Good sites to get back issues?

[Crimson]

I used to use Mycomicshop.com but they've got rid of the free shipping which means if I order stack of back issues and get them sent to the UK I get burned.

Can anyone recommend any other good, cheap websites with a big catalogue of comics?

Anyone from the UK import their back issues? If you could say any that would help alot, as I'd know which sites label the packages the way that gets you charged import tax.

Any help?

[The Confessor]

Well, I live in the UK and I get around 90% of my back issues from the American based Mile High Comics website (here (http://www.milehighcomics.com/)). Their website has a MASSIVE inventory and they take their customer service very seriously. They're actually a pretty well known comic selling company in the States, having been around since the Seventies. I reckon I've ordered from them probably 10 or 15 times over the last 2 years and I've been 100% satisfied with the service every time.

I do find that some of their rarer Silver Age/Golden Age titles can be a little on the expensive side (based on the current market value) but generally speaking I find their comics are pretty reasonably priced. And they seem to have some sort of discount on various issues running all the time.

Plus, if you sign up to their e-mail newsletter they have special codeword sales, where they give you a codeword to enter at the checkout stage that can save you a load of money. These codeword sales happen every few months usually and are definitely the time to go shopping with them in my experience. The last codeword sale ended a week or so ago and was for 40% off of your entire order! :) :cool:

Another good thing about Mile High Comics is that their international shipping is very reasonable. I believe it's a standard $10.00 (about £5.00 currently) to the UK regardless of how many comics you buy. I think they might add $1.50 to this for any TPBs in your order but as far as I've been able to tell, it's just a flat $10.00 for as many regular sized comics as you like. Also worth noting is that any order over $100 gets free shipping. Your comics are really well protected in the post too! So much so, that it's sometimes pretty dificult to open your package when it arrives. ;)

I find that buying my back issues from Mile High and having them shipped over from the US works out cheaper....usually a lot cheaper than ordering them from a UK based website like Silver Acre or Incognito Comics (both of which I've used in the past).

For example, the last two orders I've placed with Mile High (each one utilising a 'codeword' discount) ended up working out at about £1.00 per comic and that includes the shipping charges! If I'd bought the same issues from Silver Acre in the UK for instance - no way would I have got them that cheap! I'd have probably been paying anything from £3 - £7 for each issue.

So, that's my advice! Just remember to sign up for their e-mail newsletter if you are thinking of buying from them...that's a must! Basically, I tell anybody who'll listen that they should get their back issues from Mile High Comics.

LOL...I should be on commission! :rolleyes:

[Heraclevs]

Southern California Comics (check the "links' section of CBR) is excellent, and so is Scott's Comics.


If you're ever in Aurora, Colorado, visit "All C's" on Abilene.


- Romans 9

[shaxper]

I've tried a lot of online dealers over the years, and have come to the conclusion that MileHigh and MyComicShop (Lonestar Comics) are the best. Every other place I've tried have had limited inventories, have screwed up orders, severely overgraded comics, and/or have ended up not having the items in stock (even though they were on the webpage).

Regarding MileHigh and MyComicShop, though, MileHigh often charges FAR more on their back issues than MyComicShop, so I suggest comparing prices first. It may make sense to pay the shipping fees afterall.

[benday-dot]

I've tried a lot of online dealers over the years, and have come to the conclusion that MileHigh and MyComicShop (Lonestar Comics) are the best. Every other place I've tried have had limited inventories, have screwed up orders, severely overgraded comics, and/or have ended up not having the items in stock (even though they were on the webpage).

Regarding MileHigh and MyComicShop, though, MileHigh often charges FAR more on their back issues than MyComicShop, so I suggest comparing prices first. It may make sense to pay the shipping fees afterall.

Not to overly promote of either one of these places at the expense of the other, because I've used both satisfactorily, I have found MyComicShop to be a)cheaper (even after Milehigh discounts) b) possessing of a greater inventory (especially in mid-silver to late bronze age material) and c) (to Canada) better on shipping fees. If you buy over $70.00 it's free to Canada. Otherwise its about the same as Milehigh. I beileve UK qualifies for free shipping at some point too ($90.00?). Maybe you don't have this kind of dollar amount on your immediate want list, but I always wait a couple months between orders and slowly pile up enough comics to qualify for free shipping.

A further word on MileHigh... I find their eBay auction prices are often cheaper than their discounted Internet store prices.

[Tazirai]

thanks for this since i love alot of the golden age stuff.

[Crimson]

Not to overly promote of either one of these places at the expense of the other, because I've used both satisfactorily, I have found MyComicShop to be a)cheaper (even after Milehigh discounts) b) possessing of a greater inventory (especially in mid-silver to late bronze age material) and c) (to Canada) better on shipping fees. If you buy over $70.00 it's free to Canada. Otherwise its about the same as Milehigh. I beileve UK qualifies for free shipping at some point too ($90.00?). Maybe you don't have this kind of dollar amount on your immediate want list, but I always wait a couple months between orders and slowly pile up enough comics to qualify for free shipping.

A further word on MileHigh... I find their eBay auction prices are often cheaper than their discounted Internet store prices.

They changed that now. The free shipping has been changed to a rebate.

Thanks for all the advice.

Seems I might just stick with MyComicshop unless MHC has what I need.

[Metamorpho]

Mycomicshop.com also has a newsletter with a codeword special although it's rarely as encompassing as Mile High. I have dealt with mycomicshop for quite some time and have had absolutely NO problems with them.

[T GUy]

Hmmm... never ordered anything from the home of our four-coloured friends before.... but I'm now considering it.

[Rob Allen]

Another site that might be worth a look is www.bipcomics.com .

[shaxper]

Mycomicshop.com also has a newsletter with a codeword special although it's rarely as encompassing as Mile High. I have dealt with mycomicshop for quite some time and have had absolutely NO problems with them.

That's because Mycomicshop's deals aren't a scam.

Milehigh makes it look as though they're always having fantastic sales, but they've never once had their comics posted at the "regular price" in the years since I started shopping there. The sales they promote only make their prices barely reasonable. Mycomicshop is usually cheaper, even without their discount promotions.

[TheHistorian]

Exactly. Prices jacked up 80% and then a 50% sale... woo-freaking-hoo. How about a fair price to start with and forget about the sale hype?

Even if Lone Star were more expensive, I'd still shop there. Their customer service is zero hassle (while MH's is big hassle), which is everything to me.

[scratchie]

Even if Lone Star were more expensive, I'd still shop there. Their customer service is zero hassle (while MH's is big hassle), which is everything to me.I'd shop at Lone Star over Mile High simply because I can see the actual prices before I get to the last stage of the checkout process.

[diablo7]

i've used both but i rather lonestar...i also like that all my account info is saved so a few clicks and i'm done...

[The Confessor]

Exactly. Prices jacked up 80% and then a 50% sale... woo-freaking-hoo. How about a fair price to start with and forget about the sale hype?

Even if Lone Star were more expensive, I'd still shop there. Their customer service is zero hassle (while MH's is big hassle), which is everything to me.

Hmmmm...I gotta disagree with you slightly there. I do agree that Mile High's older Golden or Silver Age comics and more recent 'key issues' are somewhat over priced but in my experience, most of their inventory has a pretty reasonable price tag. No way is it 80% more than the going rate.

Also, maybe your experience has been different to mine but personally, I can't see how their customer service could be any less hassle?!


You place your order
They e-mail you to confirm receipt of that order
They e-mail a day or so later to say that your comics are being pulled from their stock
And then you get an e-mail to say that your order has been despatched.


Their shipping is as fast as anyone elses, so what's the hassle? :confused:

[dan bailey]

H
Their shipping is as fast as anyone elses, so what's the hassle? :confused:

I've never had any problem with Mile High (with one exception that I'll mention in a second), but others in this forum have said that when problems with their orders have occurred (inevitable, I'm sure, given the number of orders they handle), getting any kind of resolution out of them is an extremely taxing experience.

As it happens, my last order with them some months ago didn't include one item I'd ordered, the first Zot TPB. For some reason, though, I didn't notice the omission for ages (which tells you how disorganized my comics & books, not to mention the rest of my possessions, are right now), so I wrote it off to my own failure to pay attention.

[The Confessor]

As it happens, my last order with them some months ago didn't include one item I'd ordered, the first Zot TPB. For some reason, though, I didn't notice the omission for ages (which tells you how disorganized my comics & books, not to mention the rest of my possessions, are right now), so I wrote it off to my own failure to pay attention.

Awww...that's a bummer! It is a shame that you didn't notice it sooner but like you say, I guess that was down to you. Oh well, at least you'll be careful not to make the same mistake again.

Actually, I placed an order with MHC a year or so ago and in it there was a Bronze Age Batman comic that was out of stock, even though their website said it was in stock. It was all really hassle free though, they just informed me that the issue was unavailable in the e-mail they send when they pull your issues from stock and they refunded the amount to my credit card. No probs!

I don't know though, maybe I've just been lucky with Mile High. Actually, I'm waiting for a delivery from them any day now....it'll just be my luck that it's completely wrong now! ;)

[dan bailey]

I figure it's probably some Higher Power's (Jack Kirby?) way of telling me just to buckle down & buy the early individual issues, a few of which I believe I have anyway ...

[Citizen V]

I also deal with Mycomicshop.com,its very good.I would think the only problem is that when your ordering during the holidays,Christmas mostly..and you pay with check..it could take a long time for the order to ship.

[TheHistorian]

Hmmmm...I gotta disagree with you slightly there. I do agree that Mile High's older Golden or Silver Age comics and more recent 'key issues' are somewhat over priced but in my experience, most of their inventory has a pretty reasonable price tag. No way is it 80% more than the going rate.

Also, maybe your experience has been different to mine but personally, I can't see how their customer service could be any less hassle?!


You place your order
They e-mail you to confirm receipt of that order
They e-mail a day or so later to say that your comics are being pulled from their stock
And then you get an e-mail to say that your order has been despatched.


Their shipping is as fast as anyone elses, so what's the hassle? :confused:


1. I was referring to lower demand newer (1980+) back issues. There are plenty of items there where my 80% statement would be LOW. Here's a semi-random item: Elementals 1 from 1984. Mycomicshop.com lists a NM copy for $6.40. Mile High has a FN copy for $9.50. That's not even close. I just picked a book from a series I'm collecting at the moment, and I'm sure we could find examples that go the other way too. I'm also sure that there are sales that would occur that change the prices too. But I know that there are many items I've expected to see for $3 and instead saw for several times that. They aren't the only large dealer; they can't set the market. Ebay alone should prevent that. You may be completely right about older material - I have no way to judge.

2. Clearly, you've never had a problem with an order... that's what defines good customer service, at least for me.

[dan bailey]

Mycomicshop.com also has a newsletter with a codeword special although it's rarely as encompassing as Mile High.

Speaking of which, has anyone else not received this week's newsletter? It didn't arrive in my email on Tuesday, & then the "weekend reminder" that always arrives on Saturday didn't show up yesterday, either. It's enough to make me think I somehow got dropped out of their system, or something, but my want list & order list show up just fine on their site.

[Citizen V]

That`s another thing,i happened to go by mycomicshop.com and now they have a new policy reguarding Checks/Money Orders.You have to basically send them money,so they could put it into your account..then you can buy the comic.Has anyone else seen this?

[illma3]

hi guys,
i was just about to place an order through mycomicshop.com which was over $100 and was applicable for free international shipping, however this had 50 books. Does that mean i still get free shipping? Anyone shipped internationally and could perhaps run me through any hidden catches? If I do not get charged for the shipping at first and they decide it is too many books will I get charged later?

Thanks

[benday-dot]

hi guys,
i was just about to place an order through mycomicshop.com which was over $100 and was applicable for free international shipping, however this had 50 books. Does that mean i still get free shipping? Anyone shipped internationally and could perhaps run me through any hidden catches? If I do not get charged for the shipping at first and they decide it is too many books will I get charged later?

Thanks

If the same rules apply to Australia as they do to Canada you should expect no hidden charges. The most I ordered from MyComicShop was about 60 books and it was treated just like any lesser order I have made with them. It was a somewhat larger box than usual that arrived, but free shipping seemed only connected with the price paid for ther comics and didn't seem to have anything to do with the slightly larger package sent.