NEWBURY PARK : Cards, Comics Change Hands at Library Event

With several kids pressing up to the table displaying his comic books, 12-year-old Fred Kim calmly fielded offers coming from all directions at a sports card and comic book exchange in Newbury Park.

“I have to think about that,” Fred told one boy. “Let me look it up,” he told another, reaching for the book listing values for various comics. Fred turned away other hopeful wheeler-dealers with a shake of his head.

In addition to newer comics, Fred had a 1966 copy of an X-Men comic worth $75. Shrouded in plastic, the book drew the attention and admiration of traders at the exchange on Wednesday night.

“Comic books are real hard to predict, but once they start going up (in value), they keep going up,” Fred said.

Across the room, Drew Borkovitz lamented that his hockey card collection was not in great demand. But he celebrated one good trade he completed that day, exchanging two Wayne Gretzky cards for one of Winnipeg Jets player Teemu Selanne.

“It could be valuable some day,” his friend, 14-year-old Ben Stone, explained.

But that wasn’t the only motivation for Drew, the 12-year-old added.

“I like him, too,” the boy said of Selanne as he admired the card.

There is no cash allowed at the exchanges, held every other month alternating between the Newbury Park branch of the Thousand Oaks Library and the main Thousand Oaks Library, organizer Barb Wilson said.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Thousand Oaks Library, the events are not only fun but a good way to get youngsters into the library, Wilson said. Once there, the thinking is that some of the children might wander into the book section, she said.

“Maybe some of the kids will even check out a book,” Wilson said. “Anything you do to get kids in the library is worthwhile.”