When most collectors think of Silver Age X-Men key issues, the list is usually pretty short: X-Men #1, X-Men #4 (1st Scarlett Witch and Quicksilver), X-Men #12 (1st Juggernaut), and X-Men #14 (1st Sentinels). After that, some will also collect the first full appearance of Lorna Dane as Polaris in X-Men #50 and Scott Summers as Havok in X-Men #58. You rarely hear people talk about some of the undervalued key issues between those runs. One of those key issues is the first appearance of Banshee in X-Men #28. Let’s take a look at this rarely-discussed key issue.
Created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Werner Roth, Banshee is an Irish mutant, who possesses a sonic scream, enabling Banshee to fly and attack his enemies. Named after the “Bean Sí,” a legendary creature from Irish mythology that had a terrifying wail, Banshee had a long career as an Interpol agent and NYC police officer before he joined the X-Men.
While he may not be any fan's favorite X-Man, he’s still instantly recognizable and has been with the X-Men at critical moments in the team's history, including joining the X-Men on a permanent basis in Giant-Size X-Men #1. Being more experienced than the other X-Men, many of whom were teenagers, even Cyclops listened to Banshee’s counsel.
Considering how important a character he is to X-Men lore, I’m surprised at how affordable his first appearance is. First of all, X-Men #28, which contains his first appearance and was published in 1967, has an absolutely stunning cover. All comic investors can cite important first appearances but lament when the character isn't prominently featured on the issue's cover.
That isn't the case here. Importantly for investment purposes, Banshee is featured front and center on the issue's cover, replete with Banshee's trademark circular "ribbons" that are produced when he flies (and also appear on on his costume). The strong contrast between Banshee's green color and the bright red background also makes for a memorable cover.
Even though never appears on any "hot" lists, this is a top 10 X-Men Silver Age key issue. Let's take a closer look at the most common grade of X-Men #28 on the CGC Census: a 7.5. Just before the comic boom of 2020, you could purchase a CGC 7.5 copy of this issue for around $200. Like many comics during the comic boom, it reached its all-time high of $542 in May of 2021 and then promptly lost much of those gains throughout much of 2022 and 2023.
The most recent 7.5 sold in July 2023 for only $265. If you look at lower grades, there are recent sales of this issue at 4.5 and 4.0 that are around $100 or even less, which I think are an absolute steals.
If you're looking for a quick flip, there probably isn't any news on the horizon justifying an investment in this book. But if you're looking for an underrated Silver Age X-Men key issue that will likely rise in value slowly over a long period of time, this is a book you might want to have in your collection, especially if you're a hardcore X-Men fan.
Would you invest in Banshee's first appearance at current prices? Let us know in the comments section below!
