Marvel editor Tom Brevoort is using his blog on Marvel.com to bring back the lost art of trading -- trading comics, that is. In a post from late 2008, he explains how the art became lost:

Time was, in days of yore, just about every comic book published was traded. When comics were first invented, at the tail end of the depression, because most kids didn't have much disposable income, they'd buy a comic, then trade it with a friend after they were done reading it. Some publishers even inflated their readership figures using this model, estimating that six kids read each issue for every one purchased.

Most every old comic book dealer has a sign that says: Buying, Selling, Trading. But when was the last time you saw one trading? To each other, I suppose, rotating inventory between shops in different geographic locations. But seldom with a customer.

So Brevoort started an experiment on his blog ... he started off with five random comics that he was willing to trade for other Marvel comics, with the ultimate goal of eventually trading his way to a copy of Fantastic Four #1 (the original Stan and Jack version) by the end of 2009. He plans to donate the book to the Hero Initiative.

He posted his seventh trading update yesterday; currently he has a pool of 18 comics and one hardcover to trade. Which is a pretty nice haul in about two weeks time, as it includes Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1, Amazing Spider-Man #31 and the NFL SuperPro Special. Heck, with that last one, he should be on his way to FF #1 by the end of January ...

This will be a fun one to watch over the next few months.