Key Collector Comics

Fun Facts

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Bombshell (Fanzine) #13
DCJC ⋅ 1967
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Bombshell (Fanzine) #13
 
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$15
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$50
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$150

Key Facts

Interior pin-up art by Gene Simmons from KISS

Image depicts a spaceship flying over an alien landscape, signed by Klein, his mother's maiden name

World's Finest Comics #153
DC ⋅ 1965
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World's Finest Comics #153
 
Low
$30
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$100
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$300

Key Facts

Includes the panel of Batman slapping Robin that is recognizable from many internet memes

🥈 Runner-Up: New High [Previous High]

7.5 sold for $399 [$310 in 2023] +29%

Amazing Spider-Man #169
Marvel ⋅ 1977
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Amazing Spider-Man #169
 
Low
$1
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$2
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$10

Key Facts

In the fan mail page is a letter to the editor written by Frank Miller

Firebreather #1
Image ⋅ 2003
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Firebreather #1
 
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$3

Key Facts

1st full appearance of Firebreather, a half boy/half dragon

Firebreather was a character originally pitched to Marvel as the son of Fin Fang Foom

X-Men #1
Variant ⋅ Marvel ⋅ 1991
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X-Men #1
 
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Key Facts

Variant cover art by Jim Lee

Different from the gatefold cover: Wolverine is depicted with only one set of claws engaged as his left hand would have the appearance of skewering the head of Captain America occupying the corner box

There is also a Newsstand/UPC version with only one set of claws

Preview of Omega Red in a pin-up by Jim Lee, 'Things To Come'

BRZRKR #1
Store Exclusive ⋅ BOOM! ⋅ 2021
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BRZRKR #1
 
Low
$2
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$8
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$25

Key Facts

Variant cover art by by Skan

Cover art composition inspired by the viral 'sad Keanu' meme (tap cover and swipe for image)

Four Color #38
Dell ⋅ 1944
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Four Color #38
 
Low
$130
Mid
$425
High
$2.7k

Key Facts

First cover in Western Comics that utilizes a photograph

Spider-Man vs. Wolverine #1
Marvel ⋅ 1987
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Spider-Man vs. Wolverine #1
 
Low
$3
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$9
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$30

Key Facts

Death of Ned Leeds

Wolverine discovers Peter Parker is Spider-Man

Spider-Man inadvertently kills a woman by punching her, thinking Wolverine snuck up on him

Fantastic Four #240
Marvel ⋅ 1982
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Fantastic Four #240
 
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Key Facts

1st appearance of Luna Maximoff, the daughter of Quicksilver and the Inhuman, Crystal

The Inhumans move to the moon

In a panel where Black Bolt speaks, causing a massive explosion, there is an editor’s note that reads 'we're not going to insult your intelligence by placing a sound effect in this panel'. This is said to be a reference to an argument Byrne had with X-Men writer Chris Claremont, concerning the inclusion of a text representation of an explosion in X-Men #119 that Byrne felt was unnecessary

Spawn #270
Image ⋅ 2017
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Spawn #270
 
Low
$1
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$5
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$18

Key Facts

1st appearance of Soul Crusher, a villain whose name was inspired by Erik Larsen in a letter to Todd McFarlane that was expressing his turmoil about an unknown business dispute

Copies ordered by retailers: 15,778

Dark Town #1
Mad Monkey Press ⋅ 1995
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Dark Town #1
 
Low
$10
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$100

Key Facts

After a car accident, a comatose man awakens in Dark Town where he is pursued by murderous puppets

Inspired the movie starring Brendan Fraser, Monkey Bone (2001)

Mighty World of Marvel #198
International ⋅ Marvel ⋅ 1976
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Mighty World of Marvel #198
 
Low
$65
Mid
$180
High
$650

Key Facts

Reprint of the first half of The Incredible Hulk #181

The cover art of this issue features the Hulk's face as it was originally drawn which differs from the originally published U.S. edition

The Marvel Comics Illustrated Version of the Empire Strikes Back #1
TPB ⋅ Marvel ⋅ 1980
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The Marvel Comics Illustrated Version of the Empire Strikes Back #1
 
Low
$18
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$80
High
$175

Key Facts

224-page adaptation of the Empire Strikes Back in trade paperback measuring 4 in. X 7 in.

In this edition, Yoda is depicted differently than how he appeared in the film because this publication was illustrated prior to Marvel creators knowing the final visual design of the character

Wolverine #16
Non-Key
Variant ⋅ Marvel ⋅ 2021
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Wolverine #16
 
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$2
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$8
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$20

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Tyler Kirkham

Cover art based on an animation still from X-Men: The Animated Series which became the basis of a popular meme and also spawned a toy

Batman #428
DC ⋅ 1989
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Batman #428
 
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$4
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$12
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$40

Key Facts

"A Death in the Family" part 3

Death of Robin, Jason Todd, killed by the Joker

Batman #427 ended on a cliffhanger that placed Jason Todd in the blast zone of an exploding warehouse

DC set up a poll for readers to cast their vote of whether Jason Todd should survive the blast by calling one phone number, or die by calling another

View more (2)

10,614 phone calls were made with Todd's death having been decided by only 72 votes more than the opposite outcome where he would've survived

DC had prepared both scenarios to go to print (tap cover and swipe to view unpublished pages)

Fantastic Four #20
Marvel ⋅ 1963
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Fantastic Four #20
 
Low
$210
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$805
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$2.1k

Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of Molecule Man

2nd appearance of the Watcher

George R.R. Martin, author of Game of Thrones, was 15 years old when he achieved his first taste of being published in the fan mail section of this issue

Martin’s words are eloquent beyond his years but his excessive compliments have the familiar, timeless tone of comic fanboy sarcasm

Avengers #12
Marvel ⋅ 1965
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Avengers #12
 
Low
$15
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$50
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$260

Key Facts

Fan letter from George R.R. Martin, Game of Thrones, at 16 years old

Batman #353
DC ⋅ 1982
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Batman #353
 
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$2
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$8
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$18

Key Facts

Cover art featuring the Joker

Revealed in this issue, Alfred discovers the Joker used the name Harlan Quinn to purchase real estate - Harley Quinn introduced ten years after the publication of this issue

Defenders #89
Marvel ⋅ 1980
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Defenders #89
 
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Key Facts

Origin of Hellcat, Patsy Walker, specifically her long history in Marvel's romance comics explained as fictional stories written by her mother

Profanity panel: a cartoon rabbit is holding a box of cereal with the word 'SHIT' on it that was missed by editors

Treehouse of Horror #11
Bongo ⋅ 2005
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Treehouse of Horror #11
 
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Key Facts

The Simpsons annual anthology of Halloween stories including:

The Sub-Basement of Dracula written by Marv Wolfman, illustrated by Gene Colan

Squish Thing written by Len Wein, illustrated by Bernie Wrightson

Additional writers and artists: Bill Morrison, Angelo Torres, John Severin, Mark Schultz and Al Williamson

View more (1)

Copies ordered by retailers: 12,266

Phantom Stranger, The #14
DC ⋅ 1971
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Phantom Stranger, The #14
 
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$8
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$85

Key Facts

Appearance of a character similar to Swamp Thing in a story written by Len Wein who was the writer of House of Secrets #92, the first appearance of Swamp Thing

House of Secrets #92 was published earlier than this issue though many sellers label Phantom Stranger #14 a "prototype" of Swamp Thing which would imply that it was published first

Marvel introduced Man-Thing in Savage Tales Magazine #1 just one month prior to House of Secrets #92

Masters of the Universe The Motion Picture #1
Star Comics ⋅ 1987
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Masters of the Universe The Motion Picture #1
 
Low
$4
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$12
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$45

Key Facts

One-shot adaptation of the Masters of the Universe (1987) film script

There are a number of differences between the script and the final cut of the movie that is evident throughout the one-shot

Uncanny X-Men #50
Marvel ⋅ 1968
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Uncanny X-Men #50
 
Low
$70
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$235
High
$850

Key Facts

2nd appearance Lorna Dane, daughter of Magneto who later takes the name Polaris

2nd appearance of Mesmero

Origin of Beast, his birth and cause of mutation

First use of the classic X-Men logo, designed by Jim Steranko

DC Comics Presents #85
DC ⋅ 1985
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DC Comics Presents #85
 
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Key Facts

Superman uses the name Cal Ellis to conceal his identity in this story written by Alan Moore

It is revealed in Action Comics #9 (2012) that Superman of Earth-23 is named Calvin Ellis

Amazing Adventures #11
Marvel ⋅ 1972
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Amazing Adventures #11
 
Low
$20
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$85
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$275

Key Facts

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

Marvel Comics Presents #98
Marvel ⋅ 1992
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Marvel Comics Presents #98
 
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Key Facts

Origin of the name 'Wolverine' given to Logan by Native Americans of the Blackfoot tribe and when translated means 'Skunk-Bear'

Spawn #7
Image ⋅ 1993
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Spawn #7
 
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Key Facts

The first time in Todd McFarlane's career that he forgot to sign the cover is often requested to be signed by Todd at conventions

Spider-Man #1
Marvel ⋅ 1990
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Spider-Man #1
 
Low
$2
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$8
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$18

Key Facts

Polybagged with a silver cover

Todd McFarlane begins including images of Felix the Cat in the interior art of many issues after meeting someone suffering from post-traumatic stress who carried around a Felix the Cat doll

The man told McFarlane that he was not a fan of superhero books, therefore he didn't purchase Spider-Man comics, McFarlane asked if he would start reading them if Felix the Cat was drawn into them and the man said, "yes"

Amazing Spider-Man #311
Marvel ⋅ 1989
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Amazing Spider-Man #311
 
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$12

Key Facts

Cover art by Todd McFarlane featuring Mysterio

The circled number after McFarlane's signature denotes how many spiders are illustrated into the design, hidden on the cover

📖 Inferno Crossover: next, read Daredevil #262

Web of Spider-Man #18
Marvel ⋅ 1986
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Web of Spider-Man #18
 
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$2
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$20

Key Facts

1st cameo appearance of Eddie Brock, hands only, pushing Peter Parker into the path of an oncoming train

The hands that push Peter Parker in this panel were intended to be those of a woman who lost her family in an accident, indirectly caused by Spider-Man but eventually Eddie became the main antagonist in the symbiote suit

This scene is retold from Brock's perspective in The Amazing Spider-Man #388

Incredible Hulk #292
Marvel ⋅ 1984
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Incredible Hulk #292
 
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$3

Key Facts

Images of the Hulk in the upper-left logo box create a flip-book beginning with this issue and ending with issue #300

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