Gary Vaynerchuk’s ever-enduring love for collectibles is unmatched. The garage sale aficionado has gone so far as to create an entire universe called ‘VeeFriends’ to sell comics and collectibles.
They’re even at New York Comic Con to further push for VeeFriends to break into mainstream collectibles.
With Vaynerchuk’s self-proclaimed near 40 years as a man obsessed with this side of the pond, he has quite a few takes on the industry. One such take came recently, when he raved about how brilliant comics can be as narratives in the literary space.
“Comic books are the most underrated medium of storytelling in society. I believe comic books should be on the respect level of meaningful best-selling, all-time literature.”
Harping on the “best-selling” bit of Vaynerchuk’s take, comics are incredibly sought after by millions of ardent fans across the world.
Take DC’s ‘Absolute universe’ for example. By the end of 2025, it had sold an astonishing 8.2 million units, with Absolute Batman accounting for nearly 35% of those sales.
“All-time literature makes people think, changes perception a lot of times in a good way. Comic books become the foundation of a creative world that builds community and creates escapism that is unbelievably needed at all times,” Gary continued.
Comics and Their Perception
Comics are often unfairly labeled as a medium that’s solely targeted for children’s consumption. Individuals with this line of thinking have clearly never picked up a book written by greats such as Geoff Johns, Mark Waid, Alan Moore, Jeph Loeb, and more.
Even comics that are goofy in nature lean into the occasional absurdity of the medium. There is a great deal of intentionality when it comes to exploring such themes, and quite frankly, not every great piece of literature needs to tackle something deep that’s intertwined with the depths of one’s soul.
Sometimes people simply need a good laugh or a simple chuckle. Comics can provide what harkens back to Vaynerchuk’s talk about “escapism.”
Comics are incredibly valuable financially, as proven time and again at auction houses.
A first edition copy of 1939’s Superman #1, graded a CGC 9.0, sold for $9.12 million at auction. A Near Mint+ 9.6 copy of Amazing Fantasy #15, the first appearance of Spider-Man, fetched a whopping $3.6 million in 2021.
The novelty of these comics does come from their being vintage. But the fact that these comics feature some of the most well-written fictional characters in existence certainly plays a part in their value skyrocketing.
This story was originally published byMen’s Journalon Oct 9, 2026, where it first appeared in theCollectiblessection. Add Men’s Journal as aPreferred
