This will be an ongoing series that covers all aspects of foreign comics!

Part 1: What Are Foreign Comics? - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The simplest answer is usually the right one: a foreign comic is any comic book distributed in any country other than the USA. A few disagree with this classification and think if it was printed in the USA, it can't be a foreign comic, regardless of where it was distributed. Those same people are not consistent in that standard however, as many other countries shared printing duties. Some Dutch comics were printed in Italy just for one example, but nobody tries to say those are Italian comics. My opinion, and the opinion of most in the foreign comic community, is that the place of distribution is what matters when deciding if a comic book is a foreign comic book or not. To simplify it even more: if you needed a passport to buy it, it's a foreign comic.

Now within that classification are nearly endless subsets of foreign comics, and you will again find different opinions on what those subsets are and what to call them. The most important thing to remember however is this: those are all just opinions and your opinion is worth just as much as everyone else's. There are very few hard rules in the world of foreign comics, as every country pretty much did what they wanted, and there are little to no standard formats used among different countries. The world of foreign comics is a world of opinions and very few hard rules, which gives it a very strong "Wild West" feel, and that feel is what many of us love about foreign comics. 

Those subsets can contain price variants, whether a comic book is a 2nd print or not, different publishers printing the same comic for their first time, covers with matching interiors and with different interiors, and many more. While some think that their opinions are now facts because they were in the community first or longer than you, just remember that we are ALL equals in the community and everyone should be showed respect and have their opinions heard openly and respectfully. Anyone who tries to belittle you or say that your opinions are wrong or not worth hearing out, or that a topic is a "settled matter", isn't worth your time to begin with. Gatekeeping and bullying are something you will likely encounter at some point from a very small part of the foreign comic community, just disregard them and don't pay any attention to it when you do and move on. The vast majority of us always love to discuss any aspect of foreign comics, even with people sharing opinions we may not agree with, but most of us can agree to disagree while staying respectful. 

One of the main aspects of that "Wild West" feel is the discovery aspect, which is my favorite part of foreign comics. This aspect just doesn't exist in the American comic market, as everyone knows what was printed and when, print counts, values, etc. That is almost completely missing from the world of foreign comics, especially the farther back you go. Countries did what they wanted at the time, and it is normal for a foreign comic to have a cover that doesn't match the interior, or "guts" as many of us call them. This means that when you get a foreign comic for the first time and look through it, you might find a story or series that wasn't advertised on the front, and sometimes that will be a major or minor key. Finding those gems is a true thrill that you just can't find with American comics, and this happens regularly in the community. Nearly every week new keys are discovered that most weren't aware of before, and those new discoveries can lead to changes in the market as well as frustration with those who build cover sets, as sometimes they will find a new version of their favorite cover, making a set incomplete that they hoped was finished. 

The discovery isn't the only "Wild West" feel though, and another key part of that is the market. While the American market has plenty of sales data to use for pricing, that hardly ever exists in the world of foreign comics. This can lead to some great deals but can also be frustrating at times, especially with some of the more scarce foreign keys that may only become available once or twice a year. The most important thing to remember in the market of foreign comics is this: talk to the community! Never buy a foreign comic just because the seller tells you it is rare, or tells you they sold it before for $3,000 and will give you a deal now. The foreign comic community is the best resource available to those entering the world of foreign comics and you should use it frequently. Ask around if something is a good deal, ask around if a seller is known for overstating rarities and values, ask around about a sellers reputation and don't just ask that sellers friends, ask around if a foreign comic is as rare as you think. Over time you will learn a lot about these things yourself, but early on it is very important to talk to the community and ask questions. The vast majority of us don't want to see anyone scammed and are always happy to talk about foreign comics and answer questions candidly. Just like any other market, however, there are some people who are only concerned about their next sale and are not genuine in their stated public concern for the health and stability of the foreign comic community. Trust your gut, ask yourself if actions taken are done so with the right intentions, and never allow yourself to be pressured to buy something you aren't sure about.

From my observations over the last several years, I believe foreign comics are the fastest growing segment of not just the comic book community, but of the entire collectibles community as a whole. They are still tremendously undervalued in my opinion and I believe they have a very strong future ahead of them. They can provide a breath of fresh air to people who feel burned out with "regular" American comics and give them a renewed interest in comic books, they can provide access to amazing covers and keys for a fraction of the American comic prices, and they can provide a great conversation topic online, at conventions, and at your local comic book shop. 

Stay tuned for part 2: Cover Sets, coming soon!