Most Valuable Comic Books of the 1950s
Comic book collectors and collectibles investors should understand the history and creative lore of comic books to a certain extent. It helps if you want to invest in the most valuable comic books of the 1950s.
You don’t need to become a comic book historian, but it helps to know about the four ages of comic book history. (Or, you can just randomly pay a fortune for comic books you know nothing about.) These include the Golden Age, the Silver Age, the Bronze Age, and the Modern Age of comic book publishing. This article will cover some of the most valuable comic books of the 1950s, or, the Golden Age of comic books.
Quick Primer on Comic Book Eras
The Golden Age of comic books is from 1938 to 1956 roughly. It was the publication of Action Comics #1 in 1938, the first appearance of Superman, that launched our cultural obsession with superheroes.
The Silver Age, from 1956 to 1970, marks the superhero-centric reemergence of comic books. Superheroes were born in the Golden Age, but after WWII, sci-fi, horror, western, and war anthology comics were the norm. During the Bronze Age, from 1970 to 1985, comics got less silly and tackled darker subjects, and included more graphic character deaths depicted in comics.
(Detective Comics #225. First appearance of Martian Manhunter. Image courtesy Kurt Wenzel/FB.)
In the Modern Age, from 1985 to the present, comic books reflect society more. Also, comics became more commercialized. We live in an era where Iron Man, not a popular character at all pre-2008, is now a household name.
The rarity of a comic, the era in which it was published, the famous creators attached to the project, and pivotal storylines contribute to its value. Silver Age comic books were made with cheap paper, featured the first appearances of some famous characters, and are generally rare. So, with that out of the way, let’s examine some of the most valuable comics of the 1950s.
Showcase # 4 (October 1959) DC Comics
Showcase #4. The 1st appearance of Barry Allen. Image courtesy The Comic Express/FB.
Even though the Golden Age of comic books introduced Superman, superhero comics were in a market crowded with other genres of comics. The publication of Showcase #4 reinvigorated the superhero genre. It was also one of the first comics that officially heralded the Silver Age, even if it technically started 3 years earlier.
This comic was the first appearance of the Silver Age Flash, Barry Allen, and Iris West, characters now wildly popular on TV and in film. Also of significance is the fact this comic updated the Flash as a legacy character for the Silver Age.
The Golden Age Flash, Jay Garrick, also appears in this issue. A 9.2 CGC grade copy of this comic is worth $105,000. A copy of this issue in any grade is a good investment.
This comic may be one of the most valuable comic books of the 1950s.
If you want to read some of the Flash’s Silver Age stories at a reasonable price, check out Flash: The Silver Age. This paperback features 10 of the Flash’s best Silver Age stories, including Showcase #4. Get it at Amazon now for $17.49.
Showcase #22 (October 1959) DC Comics
Showcase #22. The first appearance of Hal Jordan. Image courtesy NerdQuest.
Warner Brothers, the parent company of DC Comics, tried to jumpstart a Green Lantern film franchise starring Ryan Reynolds in 2011. The film was a flop and diehard DC fans pretend it never existed. While Green Lantern has yet to find mainstream success in film and TV, the character has always been wildly popular with comic book fans.
The Golden Age version of Green Lantern was a character named Alan Scott who first appeared in 1940. Since the introduction of the Golden Age Flash was a success, a new Silver Age Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, was introduced in Showcase #22 in 1959.
This comic also features the first appearance of Carol Ferris and Abin Sur, as well as his death. A 9.2 CGC-graded copy of this comic is worth $35,000.
Want to check out the Silver Age adventures of Hal Jordan Green Lantern? Check out Green Lantern the Silver Age Omnibus 1. It features 38 Green Lantern stories from the Silver Age. Get it for $14.99 at Amazon.
Action Comics #242 (July 1958) DC Comics
Image courtesy Charlie Eisenberg/FB.
Brainiac is a cult-favorite supervillain of hardcore DC comics fans. The character debuted in Action Comics #242. Brainiac is a cosmic collector obsessed with collecting information. He likes to shrink cities and destroy their home planets so that he alone owns the data and cultures of obsolete worlds.
In Action Comics #242, Brainiac shrinks and steals Metropolis. Superman infiltrates Brainiac’s ship. While saving Metropolis Superman is shocked to discover that Brainiac owns a miniaturized Kandor, the capital city of his destroyed homeworld, Krypton.
While Brainiac has been adapted in superhero TV shows, cartoons, and video games, he has yet to be adapted to the big screen. The value of this pivotal comic book is certain to increase once that happens. A copy of this issue with a 9.8 CGC grade is worth $91,500. Even a raw and ungraded copy of this issue is worth over $530.
Want to learn more about Brainiac? Check out 2008’s Superman: Brainiac. This trade paperback reinvents Brainiac for modern comic book readers, the story beats from Action Comics #242 and stays true to the character’s Golden Age origins. Get it now at Amazon for $14.
Action Comics #252 (May 1959) DC Comics
(Action Comics #252. First Silver Age appearance of Supergirl. Image courtesy Ken Cileli.)
Although superheroes are the craze now, most people may not know that there was a Supergirl movie in 1984 starring a teenage Helen Slater in the title role. The movie failed. However, Supergirl is now wildly popular due to the TV show starring Melissa Benoist. Actress Milly Alcock will portray Supergirl in an upcoming film.
Action Comics #252 marked the first appearance of Supergirl, or, Kara Zor-El. It is also the first appearance of the character Metallo. A 9.8 CGC graded copy of this comic is worth $160,000 on the collectibles market.
Want to learn more about Silver Age Supergirl? Supergirl: The Silver Age Vol. 1 collects 30 stories that were featured as backup stories in the Silver Age run of Action Comics. Get it for $24.99 at Amazon.
Superboy #68 (October 1958) DC Comics
Image courtesy Comic Books/FB.
Most comic book fans believe that Bizarro is a clone of Superman, but that is only true in the Modern Age version of the character.
Bizarro debuted in Superboy #68. A scientist creates a replicating device and uses Superboy as a test subject. Bizarro is created as a result. Bizarro has chalky white skin, a grotesque appearance, a child-like intellect and speech cadence, and is basically a Frankenstein version of the superhero. Still, he basically has the powers of Superboy, and in later versions of the character, Superman.
A copy of this issue with a 9.8 CGC grade is worth almost $66,000. A raw and ungraded copy of this issue is worth almost $500. If you can find a 4.0 CGC grade copy of this issue, you could buy it for $700. If I were you, I would buy any lower CGC-grade version of this comic. When WBD figures out a way to bring Bizarro to the big screen, the value of this comic will surge.
Want to learn more about Bizarro? Check out Bizarro, a 2015 trade paperback that follows Bozarro’s attempt to understand what it means to become a hero. Get it at Amazon now for $12.98.
A Hobby of Patience
If you are going to start buying and collecting valuable comics, you really need to understand the associated protocols. Touching them with your bare hands isn’t advisable. They need to be slabbed in a protective casing to protect their value. You’ll be collecting for sentimental value. Or strategically bidding your time in the hopes of profiting off of another collector.
Consult with a comic book expert, comic book store owner, or collectibles market expert before you start investing in comic books.
Collect some paperback Silver Age stories to learn more about the characters and comic books you want to invest in.
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Most Valuable Comic Books of the 1960s
Allen Francis is a full-time writer, prolific comic book investor and author of The Casual’s Guide: Why You Should Get Into Comic Book Investing. Allen holds a BA degree from Marymount Manhattan College. Before becoming a writer Allen was an academic advisor, librarian, and college adjunct for many years. Allen is an advocate of best personal financial practices including saving and investing in your own small business.
Wd just found about 20 comic books in our relatives attic. From Casper Oct No.38 to Di k Tracey. Other then yellow pages they are in really good condition. Looking for advice on how to sell them.
Hello and thanks for the question! My advice to you is to contact a local Certified Guaranty Company or CGC. A CGC is a third-party evaluator who can evaluate your comic books and determine their value. Just because you found some old comic books in your attic does not automatically mean that they are valuable. Are they extremely rare? Were they printed in the Platinum or Golden eras of comic books? Are the comic books in aesthetically pristine condition? There are many factors that determine the value of a valuable comic book. And a CGC or collectibles evaluator is the best type of expert for you to see for an appraisal consultation. Many CGCs also have connections to auction houses that have connections to collectors looking to buy valuable comic books. You need to determine the market value of the comic books before you can hope to sell them. Once your comic books are evaluated they will be assigned a CGC grade (10 is the highest grade while 0.5 is the lowest) and slabbed or placed in a rigid plastic shell for protection, you can list them online at auction sites like eBay. Or you could make connections at local comic book shops to find out if anyone is buying comics. I would consult every local collectible auction house to see if you can find a broker to help you find a collector or sell on your behalf. However, if the comic pages are yellowed, then you should expect the potential value of the comics to be lowered accordingly.