From Cornwall With Comics: The Bodmin Bonanza We Bought
written by Matt 'Chaos' Fuller

Ever wondered what happens when a comic-obsessed crew from Fantasy Road piles into a van, storms a Cornwall manor, and emerges hours later under a hail of vintage Marvels, obscure indies, and more trade paperbacks than you can shake a Thanos gauntlet at? Buckle in - this is the tale of our recent collection pickup in Bodmin, and how it might just teach you how to sell comics online (or at least to us).

The Bodmin Bonanza: How It Started

It began with a cryptic email:

“I have inherited my late uncle’s comic collection. It’s in a house near Bodmin. Can you come pick it up?”

Cue internal hallucinations of Golden Age keys, rare Fables issues, and maybe a first print Swamp Thing. We (yes, the whole motley Fantasy Road gang (Which is... just me)) suited up, grabbed snacks, coffee, and an extra shortbox. you know, like the towel for an intergalaxctic hitchhiker. You never know when you will need it... You just know that you WILL need it.

When we arrived, the truth was at once glorious and terrifying: twelve crates, fourteen longboxes, several loose issues, and—but wait for it—an entire room dedicated to silver-age DC that looked like it had been untouched since 1972. We dusted, counted, weighed, and giddily argued over key issues.

The haul included:

• A near-complete run of Detective Comics #350–500

• A few Showcase silver age gems

• Lots of Bronze and Modern era issues overall

• Several graded slabs (CGC 9.4, 9.6)

• A trove of indecipherably obscure indie comics nobody else seemed to want

After we’d done a rough valuation (yes, there was much fist-bumping, and also one of those really awkward handshakes where you clasp, then go to move into the second part and the other person puts their hand down and makes you look like a dick.), we struck a deal, loaded the van, and retreated for celebratory pizza.

But the fun doesn’t stop at anecdotes... This haul taught us a lot. In particular,  a lot of the ins and outs of how to sell comics in the UK, or  how to sell comic books online, and what sellers should avoid. Stuff, that we can pass on to you.  Let’s dig into that.

What We Learned (And What You Should Know Before You Sell Comics)

1. Condition is King (but context matters)

We found several Detective Comics issues in fair/poor condition, but bundled with high-grade keys. Their value wasn’t astronomical alone — but packaged with better issues, they still boosted the offer.

If you’re looking to sell comics, don’t despair if your collection isn’t flawless — group your good stuff with the “meh” stuff and get an all-in valuation. We do. In some (rare) cases, even coverless books can still hold value, so throw nothbing out. In this lot, it turns out that our new buddy had tossed out a coverless amazing spider-man #1, because he had assumed that it held no value. Ouch,

2. Rarity + demand = value… but trends shift

One of the slabs was The Brave and the Bold #185 (first appearance of Black Canary in team settings). That’s a sleeper key and has been inching upward in auction circles lately. We flagged it immediately.

If you’re trying to sell comic books UK, check what’s hot right now: first appearances, variant covers, TV/movie tie-ins. Those tend to deliver. A massive mistake that people make frequently, is speculating on any given issue for too long a time period. Realistically, nothing post 1975 is ever going to hold the kind of value of the Silver age. We're in the age of mass production AND preservation. It's not a great mix.

3. Graded issues can swing deals

When sellers included CGC or CBCS slabs (especially 9.4–9.8), it added undeniable legitimacy to the collection. In our Bodmin haul, the slabs made for nice headline items during negotiation.

If you have graded comics, that’s a strong reason to reach out to specialist buyers like us. (Yes, we do buy graded ones.), where you'll recieve a fair offer, and a safe one.

4. Be ready for surprises

One longbox turned out to contain original art pages (rejected covers) tucked behind regular issues. That was not in the original pitch. These little surprises can bump up the offer — but only if you’ve declared them honestly. Keep in mind that we don't just buy comics. We buy pretty much everything nerd culture related. For example, only a week ago we picked up a leaflet showcasing the tour dates of the Back to the Future Delorian!

5. Location matters (but not as much as you think)

Bodmin is somewhat off the beaten track, but we travel. For large collections, we’ll come to you. If your collection is smaller, shipping or courier services may suffice, though if you're within an hour, or sometimes more, we tend to pick up in person. Collection is entirely free, and you don't need to bother yourself with any of it. We organise the courier, we bring the label, and we take them away, Easy.

If you want to sell comics, no matter where you are in the UK, know that we can handle collections big or small, anywhere in England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.

How You Can Sell Your Comics (Without Becoming Bonkers)

If you’ve been sitting on a pile of longboxes or comic bags you haven’t looked at in years, here’s how to (cheekily) turn them into cash and happiness:

Step 1: Inventory
Slap on sticky notes or use a spreadsheet. Write titles, issue numbers, grades (if known), and condition notes (creases, spine splits, dog-ears). Don’t sweat making it perfect — just usable.

Step 2: Photograph smartly
Use a flat surface, neutral lighting, no reflections. If you’ve got graded slabs, get front + back shots. Also include a pic of the whole collection for context.

Step 3: Ask for a valuation
Send your inventory + photos to us via Sell to us. We’ll respond with a no-obligation quote. We’ll also consider offers via our dedicated pages for we buy magic cards England (when the collection includes MTG), we buy pokemon cards England, and we buy funko pops England (in case the collection is multi-format).

Step 4: Negotiate (if needed)
We try to make fair offers, but if you can point out a rare key or slab, that helps.

Step 5: Collection or shipping
For big lots, we’ll pick up in person (yes, even in remote Cornwall). For smaller ones, we’ll ask you to ship them. We make shipping instructions safe and easy.

Step 6: Get paid & item handover
We pay via bank transfer or PayPal.

Boom. Comics sold, wallet fatter, you more relaxed.

Why Sell to Fantasy Road (Yes, We’re Bragging — But With Good Reason)

• We specialise in comics & collectibles — no “we buy anything, send us your kitchen stools” nonsense. This means better valuations from people who know.

• UK coverage — we buy comic collections across the UK, whether you live in London, Edinburgh, or that tiny village no one’s heard of.

• Multi-format expertise

  • We don’t just buy comics — we also purchase Pokemon cards, Magic: The Gathering, and Funko Pops.

  • If your collection includes cards or pops, we can combine them. (See our pages: we buy pokemon cards England, we buy magic cards England, we buy funko pops England.)

• No headache, no hassle

  • Collection or shipping — we handle whichever way is easier

  • Payment upfront, no delays

  • We’ll even share tips afterward so you can see how we reached our offer

Curious about our previous hauls? Check out other wild stories in our blog here. And if you want to geek out deeper, our comic book resources page is packed with tools for collectors.

We also document our high-value pickups, market trends, and behind-the-scenes stories in Fantasy Road Videos. Go on— click around.

Aftermath: What We Did With the Bodmin Collection

Once we wheeled that haul back to HQ, here’s how we processed it (and how it helps you if you sell to us):

1. Sort & grade roughly
   We separated silver keys, bronze keys, modern bulk, graded slabs, and “oddball indie” piles.

2. Deep valuation
   Using multiple price guides, eBay comps, auction house results, and input from team members with specialty knowledge.

3. Refine deals
   Sometimes we bumped up our offer on certain segments (e.g. the slabs) after further inspection.

4. Sell or stock

   • Some comics went into our retail stock

   • Some key issues were reserved for our Key Showcase

   • Some bulk modern books were bundled for sale or trade

   • Others (especially with overlapping content) were used in trade/consignment

5. Share the story
   We documented the haul, took photos, made video clips. That becomes content (blog + video) that helps bring traffic back to our site and builds trust with future sellers.

Reader Tips: Maximise What You Get When You Sell Comics

• Don’t waste time haggling before you show inventory — get us the full list first

• Be transparent about condition issues — sleeves, spine stress, tape — we already know they’ll exist

• Group your collection smartly — don’t send us 200 singles unless you must; group by title, era, or quality

• Include absolute keys & slabs up front — don’t bury them in bulk boxes

• Ask for feedback — even if you don’t sell, getting insight from buyers helps your next sale

Final Thoughts

The Bodmin pickup was epic, exhausting, and exhilarating. We got more comics than we could carry in one trip. But more importantly — it reinforced why collectors should feel confident about selling their comics rather than letting them gather dust.

You don’t need to list every single issue on eBay, stress over shipping scores, or deal with no-shows. You can hand it over to specialists (like us), get a fair valuation, collect payment, and walk away with less stress and more cash.

If you’re ready to turn your stack into gold, head over to Sell to us. Whether you're in Cornwall, Cumbria, or anywhere in between, we can help you sell comic books UK-wide. And if your collection includes Pokémon cards, Magic cards, or Funko Pops, we’ll happily throw them into the same deal (via our we buy pages).

Let Bodmin be your inspiration. Let your forgotten boxes become someone else’s comic joy. And let Fantasy Road do what we do best: turning dust into delight, and pages into pounds.