Collector Review: ComicBase 2015 Archive Edition

It is getting harder and harder to remember which box I put certain comics in and even harder to keep track of the value of my collection. I hate using spreadsheets or notepads and besides you are missing some pretty critical data, or else you have to key it all in yourself. So, how can this whole process be easier? I am here to tell you that, after reaching out to the fine folks over at Human Computing, I was able to try out their comic book database system called ComicBase 2015 Archive edition.

Comicbase 2015 Archive Edition is very easy to install, but you will need to allow yourself some time if you want to do the full install. A full install requires 1 Gb of ram and 26 Gb of disk space in order to hold all the images and movies included in this edition. I only installed the images, which are amazing. While cataloging your entire collection may seem like drudgery, it is greatly lightened by the fact that you get to see all the covers for most comics whether you have them in your collection or not, even many of the special edition and store specific incentive covers. There is data on over 600,000 different comic books and you get free updates that can be downloaded to get new issues as they are released.

For what I want out of a comic book collection database, the process is pretty easy. You can either use the single issue detail entry screen with a ton of different fields for a lot of flexibility in defining the shape of your comic, appearances, how much you paid for it, and many other things, or your can use the grid entry page, my preferred method. In the grid entry, you can just click in a field and enter data, just like entering in a spreadsheet, hitting enter and moving to the next field down. You can even select multiple rows and change existing fields in bulk, which works very well for my entire run of the first full Wolverine series, since there are close to 200 issues in that series. I click and drag, or use shift and the arrow keys, to select all the rows to change, then right click and pick your action from the popup menu, then you select the field to change and enter what you want to put in it.

I really liked the flexibility of this database, as the creators have included multiple custom fields that your can use for anything. I used one for a Box Indicator to tell me which of the many boxes the comics were stored in. Up to “G” so far. I also like the pricing function of this version of the software. By signing up for Atomic Avenue, you get access to pricing and you can put your comics up for sale and see what is available for sale. This is a great feature to help fill in the gaps or to sell off issues you are looking to get rid of.

There are so many more features with ComicBase. You can get a bar-code scanner and connect it to your computer to scan in the UPC of each book, making cataloging your collection much faster. There is also CGC census data so you can see how many different books have been graded, and what grades they have been given, by the CGC, Certified Guaranty Company, a company that grades and seals comics for collectors. Also, with Sidekick, a software package that runs in conjunction with ComicBase, your software is always up to date and you even get little badges for entering in different amounts of comics, just like getting achievements in your favorite video games.

I think the best thing about ComicBase is that you can get the basic version of this software for free, try it, and decide if it is for you. the ComicBase FREE edition allows you to catalog up to 500 comic books. Check out their website for more information and click here to see all of the great products that Human Computing offers in the ComicBase line. I would recommend this software for any collector from a beginner all the way up to someone with thousands of books. This program would even be a big benefit to anyone running their own comic book store, as it allows a whole level of functionality for collation of issues for sale.

ComicBase is a really great product from a company with the comic book fan and collector in mind. No doubt why they are the #1 software for comic book databases. A big thanks to the folks at Human Computing for letting me check this software out and give you the lowdown. If you have any other questions, put them in the comments or you can check out ComicBase on the web.

My Rating: 5/5