Key Collector Comics
100 Bronze Keys

🗝 The Top 100 Comic Books From The Bronze Age 💎 Thank you for utilizing the eBay links when making ANY purchase and contributing to the continued develpoment of Key Collector Comics

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Scooby-Doo #1
Western ⋅ 1970
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Scooby-Doo #1
 
Low
$200
Mid
$800
High
$2.2k

Key Facts

1st appearance of Scooby-Doo in comics

There is some debate that Scooby-Doo appeared 6 months earlier in Golden Comics Digest #7 but it is a one-page puzzle activity game, not a story

Green Lantern #76
DC ⋅ 1970
View Details
Green Lantern #76
 
Low
$85
Mid
$260
High
$850

Key Facts

1st appearance of Appa Ali Apsa, a Guardian of the Universe

Retitled Green Arrow/Green Lantern

Issue considered by many to mark the end of the comic book Silver Age

Introduction of controversial social themes in comics - Green Lantern is reprimanded by a black man which was an expression of frustration by the creators for the lack of accurately presented black people in comics

Detective Comics #400
DC ⋅ 1970
View Details
Detective Comics #400
 
Low
$60
Mid
$180
High
$600

Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of Man-Bat, a scientist whose experiment went awry after combining human and bat DNA to cure his own deafness

First team-up of Batgirl and Robin in a backup story

Conan the Barbarian #1
Marvel ⋅ 1970
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (2)
Conan the Barbarian #1
 
Low
$100
Mid
$300
High
$1k

Key Facts

1st appearance of Conan the Barbarian

1st cameo appearance of King Kull

🏅#10 on the Hot 10

Transactions from this week that sold for higher than the previous twelve-month average:

View more (10)

9.8 sold for $8,400 vs the average $7,000 (+20%)

This is the second highest sale in 9.8, considerably less than the uncharacteristically high $14,400 record from 2022

9.2 sold for $1,200 vs the average $988 (+21%)

9.0 sold for $840 vs the average $771 (+9%)

8.5 sold for $937 vs the average $615 (+52%)

This week 2 copies in 8.5 outsold the average

8.0 sold for $600 vs the average $574 (+5%)

7.5 sold for $430 vs the average $425 (+1%)

6.5 sold for $375 vs the average $325 (+15%)

This is the third time in 2024 Conan #1 qualified for the list - the first time in week 5, again in week 9 and in this week 15

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134
DC ⋅ 1970
View Details
Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134
 
Low
$45
Mid
$180
High
$550

Key Facts

1st cameo appearance of Darkseid, the ruler of Apokolips

Batman #227
DC ⋅ 1970
View Details
Batman #227
 
Low
$200
Mid
$800
High
$2k

Key Facts

Iconic cover art by Neal Adams inspired by Detective Comics #31 (1939)

New Gods #1
DC ⋅ 1971
View Details
New Gods #1
 
Low
$18
Mid
$65
High
$180

Key Facts

1st appearance of Orion, son of Darkseid

1st appearance of Highfather, Leader of New Genesis

1st appearance of Metron, Boom Tube inventor

1st appearance of Orion's half-brother, Kalibak

View more (4)

1st appearance of Lightray

1st team appearance of the Parademons

Introduction of New Genesis and Apokolips

Debut of the Mobius Chair

Forever People, The #1
DC ⋅ 1971
View Details
Forever People, The #1
 
Low
$18
Mid
$60
High
$180

Key Facts

1st full appearance of Darkseid

1st team appearance of The Forever People: Beautiful Dreamer, Mark Moonrider, Serifan, Big Bear, Vykin the Black

First mention of Mother Boxes, sentient supercomputers of vast power and the Anti-Life Equation

1st appearance of Infinity-Man, a protector of The Forever People

Mister Miracle #1
DC ⋅ 1971
View Details
Mister Miracle #1
 
Low
$20
Mid
$80
High
$200

Key Facts

1st appearance of Mister Miracle, Scott Free, the son of Highfather

1st appearance of Oberon, Mister Miracle's stage manager

1st appearance and death of Thaddeus Brown, the Miracle Man who preceded Scott Free

🔮 DC Possibilities: Mister Miracle is a second chance for DC to develop the New Gods which was supposed to happen in 2018 but stalled like many of their other projects

Detective Comics #411
DC ⋅ 1971
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (3)
Detective Comics #411
 
Low
$70
Mid
$270
High
$780

Key Facts

1st appearance and cover of Talia al Ghul, daughter of Ra's al Ghul

Savage Tales Magazine #1
Marvel ⋅ 1971
View Details
Savage Tales Magazine #1
 
Low
$80
Mid
$260
High
$850

Key Facts

1st appearance of Man-Thing, Ted Sallis, a scientist who developed a serum to protect soldiers from chemical warfare

The Super Soldier program known as Project Sulphur aka Weapon IV, had the unintended effect of transforming Ted Sallis into Man-Thing

1st appearance of Ellen Brandt

1st team appearance of the Femizons

Batman #232
DC ⋅ 1971
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Batman #232
 
Low
$80
Mid
$250
High
$800

Key Facts

1st appearance of Ra's al Ghul

2nd appearance of Talia al Ghul

Fantastic Four #112
Marvel ⋅ 1971
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Fantastic Four #112
 
Low
$65
Mid
$285
High
$725

Key Facts

Classic battle of the Hulk vs the Thing

Iconic cover art by John Buscema

House of Secrets #92
DC ⋅ 1971
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
House of Secrets #92
 
Low
$425
Mid
$1.2k
High
$4.8k

Key Facts

1st appearance of the Swamp Thing, Alex Olsen

[January 2023 - a Swamp Thing horror film is in development at DC Studios]

2024 Heritage Sale: 9.8 sold for $84,000 [$14,000 in 2015] +500%

Green Lantern #85
DC ⋅ 1971
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Green Lantern #85
 
Low
$30
Mid
$120
High
$300

Key Facts

Pioneering story arc that confronted the topic of drug addiction which led to more realistic and relatable stories in comics

Adams and Mr. O'Neil won a Shazam Award in 1971 for 'Best Individual Story' and recognized by NYC mayor, John Lindsay in a letter which was printed in issue #86

Weird War Tales #1
DC ⋅ 1971
View Details
Weird War Tales #1
 
Low
$18
Mid
$55
High
$290

Key Facts

Premiere issue of DC's war-horror series

As of April 2024 the CGC census shows six copies in 9.8 and there has only been one sale since 2015

Mister Miracle #4
DC ⋅ 1971
View Details
Mister Miracle #4
 
Low
$20
Mid
$75
High
$235

Key Facts

1st appearance of Big Barda, highly skilled warrior and love interest of Mister Miracle

Amazing Spider-Man #100
Marvel ⋅ 1971
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (2)
Amazing Spider-Man #100
 
Low
$10
Mid
$35
High
$180

Key Facts

Milestone issue #100

Iconic cover art by John Romita Sr.

📣 Signature Auction: New High [Previous High]

DOUBLE COVER / NATIONAL DIAMOND SALES 9.8 sold for $6,600 [No Previous Data]

Amazing Spider-Man #101
Marvel ⋅ 1971
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (4)
Amazing Spider-Man #101
 
Low
$130
Mid
$460
High
$1.3k

Key Facts

1st appearance of Morbius the Living Vampire

Marvel Spotlight #2
Marvel ⋅ 1972
View Details
Marvel Spotlight #2
 
Low
$110
Mid
$300
High
$1.2k

Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of Werewolf by Night

Amazing Adventures #11
Marvel ⋅ 1972
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Amazing Adventures #11
 
Low
$20
Mid
$85
High
$275

Key Facts

Beast undergoes a mutation which grows gray hair all over his body

All-Star Western #10
DC ⋅ 1972
View Details
All-Star Western #10
 
Low
$100
Mid
$300
High
$1k

Key Facts

1st appearance of Jonah Hex

Marvel Premiere #1
Marvel ⋅ 1972
View Details
Marvel Premiere #1
 
Low
$45
Mid
$135
High
$450

Key Facts

Rebirth of HIM, renamed Warlock by the High Evolutionary

Debut of Warlock's costume including an unnamed emerald, later revealed to be the Soul Infinity Stone

Tomb of Dracula #1
Marvel ⋅ 1972
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (3)
Tomb of Dracula #1
 
Price Trend
Low
$60
Mid
$180
High
$600

Key Facts

1st appearance of Dracula, created by Gerry Conway and Gene Colan, inspired by Bram Stoker’s classic character

1st appearance of Van Helsing

1st appearance of Frank Drake, a descendant of Dracula

[April 2023 - if speculation is accurate that Mia Goth will portray Lilith Drake, the daughter of Dracula, chances are her father will be a part of her origin]

Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #1
Marvel ⋅ 1972
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #1
 
Low
$100
Mid
$300
High
$1k

Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of Luke Cage, the first black superhero to headline a title in mainstream comics

Luke Cage became invincible to harm through a Super Soldier program called Project Power aka Weapon VI

1st appearance of Diamondback, Comanche and Shades

Marvel Spotlight #5
Marvel ⋅ 1972
View Details
Marvel Spotlight #5
 
Price Trend
Low
$500
Mid
$900
High
$4.5k

Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze

[January 2023 - rumor that a Ghost Rider project is in development, possibly a Halloween special. No info on which version of Ghost Rider will be used in the event that this is true]

Demon, The #1
DC ⋅ 1972
View Details
Demon, The #1
 
Low
$15
Mid
$60
High
$175

Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of Etrigan the Demon

1st appearance of Morgaine Le Fay, the sister of Madame Xanadu

1st appearance of Randu Singh

Swamp Thing #1
DC ⋅ 1972
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (4)
Swamp Thing #1
 
Low
$40
Mid
$120
High
$400

Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of the second Swamp Thing, Alec Holland

1st cameo appearance of Anton Arcane

1st appearance of Matt Cable, later becomes the Sandman's raven

1st cameo appearance of the Un-Men

View more (2)

1st appearance of Nathan Ellery, the man who caused the explosion that created Swamp Thing

First ongoing Swamp Thing solo title

Cat, The #1
Marvel ⋅ 1972
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Cat, The #1
 
Low
$18
Mid
$75
High
$245

Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of The Cat, Greer Grant

Iron Man #54
Marvel ⋅ 1973
View Details
Iron Man #54
 
Low
$45
Mid
$135
High
$480

Key Facts

1st appearance of Madame MacEvil, daughter of Drax, later referred to by the name Moondragon

Madame MacEvil becomes Moondragon in Daredevil #105

[April 2023 - speculation that the child named ‘Love’ in Thor 4 is a young Moondragon who will later appear as an adult]

Conan the Barbarian #23
Marvel ⋅ 1973
View Details
Conan the Barbarian #23
 
Low
$30
Mid
$90
High
$345

Key Facts

1st appearance of Red Sonja

⚠ Misconception: cited by many resources as a cameo appearance of Red Sonja but she appears in over 20 panels, fights and is introduced by name

[August 2022 - filming is scheduled to begin with Matilda Lutz cast in the main role]

Shazam #1
DC ⋅ 1973
View Details
Shazam #1
 
Low
$6
Mid
$20
High
$75

Key Facts

DC begins publishing Shazam after licensing the Captain Marvel character from Fawcett who they had successfully sued 20 years earlier for copyright infringement due to the character's similarities to Superman

1st appearance of Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel Jr. and Mary Marvel since the Golden Age

1st appearance of Doctor Sivana and family since the Golden Age

Origin of Captain Marvel retold

View more (3)

📣 Signature Auction: New High [Previous High]

9.9 sold for $6,600 [No Previous Data]

CGC census states this is the lone copy in 9.9, with none higher

Iron Man #55
Marvel ⋅ 1973
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Iron Man #55
 
Low
$135
Mid
$480
High
$1.4k

Key Facts

1st appearance of Thanos, an Eternal from Titan born with the Deviants gene

1st cameo appearance of Eros aka Starfox, brother of Thanos

1st appearance of Kronos, Grandfather of Thanos

1st appearance of Mentor, father of Thanos

View more (2)

1st appearance of Drax the Destroyer, created by Kronus to kill Thanos

1st appearance of the Blood Brothers

Amazing Spider-Man #121
Marvel ⋅ 1973
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (5)
Amazing Spider-Man #121
 
Low
$90
Mid
$285
High
$900

Key Facts

Death of Gwen Stacy, neck unintentionally snapped as Spider-Man attempted to rescue her

Amazing Spider-Man #122
Marvel ⋅ 1973
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (4)
Amazing Spider-Man #122
 
Low
$45
Mid
$120
High
$450

Key Facts

Death of Green Goblin

Tomb of Dracula #10
Marvel ⋅ 1973
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (4)
Tomb of Dracula #10
 
Low
$320
Mid
$1.1k
High
$3.2k

Key Facts

1st appearance of Blade

Ghost Rider #1
Marvel ⋅ 1973
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Ghost Rider #1
 
Low
$120
Mid
$415
High
$1.2k

Key Facts

First solo titled series featuring Ghost Rider

1st cameo appearance of Daimon Hellstrom, Son of Satan, multiple panels in shadows

🏅#6 on the Hot 10

Transactions from this week that sold for higher than the previous twelve-month average:

View more (7)

8.5 sold for $750 vs the average $694 (+8%)

This week 2 copies in 8.5 outsold the average

7.0 sold for $515 vs the average $489 (+5%)

This week 2 copies in 7.0 outsold the average

6.0 sold for $462 vs the average $401 (+15%)

5.0 sold for $360 vs the average $338 (+7%)

4.0 sold for $375 vs the average $328 (+14%)

Batman #251
DC ⋅ 1973
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (6)
Batman #251
 
Low
$200
Mid
$800
High
$2k

Key Facts

Iconic cover art by Neal Adams

Issue credited for revitalizing the Joker as a homicidal villain instead of a comical villain

Strange Tales #169
Marvel ⋅ 1973
View Details
Strange Tales #169
 
Low
$75
Mid
$215
High
$750

Key Facts

1st appearance of Brother Voodoo, Jericho Drumm, later renamed Doctor Voodoo

Marvel Spotlight #12
Marvel ⋅ 1973
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (2)
Marvel Spotlight #12
 
Low
$20
Mid
$80
High
$200

Key Facts

1st full appearance and origin of Son of Satan

Thought many sources cite Ghost Rider#2 as the first full appearance of Damion Hellstrom he is obscured by shadows throughout the issue

Fear (Adventure Into) #19
Marvel ⋅ 1973
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Fear (Adventure Into) #19
 
Low
$30
Mid
$90
High
$300

Key Facts

1st appearance of Howard the Duck

Special Marvel Edition #15
Marvel ⋅ 1973
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Special Marvel Edition #15
 
Low
$120
Mid
$400
High
$1.2k

Key Facts

1st appearance of Shang-Chi, the Master of Kung-Fu

1st appearance of Sir Dennis Nayland-Smith

1st appearance of Fu Manchu, father of Shang-Chi, later renamed Han, then Zheng Zu

1st team appearance of Si-Fan, a secret society with allegiances to Fu Manchu

View more (1)

1st appearance of Shang-Chi's unnamed mother, an American - later retconned in Shang-Chi #4 (2021)

Amazing Spider-Man #129
Marvel ⋅ 1974
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (7)
Amazing Spider-Man #129
 
Low
$300
Mid
$900
High
$2.7k

Key Facts

1st appearance of the Punisher

1st appearance of the Jackal

[March 2023 - Jon Bernthal confirmed to reprise the role of Punisher for Daredevil: Born Again / May 2023 - a rumor suggests there may be a Punisher series in the works for Disney+]

Marvel Premiere #15
Marvel ⋅ 1974
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Marvel Premiere #15
 
Low
$60
Mid
$240
High
$700

Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of Iron Fist, Daniel Rand

1st appearance of Yu-Ti, a Dragon Lord

1st team appearance of the Dragon Kings

Introduction of K'un-Lun, one of the Seven Capital Cities of Heaven

View more (1)

1st appearance of Wendell Rand, father of Daniel Rand

Astonishing Tales #25
Marvel ⋅ 1974
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Astonishing Tales #25
 
Low
$15
Mid
$50
High
$150

Key Facts

1st appearance of Deathlok, Luther Manning

1st appearance of Major Ryker

First published artwork for Marvel by George Perez, interior two-page backup story

Prior to the publication of this issue, George Perez was published in the science-fiction magazine Hot Stuf'

Incredible Hulk #180
Marvel ⋅ 1974
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (3)
Incredible Hulk #180
 
Low
$210
Mid
$825
High
$2.1k

Key Facts

1st cameo appearance of Wolverine

2nd appearance of Wendigo

Marvel Value Stamp Series A #67 - Cyclops

⚠️ Debatable Firsts: this issue, by far, is the most debated "cameo versus full" book and likely the main reason "cameo" became such a significant yet loosely defined term in comic book collecting

View more (6)

Theoretically, The Incredible Hulk #180 being labeled "cameo" of Wolverine was due to an oversight by Overstreet (see additional images)

In the 1980/1981 edition of Overstreet, Hulk#181 is labeled - 1st app of Wolverine and Hulk#180 is without a descriptor, commanding the same value as issues #151 - #176

In the 1981/1982 Overstreet, the description had been amended to read #180 - 1st app. Wolverine but mislabeled #181 and #182 - Wolverine cameo

Finally, in 1982/1983, Overstreet labeled Hulk #180 - 1st app. Wolverine (cameo) and #181 - Wolverine app. #182 - Wolverine cameo

In recent years, Marvel has taken a stance on Hulk #180 as the first appearance of Wolverine, wanting to eliminate the term "cameo" altogether, presumably to avoid this exact debate

But in years past, official Marvel guidebooks and trading cards would often trade-off which issue was given the coveted 1st (full) appearance designation (see additional images)

Incredible Hulk #181
Marvel ⋅ 1974
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (11)
Incredible Hulk #181
 
Low
$1k
Mid
$4.5k
High
$11k

Key Facts

1st full appearance of Wolverine, final page cameo in issue #180

Marvel Value Stamp Series A #54 - Shanna the She-Devil

[September 2022 - Hugh Jackman will reprise the role of Wolverine in Deadpool 3]

Giant-Size Defenders #3
Marvel ⋅ 1975
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Giant-Size Defenders #3
 
Low
$30
Mid
$90
High
$300

Key Facts

1st appearance of Korvac

Marvel Value Stamp

[April 2020 - two inside sources have confirmed that Korvac will be in multiple upcoming Marvel projects. Although the sources are independent from one another and close to Marvel Studios this is still unconfirmed until official word is released]

Strange Tales #178
Marvel ⋅ 1975
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (2)
Strange Tales #178
 
Low
$30
Mid
$95
High
$315

Key Facts

Ongoing stories featuring Adam Warlock begin

1st appearance of Magus, an evil version of Adam Warlock from the future

1st team appearance of The Universal Church of Truth

1st appearance of The Matriarch, a leader of The Universal Church of Truth

Joker, The #1
DC ⋅ 1975
View Details
Joker, The #1
 
Low
$18
Mid
$55
High
$160

Key Facts

First solo titled Joker series

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