Big Money Comics
This week, we will take a deep dive into the comic book collection and take a look at a few of the comics that might be worth a small fortune.
I’ll admit that I wasn’t into comic books very much as a kid, but I loved hanging out at my local hobby shop. There always seemed to be someone feverishly thumbing through the stacks and looking for that winning lottery ticket disguised as a comic book. Knowing what I know now, I would have been searching too.
I’m going to start this by saying that there are a TON of comic books floating around out there. We are always seeing sales that feature not only single comics but oftentimes entire collections. If you’ve been to an estate sale or auction, you’ve seen a table full of comic books and just kept walking. Hopefully, this article will make you take a second look the next time you find yourself surrounded by a stack of comics.
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X-Men #1 (1963)
In September of 1963, legendary comic writers Stan Lee and Jack Kirby gave us our first look at the mutant superhero team, the X-Men! With the introduction of Professor X, Cyclops, and Jean Grey, this is the comic that started it all. X-Men remains to be one of the most popular comic franchises, spawning multiple television shows and blockbuster films. Bringing in nearly $500,000.00 at auction, this comic has earned its spot as one of the most valuable books on the market.
All-Star Comics #8 (1941)
In a time when the comic world was dominated by male main characters, Charles Moulton decided it was time for a strong female lead. In the eighth installment of All-Star Comics, we were introduced to Princess Diana of Themyscira, better known as Wonder Woman! A near mint copy of this comic brings in well over $900,000.00. Not bad for something that only costs $0.10 when it was released.
Detective Comics #27 (1939)
One of the biggest things that drives up the value of a comic book is when an iconic superhero is unveiled. This definitely holds true in the twenty-seven installment of Detective Comics. Whether you know him as the Caped Crusader, the Dark Knight, or Bruce Wayne, the world knows him as Batman. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, Batman remains one of the most popular superheroes in the game today. The most valuable copy of this comic sold for $1,075,500.00 in 2010, setting the record for any comic book at that time. However, legend has it that there is a copy floating around that's in better condition that will fetch an even higher price tag. Keep your eyes peeled!
Action Comics #1 (1938)
Now it’s time for the pièce de résistance...the creme de la creme...the holy grail of comic books. What makes this particular book so valuable? You guessed it! This was the first time the world got a peek at Superman! There were 200,000 copies printed for it’s release in 1938, but according to Comics Buyer’s Guide, it’s estimated that less than 100 copies exist in the wild today. While it’s highly unlikely that you will find one of these gems, the thrill is in the hunt, right? In August of 2014, a near mint copy of Action Comics #1 sold on ebay for $3.2M, making it the first comic book to ever bring in over $3M for a single copy.
I know it’s pretty easy to see a huge table full of comic books and just keep walking, but I hope this article has inspired you to slow down, do a little digging and see what you can find. Using the .NET Treasure Tracker and checking the site frequently is a great way to know which sales might hold one of these paperback treasures. Happy Hunting!
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