Silver Surfer One-Shot
For a large chunk of the Bronze Age, there were no Silver Surfer comics. His first series ended with Silver Surfer #18, cover dated September 1970. And then there was nothing for the remainder of the 1970s. Until, in 1982, a one-shot was released scripted by Stan Lee with pencils by John Byrne and inks by Tom Palmer that was called, simply enough, Silver Surfer #1.
Much heralded at the time, it quickly became a bygone relic once the Steve Englehart/Marshall Rogers Silver Surfer series began in 1987.
There are 1,659 graded copies in the CGC census. It’s an appreciable number, so we know that it’s not an overlooked comic. It is, however, based on current values, very undervalued. Prices have been low in 2023, with multiple sales of 9.8 graded copies in the $170 to $200 range.
While there was an outlier sale - $315 in a June 3 fixed-price eBay sale – prices have dropped once more. This is a great book with a really nice cover that would look good in any collection. Don’t expect prices to stay this low once Silver Surfer is confirmed in the MCU.
JLA Anniversary Issue
There’s always been something really cool about anniversary issues and Justice League of America #200 is no exception. DC really pulled out all the stops with this book; it features a veritable who’s who of DC comic artists at the time: George Perez, Dick Giordano, Gil Kane, Carmine Infantino, Brian Bolland, Joe Kubert, Jim Aparo, and Pat Broderick, to name but a few.
Alas, comic collectors have ignored this fantastic book.
There are only 222 graded copies of this square-bound comic in the CGC census, and prices have plummeted of late. In the 9.8 grade, the peak sale occurred on January 9 for $425. The most recent sale was in an April 9 eBay auction for just $138. That’s a huge drop in value, one that looks like an overcorrection.
If you can find a copy near that price, snag it, knowing that you’ve purchased an amazing comic at a ridiculously low price.
Key Warlock Appearance
Adam Warlock’s first series ended in the middle of a storyline, one that wouldn’t be concluded until Incredible Hulk #178. This first death of Warlock would close out the initial phase of his career, paving the way for Jim Starlin to take over the character six months later.
While there are 346 graded copies, very few are graded 9.8 due to the imperfections that easily show in a black cover. In fact, only 15 copies have received the 9.8 grade, representing only 4.7% of the total.
It has now been more than five years since one of those 9.8s last sold for $400 in a fixed-price eBay sale. In the 9.4 grade, however, the latest sale is for just $148 in a December 2022 eBay auction.
One of those 9.8s is bound to sell sooner or later, and there will likely be a trickle-down effect when it occurs. If you’re able to find a 9.4 for the current low selling price, definitely consider picking it up.
Well, that’s all we have time for this week. Join us next week as we return to the Golden Age with more Golden Age Collecting on a Budget.
Are there any Bronze Age comics you think are undervalued and deserve more attention? Let us know below!
*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoCollect.
