Several months ago, I wrote a blog discussing whether the comic book market could have reached bottom after two years of painful price corrections. If we have hit bottom (more to come on that in the future), it might be time to hunt for some great deals on some slabs. Without further ado, here are five CGC 9.8 slabs that you can purchase now for around $100 or less.
Uncanny X-Men #248 (1989): 1st Jim Lee Art on Uncanny X-Men
I think this late Copper Age book is criminally undervalued. While this issue doesn't contain any first appearances, it's historically significant because it was the first time Jim Lee served as the penciler for the Uncanny X-Men series, filling in for Marc Silvestri. Lee's work on the Uncanny X-Men became, of course, wildly popular. Not only did he become the series' regular penciler by issue #268, but he was the catalyst that led to the publication of X-Men #1, the greatest selling comic book of all-time, and then later the creation of Image Comics.
In spite of the historical significance of this issue, it surprises me that you can purchase a CGC 9.8 for around $100. Some recent 9.8s have sold for around $125 on eBay, but if you're patient and look for a copy that's being auctioned on eBay or ComicConnect, you can likely buy a 9.8 for $100 or less.
Batman #442 (1989): 1st Appearance of Tim Drake as Robin
This is another late Copper Age book that features the first time Tim Drake, the third Robin, appears in the classic Robin costume. Robin is a character / mantle that is recognized around the world. Robin is the epitome of a sidekick; he's to Batman as Watson is to Sherlock Holmes. Considering how important a character Robin is, it surprises me that you can purchase a CGC 9.8 of this issue for less than $100; in fact, the buyer below bought their copy for only $66 during an auction hosted in April.
Legends #1 (1986): 1st Appearance of Amanda Waller
While Amanda Waller isn't any collector's favorite character, she is significant; she's basically the Nick Fury of the DCU (well, with the possible exception of being more evil). In other words, she's the government official responsible for assembling metahumans in the DCU, including in James Gunn's Suicide Squad. I expect her to do more assembling in the years ahead especially since she will receive her own TV series on Max. In spite of her importance as being the hub (and the superheroes being the spokes), you can still purchase a CGC 9.8 of her first appearance in Legends #1 (1986) for less than $100.
Thor #339 (1984): 1st Appearance of Stormbreaker
This issue isn't significant because it contains the first appearance of a character, but the first appearance of a weapon: Stormbreaker. First appearances of objects aren't usually something worth investing in, but there are a few that have become iconic due to the popularity of the MCU (e.g., the Infinity Gauntlet). The object of Thor's hero's quest in one of the highest grossing films of all-time, Infinity War, and Beta Ray Bill's weapon in the comics, this mashup of a hammer and axe is instantly recognizable. Prominently featured on the cover of Thor #339, you can own a CGC 9.8 copy of its first appearance for well under $100 (see the sale below for $79 in late April).
Inhumans #5 (1999): 1st Appearance of Yelena Belova (new Black Widow)
Back in 2021, there was a perfect storm of events that catapulted the first appearance of Yelena Belova, the second Black Widow, to the moon. First, there was the pandemic which fueled an explosion in the collectibles market and created a bubble in the comic book market. Second, fans were ravenous to see Black Widow, the first Marvel film post-Endgame. Third, the film served as a passing of the torch from Natasha Romanov to Yelena Belova, the second Black Widow. Florence Pugh's portrayal of Belova was generally well received by critics and fans alike. All of this led to Belova's first appearance in Inhumans #5 to reach an all-time high of $723 for a CGC 9.8 in July 2021. As you can see from the sale below, this book has taken a huge tumble since then; if you're patient, you may be able to find a CGC 9.8 for around $100. Considering that Pugh will return as Yelena Belova in 2025's Thunderbolts film, this could be a good time to pick this issue up.
