeb.) Comic books were my hobby, and I had been looking for a way to buy and sell them without the cost and time commitment it would require to own and operate a store. eBay filled the void, allowing me to purchase entire collections at a fraction of the worth, while reselling new and old comics to customers all over the world.

In the beginning, I was active on eBay as a buyer, purchasing all sizes of comic book lots. Soon, it got to the point where I was buying so much inventory that I needed to start selling some, because I was running out of both cash and storage space! Once I started selling, my repeat customers encouraged me to travel to conventions across the country in order to get new inventory and bring it to the eBay marketplace.

The Inside Source: So, do you sell and buy comic books online full-time now?

Joel Elad: I would say that my eBay activity is a half time job. I share my time between my eBay sales, writing non-fiction books as a Dummies author [Elad co-wrote eBay Your Business, Starting An Online Business for Dummies], and operating a couple of e-commerce sites. I worked for IBM for many years in the late '90s and early 2000s. I really ramped up my eBay operation after 2003.

The Inside Source: What are your most popular comic books online?

Joel Elad: My most popular items are rare comic books featuring the icons everyone knows and loves, like Spider-Man, Batman, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four. I do very well with autographed comic books, where I get the comics signed by the writer, artist, and the rest of the creative team at comic conventions like the San Diego Comic Con International.

I also do very well with comic books that have been professionally appraised by a company called Comics Guarantee Company, or CGC for short. These comics have been ‘graded’ for their condition and encased in a hard plastic shell to protect their value, much as baseball cards or coins are graded. They run a Signature Series program in which comic books are autographed and immediately appraised with a distinctive label that acts as its Certificate of Authenticity. I am proud to be a partner and former witness for CGC, and I continue to work closely with them.

The Inside Source: Do you buy comic book inventory on eBay? 

Joel Elad: I buy on eBay occasionally, mainly comics for specific customers. Also, comics that I wish to get autographed and resell, or comics that have been poorly advertised or described, that I can immediately resell for a profit.

Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, 2010 (photos by Cassie Reyes and Jovan Archuleta)

The Inside Source: Which comics do you read?

Joel Elad: I read a handful of comics: “The Walking Dead” (now a TV show on AMC), “Invincible” (another Image Comics title from Robert Kirkman, the writer/creator of “The Walking Dead”), and a new title called Lady Mechanika published by Aspen Com.

The Inside Source: Which comic books do you collect for yourself?

Joel Elad: I’ve been collecting comics for 20 years. Today I collect older comics from the 1960s and earlier, known as the Silver Age (1960’s) and Golden Age (1930-50’s) of comic books, specifically Spider-Man, Flash, the X-Men, and Captain Marvel or Whiz comics.

The Inside Source: Do you go to comic collector conventions like Comic Con?

Joel Elad: I first attended Comic-Con back in 1992, when it was the largest comic book convention in the United States, with an attendance of 30,000-40,000, I believe. Back then, it focused on comic books with a few media tie-ins to properties like Star Wars, Star Trek, and the Terminator. I’ve watched this convention grow into the pop culture festival it is today.

Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, 2010

The Inside Source: Do you interact with the eBay comic community at these comic conventions?

Joel Elad: I helped with eBay’s presentation at Comic Con at several shows in the late 1990s as a Trading Assistant to help newcomers learn how to sell on eBay. I also facilitated eBay’s presentation at other conventions around the country. I am currently an eBay focus group member who provides advice to the collectibles team about how to approach conventions like Comic Con.

The Inside Source: Aside from this weekend, are there any good comic conventions on the horizon?

Joel Elad: WonderCon takes place in San Francisco, April 1-3. I enjoy going to WonderCon and can't wait for this year's show. Comic-Con International in San Diego is July 21-24. This will be my 20th San Diego Comic Con, and it's exciting as ever. While the show has become extremely crowded and somewhat difficult to navigate, there is truly no other experience like it in the world. Where else in 1 weekend can I see all of my favorite movie, TV, video game, and comic book celebrities in one place, while getting autographs, finding comics and other merchandise for sale, and visiting with so many friends? This show always produces what I call "magic moments" where I hear or meet someone I would've never had the chance to experience anywhere else. This is more a 'pop culture convention' than a 'comic con' but I will love this show always.

(images via gbpackjerry on flickr)

Five top picks from eBay Power SellerJoel Elad’s current inventory