Interview Series with Kevin Fields - Owner of Frankie's Comics

     This interview series is with another one of my favorite online stores that recently opened up a physical store.  Frankie's Comics has been a long time online retailer with lots of store exclusives from several great artists and collaborations.  They recently opened up a brick and mortar store and have big plans coming up this year.  If you haven't checked their blog, you're missing out on a lot of great content on new and trending books.  We were lucky to get some time with Kevin over the phone during the holidays to do the interview.

What got you into comics? 

• As a kid, my mom took me to a few comic shops where I saw some cool art and that’s what got me started.

Favorite childhood memory about comics? 

• The first comic I remembered was Boris the Bear #1, boughty by my mom.  The funny thing looking back on it was the story is about Boris cooking the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and eating them.

What got you into selling comics?  Tell us about the origins of Frankie’s. 

• As an adult, I started collecting again and my wife suggested that I sell to fund my hobby. At the moment she suggested starting a business, my dog was sitting next to me, so that’s how the store was named.  We’ve had a physical space for about a year, however we just opened up a physical store open to the public this November.

Biggest mistake you made when you started selling? 

• I initially partnered with a guy who I shouldn’t have.  Also, another mistake was not listening to my wife’s feedback on possible future business partners.

What’s your favorite character or title to collect? 

• I have an entire run of the original Power-Man & Iron Fist series.  My favorite character as of late is Moon Knight, because he’s such a complex hero.

Next big thing for your personal collection? 

• The biggest thing for me now is contemplating what I should sell.  I think of my collection as an investment and the market is at an all-time high right now in my opinion.  The biggest thing I’m thinking of selling currently is an Ultimate Fallout #4 Djurdjevic Variant CGC 9.8.  A copy sold on eBay for 31k about a month ago!  Since prices are so inflated I plan on being a seller primarily and moving some stuff.   I don’t want to buy anything right now because of the prices/market.     

Your grail? 

• Luke Cage: Hero for Hire #1 CGC 9.8

Most unique or favorite thing in your collection? 

• Years ago, we helped with an exclusive variant from Clayton Crain for Amazing Spider-Man #1, I have the original art from that.  That would definitely be something unique that’s my favorite as well.

Raw or Graded? Why?

• I prefer graded, but a lot of it is because I look at it as an investment.  It helps tremendously later when selling as there’s no question on the grade.  Also a big plus to have things graded when it’s a key book.  Recently I sold some stuff on auction and it was so much easier to get the prices I wanted as they were graded.

Best find or score? 

• Investment wise, it would be Star Wars: The Clone Wars #1, the 1st appearance of Ahsoka Tano, she was one of my favorite characters from the cartoon series.  She had already made an appearance in the Mandalorian and I felt this was a great time to sell.  I bought a raw copy off eBay last March for around $400.  After getting it pressed and cleaned and submitting it to be graded it came back a 9.8 and was also a retailer variant, limited to 1k copies.  I later sold it for around 13k through Comiclink.

 Advice to new sellers or collectors.  What’s in the near future for Frankie’s? 

• Sellers: I highly recommend comiclink, unlike eBay, they get the merchandise so they handle the shipping and payment.  It takes a lot of responsibility off the shoulders of the seller, especially if you have some high-value books to move. 
• Collectors:  ALways buy what you like and are happy with.  If you can’t sell it, at least you’ll like it, if you keep it.
• My goals are to get the store up and running, add merchandise and more than just weekly comics.  Some of those things being games, toys and trading cards.  It was a big learning experience when we first opened, I  didn’t realize how popular Magic and Pokemon were.  Over the next year my main focus will be getting the retail store up and running strong.  We've already gotten some designs and are looking over different mock-ups for merchandise.  We noticed after going to a lot of conventions, people want cool tees to wear, so that’s another opportunity for the store. And also lastly we might get into publishing as well.

A huge thank you to Kevin for doing the interview!  Check out their site for some of the best variants and their blog, there's a lot to read!

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