Here Are The 10 Most Valuable Comic Books From The 80’s
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Some of the best comic book investments don’t have to cost a lot of money. Age, rarity, pivotal storylines, and many other factors help to make a comic book a collectible. It’s been almost 40 years since that time, so here is a list of the 10 most most valuable comic books from the 80s.
1. Batman: The Killing Joke (1988)
Image courtesy FB/HoTB
A 9.8 CGC copy of this comic is worth about $200. It’s still one of the most valuable comic books from the 80s because of the story’s influence on its era of comics. This storyline still reverberates today in comics. For better or worse, the tropes and story dynamics explored between Batman and the Joker endures to this day and still influences comics, TV and film adaptations.
2. Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #1 (1984)
Image courtesy Allen Francis (My personal copy of SW #1 signed by Jim Shooter)
This is one of the most valuable comic books from the 80s because it’s the inspiration for the biggest comic book film of 2027, Avengers: Secret Wars. The Beyonder, a God-like alien who debuted in this comic may also debut in the MCU in 2027. A copy of this comic with a 9.8 CGC grade is worth $225.
3. Wolverine #1 (1982)
Image courtesy FB/CPG.
The dimension-hopping sequences displaying multiple variants of Wolverine in Deadpool and Wolverine created a temporary niche industry in the collectibles market where everyone was trying to sell or buy the comics that inspired those scenes. While this opportunistic period for collectibles has since cooled off, no one can deny that it happened.
A 9.8 CGC copy of this comic is worth over $508.
4. Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #8 (1984)
Image courtesy FB/Midtown Comics.
This comic is worth about $500 with a 9.8 CGC grade. Spider-Man’s now iconic black costume made its debut in this issue. While stranded on another planet, Spider-Man uses a machine that produces a black mass that covers him in a black and white costume.
Unbeknownst to Spider-Man it is a parasitic alien symbiote. Additionally, Venom might never have been created without the story inspirations from this issue.
5. The X-Men #141 (1981)
Image courtesy FB/Spartacus.
This comic was the start of the iconic Days of Future Past storyline where robotic sentinel hunters began exterminating mutants in the future. Kitty Pryde is sent to the past to try to change that future. This comic also inspired the 2014 film of the same name. A copy of this comic with a 9.8 CGC grade is worth $845.
6. Amazing Spider-Man #238 (1983)
A 9.8 CGC graded copy of this comic is worth almost $1,300. This comic features the first appearance of Harry Osborn as the Hobgoblin. However, some copies of this comic are rarer than others because of a Canadian price, Mark Jeweller insert, or its a newsstand variant. If you have this comic have it authenticated now.
7. X-Men #129 (1980)
Image courtesy FB/I Love Emma Frost.
This comic features the first appearances of Kitty Pryde and Emma Frost, two very popular X-Men characters in the comic books. Additionally, since this comic was actually published in 1979, the mistaken 1980 date on the cover also adds to its value as a collectible.
A 9.8 CGC copy of this comic has a market value of $1,600.
8. The Amazing Spider-Man #300 (1988)
Image courtesy FB/IRC.
This comic’s value derives from featuring the first appearance of Venom. Venom is now a globally popular comic book character because of the IP’s inclusion in Sony’s cinematic universe of Spider-Man characters. (Sony owns the TV and film rights to Spider-Man as well as any Spider-Man related, associated, and adjacent characters.)
A copy of this comic with a 9.8 CGC grade is worth over $2,700.
9. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (1984)
This IP was really the business model prototype for what the MCU would become 24 years later. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles started out as an independent, black and white comic book. It became a cultural and global sensation by the late 1980s and 1990s. TNMT was licensed for TV, films, video games, and more. TMNT comics are still wildly popular today. A 9.8 CGC copy of this comic is worth $38,500.
10. Albedo Anthropomorphics #2 (1984)
Image courtesy FB/TRL.
Usagi Yojimbo is a samurai rabbit character that is very popular with comic book fans who love independent comics. The character still appears in comics today and has a loyal fanbase. This comic features the first appearance of the character, which adds value to the comic book. This is a very rare comic book and a copy recently sold for $55,000.
Most Valuable Comic Books From the 80s
What makes one comic book a valuable collectible relative to another? There are numerous factors involved, not one. A new comic book film announcement or shift in the collector’s market can make a comic that was worthless yesterday extremely valuable tomorrow.
Always consult a comic book expert and do your own research before investing in a comic book. Never invest in comic books on a whim, its not a good financial strategy.
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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.
