However, they do have very high grades like 9.9s or 10s that are extremely valuable. In this case, the regions tested were. A 6.0 rated Rocket copy sold for $3.18 million in January 2022, having never been sold before, so it looks like prices are continuing to rise for this special book. The Bronze Age of Comics was a great and creative time in comics and produced many iconic characters, stories, and works of art. Relaxing of the Comic Code Authority and we get back some good ole classic horror characters like Dracula in the mighty world of Marvel. The press materials also tout that the book was penned by William Moulton Marston, a psychologist who would later invent the prototype to the modern-day lie detector. Another one sold on Dec 4, 2020 for $8,000.00 on eBay, and December 17, 2020 saw a $5,050.00 over at Comic Connect. A 9.2-graded copy sold for $341,234 on Comic Connect in 2018 after 50 bids. This is the issue that is the basis for so much of what the Marvel universe came to be, as far as the Avengers go as it is the first appearance of Captain America in the Silver Age. That doesn't mean interest in this comic has been stale though. An ever-growing allegory for Civil Rights started with Charles Xavier standing for Martin Luther King looking for peaceful coexistence pitted against Magneto and his more militant any means necessary approach. They stretch, go invisible and build bridges of ice and fire. In almost perfect condition, this incredibly colorful comic book wowed collectors when it sold for $3.6 million in 2021. Of course, his father is an evil mastermind that seeks to threaten the world (low key the western world), and Shang discovers his father is evil and ends up joining Sir Denis Nayland Smith, a British character from Sax Rohmer's novels, as an ally to MI-6 (foreign intelligence service of the United Kingdom) in fighting against his father and mostly Asian baddies. Today, it's worth about $1,000. For a freaking dime, readers were able to get 64 pages of jam-packed action with the first Avenger and the eventual Winter Soldier. It's actually the 35 Cent Price Variant, as the regularly distributed version was 30 cents. A fact that might get rectified once the Disney - 20th Century Fox deal is official. Unlike early DC issues, early Marvel books weren't necessarily anthologies, but chaptered features and FF # 3 was no different. For just about any comic line, the first issue is almost always the rarest and most valuable. X-Men #141 does also have the first appearances of Mystique's Brotherhood of Mutants, and the baddies that make their actual debut from that group are Pyro, Avalanche and Destiny. But in the earliest days of the Merry Marvel Marching Society, the big guns were the big guns, and aside from first appearances, that was about it. The cover of Avengers# 4 is quite possibly the most famous cover in Marvel after Amazing Fantasy # 15, but also the basis for the grand sweeping hero shot that has become a staple. Yes, its arguably the first appearance of Ant-Man, a character that has become pretty dang popular ever since the "Ant-Man" movie grossed over $500 million at the box office in 2015. This book is consistently sought after by collectors as it is considered the true first Marvel comic book of all time. In 1937, DC publisher Harry Donenfeld was worried that a competing publishing house would steal the "Action Comics" title, so he mocked up this comic book and sent it to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to secure the title. This issue of "The Brave and the Bold" features the first appearance of the Justice League of America, who band together to fight the Lovecraftian-esque monster, Starro the Conqueror. When he used the shrinking serum, the brilliant mind carelessly left the growing serum on a counter, now light years away. Cover by Dave Cockrum, Al Milgrom and Danny Crespi. So, these two teamed up to try and take out Johnny Storm in Strange Tales #110. But that cover art is awesome. While many fudged printings were scrapped, leaving only a few odd copies released into the world, over 500 copies of a Lethal Protector #1 cover printed in all black found their way into the wild, making it a rare, but not-altogether-unlikely thing might've found at your comic shop in 1993. Shang-Chi is actually half-Chinese and his mother white. We all know Batmans origin story: A young Bruce Wayne and his parents are leaving the movies when a no-good crook emerges from the shadows, brandishing a gun and demanding Mrs. Waynes necklace. Batman #1 - About $567,000. 22 contains the first appearance of Archie. According to Heritage Auctions, its extremely rare to find a "Detective Comics" No. Anyway, most recent sales of CGC 9.8s are as follows. That iconic cover with Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Ant-Man & The Wasp squaring up with Loki has seen sales of almost $200,000 before, still bringing in tens of thousands of dollars with every purchase. As much fun as seeing an all-Hulk jamboree might be, it's the neon green and pink cover of this classic that's truly iconic. The comic book the movie was based on wasn't just low key racist, it was pretty racist. A Canadian White isas it sounds, a comic book printed on white pages as opposed to the yellow pages of American publishing. This might be one of the best-looking Batman covers ever inked. But something went awry and Doc was turned into a giant Lizard. Enterprises. Holding the record for the most expensive comic book ever sold is Marvel's Amazing Fantasy #15. But it's also a very rare find being from 1941. While not always the biggest (pun intended) and most popular Avenger, Hank Pym is one of the smartest minds in the Marvel Universe and his Pym Particles have helped him to grow and shrink, and occasionally be a real jerk. Only one sale, yet the CGC Census has 3 recorded 9.9s in existence so far? Usually, it also has to tie in with a comic that they're tied to historically. The September sales were at Heritage Auctions and the June sale was from eBay. The second issue of Amazing Spider-Man was as successful as the first at giving Ol Webhead a memorable villain whose nefarious efforts have been thwarted by Spidey for years. In the Fantastic Four #5, we are introduced to the grand villain, Dr. Doom, who has been a thorn in the FFs and entire MCUs side for over 50 years. Iron Man made his first appearance in this 1963 comic book written by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Journey Into Mystery had a different tale to tell a year earlier, introducing not only Korg (who was the comic relief in Ragnarok), but also the God of Thunder Thor himself! The Avengers Comic Book Values. Well, the first Black superhero was Black Panther, but the first Black superhero to star in his own headlining comic title was Luke Cage. After appearing in Amazing Fantastic #15, Spider-Man got his own title series written by Stan Lee, with art by Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby. If you collected comics in the early '90s, we're very sorry. While Red Raven and the Inhumans are more than probably not going to be a part of Avengers 4, having a copy of an early part of pre-Marvel history is an interesting piece of history to have for a mere 124 thousand dollars. Adrian Toomes had beenon a robbery spree all throughout New York in his patented Vulture costume when he had encountered younger Peter Parker, who had thwarted his efforts, ending his crime spree. View Comic Book Value Guide. Even during the Golden Age of comic books variants were a thing. There is even an attempt to water down the sinophobia that Fu Manchu personified, and even most fans of the comic (non-Asians) don't see the racism in the comic because Anti-Asian sentiment of the west is so normalized. Marvels take on the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde paradigm begins right here when brilliant scientist Bruce Banner is caught in a gamma ray explosion and is forever altered by becoming a giant rage monster whenever anyone pisses him off. You know, many of the characters that debuted in this comic will eventually be introduced in the MCU X-Men franchise! Recently a Tomb of Dracula #10 CGC 9.8 sold for $48,000 in September of 2021. So, the first appearance of Thanos, a well-known baddie in the Marvel Universe of comics and the main baddie of the fan-favorite classic event series The Infinity Gauntlet that inspired the Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: End Game. The first issue of "Marvel Comics" features the first appearance of Sub-Mariner, the Human Torch and Angel. Highest and most recent known sale of an Incredible Hulk #181 CGC 9.8 was for $84,000 at Heritage Auctions. Chris Claremont begins here and that should be enough to make this sought-out by fans. For instance, theres a note on the cover that says Frank R. Paul, who drew the cover, received $25 for his work (about $460 today). See it? Avengers #1 - $274,000 The 1963 comic book, Avengers #1, features Thor, Iron Man, the Hulk, Ant-Man and the Wasp. The last recorded sale of a 9.8 on GoCollect is back in 2016 and for only $1,800.00 bucks. 1 with the same 5.5 grade sold for only $214,000 in 2011. If the movie is a hit, I expect demand for this to continue to rise. Highly anticipated character to hit the MCU on the mutant side of things is no doubt Wolverine. Wonder Woman first appeared in the eighth issue of "All Star Comics" in 1940. The cover for "Daredevil" No. SILVER AGE Marvel Comics 1969 Top 10 key issues by Terry Hoknes. Two marquis issues not just in the history of the Fantastic Four, but in Marvel are both currently tied as 65K at their highest value. 225 marks the first appearance of Martian Manhunter, one of the most powerful beings in the DC Universe. Currently, there are 35 Universal 9.8 copies and 1 Signature Series recorded over at CGC, making it a total of only 36 copies. In "Showcase" No. Strange Master Of Black Magic! The first appearance of the Sorcerer Supreme, and his ancient foe, Nightmare are also within the pages of ST #110, which will certainly go up in value, which is currently at 60K if and when Nightmare is announced as the villain of the eventual Strange sequel. The lyrics of an obscure song from an obscure band, the Blues Image might not be about the Fantastic Four, but sheesh, does it encapsulate what their origin story is all about. One villain is a mad scientist with eight arms and has terrified Spidey throughout the years, even marrying his beloved Aunt May and possessing Spideys body too! It has been ten years since Iron Man stepped out of the pages of Marvel and onto the big screen, launching one of the most popular and beloved movie franchises the world has ever known. Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, created by Will Eisner and Jerry Iger, also makes her debut in this comic. During this mutant x-travaganza, they introduced Cable, the time-traveling, techno-armed son of Cyclops. The second most expensive sale of the iconic comic book occurred in 2018, when an 8.5-graded copy sold for $2,052,000 in 2018 at Comic Connect. A 9.4-graded comic sold for $243,000 in 2017. The most valuable Marvel title is also the third most valuable comic book in the world, behind the first appearance of Superman in Action Comics #1 and the first appearance of Batman in Detective Comics #27. If that doesnt sound like a valuable comic to own, then perhaps the second story will Dr. You can see that clearly on the cover by John Buscema. The older a rare comic book is, the more valuable it becomes. You've made it through the whole list and knew full well that Amazing Fantasy #15 was going to be the most valuable Marvel book of all time, but just didn't know why. Cover art by Gil Kane, John Romita and Gaspar Saladino. A "Superman" No. It's hardly a surprise that the original Star Wars comic has turned out to be a collector's dream grab. The Luke Cage Netflix show was not that bad, not like Iron Fist. An issue of X-Men #94 with a CGC grade of 9.8 sold for $58,000 in April 2021. A weapons manufacturer gets kidnapped by insurgents and while held captive, he creates a device to keep the shrapnel from hitting his heart and then a suit of armor to escape! The comic also boasts the 1st Wolverine cover, and the 1st classic Hulk vs. Wolverine battle in comics. Anyway, the one panel teaser of the popular Marvel mutant at the end of this story has seen monumental gains in the last two years a lone for CGC 9.8s: Wowza! However, there are only a measly 4 recorded 9.8s in the CGC census currently. Are you excited for the Morbius movie that Sony is soon to release? Copies of Human Torch Comics are hard to come by, especially early issues like this one, currently valued at 92k. There are six stories in this comic: the aforementioned "Ageless Orientals" tale, "Trapped in the Nazi Stronghold," "The Wax Statue That Struck Death," "Short Circuit," "The Valley of the Mist" and "The Devil and the Green Plague." 9 The Amazing Spider-Man 1 - $110,000. 2023 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. Remember, this is as it stands at the time of this writing in December 2021. Almost forgot Savage Tales #1 and it should probably be on here. Most recent known sale of a Giant-Size X-Men #1 CGC 9.8 was for $45,000 and sold at Comic Connect in September of 2021. But before he was part of the Justice League, battling interdimensional beings, Manhunter went undercover as a human detective, solving very earthly crimes. Currently, this issue has been known to sell for as much as 51 thousand in phenomenal condition. This issue has been known to have sold for $159 thousand dollars, a mere drop in the bucket to own a piece of history. But because this was the '90s, his heroic debut in Venom: Lethal Protector just had to come wrapped in a shiny red cover. 3s value comes singularly from its Alex Schomburg cover, which depicts a tied-up damsel in distress surrounded by sinister robed figures bearing swastikas. It's fitting that both the first issue of the Mightiest Heroes and the first issue of the Mightiest Avenger both go for the same price 275 dollars. Through Namor, they can link a whole heap of characters and locations. Either one of these is worth your time and effort to find if you're hunting down issues to invest in. A 9.6-graded copy sold for a record $262,900 at Heritage Auctions in 2016. There are a few creators that can drive up the value of a comic. Mail-away incentives, super-limited editions, and graded copies have no place among your sweaty socks and fifth grade art projects anyhow. Thanks for reading and happy hunting! Again, Spider-Man in the comic books is akin to Mickey Mouse and Disney. So it should come as no shock that the most famous book in Marvel history is the most valuable at 1.1 million dollars at its highest. Venom Lethal Protector #1 (1993), black cover error It's. Okay, over-all the Bronze Age Comics listed below aren't on the high-end scale like those above. This issue of "All-American Comics" from 1940 features the first appearance of Alan Scott as the Green Lantern. 1 with an incredible 9.8 grading sold for over $490,000 in July 2012. Or at least a family structure. This week we take a look at the Top 10 most valuable, highly collected and historically important Marvel Comics of the year 1969. Anyhow, a move towards diversity was definitely in play during the Bronze Age of Comics. Cover by Frank Miller and Josef Rubinstein. Most Valuable Comic Books of the 1970s (It Pays to Know) It's important to know why the comic books you collect are valuable. You could conceivably find and ungraded good condition copy for several hundred dollars and then send it off to CGC to make bank on your purchase. 8. Also, Drax the Destroyer has been a prominent character in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. They are worth far more than their weight in gold. I bought my copy for $35 bucks back in the day, and it graded a CGC 7.0 without a press and clean. Not much is known about the sale, only that it occurred in 2001. The highest grade of this particular comic are CGC 9.4s, and there have only been two recorded sales that I could find as of this writing: These prices were back in 2016 and 2017, so remember that. The most valuable comic books of the 1960s seeded the explosion of the comic book culture we enjoy today. But the real reason this one is a hot book is because it is a Canadian White, one of two books on this list that are. The death of Superman, the breaking of Batman, and the rise of Image Comics were all pretty important and exciting events in comics history, but despite being awesome, your '90s funnybooks are pretty much worthless today. Of course, they include Superman and Batman comics, along with other Marvel and DC classics, as well as gems from other publishing houses. Hence, why this issue, issue # 2 is actually the first appearance of the giant green monster. The next story features the Fantastic Four and the first appearance of the Chameleon. Back in 2009, this perfect copy of Wolverine #1 sold for a whopping $15,535.00. There are a few Marvel Mystery comics that are worth a bit more, but the very first Amazing Spider-Man still deserves a spot on this list. Even a mid-CGC grade 6.5 went for 26K, but with books being worth what theyll sell for, this issue has been known to sell for 482K. The third "All Star Comics" from 1940 featured the first superhero team ever. I could not find more recent prices, but there's a good chance that these could sell for way more. While some of the House Of Ideas famous characters predate Spidey, the entire Marvel Universe might not exist had it not been for Spideys massive popularity. A 9.2-graded copy of this 1955 comic sold for $140,000 at Comic Connect. Cover by Herb Trimpe, John Romita and Gaspar Saladino. A fresh take on sports: the biggest news and most entertaining lists. Notable Sales $3.4 million (CGC 6.0, private sale, 2022) $3.25 million (CGC 8.5, ComicConnect, 2021) $2.1 million (CGC 9.0, ComicConnect, 2011) $1.5 million (CGC 8.5, ComicConnect, 2010) CAPTAIN AMERICA COMICS #1 181 is the first appearance of Wolverine, one of the most popular superheroes ever created. White is right and West is good/East is bad typical rhetoric that is still pervasive today. Plus the sales dates for the Iron Fist #14 are much older. Note that this book can sell for a good amount in almost any grade. He, originally the character was male, made his first appearance in 1940 within the pages of "Whiz Comics" No. Batgirl made her debut in this January 1967 issue of "Detective Comics" (although it actually hit stores in late 1966). With speculation about a Moon Knight anything live-action happening, this book really heated with the recent news of Disney Plus's Moon Knight streaming show coming out super soon. For anyone who either has the issue or the money (166K!) The large amount of copes that have been graded may be one of the reasons why. Also has first appearance of Yukio. A few months prior on Mar 13, 2021, a 9.6 copy sold for $3,200.00 on eBay. Naturally, this causes the Daily Bugle owner to castigate the webslinger in an editorial for deliberately sabotaging the shuttle. The only other sale I could find for this comic was back in 2013, and it sold at Heritage Auctions for $13,145! While plenty of comic book fans have known this for years, perhaps some might not - the Human Torch existed long before Johnny Storm went on a spaceship. 1st appearance of Morbius. Good copies of this comic are difficult to find. Prior recent and highest known sale of an X-Men #94 CGC 9.8 was for $63,000 in April of 2021. Only two copies in such good condition are known to exist. Again with the mutants. According to Bleeding Cool, the first "Superman" comic book is rare to begin with and then notoriously difficult to find in good shape. 31 copy above a 4.0 grade, which might explain how a 5.0-graded one sold for $131,450 in 2017. If there are more recent sales for any of the particular comics at 9.8, please comment and let me know. A very popular character, indeed, and I am a bit surprised that Incredible Hulk #181 was beaten by Ghost Rider's debut in Marvel Spotlight #5 for CGC 9.8s. One character that has not made their cinematic debut in anyANY Marvel movie is Namor, the Sub-Mariner. He has found ways over the years of suppressing the beast, but similar to the Hulk, it's just not easy being green. The 2nd Wolverine sequel was even based off this limited series, and the first headlining Wolverine comic. Illustrated by Dale Keown (who'd go on to create the Hulk-like Pitt for Image Comics), it's not even the first printing of this comic that's worth big bucks, since the standard green cover is worth about a dollar. In conclusion, the 25 rare and most valuable comic books ever sold provide a fascinating glimpse into the world of comic book collecting. Also curious is the record-setting price for the sale in 2017, since a 2011 Superman No. Don't get me wrong. The 1st appearance and 1st cover appearance of Morbius is definitely a classic Marvel Bronze Age comic. This comic from DC features a dramatic cover design with Superman stopping a train with one hand, but the cover isnt this books only appeal. Maybe the seller is hoping for renewed interest in the series. Then, in 2019, a 9.4-graded version sold for a very patriotic $915,000. During World War II, comic books like Captain America were definitely morale-filling feel-good comic books. Unfortunately for Marvel, their printers had a heck of a time getting all their fancy covers right, and the era is littered with printing errors. Issue has 1st appearance of Sabretooth. In the U.S., Marvel's Transformersran for 80 issues, but Marvel U.K.'s version included all-new stories in addition to reprints, and ran for an amazing 332 issues. The interior art, done by Kane and Fred Guardineer, features a splash page with Batman holding a smoking pistol something that looks weird to us today, but was totally in line with the character back in the 1940s. Oh, and then theres the whole first appearance of the Flash and Hawkman. 0 comments#1: Action Comics #1. The Shang-Chi flick starring Simu Liu and Tony Leung was definitely a success in 2021, and as an Asian American, I'm glad it was. Bruce Banner first transformed into the Incredible Hulk in May 1962. Another comic that a movie was based off of, and this one is none other than the fan-favorite X-Men story arc, Days of Future Past, starting in X-Men #141. The total for 9.8s of Giant-Size X-Men #1 in the CGC Census is 218. If you don't know who or what the Skrulls are than you're going to be for a real treat when and if the evil alien race makes their debut in the movies. The comic that arguably started the entire Marvel Comics Universe arc that dominated the box office for years, "The Avengers" No. Just be ready to spend at least 567K for it if you find a near mint copy. It's also one of the most expensive Disney collectibles in the world. The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. 73 features the origin and first appearance of Aquaman, which has become one of DC's most-loved superheroes. For that, his first adventure has been known to sell for as much as 110K. However, if the House Of Ideas hadn't sold off the rights to their most popular heroes like the Fantastic Four, X-Men, and of course your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, then perhaps the Marvel Cinematic Universe wouldn't be what it is today. Comic collectors are never sure if a throwaway character might become the next big thing, especially in the speculative era of the '90s, when new characters sprouted up in every issue and "comic investors" collected any comic they could find. Previously, the highest-priced issue of this book sold for $227,050 and was a 9.0-graded pay copy, meaning it was used to record how much each contributor was paid. The most expensive copy ever sold went for $138,000 in April 2021. In an attempt to bring in new comic readers, Funnies, Inc. partnered up with Timely (the eventual Marvel) to put out books in movie theaters to try and drum up some sales. Although it may not have been the best deal. 1st cameo of Wolverine. With a seemingly endless supply of mutants and various X-Books that have come and gone during the years, it might be conceivable that you could paper the entire Earth in X-Men comic books and it all started right here with this comic valued at 492 thousand. Sold: Jul 28, 2012 . Another investment type of comic book, FF #4 can only skyrocket in price once the character is finally introduced to a nationwide film going audience and is currently a little under the average years salary of 44K at its highest to bring home. So 80,000 copies were printed and when the issue of Marvel Comics #1 hit the shelves it flew off them just as fast and another 800,000 were printed. Anyway, we'll see how Disney approaches this character. Of course, Tony Stark looks a bit less like he does now, and a bit more like a golem made out of steel. A 9.4-graded copy sold for $205,501 in 2016 at Comic Link. As mentioned prior in the Star Wars #1 listing in this article, this issue is not the regular 30 Cent Price edition but the more limited and rare 35 Cent Price Variant. For the purposes of this list, we're using values based on recent auctions and assuming that your closet isn't some Narnian portal that opens up into a 1960s comic store; we're going to assume that everything you can find in your closet could be purchased at your local comic shop, and was published during the late '80s and beyond. The Incredible Hulk #1 (1962) $230,000 Over the years that origin story was retconned to make the Avians the original Inhumans and was a big part of the latest Infinity storyline from 2013. Iron Fist #14 35 Cent Price Variant. The first issue of Motion Pictures Funny Weekly didn't see a lot of issues hit the shelves in the theater, but the book was still notable for being the debut of Namor, The Sub-Mariner, who was eventually ret-conned into being Marvels first mutant. How far up the rankings will this book go when Marvel/Disney finally casts Logan? Star Wars #1 35c Edition. The book that sold for $116,513 was a 9.4-graded copy. A 9.4-graded copy of this iconic comic sold for $275,000 at auction in 2014. The only other sale I could find for this comic was back in 2013, and it sold at Heritage Auctions for $13,145! I am surprised that the first appearance of Blade has beat out the 1st appearance of the Punisher at 9.8 grades, but it appears it has. Even with a flooded market of over 800 thousand copies, obviously, a lot of those have been lost to the sands of time. As Robin might have said in the original "Batman" television series, "Holy profit!". The massive superhero team up saw them do battle with Namor who fled to the Northern Seas where a super soldier from Brooklyn was knocked out of his block of ice and began to thaw. The character was originally Captain Marvel but became Photon and then Spectrum in the Marvel comic books . Pretty crazy, but this is a 1982 comic and has the fan-favorite story-arc. To do so, Odin temporarily wipes Thor's memory and turns him into a nerdy scientist while Earth is under attack by the stone men from Saturn. The most recent sale I could find was on eBay and for $8,979.99 on the date of Jul 28, 2021. A near-mint, 9.6-graded copy of the 1963 book sold for a mighty $274,850 in 2012.