ComicBase

    (Human Computing, 1993-2024)
™ and ©1993 Human Computing

Ironically enough, ComicBase was originally pictured as the secret weapon by which designer Peter Deignan was going to trim his own comic collection, in preparation for his upcoming wedding to the lovely and talented Carolyn Bickford. If his new bride was ever going to be able to move in, some of the thousands of comics he’d collected since his days as a paperboy were going to have to move out to make room.

In order to give him an edge in selling his comics, Peter began work on a project he tentatively entitled “ComicBase” (figuring he’d eventually come up with a better name later). This was designed to act as both an inventory system and multimedia showcase of his collection when he went to sell at local conventions.

For a while, the plan seemed to work. Every month, Peter and his very understanding fiancée lugged dozens of long boxes to local comic shows, along with a Macintosh IIci running an early version of ComicBase. Inevitably, the computer grabbed the attention of passers-by, who would then stop, play with the program, and often buy a few comics.

But when customer after customer inquired where they could buy the program that was being used to show off the comics, the couple decided that maybe a change in focus was in order. Peter buckled down to programming a commercial version of ComicBase (he still hadn’t thought of a better name for it), Carolyn wrote the manual, and Scott Benefiel (Hardcase, Wildcats) designed the smiling logo character. In 1993, ComicBase 1.0 was released.

In the years that followed, ComicBase has grown to become the leading software for comic book collectors. In 1999, it was nominated for a Harvey award as Best Biographical, Historical, or Journalistic Presentation, and has received praise from customers and reviewers across the globe.

Peter and Carolyn were married in 1992, and now live with their resident master-of-prestidigitation/son Neil and their intrepid daughter Kelly in a house stuffed with comic books in San Jose, California.
Jump to issue:
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  • 1
    #1
    Dec 1993
    Cover: $149.00
    W: Peter Bickford  ·  A: Scott Benefiel
    6 floppies (compressed); About 20,000 issues/300 titles listed; Macintosh
    No copies available
  • 1.1
    #1.1
    Dec 1993
    Cover: $149.00
    W: Peter Bickford  ·  A: Scott Benefiel
    6 floppies (compressed); About 20,000 issues/300 titles listed; Added Quick Change feature; Macintosh
    No copies available
  • 1.2
    #1.2
    Dec 1994
    Cover: $129.00
    W: Peter Bickford  ·  A: Scott Benefiel
    1st release on CD-ROM; About 2,000 Titles/45,000 issues listed; Horrible yellow disc with badly printed ComicBase flying guy logo; Macintosh
    No copies available
  • 1.2/A
    #1.2 Variation A
    Dec 1994
    Cover: $49.00
    W: Peter Bickford  ·  A: Scott Benefiel
    ComicBase Encyclopedia of Comics; Contained reference material, but not the ability to track collections
    No copies available
  • 1.2/B
    #1.2 Variation B
    Dec 1994
    Cover: $89.00
    W: Peter Bickford  ·  A: Scott Benefiel
    6 floppies; Contained full tracking system but built-in titles (about 300/20,000 issues); Essentially similar to previous year’s product and offered to customers who didn’t yet own a CD-ROM drive
    No copies available
  • 1.3
    #1.3
    Apr 1995
    Cover: $129.00
    W: Peter Bickford  ·  A: Scott Benefiel
    2nd release on CD-ROM (blue disk); Added PowePC compatibility, Comic Show, years published, and international number support; Macintosh
    No copies available
  • 1.3/A
    #1.3 Variation A
    Apr 1995
    Cover: $49.00
    W: Peter Bickford  ·  A: Scott Benefiel
    ComicBase Encyclopedia of Comics; Contained reference material, but not the ability to track collections
    No copies available
  • 1.3/B
    #1.3 Variation B
    Apr 1995
    Cover: $89.00
    W: Peter Bickford  ·  A: Scott Benefiel
    6 floppies; Contained full tracking system but built-in titles (about 300/20,000 issues); Essentially similar to previous year’s product and offered to customers who didn’t yet own a CD-ROM drive
    No copies available
  • 2
    #2
    Apr 1996
    Cover: $129.00
    W: Peter Bickford  ·  A: Scott Benefiel
    Added about 10,000 issues (including Four Color Comics), movies, bility to filter by titles in stock, new pricing for 1996; Big speed improvements; Green disc; Macintosh; PowerPC native
    No copies available
  • 2/A
    #2 Variation A
    Apr 1996
    Cover: $49.00
    W: Peter Bickford  ·  A: Scott Benefiel
    ComicBase Encyclopedia of Comics; Contained reference material, but not the ability to track collections
    No copies available
  • 2/B
    #2 Variation B
    Apr 1996
    Cover: $89.00
    W: Peter Bickford  ·  A: Scott Benefiel
    6 floppies; Contained full tracking system but built-in titles (about 300/20,000 issues); Essentially similar to 1994 year’s product (but with new prices) and offered to customers who didn’t yet own a CD-ROM drive
    No copies available
  • 3
    #3
    Jul 1997
    Cover: $129.00
    W: Peter Bickford  ·  A: Kent Bash, Scott Benefiel
    About 3,000 titles/70,000 issues listed; Artist, writer fields added, as well as ability to edit from prices view. Removed black and white pictures from disk; Four-color disk featuring the infamous space vampires from Kent Bash
    No copies available
  • 3/A
    #3 Variation A
    Jul 1997
    Cover: $49.00
    W: Peter Bickford  ·  A: Kent Bash, Scott Benefiel
    About 3,000 titles/70,000 issues listed.; ComicBase Encyclopedia of Comics; Contained reference material, but not the ability to track collections
    No copies available
  • 3/B
    #3 Variation B
    Feb 1998
    Cover: $129.00
    W: Peter Bickford  ·  A: Kent Bash, Scott Benefiel
    About 3,000 titles/75,000 issues listed.; Windows version (1st release on Windows)
    No copies available
  • 4
    #4
    About 5,000 titles/100,000 titles covered
    Dec 1998
    Cover: $129.00
    W: Peter Bickford  ·  A: Kent Bash, Scott Benefiel
    Mac and Windows versions united on same disk
    2 copies from $9.99
  • 5
    #5
    12,500 titles/150,000 issues covered thanks in part to data-swap agreement with Comics Buyer’s Guide
    Jul 2000
    Cover: $129.00
    W: Peter Bickford  ·  A: Kent Bash, Scott Benefiel
    Added online auction support, custom fields; Mac and Windows
    1 copy for $9.99
  • 5/Dlx
    #5 Deluxe Edition
    12,500 titles/150,000 issues covered thanks in part to data-swap agreement with Comics Buyer’s Guide
    Jul 2000
    Cover: $149.00
    W: Peter Bickford  ·  A: Kent Bash, Scott Benefiel
    Added online auction support, custom fields; Mac and Windows
    1 copy for $13.50
  • 6
    #6
    Jun 2001
    Cover: $129.00
    W: Peter Bickford
    168,000+ issues, 13,197 titles; Added Find & Replace, ability to mark, unmark, and quick change from Found Comics; Also added new features to Buy & Sell, including ability to upload pictures
    1 copy for $81.00
  • 6/Dlx
    #6 Deluxe Edition
    Deluxe Edition with cover by Glen Orbik
    Jun 2001
    Cover: $149.00
    W: Peter Bickford
    168,000+ issues, 13,197 titles; Added Find & Replace, ability to mark, unmark, and quick change from Found Comics; Also added new features to Buy & Sell, including ability to upload pictures
    No copies available
  • 7
    #7
    Aug 2002
    Cover: $129.00
    W: Peter Bickford
    200,000+ issues, 15,449 titles; Added complex searching, mathematical Mass Change, contextual menus, and Palm/PocketPC support
    1 copy for $43.00
  • 7/Dlx
    #7 Deluxe Edition
    Deluxe Edition with cover by Glen Orbik
    Aug 2002
    Cover: $149.00
    W: Peter Bickford
    200,000+ issues, 15,449 titles; Added complex searching, mathematical Mass Change, contextual menus, and Palm/PocketPC support
    No copies available
  • 8
    #8
    Jul 2003
    Cover: $129.00
    W: Peter Bickford
    200,000+ issues, 16,000+ titles; Also included enhanced reporting and exporting, interface improvements.; Pricing updated for 2003–2004
    1 copy for $11.50
  • 8/CS
    #8 Collector’s Set
    Jul 2003
    Cover: $299.00
    W: Peter Bickford
    200,000+ issues, 16,000+ titles; Also included enhanced reporting and exporting, interface improvements.; Database expands to include circulation figures, CGC grading data; Includes entire art library (55,000+ images), almost a hundred video interviews and film clips; Pricing updated for 2003–2004
    No copies available
  • 8/Dlx
    #8 Deluxe Edition
    Includes thousands of additional covers
    Jul 2003
    Cover: $149.00
    W: Peter Bickford
    200,000+ issues, 16,000+ titles; Also included enhanced reporting and exporting, interface improvements.; Pricing updated for 2003–2004
    No copies available
  • 9
    #9
    Jun 2004
    Cover: $149.00
    W: Peter Bickford
    225,000+ issues, 18,000+ titles; Completely revised interface, ability to run multi-user, switch between different databases; J: Shiaw-Ling Lai; New print engine and reporting engine; Pricing updated for 2004–2005; Windows Only
    No copies available
  • 9/CS
    #9 Collector’s Set
    Jun 2004
    Cover: $299.00
    W: Peter Bickford
    225,000+ issues, 18,000+ titles; Completely revised interface, ability to run multi-user, switch between different databases; Database expands to include circulation figures, CGC grading data; Includes entire art library (70,000+ images), almost a hundred video interviews and film clips; J: Shiaw-Ling Lai; New print engine and reporting engine; Over 20,000 pictures in high definition (full size at 100 dpi); Pricing updated for 2004–2005; Windows Only
    1 copy for $145.00
  • 10
    #10
    Jul 2005
    Cover: $149.00
    W: Peter Bickford
    20,000+ titles; 250,000+ issues; Pricing updated for 2004–2005; Pricing updated for 2005, with new ability to download updates to pricing and issues online.; Windows Only
    No copies available
  • 10/CS
    #10 Collector’s Set
    Jul 2005
    Cover: $299.00
    W: Peter Bickford
    250,000+ issues, 20,000+ titles; Database expands to include circulation figures, CGC grading data; Includes entire art library (100,000+ images), almost a hundred video interviews and film clips; Over 50,000 pictures in high definition (full size at 100 dpi); Pricing updated for 2005, with new ability to download price and data updates as needed for a year.; Windows Only
    1 copy for $155.00
  • 10/CS-2
    #10 Collector’s Set - 2nd printing
    Feb 2006
    Cover: $69.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    Includes entire art library (125,000+ images); Windows Only
    No copies available
  • 11/A
    #11 Variation A
    Jun 2006
    Cover: $49.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    ComicBase Express; J: Mark Castaneda, J: Candice Lucado
    No copies available
  • 11/B
    #11 Variation B
    Jun 2006
    Cover: $129.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    ComicBase Professional; J: Mark Castaneda, J: Candice Lucado
    No copies available
  • 11/C
    #11 Variation C
    Jun 2006
    Cover: $299.00
    W: Peter Bickford
    J: Mark Castaneda, J: Candice Lucado
    No copies available
  • 12/A
    #12 Variation A
    Jun 2007
    Cover: $49.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 12/B
    #12 Variation B
    Jun 2007
    Cover: $129.00
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 12/C
    #12 Variation C
    Jun 2007
    Cover: $299.00
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 12/D
    #12 Variation D
    Jun 2007
    Cover: $399.00
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 12.1/A
    #12.1 Variation A
    Jul 2008
    Cover: $49.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    ComicBase Atlas Express; L: Shiaw-Ling Lai
    No copies available
  • 12.1/B
    #12.1 Variation B
    Jul 2008
    Cover: $129.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    ComicBase Atlas Professional; L: Shiaw-Ling Lai
    No copies available
  • 12.1/C
    #12.1 Variation C
    Jul 2008
    Cover: $49.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    L: Shiaw-Ling Lai
    No copies available
  • 12.1/D
    #12.1 Variation D
    Jul 2008
    Cover: $399.00
    W: Peter Bickford
    L: Shiaw-Ling Lai
    No copies available
  • 14/A
    #14 Variation A
    Includes program and 5000 cover A pics on 1 CD
    Aug 2009
    Cover: $49.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    ComicBase 14 Express; Download version available
    No copies available
  • 14/B
    #14 Variation B
    Aug 2009
    Cover: $129.00
    W: Peter Bickford
    ComicBase 14 Professional; Download version available; Includes program and 20,000 on 2 discs (1 CD & 1 DVD)
    No copies available
  • 14/C
    #14 Variation C
    Includes program and 450,000 cover C pics on 3 DVDs
    Aug 2009
    Cover: $299.00
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 14/D
    #14 Variation D
    Include program and 450,000 cover D pics on 1 DVD and 1 BluRay
    Aug 2009
    Cover: $399.00
    W: Peter Bickford
    Includes quarterly picture disc update
    No copies available
  • 15/A
    #15 Variation A
    Includes program and 5000 cover A pics on 1 CD
    Aug 2010
    Cover: $49.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    ComicBase 15 Express; Download version available
    No copies available
  • 15/B
    #15 Variation B
    Aug 2010
    Cover: $129.00
    W: Peter Bickford
    ComicBase 15 Professional; Download version available; Includes program and 20,000 on 1 DVD
    No copies available
  • 15/C
    #15 Variation C
    Includes program and 450,000 cover C pics on 3 DVDs
    Aug 2010
    Cover: $129.00
    W: Peter Bickford
    ComicBase 15 Archive
    No copies available
  • 15/D
    #15 Variation D
    Include program and 450,000 cover D pics on 1 BluRay
    Aug 2010
    Cover: $129.00
    W: Peter Bickford
    ComicBase 15 Archive Blu-Ray; Includes quarterly picture disc update
    No copies available
  • 16/A
    #16 Variation A
    Jul 2012
    Cover: $59.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    ComicBase Express
    No copies available
  • 16/B
    #16 Variation B
    Jul 2012
    Cover: $149.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    ComicBase Professional
    No copies available
  • 16/C
    #16 Variation C
    Jul 2012
    Cover: $299.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    Comicbase Archive
    No copies available
  • 16/D
    #16 Variation D
    Jul 2012
    Cover: $399.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 17/A
    #17 Variation A
    Includes program and 5000 cover A images on 1 CD
    Oct 2013
    Cover: $59.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 17/B
    #17 Variation B
    Includes program and over 30,000 cover B images on 1 DVD
    Oct 2013
    Cover: $149.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 17/C
    #17 Variation C
    Includes program and over 560,000 cover C images on 3 DVDs
    Oct 2013
    Cover: $299.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 17/D
    #17 Variation D
    Includes program and over 560,000 cover D images on 1 Blu-Ray
    Oct 2013
    Cover: $399.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 2015/A
    #2015 Variation A
    Includes program and 5000 cover A images on 1 CD
    Jul 2014
    Cover: $59.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 2015/B
    #2015 Variation B
    Includes program and over 30,000 cover B images on 1 DVD
    Jul 2014
    Cover: $149.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 2015/C
    #2015 Variation C
    Includes program and over 400,000 cover C images on 3 DVDs
    Jul 2014
    Cover: $299.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 2015/D
    #2015 Variation D
    Includes program and over 400,000 cover D images on 1 Blu-Ray
    Jul 2014
    Cover: $399.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 2015.2/A
    #2015.2 Variation A
    Includes program and 5000 cover A images on 1 CD
    Jul 2015
    Cover: $59.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 2015.2/B
    #2015.2 Variation B
    Includes program and over 30,000 cover B images on 1 DVD
    Jul 2015
    Cover: $149.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 2015.2/C
    #2015.2 Variation C
    Includes program and over 460,000 cover C images on 3 DVDs
    Jul 2015
    Cover: $299.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 2015.2/D
    #2015.2 Variation D
    Includes program and over 460,000 cover D images on 1 Blu-Ray
    Jul 2015
    Cover: $399.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 2017/A
    #2017 Variation A
    Jul 2016
    Cover: $59.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    Over 800,000 Comics
    No copies available
  • 2017/B
    #2017 Variation B
    Jul 2016
    Cover: $299.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    Over 800,000 Comics
    No copies available
  • 2017/C
    #2017 Variation C
    Over 575,000 Covers
    Jul 2016
    Cover: $299.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    Over 800,000 Comics
    No copies available
  • 2017/D
    #2017 Variation D
    Over 575,000 Covers
    Jul 2016
    Cover: $399.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    Over 800,000 Comics
    No copies available
  • 2020/A
    #2020 Variation A
    Nov 2019
    Cover: $59.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    Over 860,000 Comics
    No copies available
  • 2020/B
    #2020 Variation B
    Nov 2019
    Cover: $149.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    Over 860,000 Comics
    No copies available
  • 2020/C
    #2020 Variation C
    Over 630,000 Covers
    Nov 2019
    Cover: $299.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    Over 860,000 Comics
    No copies available
  • 2020/D
    #2020 Variation D
    Over 630,000 Covers
    Nov 2019
    Cover: $399.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    Over 860,000 Comics
    No copies available
  • 2021/A
    #2021 Variation A
    Nov 2020
    Cover: $59.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 2021/B
    #2021 Variation B
    Nov 2020
    Cover: $149.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 2021/C
    #2021 Variation C
    Nov 2020
    Cover: $299.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 2021/D
    #2021 Variation D
    Nov 2020
    Cover: $349.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 2021/E
    #2021 Variation E
    B&W Sketch Cover Express Edition with Cover E by Glen Orbik
    Nov 2020
    Cover: $59.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 2021/F
    #2021 Variation F
    B&W Sketch Cover F Professional Edition with Cover F by Glen Orbik
    Nov 2020
    Cover: $149.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 2021/G
    #2021 Variation G
    B&W Sketch Cover G Archive Edition with Cover G by Glen Orbik
    Nov 2020
    Cover: $299.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 2021/H
    #2021 Variation H
    B&W Sketch Cover H 4K Archive Edition with Cover H by Glen Orbik
    Nov 2020
    Cover: $349.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 2022/A
    #2022 Variation A
    Express Edition with Cover A by Glen Orbik
    Nov 2020
    Cover: $59.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 2022/B
    #2022 Variation B
    Professional Edition with Cover B by Glen Orbik
    Nov 2020
    Cover: $149.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 2022/C
    #2022 Variation C
    Over 840,000 Covers
    Nov 2020
    Cover: $299.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 2022/D
    #2022 Variation D
    Over 840,000 Covers
    Nov 2020
    Cover: $349.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 2022/E
    #2022 Variation E
    B&W Sketch Cover Express Edition with Cover E by Glen Orbik
    Nov 2020
    Cover: $59.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    14,000+ Books; 59,000+ Magazines; 950,000+ Comics
    No copies available
  • 2022/F
    #2022 Variation F
    B&W Sketch Cover F Professional Edition with Cover F by Glen Orbik
    Nov 2020
    Cover: $149.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    14,000+ Books; 59,000+ Magazines; 950,000+ Comics
    No copies available
  • 2022/G
    #2022 Variation G
    B&W Sketch Cover G Archive Edition with Cover G by Glen Orbik
    Nov 2020
    Cover: $299.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    14,000+ Books; 59,000+ Magazines; 950,000+ Comics
    No copies available
  • 2022/H
    #2022 Variation H
    B&W Sketch Cover H 4K Archive Edition with Cover H by Glen Orbik
    Nov 2020
    Cover: $349.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    14,000+ Books; 59,000+ Magazines; 950,000+ Comics
    No copies available
  • 2023/A
    #2023 Variation A
    Express Edition with Cover A by Glen Orbik
    Nov 2020
    Cover: $59.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 2023/B
    #2023 Variation B
    Professional Edition with Cover B by Glen Orbik
    Nov 2020
    Cover: $149.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 2023/C
    #2023 Variation C
    Over 860,000 Covers
    Nov 2020
    Cover: $299.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 2023/D
    #2023 Variation D
    Over 850,000 Covers
    Nov 2020
    Cover: $349.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    No copies available
  • 2024/A
    #2024 Variation A
    Express Edition with Cover A by Synthetica
    Sep 2023
    Cover: $59.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    1,200,000+ Comics; 240,000+ Magazines; 28,000+ Books; 3,100,000 Newspapers
    No copies available
  • 2024/B
    #2024 Variation B
    Professional Edition with Cover B by Synthetica
    Sep 2023
    Cover: $149.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    1,200,000+ Comics; 240,000+ Magazines; 28,000+ Books; 3,100,000 Newspapers
    No copies available
  • 2024/C
    #2024 Variation C
    Almost 1,000,000 Covers
    Sep 2023
    Cover: $299.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    1,200,000+ Comics; 240,000+ Magazines; 28,000+ Books; 3,100,000 Newspapers
    No copies available
  • 2024/D
    #2024 Variation D
    Almost 1,000,000 Covers
    Sep 2023
    Cover: $349.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    1,200,000+ Comics; 240,000+ Magazines; 28,000+ Books; 3,100,000 Newspapers
    No copies available
  • 2025/A
    #2025 Variation A
    Express Edition with Cover A by Synthetica
    Aug 2024
    Cover: $59.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    1,250,000+ Comics; 260,000+ Magazines; 3,250,000 Newspapers; 33,000+ Books
    No copies available
  • 2025/B
    #2025 Variation B
    Professional Edition with Cover B by Synthetica
    Aug 2024
    Cover: $149.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    1,250,000+ Comics; 260,000+ Magazines; 3,250,000 Newspapers; 33,000+ Books
    No copies available
  • 2025/C
    #2025 Variation C
    Over 1,000,000 Covers
    Sep 2023
    Cover: $299.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    1,250,000+ Comics; 260,000+ Magazines; 3,250,000 Newspapers; 30,000+ Books
    No copies available
  • 2025/D
    #2025 Variation D
    Over 1,000,000 Covers
    Sep 2023
    Cover: $349.95
    W: Peter Bickford
    1,250,000+ Comics; 260,000+ Magazines; 3,250,000 Newspapers; 30,000+ Books
    No copies available
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