The GoCollect Collectible Price Indexes are fantastic for looking at trends for the top comics in each era. While the overall Copper Age CPI may be showing a downward slide, some comics are bucking that trend, while others are exacerbating it. Let’s take a look at the Copper Age CPI to note some winners and losers over the past 90 days.
Criteria
Taking a look at the comics in our Copper Age CPI, I first determined which ones were showing general upward trends and which were trending downward over the past 90 days. I then looked at the trends per grade. If there were an overwhelming number of grades that matched the trend, that book made the list. Too many flat lines or a mixed bag across grades caused a book to not be included. It’s a simple but effective way to look at the comics in the CPI quickly and determine if the trend is being reflected across grades. As might be expected with less expensive and more modern comics, there weren’t nearly as many flat lines as we’ve seen in the comics in other eras. In short, Copper Age books sell more often.
Winner – Wonder Woman #1 – up 17.2%
Wonder Woman’s rebirth, as depicted by George Perez from 1987, has leapfrogged past four other Copper Age comics in our index in its spectacular three-month rise. Out of the top five grades, only the 9.2 grade has seen a downward trend. The 9.8 grade, in particular, is up more than $70 since August 25. While this is a fantastic early Copper Age comic, the trends do point to two notes of caution: 1. There’s been a little bit of softening over the past month or so; and 2. There have been no sales in the 8.5 or 8.0 grades, meaning collectors are only focused on the very top grades for this comic. A few low sales in the 9.0 and higher grades could cause Wonder Woman #1 to plummet quickly.
Loser – Uncanny X-Men #221 – down 24.5%
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. After riding high for a while on the strength of the X-Men ’97 Disney+ series, the first appearance of Mister Sinister has dropped in a big way. While there have been spikes in some grades, and an upward trend in the 9.6 grade, for the most part it’s just been down, down, down. While some will see the recent flattening as a sign to buy, I’d still wait a bit before pulling the trigger. I think this one still has some money left to lose.
Winner – Tales of the Teen Titans #44 – up 9.3%
Dick Grayson’s first appearance as Nightwing just won’t go away; every time you count it out, it comes back from near oblivion to once again become an at least moderately hot comic. All seven grades in our index are up since August 25, but you’ll definitely want to keep an eye on the trends. Both the 9.8 and 9.6 grades, while up since 90 days ago, are slightly below recent peaks.
Loser – New Mutants #87 – down 13.8%
Cable’s first appearance hasn’t fared as poorly as Mister Sinister’s, but it’s all part of a downward trend for late 1980s and early 1990s Marvel mutant comics since X-Men ’97 wrapped a few months ago. Looking at the individual grades, there just appears to be a general malaise for this book; every time it rises, its value drops down to lower than it was before the spike.
Winner – Watchmen #1 – up 6.9%
The seminal mid-1980s comic has been featured on screens large and small over the past 15 years, and many critics consider it one of the best comics ever produced. It’s really sales in the 9.8 grade that are driving this trend, with a little help from those in the 9.4 grade. The 9.6 grade is currently valued about the same as it was 90 days ago, while the 9.2 grade is seeing a downward trend. For the most part, it’s an overall positive for this book, but watch for any continued softening as we’re seeing in the 9.8 grade over the past month.
Loser – Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars #1 – down 9.7%
The quintessential 1980s Marvel comic, the one that started the crossover fad that has been a part of the medium since, has been dropping in value. While there have been spikes, it’s been pretty much down across all the higher grades. It’s not helped by the fact that there are a ton of copies out there, both raw and graded. In fact, the CGC census for this book is closing in on 10,000 copies.
Honorable Mentions
The Saga of Swamp Thing #37, the first appearance of John Constantine, should definitely be on your radar. While it’s up only 3.7% from three months ago, it’s up 9.4% since September 29. Spider-Man #1 also merits a mention, as it’s up 11.5% in the past 90 days. Of course, with more than 16,000 graded copies in the CGC census, dozens more in the CBCS census, and Lord knows how many raw copies floating around in the wild, this will likely never be a top comic from the era. And speaking of once-hot overprinted early 1990s comics, I give you Superman #75 and X-Force #1, both down 12.6% over the past three months. And one final tidbit: Beta Ray Bill’s first appearance in Thor #337 almost made the list… as a loser. It’s down 9.7% since August 25.
