Incredible Hulk #181 is a very important book because... I'm just kidding. You don't need me to tell you much of anything about why this book is a grail for many (if not most) comic collectors. You know why you love it - we're taking a look at the original + a few variants to see how the market is treating this beloved Bronze Age classic.
At the time of this writing, IH #181 is the 18th hottest-selling comic book on eBay. You might think after several variants, editions, and thousands of sales that that steam might be running out, but you'd be wrong. People still ravenously hunt for this book, which gives us PLENTY of market data to analyze.
Incredible Hulk #181
Out of the whopping 17,267 copies listed on the CGC census, the Universal 7.5 is the most populous and the subject of our discussion. There are 1,187 out there, and boy have they been busy.
While the 1-year sales average rests at $5,230, the 90-day has slid down to $4,824. As for the sales average for September '23? $4,316. Prices are trending in the people's favor, gifting them a nearly $1k price drop over the past 365 days.
When it comes to venue, obviously, eBay is the most popular place for sales. It does often appear at Heritage, ComicConnect, and other auction houses, with comparable sales figures to those of eBay buyers.
Without CBCS's census data, we're taking a peek at the sales numbers. Their 7.0 has sold the most frequently and has a 1-year average of $4,078. The CBCS 3.0 has sold the second most often, with $2,950 the most recent hammer price (2/24/21).
Incredible Hulk #181 (Facsimile Edition)
The 2019 Facsimile Edition of IH #181 is no stranger to the auction block; It's sold 550+ times in the few years since it hit shelves. It's definitely the most commonly reached-for variant of this book. Its popularity has even warranted a second printing and a foil variant.
Of the 1,378 copies registered on the CGC census, 1,327 are Universal Label 9.8s. No one has achieved a coveted 9.9 or 10.0 yet - which makes me wonder if there are any candidates for a press and re-slab out there.
Both the 1-year average and 30-day average fall within $10 of each other - with the most common sale total landing around $100. (10) copies sold in July, compared to only (3) in August and one recorded sale in September. It could be that buyers are turning to the 2023 IH #1 Foil Variant.
A copy signed by John Romita and Roy Thomas sold for the highest amount brought in by a Sig Series label - $600 - back in 2021.
Marvel Milestone Edition: Incredible Hulk (181)
Ah, the Marvel Milestone cover. The Marvel Milestone Editions have been reprinting classic first appearances of Marvel's A-Listers since 1991. It's safe to say that having such a large portion of the cover devoted to open gray branding might have been a slight turn-off to buyers - especially given the popularity of the Facsimile Edition years later.
Only (90) copies are registered on the CGC census. Of those, 24 are Blue 9.8s, 19 are Blue 9.6s, and 26 are Sig Series.
Pre-2020, you could fully expect to drop less than $100 on a Universal 9.8. Nowadays, you're not looking at about double.
Incredible Hulk #181 (2023 Facsimile Foil Edition)
We've already talked about this one, so let's see where the new kid on the block's sales are landing. This book juuuuuust hit the shelves in July, so copies are trickling back from grading companies as we speak. These numbers will be worth more to us after we have a year or so of data to compare, but here are some knee-jerk stats.
703 copies are currently registered on the CGC census. 660 of those are Universal Label 9.8s.
Interestingly, (and with minimal data to go on), the CGC 9.8, 9.6, and 9.2 sold, for a time, for nearly identical amounts. $40 seemed to be the magic number for all three for a bit. 9.8s are now seeing a slightly higher sales price - closer to $65 - but the title has yet to clear the $101 mark in a Blue Label.
With more and more copies hitting the market each day, we'll be watching to see whether buyers hunt out this variant the way they hunted the Facsimile Edition from 2019 or if oversaturation has already spoiled the sauce.
Incredible Hulk #181 (Adi Granov Facsimile Variant)
Ok, this variant looks totally different and has very few sales - but we had to list this stunner. With original art by Adi Granov, this edition was released in 2019 and currently has 60 copies listed on the CGC census ((52) of which are Blue 9.8s.)
There isn't much to look at by way of sales. The current FMV of the CGC 9.8 is $65, though copies regularly realize closer to $50.
How many different variants of Incredible Hulk #181 do you have in your collection?
