Valuable Bronze Age collectible comics usually have historical importance in comic history. For example, everyone knows that Incredible Hulk #180 and Incredible Hulk #181 feature the first cameo and full appearances of Wolverine. The Death of Gwen Stacy in Amazing Spider-Man #121 and #122. The Bronze Age of comic books, from 1970 to 1985, was the bridge between the Silver Age and the current Modern Age of comics.
Some comics from this era are goofy and campy for sure, but this is a pivotal era in comics. Many comics from this era have collectible market value. Here are 10 valuable Bronze Age collectibles that would usher contemporary comics into the modern age.
1. Godzilla #1 [35 Newsstand Variant] (1977) Marvel
Marvel went on a licensing spree in the 1970s for their comics. They would acquire the licenses to make comics based on numerous 1970s-era IPs like Godzilla. It is not the most memorable comic, but it is a valuable Bronze Age collectible because of its status as a rarity.
The average Marvel comic in 1977 was 30 cents. Marvel would experiment with making a limited run of comics with a 35 cent price point, which make them ultra rare today. A 9.2 CGC grade of this issue is worth almost $2,900. The regular 30 cent version is worth $445.
2. Micronauts #1 (1979) Marvel
Micronauts is a Japanese toy line that is now owned by Hasbro. The toys had no backstory or mythology connected to them; they were just tiny, miniature toy models. Writer Bill Mantlo and artist Michael Golden would create an epic mythology and backstory about the Micronauts in a comic book licensing deal for Marvel.
The Micronauts were revolutionaries caught in political intrigue in the Microverse, or pocket universe. They later escape to the 616 Marvel Universe, but still in miniature form. Issue #1 is a valuable Bronze Age collectible because of this fact. A near-perfect copy of this issue is worth $100.
3. Marvel Spotlight #5 (1972) Marvel
Johnny Blaze, an Evel Knevil analogue daredevil of the era, makes his debut in this era. Blaze makes a deal with the Devil to save a relative. Afterwards, Blaze becomes the Ghost Rider at night. The character became a pop culture phenomenon and a cult favorite amongst fans. A 9.2 CGC grade of this comic is worth over $4,250. A near-perfect copy is worth over $244,000.
4. House of Secrets #92 (1971) DC
This valuable Bronze Age collectible features the first appearance of Swamp Thing. The first Swamp Thing was Alexander Olsen, a scientist murdered by another man over a love triangle. The original Swamp Thing was a generic swamp monster in an anthology horror comic, but it was still the start of a soon-to-be cult favorite character.
This comic is worth over $70,500 in near-perfect condition.
5. Detective Comics #400 (1970) DC
Dr. Kirk Langstrom is a zoologist who experiments upon himself with a bat extract serum. He trunks himself in a Man-Bat, a human/bat hybrid. While the character is not widely popular, his first appearance is a valuable Bronze Age collectible. A nearly pristine copy of this comic is worth almost $6,700.
6. Savage Tales #1 (1971) Marvel
Man-Thing made his debut in this issue in July 1971. Swamp-Thing made his debut in May of the same year. History has yet to determine which character was a ripoff of the other, since both were published around the same time. Dr. Ted Sallis injects himself with a variant of the Captain America super soldier serum, crashes in a swamp, and becomes Man-Thing.
A really good copy of this comic is worth about $7,900.
7. Night Nurse #1 (1972) Marvel
Romance comics were once a very popular genre in the comic book industry throughout the 20th century. Night Nurse is a romance comic featuring three characters: Georgia Jenkins, Linda Carter, and Christine Palmer. Rosario Dawson portrayed a version of Linda Carter in the Netflix Marvel streaming shows. Rachel McAdams would play Christine Palmer in the MCU Doctor Strange films.
This was one of the last romance comics Marvel would publish before the genre fizzled out, making it a valuable Bronze Age collectible. A close-to-perfect copy of this comic is worth $28,800.
8. Batman #251 (1973) DC
After a four-year absence in the comics, DC Comics brought back the Joker in this issue with a Bronze Age reinvention. The Joker was a goofy, Golden and Silver Age Batman villain that was hardly taken seriously. The Adam West 1960s Batman series would also cement the unserious nature of the character.
Neal Adams’ iconic cover and art, and the story, would reinvent the character as a more psychotic and dangerous character. Creators in the 1980s and 1990s would further cement the new and more deranged persona for the Joker. A 9.8 CGC grade of this valuable Bronze Age collectible is worth over $32,300.
9. Strange Tales #169 (1973) Marvel
Jericho Drumm, Brother Voodoo, a Haitian version of Dr. Strange. Drumm goes to Haiti, becomes a Haitian houngan, and has the spirit of his dead brother, Daniel, merge with his own soul as he becomes Brother Voodo. This comic is worth $6,600 in near-perfect condition.
10. Amazing Spider-Man #101 (1971) Marvel
Dr. Michael Morbius makes his debut in this issue. While the recent Jared Leto film Morbius was a bomb, the character has been a cult favorite in comics and cartoons for decades. An excellent copy of this comic is worth $14,500.
Valuable Bronze Age Collectibles
Comic books grew up during the Bronze Age; they were no longer goofy, non-serious, or strictly beholden to the Comics Code Authority censorship and guidelines. Bronze Age plots began to mirror real-world events that would help pave the way for the gritty, nihilistic comics of the Modern Age in the 1980s.
This is a great era to look for relatively valuable comic books compared to Silver or Golden Age comics.
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