The Silver Age marks when comics started to take off. Yes, the Golden Age laid the groundwork, but this is the era that made comics mainstream. Prior to this, much of the comics entailed horror, crime, and some superheroes. The implementation of the Comics Code Authority during this time also brought forth the need for superheroes again. The reintroduction of the superhero genre started to bring forth readers of all ages. Let's see which books and heroes are still on top and in high demand. Here are the Top 5 Silver Age books on the rise that we should all keep an eye on.

 

Top 5 Silver Age Books

 

5. Avengers #48 (First appearance of Black Knight III, Origin of Black Knight III)

This is the issue where Dane Whitman takes over as the new Black Knight. Kit Harrington will take up the mantle as Dane in the new Eternals Movie. Since he already played a similar role in Game of Thrones, he should be able to knock it out of the park. Wielding the Sword of Light and the Shield of Night, he becomes an Avenger in Avengers #71. Seeing that his character has so many ties to the Avengers and Kang the Conqueror, this book will be a great grab at a great price. We are currently seeing sales slightly above the FMV. However, you can still grab a mid-grade copy for under $300 if you look well enough. Take advantage now that many collectors are focused on modern books and scoop this up before the prices increase more.

4. Fantastic Four #49 (First Full appearance of Galactus, Second appearance and First Cover appearance of Silver Surfer)

Part 2 of the "Galactus Trilogy". Just the cover alone is reason enough to buy this book. Lately, the values for this have been on a steady rise. Especially since there are talks about the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and Galactus coming to the MCU. Here we see Galactus, the World-Eater, coming to destroy Earth with his herald the Silver Surfer. When the surfer went to Earth he spoke with Alicia Masters who helped change his mind and convince him that Earth is worth saving. In addition, this is also the FIRST time that the Watcher violates his oath of non-interference by imbuing Human Torch with great power in order to help him. Human Torch steals a device from Galactus' ship in order to destroy him. Even in low grades, this book has a pretty decent FMV. If you are looking to snatch one up you can get a great looking 3.5 CGC for under $400.

3. The Silver Surfer #1 (First appearance of Shalla-Bal; First appearance of Zenn-La; Origin revealed; First issue to self titled series)

Written by Stan Lee, this is the Origin of Silver Surfer a.k.a. Norrin Radd. Being tired of his banishment, Silver Surfer recounts his time before becoming the Herald of Galactus. Norrin is from Zenn-La, a planet with people who were complacent with life and did not wish to know more. Norrin did not feel the same and desired to discover more about the Universe. So when Galactus came to his world to devour it, he saved it by becoming the Herald of Galactus. Not only did he save his world but also was granted the chance to explore the Universe. Currently, you can grab this book in a mid to low grade for under $400. However, with Silver Surfer set to appear down the line, do not expect those values to hold. They will soon hit the unreachable status.

2. Fantastic Four #48 (First appearance of Silver Surfer; First appearance of Galactus)

As much as I love the cover of Fantastic Four #49, you can't beat the significance of this book. Silver Surfer and Galactus are iconic characters known by all. The Watcher has tried to hide planet Earth from the Herald Silver Surfer but has failed. Galactus is coming! As I stated above, this will be one of the new baddies that in time will enter the MCU. Galactus and Silver Surfer did appear in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer but it was not up to the standards of the MCU.  I for one, can't wait to see what the creative minds at Marvel do with these two icons. Currently, this book is almost out of the hands of most collectors with a CGC 1.0 having an FMV of $400. However, keep searching for those raw books. Many are being sold below FMV if you can find them. Remember, a low grade is better than no grade!

Last but not least, the Top Silver Age book on the rise is...

1. Fantastic Four #52 (First appearance of Black Panther; First appearance Negative Zone)

When Chadwick Boseman first donned the mask to become Black Panther it gave me chills. That movie had the world saying "Wakanda Forever!" So it's not a wonder why this book has stayed hot since then. Kevin Feige has already stated that there will be a part 2 stipulated to come out in May of 2022. As to what the plot will be is still up in the air. However, people have speculated that it will involve Wakanda being attacked by Namor due to the Earthquake they felt during Avengers Endgame. Regardless this is a book you need in your collection. Currently, many of the books are selling above FMV, but you can still get a low-grade copy for about $300. Remember I said LOW grade. This book is hot and in demand, and those who have it are not letting go anytime soon.

 

Top 5 Silver Age Book Bottom Line

As you can see there is a reason why each one of these books made it to the list. Each one is a key book not only to us but to our favorite super-heroes. Seeing that the prices are still climbing without any movie hype shows that you need to pounce on these while you can. Do your due diligence and search high and low for deals. Do not be afraid to let a sale go if you feel it is becoming out of your reach. But if you can snatch these up, DO IT! They are truly worth it in every way. Hope you enjoyed and even learned a little something extra about your favorite books! Do you have any of these in your collection? If so let me know below!

Till Next Time, Happy Hunting!