Comics have always been a big deal to the men in Brick Wenzel’s family. But when Sandy devastated his home and his business, Wenzel realized that the books had more than sentimental value – they had quite a bit of monetary value as well.
“The comic books have really appreciated in value so much it’s like collecting artwork,” he said.
Wenzel faces $850,000 worth of repairs, most of which are needed to get his ice cream and treat shop, Salty’s in Lavallette, open for the summer. He didn’t have flood insurance and the storm punched holes in the walls and floor, as well as trapped water in the walls.
To help offset the cost Wenzel, who was named for a comic book character, decided to auction off his three-generation-old comic collection.
“There comes a time where you collected 'em for not only the enjoyment of having them and being able to read them and look at them, but also in case of times of distress like we've been placed in with Hurricane Sandy,” he said.
The 1,200 book collection is currently up for auction at www.comicconnect.com. Wenzel says he expects the entire collection to sell, and he is hoping to make about $200,000 on the sales, which he will use as a down payment for repairs.