5 Valuable Comic Books That Can Diversify Your Portfolio
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Valuable comic books can absolutely be leveraged into investments that can diversify your financial portfolio. You must know what you are looking for, understand how valuable comic books gain their value, and have the right connections.
Here are five valuable comic books that maintain their value and can diversify your financial portfolio. The comics on this list are affordable and have maintained their value. Firstly, a brief primer on how comic books become collectibles.
How Do Valuable Comics Books Gain Their Value?
Traditionally, comic books gained their value from their rarity, age, having the signature of famous creators, featuring the first appearance of characters, and so on. Now, recently published comic books are rising significantly in value because the MCU or DCU announces new films and castings.
Fans and nostalgic collectibles investors then drive up the value of these books because everyone is trying to find the comics that inspire these films and casting announcements.
1. What If? Iron Man: Demon in an Armor #1 (2010) Marvel
What If? Iron Man: Demon in an Armor #1 is a one-shot comic set in an alternate universe. Tony Stark and Victor von Doom are college roommates. Doom warns an arrogant Stark that his calculations for an experiment are wrong. Stark then becomes Dr. Doom.
This comic was barely worth #30 in early July 2024. After Robert Downey Jr. was cast as Dr. Doom in upcoming Avengers films, an announcement that broke the internet for days, What If? Iron Man: Demon in an Armor #1 skyrocketed. Sellers on eBay are trying to sell it for hundreds of dollars. One enterprising seller is trying to sell a copy signed by the creators for $2,500.
Remember, this comic was almost worthless before the RDJ casting announcement. Now, because this comic partially inspired the casting, this 2010 comic is surging in value. RDJ is reportedly getting paid $50 million per film to come back to Marvel. Pay attention to the value of this comic as Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars premiere.
2. Tales To Astonish #13 (1960) Marvel
This comic book features the debut of Groot, the tree-like alien and breakout character from the MCU’s Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy of films. Groot is a mysterious alien from Planet X that resembles a tree in this comic and would not become a superhero until decades later.
That comic has retained its value for decades and is still valuable. A copy of this comic with a CGC grade is worth $2,200. A CGC 4.0 grade copy of this comic is worth $4,000. A 9.8 copy of this comic is worth $220,000.
3. New Mutants #98 (1991) Marvel
The recently released Deadpool and Wolverine has already crossed the $500 million mark in ticket sales. It might make a billion. The star of this film, Deadpool, debuted in New Mutants #98, a comic book that has consistently maintained its value.
A copy of this comic with a CGC grade of 9.8 is worth $1,100.
4. Batman Adventures #12 (1993) DC
We live in a world where there are now two live-action Harley Quinns. Margot Robbie originally brought the character to life in 2018’s Suicide Squad. Lady Gaga will play a different version of Harley in the sequel to 2019’s Joker.
Harley Quinn actually premiered in an episode of Batman: The Animated Series. The comic that introduced the character in DC comics, Batman Adventures #12, has also maintained its value. A copy of this comic with a CGC grade of 9.8 is worth $2,100.
5. PEP Comics #22 (1941) MLJ Magazines
Image courtesy Rajeev LunarWolf/FB.
Archie Andrews, Betty, and Jughead debuted in this issue. It is a legendary issue that has consistently maintained its value over the decades. A raw and ungraded copy of this comic book can be worth $13,500. This comic is so rare that a graded copy can command six figures.
Some Valuable Comic Books Can Be Sound Investments
Don’t start investing in comic books on a whim. Consult with comic book experts and financial advisors. Some valuable comic books are better investments than others.
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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.
