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Personal Finance Advice

Allen Francis

8 Affordable Collectible Comics Investors Should Add to Their Portfolio

Damian Wayne John Byrne Marvel Wolverine Danny Rand Iron Fist Joe Quesada Laura Kinney Amazon CGC

There is a wide line between a comic book collector and a collectibles investor. 20 years ago, you really had to be in the know and have connections to be a collectibles investor. Now, all you need to do is visit a website with a price guide to check the current marketplace value of a comic. Or, check for news of comic book films, which create temporary speculation markets. It is not that difficult for the average hobbyist to start collecting affordable collectible comics for a portfolio.

Some comic books can maintain a respectable collectibles market value for years or decades. Here is a list of eight affordable collectible comics that you can buy for about $300 to $1,100.

1. Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars #1 (1984) Marvel

Of the most affordable collectible comics on this list, Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars #1 is the most affordable right now. A copy of this comic with a CGC grade of 9.8 is worth $285. If I were you, I would get it now. 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars is loosely inspired by this comic.

Additionally, the main character, an omnipotent alien known as the Beyonder, made his debut in this comic. There are rampant rumors online that the Beyonder will make his MCU debut in the post-credits scene of this year’s Avengers: Doomsday. The value of this comic is bound to fluctuate during the next year. I had my copy of this issue signed by writer Jim Shooter back in the 1990s.

2. Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends #1 (1981) Marvel

This is a key comic book that routinely maintains its value on the collectibles marketplace. A CGC 9.8 copy usually fluctuates between $352, its current buying price, and $500 or better. This is a 45+ years old Spider-Man #1 comic. It is also the first appearance of Firestar. The vital first issues of Spider-Man comics are always attractive to collectors.

3. Batman #655 (2006) DC

Damian Wayne technically made his first appearance as a baby in the 1987 graphic novel Batman: Son of the Demon. 2006’s Batman #655 is the first DC Comics canonical appearance of Damian Wayne. Damian is a fan-favorite character. Currently, a CGC 9.8 copy of this comic has a marketplace value of $187. A young actor may be cast as Damian soon for the character’s first live-action film premiere.

4. John Byrne’s Next Men #21 (1993) Dark Horse

Affordable collective comics like this maintain their value due to fervent fanbases. John Byrne is a comic book industry legend. His comic, John Byrne’s Next-Men, is an independent comic beloved by fans. It’s a dark, political superhero tale about orphaned babies undergoing scientific experimentation to become superheroes.

However, many collectors covet John Byrne’s Next-Men #21 because it features the first comic canonical appearance of Hellboy. A 9.8 CGC is now worth $391, but usually hovers around the $500 mark historically.

5. Iron Fist #14 (1977) Marvel

Iron Fist made his debut in Marvel Premiere #15 in 1974. Danny Rand, the child of rich adventurers, finds himself orphaned in the ancient Chinese city K’un Lun. After years of training, Rand grows up to become the adventurer Iron Fist. Iron Fist, as well as Shang-Chi, made their debuts during the kung-fu action film mania of the 1970s and 1980s.

Iron Fist #14 is one of those key affordable collectible comics desirable to collectors because it features the first appearance of Sabretooth. It is a very valuable comic and is known for historically maintaining its value. A CGC 9.2 is worth $535. If you want a 9.8 CGC copy, then it will cost you $3,500.

6. Wolverine: Origins #10 (2007)

Wolverine technically has three children in Marvel comics. Laura Kinney, or X-23, was at first a clone of Wolverine; later, she became his biological daughter via a retcon. Gabby Kinney, or Honey Badger, is a clone of Laura. So, Gabby is Wolverine’s clone/daughter. His biological son Akihiro, was born to his wife Itsu, who later lost her life.

Akihiro, also known as Daken, made his first appearance in this comic. The cover features iconic art by Joe Quesada; it shows Daken’s unorthodox claws protruding from his forearm. Unlike his father, Daken has two claws protruding from the knuckle ends and one that pops from his wrist just under the palms.

Quesada’s cover and its key comic status help this comic maintain its historical collectible market value. You can get a 9.2 CGC for $359. A 9.8 CGC will set you back $1,137.

7. The Walking Dead #1 (2003) Image

It’s true, The Walking Dead is no longer the global TV phenomenon it once was. However, it was one of the few live-action adaptations that truly united comic book fans and casuals who never read the comics. MCU comic book fans and casuals watch the films together but have nothing in common.

TWD comic book fans would withhold spoilers from the casuals who only knew of the IP from the show. The nostalgia factor for this IP will not go away anytime soon. A CGC 4.0 copy of this comic is worth $640. A CGC 6.8 is worth just under $900. Or, you can get a CGC 9.8 for about $2,500.

The Walking Dead: Compendium One is a 1,088-page paperback. It collects the first 48 issues of the comic. Buy it now on Amazon for only $31.99.

8. Amazing Spider-Man #678 (Joe Quinones Variant Cover) (2012) Marvel

In the current Marvel Comics continuity, Mary Jane Watson is now bound to the Venom symbiote. To say fan reaction has been mixed is an understatement. However, the Joe Quinones variant cover to 2012’s Amazing Spider-Man #678 shows a Venom-ized Mary Jane, which was mind-blowing back then.

The story is about a time machine and the destruction of New York City. However, collectors really value the rare Joe Quinones variant cover. It is the equivalent of the Holy Grail. A raw copy of this variant cover is worth $769. That means this comic in a regular Mylar comic book sleeve, without a grade or slab, is worth almost $800.

A copy of this comic with a CGC 8.0 grade is worth $1,020. A CGC 9.8 is worth $5,000.

Affordable Collectible Comics

Always consult with a collectibles expert before you start buying valuable comics. Ask yourself why you are buying them. Are you buying collectible comics to add to a financial portfolio or for their own sake?

Be prepared to inventory, bag, and sleeve all the comics you want to sell. You will have to catalog the title, issue number, publisher, and date of each comic to research them. Here is a list of websites with online price guides to help you make a ballpark estimate of a comic’s current market value as a collectible:

Remember, these websites will only give you a ballpark estimate of the value of your comic.

There is no stock index for collectibles. While there are many affordable collectible comics that maintain their value for years or decades, it is up to you to recognize the risk and to find a buyer. Consult with a collectibles expert, auction authority, or a local comic book store to find an expert who can help you.

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