Bagged & Boarded

Bagged & Boarded Rulebook

Table of Contents

Components

156 comic cards (26 cards from each of 6 publishers)
9 X-Ray Glasses scoring cards
10 Ray-Gun scoring cards
8 Toy Soldier scoring cards
21 Superpower cards
64 autograph tags
6 grading slabs
6 player boards
2 double-sided game boards
10 smudge ("nope") tokens
72 time cubes (12 in each of 6 colors)
6 turn order tokens (1 in each of 6 colors)
6 unique-heroes tokens
6 game-end tokens
24 hero-value tokens
6 publisher tokens
6 player aid cards
1 score pad
Coins: 30 5¢, 30 10¢, 18 25¢, 18 $1

Overview

In Bagged & Boarded you're a kid who loves comics. You can't merely focus on finding your favorite issues though. You also need to make enough money to afford them!

Each player will start with a small collection of comics, which they will work to grow and improve throughout the game.

In the morning, you'll plan your day, then resolve everyone's plans in order. Will you search the catalogs? Preorder from the comic store or dig through the bargain bin? Wait in line at the convention for autographs and swag? Or, maybe you'll spend your time at home doing chores, bagging and boarding old issues, and putting them on display.

Core Concepts

Winning the Game

To win the game, you'll need the highest net worth, comprising both your comic collection and your cash.

Collecting and displaying a large series is worth a lot, but keep an eye on your clever friends. They might be holding onto that issue you're looking for, eagerly waiting for you to drive up its value!

Comics and Publishers

Before you start collecting them, it's important to know how the comics work. Bagged & Boarded features 24 original heroes by six fictional publishers. Each publisher produces comics for four of the heroes. The comics are functionally equivalent, aside from some end-game scoring conditions that vary from game to game.

Each hero will appear in eight issues. Issues 1-5 always feature a single hero, whereas issues 6-8 are crossovers containing two heroes from the same publisher. Every card is unique; in other words, every hero/issue number combination appears on only one card, and no two crossovers contain the same two heroes. Heroes never appear in crossovers from other publishers.

Crossovers can be used as either of their heroes. When displayed, the non-featured hero is making a "guest appearance." This term is only relevant to some end-game scoring cards.

Hero Value

Throughout the game, comics will increase in value. Some may even decrease. The value of a comic depends on which heroes are depicted on its cover.

Each hero has an icon. Hero icons appear in the top-left corner of the comics. Crossovers contain two heroes, and thus have two icons. Tokens with matching icons are used to track the values of the comics in the Hero Values section of the game board.

Comic States

Throughout the game, you'll interact with comics in different states: displayed, bagged, and loose. A comic's state will impact its value and what you can do with it throughout the game.

Displayed Comics. No self-respecting comic collector would dare keep their key issues or holy grails in a drawer. They should be proudly displayed! Displayed comics are always in sets of three or more matching heroes. These are kept face up above your player board.

Bagged Comics. Protect your precious comics from the ravages of UV-laden sunlight, apple juice spills and chocolate-covered fingers - get them bagged and boarded! A specialized archival plastic bag, an acid-free backing board, and a small piece of tape positioned just so: finally, your valuable investments are safe.

Bagged comics are kept to the right of your player board. Bagged comics remain face down unless autographed. Comics to the right of your player board are considered bagged.

Loose Comics. Loose comics are unbagged comics carelessly strewn about your room when you aren't reading them, of course! These are kept to the left of your player board. Loose comics remain face down. There is no limit to the number of loose comics you may have. Comics to the left of your player board are considered loose. It's important to keep the comics in the correct position relative to your player board.

Bagged Comic Limit

You may hold up to eight bagged comics. This includes any you may have autographed. If at any point you exceed this limit, you must immediately unbag some of your comics. The bagged comic limit applies immediately—not at the end of the round.

Unbagging Comics. To unbag comics, simply move them from your bagged pile to your loose pile. If you unbag autographed comics, they don't retain their autographs. Remove their autograph tags and flip the comics face down.

You can unbag comics whenever you want—not only when exceeding your hand limit. You might want additional loose comics because of certain Superpowers and scoring conditions.

Example: A. The red player has seven bagged comics. She gains two comics from Swag, which come already bagged. B. Because she is over the limit of eight bagged comics, she must immediately unbag one of them. She decides to unbag Garfunkle #3 and moves it to the left of her player board.

Bargain Bin and Comic Supply

Throughout the game, you'll be drawing comics from two different decks: the Bargain Bin and the Comic Supply. Each of these has its own draw deck and discard pile, both of which remain facedown at all times. Unless otherwise noted, comics drawn from the Comic Supply will be bagged and comics drawn from the Bargain Bin will be loose.

Whenever you need to draw comics, first draw from the draw deck. If the draw deck runs out, reshuffle its corresponding discard pile to make a new draw deck. If you need to draw from the Bargain Bin and it is completely empty (both the draw deck and the discard pile), continue drawing from the comic supply instead. Despite coming from the Comic Supply, these comics will be loose.

In the extremely rare case in which the Comic Supply runs out (both the draw deck and the discard pile), draw as many comics as you can.

Setup

General Setup

Place the main game boards in the center of the table. Choose the appropriate side of each board based on the number of players. The sides with three rows in the Travel sections are used for a 2-3 player game. The sides with six rows are used in a 4-6 player game.
Some of the action rows are not used at all player counts. If an action space has a player-count icon with a number that's higher than your current player count, cover that space with a "nope" token. (Example: covering the last Display action, which is only used in a 6-player game.) In a 2-player game, the entire leftmost slot of the Reserve Loose section is unused.
Find the grading slabs matching your player count (shown on the back), and stack them in descending order of value next to the Grading action area. Return all other grading slabs to the box. The game uses the same values as the major comic grading companies whose grading scales don't include 9.7, 9.5, 9.3, or 9.1.
Place the autograph tags in a supply next to the autographs action area.
Place the coins within reach of all players.

Unique-heroes Track

Place the unique-heroes token on the 0 space on the unique-heroes track.
Place the game-end token on the unique-heroes track according to the number of players: 2 players: 5; 3: 7; 4: 9; 5: 11; 6: 12.

Superpowers

Shuffle the Superpower cards. Draw and place a number of them face-up next to the game board according to the number of players: 2 players: 5; 3: 7; 4: 9; 5: 11; 6: 12.

Publishers

Based on the player count, choose the comic publishers that will be used in this game (you can use the publisher tokens to randomize them): 2 players: 3; 3: 4; 4: 5; 5: 6; 6: 6.
Return comics from the unused publishers to the box.
Gather the hero-value and publisher tokens for the publishers you've chosen. Return any others to the box.
Place the hero-value tokens in the 10¢ section of the Hero Values track.

Scoring

Shuffle the three types of scoring cards. These have x-ray glasses, a ray gun, and a toy soldier on their backs. Draw one of each type, placing them face up near the game board so all players can see them. If any require you to place publisher tokens, choose randomly from the ones you gathered in step 11. Afterward, return any remaining publisher tokens to the box.

For your first game, we recommend using only two scoring cards: Early Adopter and Dabbler.

Comics

Deal 5 comics (face down) to form the Sneak Preview.
Deal 10 comics (face down) to form the Bargain Bin deck. In a 2-player game, deal 7.
Deal 1 comic (face down) to form the Swag pile.
Shuffle the comics and deal 8 to each player (face down).
Deal 1 comic (face up) into each Reserve slot (Loose and Bagged). In a 2-player game, do not deal a comic to the leftmost slot of the Reserve Loose section.
Place the remaining comics (face down) in the Draw section of the Comic Supply.

Player Setup

Each player chooses a color and takes the corresponding player board, 12 time cubes, and turn order token.
The player who most recently read a comic book chooses the initial turn order. Alternatively, you may randomly determine a turn order. Place the players' turn order tokens in order along the turn order track.
Each player receives 10¢ as their starting allowance.
Based on the player count and turn order, set aside time cubes or give players extra allowance according to the chart below. Any time cubes set aside this way are returned to players at the end of the first round. Place any set-aside time cubes next to the turn order tokens, and return them when you resolve the daily activities.

Setup chart (time cubes set aside, or extra allowance), by player count and turn-order position:

Turn order	2 players	3 players	4 players	5 players	6 players
Player 1	1 cube	2 cubes	3 cubes	3 cubes	3 cubes
Player 2	-	1 cube	2 cubes	2 cubes	2 cubes
Player 3		-	1 cube	1 cube	1 cube
Player 4			-	-	-

Starting the Game (Free Comics Day)

Every year, on the first Saturday of May, comic book publishers (from big-name companies to indie publishers) give away free comics to anyone who shows up to local comic book stores. They share a wide variety of comics to foster interest in the medium and to prove that there's a comic out there for everyone.

The game begins with Free Comics Day, which is represented by a draft. After the draft, each player will have three comics in their loose pile and three comics in their bagged pile.

To draft your starting comics, each player simultaneously looks at the comics dealt to them during setup and keeps one of them facedown. Once everyone has chosen a card, each player passes their unchosen comics to the player to their left. Do this three times, adding your chosen comics to your loose pile. Then, do this three more times, adding your chosen comics to your bagged pile instead.

The first three comics you draft are added to your loose pile. The next three comics you draft are added to your bagged pile.

When drafting a comic, you may only choose from those passed to you. You may look at the comics in your loose pile or bagged pile at any time, but you may not move or swap them.

After drafting your sixth comic, discard the last two comics (facedown) into the Bargain Bin discard.

The position of your comics relative to your player board is important. Loose comics are on the left, and bagged comics are on the right.

Gameplay

The game is played over a series of rounds. Each round, players will plan their days, resolve daily activities and then perform the bedtime routine to prepare for the next day.

You begin your day with 12 time cubes, which represent the 12 hours you'll spend each day building your comic collection. All the actions you perform will require some amount of time—and sometimes money as well.

I know, I know, you're thinking that there are more than 12 useful hours in the day. But don't forget, you're just a kid—you need your sleep!

1. Plan Your Day

Every morning, you wake up excited about the possibilities the day holds. With your allowance burning a hole in your pocket and a head full of dreams about rare comics, you start planning your day. Will you hit the local comic store? Maybe hitch a ride to the big convention in town? Or perhaps stay home and catch up on chores to earn some extra cash? The choice is yours, but remember - time is limited, and you'll need to plan wisely to make the most of your day!

In turn order, you must claim an action, boost an action, or do both. This continues until all players have allocated all of their time cubes.

Because the actions have variable costs, it is possible for a player to claim or boost multiple actions in a row after all other players are out of time cubes for the round.

Claim an Action

Except for Chores, each action group is a speech bubble containing one or more rows of connected boxes. To claim an action, place one of your time cubes into every box in an unclaimed action row.

The number of boxes is the "time cost" of performing the action. When claiming an action, you must pay the full time cost of that action.

Example: The purple player claimed the top action row by placing one cube. The green player claimed the second action row by placing two cubes.

You may only claim an action if...

You haven't claimed another row in that action group.
At least one row is available (not claimed by any other players).
You can pay the full time cost.

Example: Because the rows in Reserve Bagged are each in their own action group, the red player was allowed to claim multiple Reserve Bagged action rows (on separate turns).

You don't resolve an action when you claim it. Actions are resolved in the next phase (2. Daily Activities). Thus, it is possible to claim an action even though you might not be able to resolve it in your current situation. For example, you can claim a Reserve Bagged action without any money, knowing that you might claim a Chores or Sell action on a later turn (since Chores and Sell both resolve before Reserve Bagged does).

The action rows are sorted with the most efficient action on the top and the least efficient action on the bottom. You don't need to claim the top-most available action, but usually you will want to.

Locations and Travel Cost. Actions are grouped by location and time of day:

Home in the morning
Store
Convention
Home in the evening

Players must account for travel time when claiming an action at the Store or Convention.

The first time you claim an action at one of those locations, you must also assign one or two time cubes in the corresponding travel section:

Travel to the Store costs one time cube.
Travel to the Convention costs two time cubes.

This is done concurrently with claiming the action; it does not count as the action itself. For the remainder of the round, subsequent actions at the same location do not require you to pay additional travel costs.

Note that both locations contain enough travel spaces to accommodate all players. You can't block someone out of a travel space by voluntarily traveling there again.

Boost an Action

Some action groups have boost areas. These are below the action rows and are represented by a yellow box with a dashed border. They allow you to perform an improved version of the action.

To boost an action, place one or more of your time cubes into the boost area of an action you have already claimed (either on this turn or on a previous turn). Some spaces give you a boost for each time cube you assign. Others give you a boost for every two cubes. This is indicated by a one or two-cube icon above the boost area.

The boosts associated with each action are explained in detail in the corresponding action section.

Example: Boosting the Sell action costs one cube. Boosting the Autographs action costs two cubes.

You can only place time cubes in a boost area if you have already claimed the corresponding action.

Once you're familiar with the game, you can choose to boost multiple different actions during a single turn to speed up the game. Boosting actions won't block other players from performing actions; it only gives information to your opponents.

Special Case: Chores

The Chores action doesn't have rows like the other actions. All players can boost Chores as though they claimed it as an action.

2. Daily Activities

Now that you've planned your day, it's time to put your carefully laid plans into action. From doing chores around the house to hunting for rare comics at the store or convention, every decision you've made will now play out.

To resolve daily activities, evaluate the action groups in ascending numerical order, starting with chores. If players have time cubes in that action group, they may perform that action, then retrieve their time cubes from that action group. Begin with the player on the topmost action row and continue down until all players have resolved their actions. Each action is described in detail in the Actions section.

For most action groups, each player completes their entire action before the next player resolves theirs (when resolving Mail Order and Bargain Bin, all players draw their cards in order before anyone makes any purchases).

If a player cannot (due to lack of money/comics) or does not want to perform their action, they simply retrieve their time cubes from that action group.

When resolving Reserve Loose and Reserve Bagged, players resolve their action groups in order from left to right.

3. Bedtime Routine

As the sun sets, it's time to get some rest to prepare for another busy day. The store owner carefully restocks the shelves, making sure each comic is perfectly aligned. Meanwhile, at the convention center, exhibitors straighten their displays and replenish their merchandise, preparing for another rush of eager fans.

Players retrieve all of their time cubes remaining on the board.
Refill the Reserve Loose section from the Bargain Bin draw deck. If the draw deck runs out, shuffle the Bargain Bin discard pile to make a new draw deck. In the rare case that there are no comics in either, continue drawing from the Comic Supply draw deck.
Refill the Reserve Bagged section from Sneak Preview. Add comics one at a time, filling from right to left. If Sneak Preview doesn't have enough comics to fill the Reserve Bagged section, continue drawing from the Comic Supply draw deck.
Add a comic to Swag from the Comic Supply draw deck.
Refill Sneak Preview to five comics from the Comic Supply draw deck, adding any new comics beneath the existing comics. If the Comic Supply draw deck runs out, shuffle the Comic Supply discard pile to make a new draw deck. In the extremely rare case that there are no more cards in the Comic Supply, the game ends immediately.

Actions

Action Values

Most action rows have one or more values that correspond to how many times you may perform that action. Boosting increases these values, except in the case of the grading action where boosting reduces the cost instead.

Home in the Morning

1. Chores

Your parents are keen on instilling good habits. No matter how clean your house is, they will reward you for each hour you spend doing chores.

All players are allowed to do any amount of chores. Take 5¢ from the general supply for each time cube you allocated.

2. Mail Order

Flipping through the pages of your favorite comic book catalog, you can't help but feel a rush of excitement. With each turn, new adventures and rare finds beckon. It's time to scour the pages and search for that elusive gem that might appear for sale!

Each action row contains two action values; the first is the "draw" value, and the second is the "buy" value.

Example: The purple player will draw six comics and can buy up to two of them.

Mail Order allows you to draw and buy from the Comic Supply. Draw a number of comics from the Comic Supply equal to your draw value. Don't reveal them to the other players. They aren't reading over your shoulder, after all!

You may then buy a number of comics up to your row's buy value. Each comic costs 15¢, regardless of its hero value, and you must pay 15¢ for each comic you buy—not 15¢ total for all comics (in the case of multiple buys). Buying comics is optional, regardless of how many buys your action allows.

If multiple players are resolving this action, each player draws all their cards (reshuffling the discard pile if necessary) before anyone makes any purchases.

Add the comics you bought to your bagged pile. Discard the others facedown to the Comic Supply discard.

Remember, Mail Order discards are always facedown. You're looking through the catalog by yourself in your bedroom. Remember, when drawing comics for Mail Order, you do so from the Comic Supply.

Mail Order Boost. You can boost your Mail Order action by increasing your draws and/or increasing your buys.

Boosting Draws: Draw two additional comics for every cube you added to this boost area. (Each cube allows you to draw two additional comics.)
Boosting Buys: You may buy one additional comic for every two cubes you added to this boost area. You still have to pay 15¢ for each comic you buy. (Every two cubes allow you to buy one additional comic.)

Buying mail-order comics might cause you to exceed your bagged comic limit. In this case, add all your new comics to your bagged pile, then immediately move any excess comics to your loose pile. These can be newly gained comics, existing comics, or a mix of both.

Store

As you enter the comic store, your eyes are immediately drawn to the used comics section. These pre-loved issues, with their slightly worn edges and nostalgic smell, hold the promise of hidden treasures at bargain prices. You know that if you don't act fast, another savvy collector might snatch up that rare issue you've been searching for. It's time to stake your claim and reserve some of these gems before they slip through your fingers!

3. Reserve Loose

Example: Allocating two cubes here allows a player to reserve a loose issue of Hovergirl.

Pay half of the comic's hero value and move it to your loose pile. If your reserved comic is a crossover, the hero value is the more expensive of the two heroes.

Buying is optional. If you can't afford the comic, or if you decide you no longer want it, simply retrieve your time cubes and leave the comic in the Store. You check your pockets and realize you should've spent a bit more time doing chores earlier in the day. You sadly walk out of the shop, loudly declaring that you've "decided" not to buy the comic.

Cleanup. After all players have resolved this action, check whether the two right-most spaces contain any comics. If they do move these comics to the Bargain Bin discard pile. Then, slide any remaining comics in the Reserve Loose row all the way to the right, maintaining their order.

Update the row regardless of whether anybody claimed an action in the Reserve Loose section.

4. Sell

As you browse through your collection, you can't help but notice a few comics that no longer spark joy. Maybe you've outgrown them, or perhaps you've found better copies. Whatever the reason, it's time to turn these unwanted issues into cold, hard cash. The local comic shop is always eager to buy, and who knows? Your castoffs might just fund your next big purchase!

Each action row contains a single action value. This represents the number of comics you may sell.

Example: The red player claimed the top row of the Sell action and will be able to sell up to two comics.

Select any of your comics, up to the maximum allowed, and perform the following steps for each comic you sell:

Determine its value.
- Loose Comics are worth half of their hero value.
- Bagged Comics are worth full hero value.
- Displayed Comics are worth full hero value.
- Autographed comics are worth double hero value or 30¢, whichever is greater. If you sell autographed loose comics (due to a Superpower), treat them the same as when selling autographed bagged comics.
- Crossovers always use the more expensive of their two heroes.
Collect the money from the general supply.
Return the comic's autograph (if any) to the general supply. The store owner keeps the autographed copy for himself and puts his used copy up for sale.
Move the sold comic to the Reserve Loose row, starting with the right-most empty space. If you would need to place a comic and the Reserve Loose row is full, move the right-most comic into the Bargain Bin discard, shift the others to the right, then add the sold comic to the left-most space. If you sell enough comics, it is possible that some of the comics you sell will immediately end up in the Bargain Bin.

Example: 1. The red player chooses to sell a bagged Troll and a bagged, autographed Astro Chicken. 2. Based on their hero values, the Troll sells for 20¢ and the Astro Chicken sells for 60¢ (the autograph doubles the sale value). 3. These push the existing Reserve Loose comics to the right. 4. And the Gumslinger moves face down into the Bargain Bin discard.

After you finish resolving all your sales, readjust the hero values, which will have changed if any displayed comics were sold.

Hero values don't change when selling bagged or loose comics. See the Display action for more info about hero value.

Restriction on Selling Displayed Comics. You can't sell a displayed comic if it would reduce that set to fewer than three comics. Once you have a set of a hero on display, you must maintain a valid set of three or more of that hero for the rest of the game—even if another player has their own set featuring the same hero.

Sell Boost. Each time a cube is placed in the boost area it allows you to sell two additional comics.

Example: By boosting the Sell action, the red player can now sell up to four comics: two from claiming the action row and another two from boosting it by one cube.

5. Bargain Bin

Ah, the bargain bin! A treasure trove of potential hidden gems. As you sift through the loose comics, your eyes light up. That rare issue you've been hunting for months might just be hiding here, waiting to be snatched up at a fraction of its true value. But you'll need to act fast – other collectors are eyeing the same pile!

Each action row contains two action values; the first is the "draw" value, and the second is the "buy" value.

The Bargain Bin action allows you to draw and buy from the Bargain Bin.

Draw a number of comics from the Bargain Bin equal to your draw value.

If multiple players are resolving this action, each player draws all their cards (reshuffling the discard pile if necessary) before anyone makes any purchases. Remember, if the Bargain Bin draw deck runs out, shuffle the Bargain Bin discard pile to make a new draw pile. If the Bargain Bin draw deck and discard pile both run out, continue drawing from the Comic Supply.

You may then buy a number of comics up to your row's buy value. Each comic costs 5¢, regardless of its hero value, and you must pay 5¢ for each comic you buy—not 5¢ total for all comics in the case of multiple buys. Buying comics is optional, regardless of how many buys your action allows.

Add the comics you bought to your loose pile. Discard the others to the Bargain Bin discard.

Remember, Bargain Bin discards are always facedown. The bargain bin is in a cramped corner of the store, so other players couldn't get a good look at what was in your hands.

Bargain Bin Boost. You can boost your Bargain Bin action by increasing your draws and increasing your buys.

Boosting Draws: Draw two additional comics for every cube you added to this boost area. (Each cube allows you to draw one additional comic.)
Boosting Buys: You may buy one additional comic for every two cubes you added to this boost area. You still have to pay 5¢ for each comic you buy. (Every two cubes allow you to buy one additional comic.)

6. Reserve Bagged

Your heart races as you approach the gleaming display of new releases. These pristine, untouched comics are the latest and greatest, fresh off the press. The mylar bags glisten under the store lights, promising adventures yet to be read. But you're not the only one eyeing these gems.

Example: Allocating two cubes here allows a player to reserve a bagged issue of Garfunkle.

Pay the comic's hero value and move it to your bagged pile. If your reserved comic is a crossover, the hero value is the more expensive of the two heroes.

Buying is optional. If you can't afford the comic, or if you decide you no longer want it, simply retrieve your time cubes and leave the comic in the Store. "I just wanted to make sure my competition didn't get ahold of that issue they needed!"

Buying reserved comics might cause you to exceed your bagged comic limit. In this case, add all your new comics to your bagged pile, then immediately move any excess comics to your loose pile. These can be newly gained comics, existing comics, or a mix of both.

Cleanup. After all players have resolved this action, check whether the two right-most spaces contain any comics. If they do, move these comics to the Bargain Bin discard pile. Then, slide any remaining comics in the Reserve Bagged row all the way to the right, maintaining their order. The store owner has to make room for the next crop of new issues, after all!

Update the row regardless of whether anybody claimed an action in the Reserve Bagged section.

Convention

As you navigate the bustling convention hall, you spot a table piled high with promotional comics. These aren't the rare gems you've been hunting, but hey, who can resist free stuff? You elbow your way through the crowd, determined to snag some swag before it's all gone. Who cares if they're not the comics you're looking for - did we mention they're free?

7. Swag

The Swag action has room for one player who gains all the comics in the Swag pile.

Take all the comics in the Swag area and add them to your bagged pile.

Gaining Swag might cause you to exceed your bagged comic limit. In this case, add all your new comics to your bagged pile, then immediately move any excess comics to your loose pile. These can be newly gained comics, existing comics, or a mix of both.

8. Sneak Preview

As you prowl the convention's rows upon rows of comic collections and publishers, you're able to spot some upcoming issues that haven't been released to the public yet. A few publishers may even be willing to sell you a copy before their comic hits the market... for the right price.

The Sneak Preview contains the comics that will refill the Store before the next round.

Draw all the cards in the Sneak Preview area without showing anyone.

You may then buy any number of the comics you drew. Each comic costs 20¢, regardless of its hero value, and you must pay 20¢ for each comic you buy.

You might want to visit Sneak Preview to see what's coming out to the Reserve Bagged area at the Store next round—even if you don't want to or can't afford to buy any comics.

Add the comics you bought to your bagged pile. Return the others to Sneak Preview in the order of your choice. Remember that the Reserve Bagged row will be refilled from the top of Sneak Preview.

Buying from sneak preview might cause you to exceed your bagged comic limit. In this case, add all your new comics to your bagged pile, then immediately move any excess comics to your loose pile. These can be newly gained comics, existing comics, or a mix of both.

9. Autographs

This is your chance to meet your favorite artists and writers, and to have them leave their mark on your most treasured issues. As you join the queue, you can't help but grin, imagining how these signed comics will become the crown jewels of your collection. It's not just about the monetary value; it's about the connection, the moment when your passion for comics intersects with the creators who bring these stories to life. But also: boy, this will really bump that monetary value!

Each action row contains a single action value. This represents the number of autographs you may gain. Note that you may only autograph bagged comics. You wouldn't want to autograph a loose comic only to have it smudged or damaged, and none of us are important enough to have the artist visit our display case to sign our comics there.

Autographing your comics adds value but gives information to your opponents.

To autograph comics,

Take autograph tags from the supply equal to your action value.
For each autograph tag, flip a bagged comic face up, revealing it to the table.
Place an autograph tag onto each newly revealed comic.
Return any unused autograph tags to the supply. What, are you going to have the artist sign a sticker or something so you can add it to the comic later?
Gloat.

Your autographed comics will remain face up in your bagged pile until you sell, display, or unbag them.

Revealing autographed comics is not the same as displaying comics. Autographed comics remain bagged and count against your limit, but they are face up for the other players to see.

Autographs Boost. Boosting the Autographs action costs two cubes (the board's boost icon shows +1 autograph; the draft text does not describe this boost further).

10. Grading

The comic graders, with their white gloves, magnifying glasses, and haughty demeanors, are ready to scrutinize every detail. It's a nerve-wracking process - will your comics meet their stringent standards? But the potential payoff is huge. A high grade could turn your favorite displayed issues into true treasures, both in sentimental and monetary value. You take a deep breath and hand over your carefully selected comics, hoping for those coveted upper 9's that could elevate your collection to new heights.

When comics are professionally graded, they're placed into hard plastic cases that can't be opened without significant tampering. Cracking open the case voids the grade. The process of getting a comic graded and encased in plastic is often called "slabbing."

Grading adds value to your sets.

You can only grade one displayed set as part of the Grading action. This set must not yet be graded.

To resolve the Grading action,

Pay 15¢ to the general supply.
Take the topmost grading slab from the stack.
Choose an ungraded set in your display area and place the grading slab on top.

Remember, like all actions, resolving grading is optional. You can choose not to grade even if you do have a valid set. If you don't have a set that can be graded, don't pay 15¢ or take a grading slab. (You can't pay 15¢ to simply remove the grading slab from the game.)

Grading Boost. The boost area for grading doesn't grant additional actions like the other actions' boost areas. Instead, it saves you from having to pay the 15¢ cost to grade your set. This boost costs exactly 2 time cubes.

Graded Sets. Once a set is graded, it will remain so for the rest of the game. You can no longer:

expand a graded set
sell comics from a graded set
display another set featuring the hero you have graded (other players can, however)

You are not allowed to remove a grading slab from a set.

Grading slabs are intentionally limited.

In the world of comic collecting, you would grade an individual comic—not a set of comics. And being unable to sell graded comics is unusual; they often sell for many times the value of an ungraded comic. We're bending the theme here for the sake of improved gameplay.

Home in the Evening

11. Bag & Board

As the sun sets and you return home, your mind still buzzes with the day's comic hunting adventures. But your work isn't done yet. With careful hands and a satisfied smile you prepare to give your newly acquired treasures the attention they deserve. It's time for the sacred ritual every true collector knows and loves: bagging and boarding your comics. You lay out your supplies: crisp, clear bags and sturdy backing boards. Each comic is gently slid into its new home, ensuring it remains pristine for years to come. It's not just about preservation; it's about respect for the art and stories within these pages. As you seal each bag, you can't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. Your collection is growing, and now, it's properly protected.

Each action row contains a single action value. This represents the number of comics you may bag.

The Bag & Board action allows you to move comics from your loose pile to your bagged pile.

To bag a comic, move it from your loose pile to your bagged pile.

Bag Boost. Each time cube in the boost area allows you to bag an additional comic.

Bagging loose comics might cause you to exceed your bagged comic limit. In this case, bag all your comics first (okay, not all your comics, just up to your action value...), then immediately move any excess comics to your loose pile.

12. Display

As the day winds down, you find yourself surrounded by your prized possessions – comics carefully bagged and boarded, each one a piece of art, a fragment of storytelling brilliance. But a true collector knows that some comics deserve more than just protection; they deserve to be showcased. With a mix of pride and careful consideration, you approach your display case. Which heroes will take center stage in your collection? Which storylines will you highlight for all to see? As you arrange and rearrange, you're not just organizing comics; you're curating a visual journey through the epochs of comic book history right in your own home.

Each action row contains a single action value. This determines how many display points you can spend. Each time cube in the boost area gives you one additional display point. Display action rows provide varying numbers of display points.

Your display points determine the number of comics you may display—not the number of sets you may display. You don't have to use all your display points.

As a display action, you can display a new set or expand an existing set. Each of these counts as its own discrete action, consuming a variable number of display points. You can perform as many display actions as your display points allow, in any order.

Some Display action rows will only allow you to display a new set if your Display action is boosted.

The value of the set (printed on your player board) is what the set is worth at the end of the game. You don't gain this value immediately.

If the unique-heroes token reaches the game-end token, this triggers the end of the game. You will play one more round after the current one ends. This does not prevent additional heroes from being displayed, but no more Superpowers will be awarded for displaying unique heroes.

What qualifies as a set? A set is three to eight comics featuring a single hero. All comics in the set must have the featured hero's icon in the top-left corner. The set can include any number of crossovers, provided each crossover has the featured hero's icon. A displayed set of comics must include at least three comics and at most eight.

Examples of valid and invalid sets:

A valid set of three Hovergirls.
A valid set of five Garfunkles, including two crossovers.
Because all three of these crossovers contain Catamaran Man, this is a valid set.
Although these comics are from the same publisher, this is not a valid set because the same hero isn't featured on all three.

When displaying a set with crossovers, splaying your cards with a non-crossover on top will help you to remember the featured hero of the set.

Displaying a Set. Displaying a set allows you to add a new featured hero to your display area. Displayed comics don't count against your bagged comic limit.

To display a set, do the following:

Choose a hero that isn't yet featured in one of your sets.
From your bagged pile, select at least three comics with that hero's icon and move them to your display area.
Increase that hero's value by advancing its token in the hero value section to the column depicting the total number of issues of that hero on display (among all players).
If yours is the first set featuring this hero, perform these additional steps: a. Move the unique-heroes token one space to the right if the game end has not yet been triggered. b. Gain a Superpower (if any remain). See "Gaining a Superpower." c. Check if the end of the game has been triggered. See "Game End."

Example: The pink player currently has a set of Bicyclops. He has four bagged Astro Chickens and chooses to display them using four display points. With four issues on display, Astro Chicken comics are worth 30¢ each. Because Astro Chicken was not previously on display, advance the unique-heroes token. He chooses the Mad Rush Superpower. Because the unique-heroes token has not reached the game-end token, the end of the game has not been triggered.

Expanding a Set. Expanding allows you to add more comics to sets that are already in your display area.

You may only expand your own sets. You can't display a single issue of a hero that someone else has on display; however, you can display your own full set of three or more issues of that hero.

To expand a set, do the following:

Choose a hero that is featured in one of your sets. It must be a set that isn't graded. From your bagged pile, select a comic with that hero's icon and move it to the displayed set. If the comic is autographed, ensure that the autograph tag stays on this comic.
Increase that hero's value by advancing its token to the right on the Hero Values track.

You can't expand a graded set. Grading slabs can't be removed.

Comprehensive display examples

Displaying a unique hero: Nobody has displayed Argyle Hammer yet. The yellow player displays four Argyle Hammers. With four issues on display, Argyle Hammer is now worth 30¢ per issue. Because Argyle Hammer was not previously on display, advance the unique-heroes token. The yellow player chooses the Mad Rush Superpower.

Displaying a duplicate set: The pink player has a set of four Astro Chickens on display. The yellow player displays her own set of Astro Chickens (three). The Astro Chicken hero-value token moves to the $1.00 slot on the track (seven on display). The unique-hero count doesn't change, so the yellow player doesn't gain a Superpower.

Gaining a Superpower

Each time a new hero is displayed, the player who displayed that hero gains a Superpower. Because the game begins with a number of Superpower cards equal to the position of the game-end token, players can only gain Superpowers until the game end is triggered.

When gaining a Superpower, choose one of the remaining Superpower cards and place it near your player board.

Unlike in real life, gaining Superpowers isn't random. You get to choose your Superpower.

You can either use the superpower for good, or you can sell out and take money for it instead (shirking your heroic responsibility).

Using Your Superpower. Superpowers have three different timing categories:

Immediate. These effects trigger immediately when gained. Even if you have remaining display points, resolve immediate Superpower effects before continuing with your display actions. After resolving an immediate effect, return the Superpower card to the game box. (Example: Rich Uncle is an immediate Superpower that gives you 50¢.)
Ongoing. These Superpowers remain face up in front of you for the rest of the game. They can passively enhance a variety of actions or allow you to break a few rules. (Example: Valet Parking is an ongoing Superpower that decreases your convention travel cost.)
One-time use. These Superpowers remain face up in front of you until used. They can be used once at any time during your turn, except during the resolution of a single display action. They can, however, be used between display actions. After using a one-time Superpower, return it to the game box. (Example: Caffeine Boost is a one-time Superpower that allows you to claim two actions in a single turn.)

Superpower effects (particularly ongoing powers) can stack with each other. Any resulting combos supersede regular game rules.

See the Appendix for clarification about particular Superpowers.

Selling Out. Return your Superpower card to the box, and gain money equal to the position of your newly displayed hero on the hero value track.

Example: The green player displays a set of four Hovergirls, earning a Superpower. With four issues on display, Hovergirl's hero value is now 30¢. The green player sells out by choosing Optimism and removing it from the game. This earns him 30¢ because Hovergirl's hero-value token is in the 30¢ slot of the hero-value track.

13. Early Bedtime

As the sun sets on another day of comic collecting even the most dedicated enthusiasts must eventually call it quits. But in the world of comics, going to bed early isn't just about getting some shut-eye—it's a strategic move that can set you up for success in the days to come. While other actions focus on acquiring and managing your comic collection, Early Bedtime is all about positioning yourself for future opportunities. By turning in earlier than your fellow collectors, you're ensuring that you'll be first in line when the next batch of rare comics hits the shelves.

Going to bed early allows you to move to the front of the turn order.

To resolve Early Bedtime, move your turn-order token to the first space in the turn order track, sliding the other tokens back. Because this is resolved top-to-bottom (like all actions), whoever spends the most time going to bed will end up in the first position.

As with other action groups, you may only claim one row. Remember, you don't have to claim the first available action row.

Remember that the top action spaces are always the most efficient. You might be able to go first cheaply, but claiming the bottom (most expensive) Early Bedtime action will guarantee that you go first next round.

Example: The purple player claims the top Early Bedtime action row. Then, the yellow player claims the last action row. Finally, the red player claims the second action row. In action order, the players move to the front of the turn order, shifting the rest down each time.

Simultaneous Resolution Tips

While resolving actions, you'll find that players can safely skip ahead and resolve most of their own actions without waiting on other players (such as purchasing comics from Reserve Loose or Reserve Bagged).

However, there are some actions that will reveal information or impact card availability. We recommend waiting until these actions are resolved to continue any simultaneous resolution. For example:

If you will need to reshuffle the Bargain Bin deck, wait for all players to finish selling before reshuffling since comics from the Reserve Loose section might fall into the Bargain Bin discard.
When assigning autograph tags, keep your newly tagged comics facedown until after Sneak Preview has been resolved. Otherwise, you might impact purchasing decisions.
When assigning a grading slab, wait to assign the slab until other players finish resolving the Autographs action. Your choice of set to grade might unfairly impact their choice of comics to autograph. Further, their choice of autographs is allowed to impact what you choose to grade.
When displaying, you should wait until the previous player chooses a Superpower before beginning your display action.

Even if you skip ahead, you must always resolve your actions in order!

Game End

The end of the game is triggered while resolving the display action if the unique-heroes token reaches the game-end token on the unique-heroes track. When this happens, finish the current day, and then play one more full day.

In an extremely rare case, the game can end during the Bedtime Routine if there are no comics in either the Comic Supply draw deck or discard pile. If that happens, the game ends immediately, regardless of the state of the unique-heroes token.

At the end of the game, proceed to final scoring.

Final Scoring

As summer draws to a close, it's time for all of us to face reality - school is just around the corner. But before we trade our comic bags for backpacks, there's one final task at hand: tallying up our summer's achievements. Who among us has built the most impressive collection? Whose keen eye for valuable comics and savvy business decisions will prove most rewarding? Let's find out who truly became the ultimate comic collector of the summer.

Using the provided score sheets, begin by counting your leftover cash.

Next, calculate the monetary value of your displayed sets. This is based on the sizes of the sets, as printed on your player boards. Note that it doesn't matter what the hero values are in this case—only the size of your own sets.

Earn 20¢ for each autograph tag among your displayed sets.

Sum the value of all your grading slabs.

For each of your autographed bagged comics, earn 1 1/2 times their hero value.

For each of your non-autographed bagged comics, earn 1/2 their hero value.

Finally, evaluate the three scoring cards that you chose for this game during setup. Scoring cards can't be impacted by other scoring cards. For example, the 50% boost from Fan Favorite or the doubling from Reissue won't increase the value of Mint Condition or Philography.

Some of the cards have a symbol with a bagged comic. When these are in play, you should evaluate the card before scoring bagged comics.

Add everything up to determine your net worth. The player with the most money wins. In the case of a tie, the player who is later in turn order is the winner. Your friends are even more impressed when you acquire the most net worth and sleep in while doing so!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I boost an action on the same turn that I claim it? Yes.
If I already boosted an action, can I boost it again on a later turn? Yes.
Can I boost an action on the same turn I claim a different action? Yes.
Can I autograph a displayed comic? No, unless a Superpower specifies otherwise, you can only autograph comics in your bagged pile.
Does the bagged comic limit apply immediately or at the end of the round? It applies immediately. When adding multiple comics to your bagged pile at the same time (due to gaining Swag, the Bag & Board action, Mad Rush, etc.), add all of them, then immediately unbag as many as you need to.
Do displayed comics count against my bagged comic limit? No (they're in a plastic case or a frame at that point).
Can I play off of someone else's set like in Rummy? Not exactly—you can only display comics that form or expand your own sets. However, you can play to someone else's set by buying, autographing, and/or selling comics after your opponents increase their value.
If I autographed a bagged comic, is it considered displayed? No, although you reveal it to your opponents, it remains in your bagged pile and counts against your bagged comic limit.
Can I display more than one set of the same hero? No, you can display only one set of each hero. If you graded that hero, you can't start a new set of that hero (but someone else can).
When I display a set, do I gain its value immediately? No, the value of your sets is realized during end-game scoring. You can gain some money immediately if you Sell Out rather than accept a Superpower.

Appendix

Superpowers: Immediate

Comic Swap: Gain comics from the Bargain Bin equal to the number in your loose pile. Then, discard half your loose comics to the Bargain Bin discard. You may unbag comics before using Comic Swap.
Good Grades: Pay 15¢ to grade one of your ungraded sets. Take the topmost grading slab. If no grading slabs are available, you must use the Sell Out option instead when gaining this Superpower.
Inherited Collection: Draw three comics from the Comic Supply. Keep one as a bagged comic and autograph it, keep two as bagged comics, or keep all three and unbag them. Discard the rest to the Bargain Bin discard.
Rich Uncle: Gain 50¢ from the general supply.
Special Order: Gain a comic from the Store for free. This can be from the Reserve Loose section, the Reserve Bagged section, or the facedown top card of the Bargain Bin draw deck (reshuffling if necessary). This comic will be bagged, regardless of where it came from.
Spring Cleaning: Sell any number of your comics. Loose, bagged, and displayed comics sell for full hero value. Autographed comics are still worth double or a minimum of 30¢. You can't sell a displayed comic if it would reduce the set size to below three (or remove the set altogether).

Superpowers: One-Time

Caffeine Boost: After claiming an action, immediately claim another. We recommend that you announce your intent to use this before claiming the first action as a courtesy to the player who acts after you.
Celebrity Sighting: Autograph any two of your comics. They can be displayed, bagged, or loose. You are allowed to autograph comics in graded sets using this effect. If you autograph a loose comic, flip it face up as you would when autographing a bagged comic, but keep it in your loose pile.
Chauffeur: Ignore all travel costs this round. If you have already allocated time cubes to travel locations, return those to your available supply. They may be used to claim or boost other actions this round.
Dibs: Before planning your day, name a hero. Allocate travel to the Store, then reserve all comics containing that hero. These reserve actions cost one cube each instead of two. You don't have to later allocate the second cube for any of them. You must reserve all comics containing that hero.
Mad Rush: Bag all your loose comics. Then, immediately check your bagged comic limit and unbag excess comics if necessary. This can't be used during the resolution of a single display action, but it can be used between display actions.

Example: Mad Rush between display actions. The blue player has five Tatwoman comics. She wants to display all of them with her five display points, but only three are bagged. First, she displays a set of three Tatwoman comics, then claims a Superpower, and sells out for 20¢. Next, she uses Mad Rush to bag two loose Tatwoman comics. Finally, she expands the set with her remaining two display points.

Example: Mad Rush before displaying. Instead, the blue player could have used Mad Rush before displaying her Tatwoman set. First, she uses Mad Rush to bag the two loose Tatwoman comics. Because she now has 10 bagged comics, she has to unbag two of them. She displays a set of five Tatwoman comics and again chooses Valet Parking. Because she displayed a new set of five rather than three, she receives 50¢ when selling out.

Superpowers: Ongoing

Audacity: When resolving the Autographs action, you may autograph loose comics. Flip them face up as you would when autographing bagged comics, but keep them in your loose pile. Typically, when unbagging autographed comics, they lose their autographs and are flipped facedown. When you unbag autographed comics, they retain their autographs and stay face up in your loose pile.
Backstage Pass: When resolving the Autographs action, you may autograph one additional comic.
Convention Volunteer: When resolving the Swag action, for each comic in the Swag pile, gain a comic from the Comic Supply. As with all comics from the Comic Supply, these bonus comics are bagged.
Desk: When resolving the Bag & Board action, you may bag one additional comic. When resolving the Display action, you may display one additional comic. If you claim both actions in the same round, you may use both effects.
Dial-up: When resolving Mail Order, after everyone has drawn their comics, you may choose to either draw four more or buy one additional comic.
Electric Scooter: Reduces travel cost to the Store by one time cube.
Long Box: Your bagged pile can hold four additional comics.
Membership: Whenever you buy a comic from Sneak Preview, gain an additional comic from Sneak Preview for free. You can do this up to two times per Sneak Preview action.
Optimism: When resolving Bargain Bin, after everyone has drawn their comics, you may choose to either draw four more or buy one additional comic.
Valet Parking: Reduces travel cost to the Convention by one time cube.

Scoring Cards (Toy Soldier)

(The payout tables printed on the Completionist and Dabbler cards are not reproduced in the rulebook text.)

Anthology: If you have the most displayed issues from the same publisher, earn $1.80. If you have the second most, earn $1.20. If multiple players tie for the most, divide $3.00 equally among the tied players. In this case nobody receives a second-place reward. If nobody ties for the most and multiple players tie for the second most, divide $1.20 equally among all tied players. A single player can't earn both rewards. In the rare case that a player has the most displayed issues from one publisher and the second most displayed issues (from a different publisher), nobody receives the second-place reward.
Completionist: Earn the listed amount based on how many of your sets feature heroes from the same publisher. It is possible (but unlikely) to score this multiple times if you achieve this with multiple publishers.
Continuity: During setup, choose one of the tokens you gathered during step 11 and place it on this card. If you have the most displayed issues from the selected publisher, earn $1.80. If you have the second most, earn $1.20. If multiple players tie for the most, divide $3.00 equally among the tied players. In this case, nobody receives a second-place reward. If nobody ties for the most and multiple players tie for the second most, divide $1.20 equally among all tied players.
Dabbler: Earn the listed amount based on how many unique publishers are represented by your displayed sets. Some of these will not be possible in games with lower player counts since fewer publishers will be in play. You can still use this card at all player counts, though.
Fan Club: During setup, choose one of the publisher tokens you gathered and place it on this card. If you have the most autographed comics from the selected publisher, earn $1.20. If you have the second most, earn 60¢. If multiple players tie for the most, divide $1.80 equally among the tied players. In this case, nobody receives a second-place reward. If nobody ties for the most and multiple players tie for the second most, divide 60¢ equally among all tied players. Count autographs on displayed, bagged, and loose comics from the selected publisher.
Fan Favorite: During setup, choose one of the publisher tokens you gathered and place it on this card. Sets from the selected publisher are worth 50% more. Include grading and autographs. This 50% bonus does not impact other scoring cards, such as Philography or Mint Condition.

Scoring Cards (Ray Gun)

Back-up Feature: When scoring bagged comics, use the token furthest to the left on the hero track for each crossover. If both hero tokens are in the same position, this has no effect. Tip: it's easiest to evaluate this when scoring bagged comics.
Bandwagon: When scoring bagged comics, ignore any issues from the publisher(s) with the most total issues in sets across all players. Tip: it's easiest to determine the most popular publisher(s) and remove the tokens from the hero value track before scoring bagged comics.
Fad: When scoring bagged non-crossover issues, don't score bagged comics containing the most valuable hero or heroes. Tip: When this card is in play, it's easiest to determine the most popular hero (or heroes) on the hero value track and remove the tokens from the track before scoring bagged comics.
Hidden Gem: Earn $1.00 for each autographed bagged crossover containing only undisplayed heroes. Neither hero can be displayed. This bonus is in addition to the 15¢ you earn when scoring them as bagged comics.
Hype: Increase the value of each hero by one level for each of its guest appearances. Tip: It's easiest to iterate over the displayed crossovers and increase the hero values before scoring bagged comics.
One-Shot: For each undisplayed hero, earn 50¢ if you have at least one autographed non-crossover issue of that hero. This is in addition to the value you get when scoring them as bagged comics. You only earn this once per hero—even if you have multiple bagged comics with this hero. Tip: it's easiest to score this by looking at the tokens in the 10¢ slot, one at a time.
Procrastinator: Subtract the full hero value of each loose comic in your collection. Note that this is the full hero value, not the 1/2 (positive) hero value used when scoring bagged comics. If your loose comics are autographed (e.g., because of Celebrity Sighting or Audacity), you still lose the full hero value—not an increased amount due to the autograph.

Scoring Cards (X-Ray Glasses)

Budgeter: Ignore leftover cash.
Crossover Event: Earn 50¢ for each set containing exactly two crossovers. Earn $1.50 for each set containing exactly three crossovers.
Early Adopter: Earn 80¢ for each set containing issue #1.
Mint Condition: Score grading again for each set that contains at least five issues. You still earn the normal grading value for smaller sets, but it isn't doubled.
Miser: Double your leftover cash. You can earn a maximum of $3.00 from this scoring condition. Any cash in excess of $3.00 is not doubled, but it still counts toward your normal cash value.
Philography: Earn 30¢ for each autographed comic in a set. You earn this in addition to the normal 20¢ from autographs on display.
Retcon: Earn $1.00 for each set that contains only issues #5 and lower.
Story Arc: Earn 20¢ per issue for each set containing only sequential issues. Issues don't need to be consecutive when displayed. If even one issue is not consecutive with the others, you don't earn a bonus for that set.

Example: 'Hype' scoring card. Connect-o-Bots were worth 30¢ with four on display. Hype increases their hero value to 50¢ because of the guest appearance in the Catamaran Man set. Although The Troll is not on display, their guest appearance in the Dr. Weird set increases their hero value to 20¢.