March 2005 Market Report
Hello from sunny South Florida. The comic book back issue market is really starting to heat up as the convention season is in full bloom and we approach the Summer, the statistical peak of the buying season. First came WonderCon on the weekend of February 18-20, then MegaCon the final weekend in February and then it was Wizard World Long Beach in mid-March. I was able to make it to the final two shows and definitely continued to notice a trend that has redefined our hobby for a couple of years already. Most of the big time deals (trades, purchases and sales) are usually between dealers. Very infrequently will you find a large item or very valuable comic sold by a dealer to a collector or convention-goer. In fact, most of the big ticket books will be sold from one dealer to another way before the doors are open to the general public. And, most dealers do not even bring their expensive stock to shows as the internet (websites and ebay) has replaced the traditional forum of buying (and selling) comic books at stores, through catalogues and at conventions. Most dealers are keenly aware of this fact and will take advantage of the dearth of big dollar spenders at the shows by going to their dealer brethren as soon as possible to find stuff for their own customers and/or websites. That was definitely the case at Wizard World, where I was able to buy a great selection of Silver Age DC’s for my website from four different dealers plus a 140 book run of raw Bronze Age Marvels that I immediately submitted to the CGC at the show. In the old days, those books would have been sold to collectors at the dealer’s marked up convention prices (takes the set-up fees and traveling costs into the equation) and not at a discounted amount to a competitor!
Undoubtedly, as a consumer, the internet has made it incredibly easy to purchase comic books without the hassles of traveling hours to a convention, paying increasing prices just to get in the door and then dealing with lines and the fact that most of the good stuff is already gone or currently available online. The internet is the way of the present and may force a lot of dealers to change their convention planning altogether in the future. Most savvy collectors realize this and don’t have to leave the comfort of their homes to purchase quality stuff for their collections.
Speaking of selling books on the internet, which is the primary vehicle Pedigree Comics, Inc. utilizes to sell our material, March presented a very diversified listing of comics for us, as we sold many mid grade keys, pedigree Bronze Age Marvels, pedigree 1950’s Atlas, Silver Age DC’s, more 9.6 and 9.8 Incredible Hulks from our 3-day weekend listing in late February and our bread and butter, Silver Age Marvels. However, the highlight of March was definitely the ultra high grade run of Sub-Mariners (issue #’s 1-53 and Annual #1) from the Oakland Collection that came to market on the weekend of March 4th. I had previously intended to list this run back in November (during the week of Thanksgiving) but really loved the covers and stories and the collector in me couldn’t bear to part with the run. When I saw the responses I was receiving to the other pedigree runs I had listed (Strange Tales, Sgt. Fury, Captain Marvel, Iron Man, etc.), I figured the Sub-Mariners would be met with much enthusiasm as well and decided to list the run on our website.
To my amazement, Most of the 9.8’s and 9.6’s sold almost immediately, and slowly but surely, practically all of the 9.4’s and 9.2’s were gone within 3 weeks. Incredibly, 46 out of the 54 issues listed had sold by late March!! The Oaklands basically sell themselves, as they have incredibly fresh paper, superior gloss and an undeniable presence about them that adds to the fact that they come from an anal and meticulous original owner. As you can see from the sales data below, the books sold at aggressive multiples, partly due to their provenance and partly due to the fact that these late 60’s and early 70’s books are ridiculously cheap and grossly undervalued in the Overstreet Guide. Even at 10-12x guide for a mid -1972 9.6, these 20 centers are still very affordable when they list at only $10.00 at the top of guide, 9.2 price. The great John Buscema, Marie Severin, Sal Buscema and Gil Kane covers didn’t hurt, either!
Sub-Mariner Sales:
1 9.4 450 (Oakland)
3 9.6 475 (Oakland)
6 9.6 250 (Oakland)
7 9.4 185 (Oakland)
8 9.6 800 (Pacific Coast)
9 9.4 185 (Oakland)
10 9.4 185 (Oakland)
11 9.6 275 (Oakland)
13 9.6 275 (Oakland)
14 9.6 350
15 9.4 120 (Oakland)
16 9.6 250 (Oakland)
17 9.4 120 (Oakland)
20 9.6 260 (Oakland)
21 9.6 185 (Oakland)
22 9.6 240 (Oakland)
23 9.4 110 (Oakland)
24 9.6 175 (Oakland)
24 9.6 150
25 9.6 190 (Oakland)
26 9.6 190 (Oakland)
27 9.6 180 (Oakland)
28 9.6 190 (Oakland)
29 9.6 185 (Oakland)
30 9.6 190 (Oakland)
31 9.8 300 (Oakland)
32 9.6 225 (Oakland)
34 9.6 750 (Oakland)
35 9.8 800 (Oakland)
36 9.6 225 (Oakland)
37 9.8 400 (Oakland)
38 9.8 350 (Oakland)
39 9.6 190 (Oakland)
40 9.8 450 (Oakland)
41 9.4 90 (Oakland)
42 9.6 190 (Oakland)
43 9.6 225 (Oakland)
44 9.6 220 (Oakland)
45 9.2 70 (Oakland)
46 9.6 125 (Oakland)
47 9.8 250 (Oakland)
48 9.8 250 (Oakland)
49 9.6 135 (Oakland)
50 9.6 175 (Oakland)
51 9.6 275 (Oakland)
52 9.6 135 (Oakland)
53 9.6 125 (Oakland)
59 9.4 130
Sub-Mariner Annual 1 9.6 310 (Oakland)
Silver Age Sales:
Amazing Spider-Man 1 6.0 3,700
Amazing Spider-Man 1 3.5 1,700
Avengers 2 9.2 1,800
Avengers 12 9.4 490
Batman 208 9.6 600
Doctor Strange 180 9.6 300 (Oakland)
Fantastic Four 5 8.5 5,600
Fantastic Four 8 8.5 975
Fantastic Four 10 9.4 6,100
Fantastic Four 23 8.0 300
Fantastic Four 36 8.5 180
Fantastic Four 49 9.2 825
Fantastic Four 75 9.0 70
Fantasy Masterpieces 7 9.6 250
Green Lantern 4 9.2 2,400
Green Lantern 11 9.4 1,800
Iron Man 9 9.4 350
Iron Man 12 9.4 225 (Oakland)
Journey Into Mystery 91 9.4 4,250
Journey Into Mystery 113 9.0 200
Journey Into Mystery 125 9.4 800
My Love 1 9.2 350 (Oakland)
My Love 2 9.2 100 (Oakland)
Nick Fury 4 9.6 525 (Winnipeg)
Nick Fury 12 9.4 100
Sgt. Fury 26 9.4 285 (Mass. copy)
Sgt. Fury 35 9.4 190
Sgt. Fury 36 9.6 240 (Boston)
Sgt. Fury 44 9.4 240
Sgt. Fury 47 9.6 280
Sgt. Fury 48 9.6 275
Sgt. Fury 49 9.6 280
Sgt. Fury 73 9.6 150
Strange Tales 115 9.0 535
Tales of Suspense 39 4.0 700
Tales of Suspense 53 9.2 550
Tales of Suspense 81 9.4 270
Tales to Astonish 27 7.5 2,000
Tales to Astonish 35 3.5 225
Tales to Astonish 70 9.4 500 (Boston)
Tales to Astonish 74 9.2 120 (Western Penn)
Tales to Astonish 86 9.4 225
Tales to Astonish 94 9.4 175
Tales to Astonish 95 9.2 120 (Pacific Coast)
Thor 150 9.6 400
X-Men 1 4.5 1,400
Bronze Age Sales:
Amazing Spider-Man 124 9.6 700
Amazing Spider-Man 133 9.8 750
Amazing Spider-Man 135 9.6 475
Amazing Spider-Man 146 9.4 80
Amazing Spider-Man 194 9.4 90
Amazing Spider-Man 203 9.6 75
Amazing Spider-Man 300 9.6 200
Amazing Spider-Man 300 9.6 175
Amazing spider-Man Annual 9 9.4 60
Avengers 95 9.4 275 (Northland)
Avengers 97 9.6 220
Avengers 114 9.4 75
Arrgh! 1 9.6 100 (Winnipeg)
Arrgh! 2 9.6 75 (Winnipeg)
Batman 239 9.6 375
Captain America 172 9.6 125
Captain America 179 9.6 65
Captain America 186 9.6 50
Combat Kelly 1 9.6 160 (Oakland)
Daredevil 95 9.6 160 (Curator)
Daredevil 168 9.6 625
Doc Savage 7 9.4 40
Fantastic Four 127 9.2 50 (Northland)
Fantastic Four 129 9.2 65 (Northland)
Frankenstein 1 9.4 155
Fantastic four Annual 8 9.4 9.0 40
Ghost Rider 1 9.6 2,300
Giant-Size X-Men 1 9.8 12,500
Hero For Hire 1 9.2 275
Hero For Hire 9 9.4 75
Hero For Hire 10 9.6 125 (Winnipeg)
Hero For Hire 12 9.6 80 (Winnipeg)
Hero For Hire 14 9.6 80 (Winnipeg)
Incredible Hulk 112 9.4 200 (Pacific Coast)
Incredible Hulk 116 9.8 700
Incredible Hulk 120 9.6 400
Incredible Hulk 122 9.6 600 (Pacific Coast)
Incredible Hulk 125 9.6 375
Incredible Hulk 127 9.4 140
Incredible Hulk 131 9.6 210
Incredible Hulk 138 9.8 700
Incredible Hulk 179 9.6 135
Incredible Hulk 180 9.4 525
Incredible Hulk 273 9.8 40
Incredible Hulk 293 9.8 50
Journey Into Mystery 2 9.4 60 (Northland)
Jungle Action 18 9.8 85
Marvel Feature 2 9.4 150
Marvel Feature 3 9.6 (Vol. 2) 45 (Winnipeg)
Marvel Premiere 44 9.6 25
Marvel Premiere 50 9.8 200
Marvel Team-Up 17 9.6 125 (Winnipeg)
Marvel Team-Up 18 9.6 100 (Winnipeg)
Marvel Triple Action 1 9.6 218
Ms. Marvel 18 9.6 450
Power Man 17 9.6 150
Power Man 18 9.6 65 (Winnipeg)
Power Man 19 9.6 60 (Winnipeg)
Power Man 21 9.6 60 (Winnipeg)
Power Man 29 9.6 60 (Winnipeg)
Power Man Annual 1 9.6 100 (Winnipeg)
Raiders of the Lost Ark 1 9.8 60 (Winnipeg)
Raiders of the Lost Ark 2 9.8 75 (Winnipeg)
Red Sonja 1 9.4 45 (Winnipeg)
Sgt. Fury 76 9.6 175
Sgt. Fury 90 9.6 160
Sgt. Fury 91 9.6 125 (Mass. Copy)
Tomb of Dracula 1 9.2 200
Thor 193 9.4 200
Uncanny X-Men 148 9.6 50
U.S. 1 1 9.8 35 (Winnipeg)
War is Hell 11 9.4 65
War is Hell 12 9.4 65
Warlock 5 9.4 45 (Mass. Copy)
Warlock 6 9.4 45 (Mass. Copy)
Warlock 7 9.6 80 (Mass. Copy)
Warlock 8 9.6 80 (Mass. Copy)
X-Men 96 9.6 475
X-Men 97 9.6 500
X-Men 140 9.6 75
Atlas Comics Sales:
Astonishing 52 8.0 145 (White Mountain)
Astonishing 57 8.5 170 (White mountain)
Mystic 54 8.0 130 (Circle 8)
Mystical Tales 7 8.0 125
Mystery Tales 53 8.5 165 (White mountain)
Strange Stories of Suspense 12 8.5 165 (Bethlehem)
Strange Tales 37 8.5 375 (Bethlehem)
Uncanny Tales 53 8.5 140 (Aurora)
Uncanny Tales 55 9.0 165 (Circle 8)
World of Fantasy 17 8.0 140
World of Suspense 6 8.5 165 (White mountain)