Key Collector Comics
100 Modern Keys

 🗝 The Top 100 Comics From The Modern 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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Marvel Super-Heroes #8
Marvel ⋅ 1992
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Marvel Super-Heroes #8
 
Low
$10
Mid
$30
High
$100

Key Facts

1st appearance of Squirrel Girl

Harbinger #1
Valiant ⋅ 1992
View Details
Harbinger #1
 
Low
$5
Mid
$20
High
$90

Key Facts

1st team appearance of the Renegades, Harbinger Resistance Group

1st appearance of Sting, Peter Stanchek

1st appearance of Zephyr, Faith Herbert

1st appearance of Torque, Flamingo and Kris

View more (3)

1st team appearance of the Eggbreakers

Included in issues #1 - #6 was a Mail Away Coupon that, collectively, were redeemable for a variant of Harbinger #0 with a pink cover

[February 2022 - Deadline reports reports Wes Ball to direct for Paramount]

X-Men #4
Marvel ⋅ 1992
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (2)
X-Men #4
 
Low
$2
Mid
$8
High
$20

Key Facts

1st full appearance of Omega Red, a Russian serial killer, captured and experimented on by the government

📈 +129% increase in copies sold this week versus the previous week

Amazing Spider-Man #361
Marvel ⋅ 1992
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (4)
Amazing Spider-Man #361
 
Low
$15
Mid
$50
High
$150

Key Facts

1st full appearance of Carnage, spawned from the extraterrestrial parasite known as the Venom symbiote

Spawn #1
Image ⋅ 1992
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (20)
Spawn #1
 
Low
$3
Mid
$9
High
$30

Key Facts

1st appearance of Spawn

1st appearance of Sam & Twitch

1st appearance of Malebolgia

1st cameo appearance of Jason Wynn

View more (1)

Pin-up of Pitt

X-Force #11
Marvel ⋅ 1992
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (2)
X-Force #11
 
Low
$1
Mid
$5
High
$18

Key Facts

1st team appearance of Weapon P.R.I.M.E.: Weapon X, Rictor, Yeti, Tygerstryke

2nd appearance of the real Domino, previously appeared in X-Force #8

Iron Man #282
Marvel ⋅ 1992
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Iron Man #282
 
Low
$10
Mid
$30
High
$100

Key Facts

1st cover appearance of the War Machine armor, worn by Tony Stark

⚠ Misconception: cited by many as the first appearance of War Machine. "War Machine" is splashed across the IRON MAN title in reference to the armor’s incredible armaments but the name is not official. The armor, (piloted by Tony Stark in this issue, not James Rhodes) actually debuts in the previous issue, Iron Man #281. In Iron Man #284, James Rhodes suits up in the War Machine armor but does so as Iron Man and does not officially assume the War Machine codename until West Coast Avengers #94, though he is referred to as War Machine in X-Force #21 but as Iron Man in X-Force #20

Superman: The Man of Steel #18
DC ⋅ 1992
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (6)
Superman: The Man of Steel #18
 
Low
$1
Mid
$5
High
$18

Key Facts

1st full appearance of Doomsday, mostly obscured by a containment suit with one arm bound behind his back as he wreaks havoc across the countryside

Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1
DC ⋅ 1993
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (4)
Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1
 
Low
$10
Mid
$30
High
$100

Key Facts

1st appearance, cover and origin of Bane

📖 Knightfall Reading Order: next Batman #484

Superman #75
DC ⋅ 1993
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (12)
Superman #75
 
Low
$1
Mid
$5
High
$15

Key Facts

Death of Superman

Death of Doomsday

Every page of this issue is a full or double-splash page

Six-million issues sold

Venom: Lethal Protector #1
Marvel ⋅ 1993
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (10)
Venom: Lethal Protector #1
 
Low
$2
Mid
$8
High
$25

Key Facts

First solo series featuring Venom

1st cameo appearance of General Orwell Taylor

Spawn #9
Image ⋅ 1993
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (2)
Spawn #9
 
Low
$2
Mid
$8
High
$20

Key Facts

1st appearance of Angela

later acquired by Marvel as Thor's half sister

1st appearance of Medieval Spawn

1st appearance of Cogliostro

View more (1)

Cover inspired by Wonder Woman #72

Static #1
Milestone ⋅ 1993
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (4)
Static #1
 
Low
$1
Mid
$5
High
$15

Key Facts

1st appearance of Static Shock, the first black superhero to star in his own cartoon series

1st appearance of Hotstreak, a villain with the power to control fire

[October 2020 - Warner Brothers and Michael B. Jordan to produce a Static Shock movie - status currently unknown / April 2023 - James Gunn replied to a tweet that DC has plans to incorporate Milestone characters in upcoming projects]

Batman #497
DC ⋅ 1993
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (4)
Batman #497
 
Low
$1
Mid
$5
High
$15

Key Facts

Bane breaks Batman's back

Knightfall Part Eleven

📖 Knightfall Reading Order: next Detective Comics #664

Batman Adventures #12
DC ⋅ 1993
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (23)
Batman Adventures #12
 
Low
$120
Mid
$400
High
$1.2k

Key Facts

1st appearance of Harley Quinn in a standard comic

[August 2022 - Lady Gaga confirmed to star opposite Joaquin Phoenix in the Joker movie sequel as Harley Quinn / March 2023 - a set photo from the Joker sequel provides a first look at Lady Gaga as Harley]

John Byrne's Next Men #21
Dark Horse ⋅ 1993
View Details
John Byrne's Next Men #21
 
Low
$12
Mid
$40
High
$120

Key Facts

1st appearance of Hellboy in color

Flash #92
DC ⋅ 1994
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Flash #92
 
Low
$2
Mid
$8
High
$20

Key Facts

1st full appearance of Impulse, sidekick to Wally West

Web of Spider-Man #118
Marvel ⋅ 1994
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (2)
Web of Spider-Man #118
 
Low
$10
Mid
$30
High
$100

Key Facts

1st appearance of Ben Reilly as Scarlet Spider, introduced as a clone in The Amazing Spider-Man #149 (1975)

There is a notation on some CGC graded slabs that notate a 'Marvel Direct Marketing' that does not appear to have an affect on value

Preacher #1
DC Vertigo ⋅ 1995
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (7)
Preacher #1
 
Low
$8
Mid
$20
High
$80

Key Facts

1st appearance Jesse Custer the Preacher, Tulip O'Hare, Cassidy and the Saint of Killers

Venom: Sinner Takes All #3
Marvel ⋅ 1995
View Details
Venom: Sinner Takes All #3
 
Low
$7
Mid
$20
High
$70

Key Facts

1st full appearance of She-Venom

Birds of Prey: Black Canary / Oracle #1
DC ⋅ 1995
View Details
Birds of Prey: Black Canary / Oracle #1
 
Low
$3
Mid
$9
High
$35

Key Facts

1st team appearance of Birds of Prey: Black Canary and Oracle

Unofficial team appearance in Showcase 96 #3

Incredible Hulk #449
Marvel ⋅ 1996
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (2)
Incredible Hulk #449
 
Low
$5
Mid
$15
High
$50

Key Facts

1st team appearance of The Thunderbolts: Citizen V (formerly Baron Zemo), Atlas (formerly Goliath), Mach-1 (formerly Beetle), Songbird (formerly Screaming Mimi), Meteorite (formerly Moonstone II), Techno (formerly Fixer)

[February 2019 - 🚨 KEY COLLECTOR COMICS EXCLUSIVE - a Thunderbolts series is in development]

[SDCC 2022 - Thunderbolts confirmed]

What If...? #105
Marvel ⋅ 1998
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
What If...? #105
 
Low
$12
Mid
$40
High
$125

Key Facts

1st appearance of Spider-Girl, Mayday Parker, the child of Peter and Mary Jane in an alternate universe

1st cameo team appearance of A-Next: Jubilee, Longshot, J2, Thunderstrike, Jolt

1st cameo appearance of J2, Zane Yama, son of the original Juggernaut

Copies ordered by retailers: 29,193

Stormwatch #4
Image ⋅ 1998
View Details
Stormwatch #4
 
Low
$5
Mid
$15
High
$65

Key Facts

1st appearance of Apollo

1st appearance of Midnighter

Dreamwalker #0
Avatar ⋅ 1998
View Details
Dreamwalker #0
 
Low
$35
Mid
$80
High
$300

Key Facts

1st appearance of The Goon

1st appearance of Franky

Reprinted as a back-up story in The Goon #1 (1999)

[SDCC 2022- Patrick Osborne to direct movie adaptation for Netflix]

Inhumans #5
Marvel ⋅ 1999
View Details
Inhumans #5
 
Low
$5
Mid
$18
High
$60

Key Facts

1st appearance of Black Widow, Yelena Belova

[September 2022 - confirmed for the Thunderbolts movie]

⚠️ Debatable Firsts: it is disputed whether this is a full or cameo appearance. CGC labels this issue "1st appearance of the new Black Widow (Yelena Belova, face not shown)"

Goon #1
Avatar ⋅ 1999
View Details
Goon #1
 
Low
$40
Mid
$120
High
$400

Key Facts

2nd appearance of The Goon

2nd appearance of Franky

1st full appearance of the Zombie Priest

Batman Beyond #1
DC ⋅ 1999
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (12)
Batman Beyond #1
 
Low
$40
Mid
$120
High
$400

Key Facts

1st appearance of Terry McGinnis in a comic book

It is important to be aware of the differences between several editions of this book that exist

Direct Edition - as seen in the image with DIRECT EDITION printed in the UPC box

Newsstand Edition - UPC box in the lower-left corner, dated March 1999 with an original retail price of $1.99

View more (4)

Promotional Edition - 'FREE Special Origin Issue' printed below the DC logo with a white rectangle in the lower-left corner intended for stores to stamp their logo. Dated June 1999 with a Jell-O advertisement on the back cover

Six Flags Promotional Edition - displays a Six Flags amusement park logo printed in the white rectangle. Dated October 1999 with a PlayStation advertisement on the back cover

Third Printing Promotional Edition - dated July 2000 with a Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker DVD advertisement on the back cover

🔮 DC Possibilities: Bruce Wayne as Batman has been rebooted for close to half of a century so it would make a whole lot of sense to see a different vision in a sharp, ultra-futuristic, cyberpunk-type take on DC's most successful franchise

Batman #567
DC ⋅ 1999
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Batman #567
 
Low
$4
Mid
$12
High
$45

Key Facts

1st appearance and cover of Cassandra Cain, later becomes Batgirl, Orphan II and the Black Bat

1st appearance of David Cain, Orphan not in costume

Batman: Harley Quinn #1
DC ⋅ 1999
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (3)
Batman: Harley Quinn #1
 
Low
$8
Mid
$25
High
$75

Key Facts

1st appearance of Harley Quinn in the main DC comic book storytelling universe

The Sentry #1
Marvel ⋅ 2000
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (3)
The Sentry #1
 
Low
$8
Mid
$20
High
$80

Key Facts

1st appearance of the Sentry

1st appearance of The Void, the dark aspect of The Sentry

Alias #1
Marvel ⋅ 2001
View Details
Alias #1
 
Low
$5
Mid
$18
High
$75

Key Facts

1st appearance of Jessica Jones

[May 2022 - Ritter tweeted a picture of her and actor Mike Colter with initials of Jessica Jones and Luke Cage plus the hashtags #marvel and #bigtease / rumored to appear in She-Hulk]

Bloodstone #1
Marvel ⋅ 2001
View Details
Bloodstone #1
 
Low
$15
Mid
$50
High
$150

Key Facts

1st appearance of Elsa Bloodstone, daughter and successor of the famous monster hunter, Ulysses Bloodstone

1st appearance of Nosferatu in the Marvel Universe

[November 2023 - a Bloodstone project is rumored to be in development]

Amazing Spider-Man #36
Marvel ⋅ 2001
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Amazing Spider-Man #36
 
Low
$5
Mid
$25
High
$85

Key Facts

September 11th, 2001 tribute issue depicting various Marvel teams and characters working alongside emergency services as New York native, Spider-Man narrates the experience

30 Days of Night #1
IDW ⋅ 2002
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (3)
30 Days of Night #1
 
Low
$8
Mid
$25
High
$80

Key Facts

A small Alaskan town is invaded by vampires during a naturally occurring, month-long absence of sunlight

First traditional comic book published by IDW

Copies ordered by retailers: 3,791

New X-Men #128
Marvel ⋅ 2002
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
New X-Men #128
 
Low
$2
Mid
$8
High
$20

Key Facts

1st appearance of Fantomex, Weapon XIII

1st team appearance of X-Corporation (Paris): Darkstar, Multiple Man, Rictor, Monet St. Croix, Cannoball, Siryn

Y: The Last Man #1
DC Vertigo ⋅ 2002
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (3)
Y: The Last Man #1
 
Low
$10
Mid
$30
High
$100

Key Facts

Premiere issue of a series created by Brian K. Vaughn about the last man on a female populated Earth

Invincible #1
Image ⋅ 2003
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (36)
Invincible #1
 
Low
$80
Mid
$200
High
$875

Key Facts

1st appearance of Invincible

1st appearance of Omni-Man, the father of Invincible

1st appearance of Deborah Grayson, the mother of Invincible

1st appearance of Titan

View more (14)

1st appearance of William Clockwell, Invincible's best friend

1st appearance of David Hiles, a physics teacher

1st cameo appearance of Atom Eve

1st cameo appearance of Science Dog, on a comic cover

Copies ordered by retailers: 10,800

🏅#7 on the Hot 10

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

9.8 sold for $4,200 vs the average $3,380 (+24%)

9.6 sold for $1,849 vs the average $1,416 (+31%)

9.4 sold for $1,200 vs the average $945 (+27%)

9.2 sold for $1,000 vs the average $945 (+6%)

9.0 sold for $975 vs the average $940 (+4%)

Invincible had a strong week of sales in all high grades 9.8 thru 9.0

Skybound Entertainment launched a crowdfunding campaign to develop a video game set in the Invincible universe which has raised close to $450,000 in its first day

Runaways #1
Marvel ⋅ 2003
View Details
Runaways #1
 
Low
$4
Mid
$12
High
$45

Key Facts

1st team appearance of the Runaways: Alex Wilder, Karolina Dean aka Lucy in the Sky, Molly Hayes aka Bruiser, Nico Minoru aka Sister Grimm, Chase Stein aka Talkback, Gertrude Yorkes aka Arsenic

1st team appearance of the Pride

[July 2022 - Marvel trademarked the title Runaways: New Era]

The Walking Dead #1
Image ⋅ 2003
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (153)
The Walking Dead #1
 
Low
$165
Mid
$410
High
$1.2k

Key Facts

Premiere issue of an ongoing series about survivors of a zombie outbreak from writer Robert Kirkman

Adapted by AMC for cable television

1st appearance of Rick Grimes

1st appearance of Shane Walsh

View more (1)

Print run: 7,266

NYX #3
Marvel ⋅ 2004
View Details
NYX #3
 
Low
$40
Mid
$120
High
$450

Key Facts

1st appearance of X-23, Laura Kinney

Laura Kinney debuted in the animated series X-Men: Evolution (2003)

[March 2023 - speculation Dafne Keen will reprise the role of X-23 in Deadpool 3]

Batman #635
DC ⋅ 2005
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Batman #635
 
Low
$20
Mid
$80
High
$200

Key Facts

1st appearance of Jason Todd as Red Hood

Young Avengers #1
Marvel ⋅ 2005
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (4)
Young Avengers #1
 
Low
$10
Mid
$30
High
$100

Key Facts

1st team appearance of the Young Avengers: Kate Bishop, Patriot, Asgardian aka Wiccan, Hulkling, and Iron Lad, who is later revealed to be a young variant of Kang

[October 2022 - Wiccan aka Billy Kaplan, son of Scarlet Witch are rumored to appear in the Agatha TV series]

Black Panther #2
Marvel ⋅ 2005
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Black Panther #2
 
Low
$5
Mid
$15
High
$50

Key Facts

1st appearance of Shuri, T'Challa's sister and future Black Panther

1st appearance of S'yan, the uncle of T'Challa who held the throne after T'Chaka's assassination

Captain America #6
Marvel ⋅ 2005
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (2)
Captain America #6
 
Low
$5
Mid
$18
High
$60

Key Facts

1st full appearance of Bucky Barnes as the Winter Soldier

[September 2022 - confirmed for the Thunderbolts movie]

The Walking Dead #19
Image ⋅ 2005
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (5)
The Walking Dead #19
 
Low
$15
Mid
$60
High
$175

Key Facts

1st appearance of Michonne, one of the more resourceful survivors of the series

[SDCC 2022 - Rick and Michonne will be featured in a spin-off limited series]

New Avengers #7
Marvel ⋅ 2005
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (2)
New Avengers #7
 
Low
$3
Mid
$9
High
$30

Key Facts

1st team appearance of the Illuminati: Professor X, Doctor Strange, Black Bolt, Iron Man, Namor

Ultimate Fantastic Four #22
Marvel ⋅ 2005
View Details
Ultimate Fantastic Four #22
 
Low
$3
Mid
$9
High
$30

Key Facts

1st full appearance of Marvel Zombies

[November 2021 - Marvel teases a standalone Marvel Zombies animated project]

Multiple first appearances of heroes-turned-zombies

Amazing Fantasy #15
Marvel ⋅ 2006
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Amazing Fantasy #15
 
Low
$15
Mid
$50
High
$150

Key Facts

1st appearance of Amadeus Cho aka Mastermind Excello, a Korean American who becomes the Hulk and later Brawn

1st appearances: Heartbreak Kid, Positron Monstro, One-Eyed Jacquie and the Great Video

Cho is a member of The Champions, a team that also includes Miles Morales Spider-Man, Ms. Marvel Kamala Khan, Nova, Cyclops, and Spider-Gwen

There are many places for Cho to fit into the MCU like Shang Chi or Agents of Atlas

Amazing Spider-Man #529
Marvel ⋅ 2006
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (3)
Amazing Spider-Man #529
 
Low
$3
Mid
$9
High
$30

Key Facts

Debut of the Iron Spider Suit, engineered by Stark Industries

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