The original . It's the most recent and highest known sale that I could find at the time of this writing and publication. . 9.8s are popping in-and-out of the $1,000 range, but an actual 9.9 sale did make history back in 2009. After appearing in Amazing Fantastic #15, Spider-Man got his own title series written by Stan Lee, with art by Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby. Highest and most recent sale of a CGC 9.8 of Marvel Spotlight #5 was at a whopping $264,000 that sold at Heritage Auctions in 2021. Star Wars #1 35c Edition. Demand may rise but the value may not. This time was to go around the Comics Code and publish more mature-themed stories. Shang-Chi is actually half-Chinese and his mother white. To do so, Odin temporarily wipes Thor's memory and turns him into a nerdy scientist while Earth is under attack by the stone men from Saturn. 3/31/2022 UPDATE: A CGC 9.8 copy of this comic sold on eBay for $72,111.00 bucks on December 18, 2021 at ComicConnect. In 1937, DC publisher Harry Donenfeld was worried that a competing publishing house would steal the "Action Comics" title, so he mocked up this comic book and sent it to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to secure the title. Bruces father tries to intervene, and the criminal shoots them dead. $22,200 was the price the most recent CGC 9.8 Amazing Spider-Man #101 copy sold for in September of 2021. Wonder Woman first appeared in the eighth issue of "All Star Comics" in 1940. In reality, that isn't a super amount of copies at that grade, even with the extra 7 Blue Label 9.8s that CBCS has graded. Oh, and then theres the whole first appearance of the Flash and Hawkman. It has been ten years since Iron Man stepped out of the pages of Marvel and onto the big screen, launching one of the most popular and beloved movie franchises the world has ever known. 39, which featured the first appearance of Iron Man. A monumental piece of Americana valued at $126,000. Plenty of people reading this article might not have a single clue as to who or what the Red Raven is. But it was still 1942, and a female superhero might not have been as appealing to young boys as Captain America or Superman. Anyway, his first appearance is actually in this comic, and he was meant to be an Iron Fist foil. The Luke Cage Netflix show was not that bad, not like Iron Fist. By the way, the Wolverine limited series was also written by Chris Claremont. 9.8s currently stand in the CGC Census at 207 Universal copies with ten Signature Series and 1 Restored copy. They are worth far more than their weight in gold. 1, the first appearance of Superman, and in turn, the origination of comic book superheroes as we know them today. A $7,200 sale of a CGC 9.8 of X-Men #101 dropped back in September of this year, 2021. I've had it for almost a decade so far and wish I got or could get more copies. 1 began with only Thor, Iron Man, Hulk, Ant-Man and the Wasp as its founding members. The X-Men might be hands down one of the greatest creations in sci-fi/ fantasy / comic books. With Vulture now firmly in the MCU being played by Michael Keaton, the character has been introduced to the masses, which always helps feed interest in the comics books. I am surprised and thought that the 1st appearance of Wolverine would've taken the number #1 spot. But the real reason this one is a hot book is because it is a Canadian White, one of two books on this list that are. I wouldn't be upset if Colter's version of Luke was carried over into the Disney/MCU stuff. A fresh take on sports: the biggest news and most entertaining lists. The Avengers #1 Pacific Coast pedigree (Marvel, 1963) CGC NM+ 9.6 Off-white pages.. Auction amount: $274,850 . It's only fitting that two of Spideys greatest foes, Doctor Octopus and the Green Goblin not only debuted within a year from one another and both are valued at the same amount, 54,000 dollars. The most valuable comic books of the 1960s seeded the explosion of the comic book culture we enjoy today. Spider-Man has always been a popular superhero (arguably the most popular), and the prices as of late reflect his popularity. Three debuts are of extremely popular X-Men characters and the three being Storm, Colossus and Nightcrawler. If you're wondering what the most valuable Marvel Bronze Age comics are, this article will detail the top. Someone had stolen it from his home, but it was found 11 years later in a Southern California storage locker. Once again, feel free to comment, and I hope you share this article to those who will benefit. In the first of a two-parter, the two heroes dueled to a stalemate in and around Manhattan. It can be difficult to figure out which of your 1990s comic books are worth money, but here is a simple list of over 100 valuable comics from that period. This comic from 1940 features the first appearance of the Spectre as well as the Presence, DCs representation of the Abrahamic god. The first issue of Motion Pictures Funny Weekly didn't see a lot of issues hit the shelves in the theater, but the book was still notable for being the debut of Namor, The Sub-Mariner, who was eventually ret-conned into being Marvels first mutant. This comic has quite a bit of important firsts, including Thanos and Drax the Destroyer. As time went on, however, Deadpool evolved into a character who became acutely aware of how ridiculous comics are as a creative medium, and took full advantage of everything illustrated heroes could offer. Its also noted to be the first comic to usher in the Silver Age. While plenty of comic book fans have known this for years, perhaps some might not - the Human Torch existed long before Johnny Storm went on a spaceship. The Top 10 Most Valuable Modern Age Key Issue Comics to Date. Two marquis issues not just in the history of the Fantastic Four, but in Marvel are both currently tied as 65K at their highest value. Phoenix has become an extremely iconic X-Men character in Marvel Comics without a doubt. Not something creators used to drum up sales, but often times just carelessness on the part of creative teams. Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #1 - 1st appearance and origin of Luke Cage. Most Valuable Comic Books of the 1970s (It Pays to Know) It's important to know why the comic books you collect are valuable. Anyway, the one panel teaser of the popular Marvel mutant at the end of this story has seen monumental gains in the last two years a lone for CGC 9.8s: Wowza! A CGC 9.8 of Iron Man #55 sold for $9,600.00 Sep 12, 2021 over at Heritage Auctions. I debated pretty hard about even mentioning these, but here they are: Wolverine #1 CGC 10. Amazing Fantasy 15 graded CGC 9.6 holds the record for the 2nd highest-selling comic book of all time (recently beaten by Superman 1 CGC 8.0 at 5.3 million dollars). It's a Skrull double feature for this entry! With art by Jack Kirby, this is a gorgeous-looking comic and an absolute classic comic. "Detective Comics" No. Highest known CGC 9.8 sale was $50,000 at Comic Link back in February of 2019. 3/31/2022 UPDATE: March 19th, 2022 saw a CGC 9.8 sell at ComicConnect for a whopping $75,500 bucks. The first issue of "The Amazing Spider-Man" was published in 1963 and features two stories. February 27, 2023 By restaurants on the water in st clair shores By restaurants on the water in st clair shores Dr. Curt Connors as a villain seldom gets the respect he's deserved as far as comic book baddies go. Unfortunately for Marvel, their printers had a heck of a time getting all their fancy covers right, and the era is littered with printing errors. With the MCU gearing up to introduce their mighty mutants in their cinematic realm, it will be interesting to see how much Incredible Hulk #180 heats up compared to Incredible Hulk #181. Once the robot was to break free, he adopted a human identity and cover of NY policeman, Jim Hammond. It was a near-mint 9.2-graded copy and is said to be one of the highest-graded versions known to exist. 3 is a coveted item among collectors because of its amazing cover by Lou Fine, which depicts a giant named Samson beating iron monsters to death with a spiked flail. The second issue of Amazing Spider-Man was as successful as the first at giving Ol Webhead a memorable villain whose nefarious efforts have been thwarted by Spidey for years. Highly anticipated character to hit the MCU on the mutant side of things is no doubt Wolverine. Instead, the series focused on teenagers who happened to have powers. Captain America got his start during WWII America, and the first comics were basically beautifully drawn pieces of American propaganda (note the "Ageless Orientals Who Wouldn't Die!!!" Anyway, we'll see how Disney approaches this character. Please note that this list is in alphabetical order. The comic book the movie was based on wasn't just low key racist, it was pretty racist. Fu Manchu is undeniably a racist Yellow Peril stereotype, and the comic creators may have milked it as good as the racist creator of the character, Sax Rohmer, could have. Hailing from Gary, Indiana, Pete Petruski created a paste gun and instead of using it for good as a research scientist turned to a life of crime. Kicking off the list of the 20 most valuable comic books on the planet is the first issue of The Amazing Spider-Man, a Marvel comic dedicated to the web-slinger, following his smashing success in Amazing Fantasy #15. . How far up the rankings will this book go when Marvel/Disney finally casts Logan? Damn, I'm surprised there hasn't been any recent sales of 9.8s. 35 is sought after by collectors mainly because of the fantastic cover by Bob Kane. The first issue, published in 1942, is the second appearance of Wonder Woman. It's why when Sony agreed to loan him out to Disney, it became a big deal the wall-crawler was coming home! To save some money to make up Canadas trade deficit, the issues were printed in black and white. Even a mid-CGC grade 6.5 went for 26K, but with books being worth what theyll sell for, this issue has been known to sell for 482K. Oh, fun fact here: The original X-Men wasn't a hit with fans and was almost cancelled if you can believe that. Just seven years later, in 2018, a 9.8-graded copy sold for $38,400. "Hulk" No. Giant-Size X-Men #1 is still considered the 2nd full appearance of Wolverine as well, but that can be argued. A very rare example of a '90s comic that went up in value due to a character appearance is New Mutants #87. Marvel Premiere #15 - 1st appearance of Iron Fist. Wonder Woman received her first line of comic books in the summer of 1942, not long after the United States entered World War II. There is even an attempt to water down the sinophobia that Fu Manchu personified, and even most fans of the comic (non-Asians) don't see the racism in the comic because Anti-Asian sentiment of the west is so normalized. In this case, the regions tested were. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. At 326K, it certainly places the book in rarified air as prices go. Amazing Fantasy #15 - About $1.1 Million. Even nowadays when fans see # of Page specials, they can get a little giddy with all of the extra goodies found throughout their favorite comic books. We will analyze the rarity of each book . A "Superman" No. Case in point: the Amazing Spider-Man #300 edition of Marvel Collectible Classics. Even worse-for-wear versions of the Caped Crusaders first appearance can go for big bucks. The first appearance of Moon Knight has been in demand and sought-out for a good while, but I do remember a time when this comic was under the radar. Another one sold on Dec 4, 2020 for $8,000.00 on eBay, and December 17, 2020 saw a $5,050.00 over at Comic Connect. Sort of. Detective Comics #27 - About $2.1 Million. He's been a Marvel cash-cow since the 70s and the most popular Marvel character of the 80s and 90s. Bruce Banner first transformed into the Incredible Hulk in May 1962. Also, the CBCS census has zero entries for 9.8s of this comic. The interior art, done by Kane and Fred Guardineer, features a splash page with Batman holding a smoking pistol something that looks weird to us today, but was totally in line with the character back in the 1940s. The 1st appearance and 1st cover appearance of Morbius is definitely a classic Marvel Bronze Age comic. But because this was the '90s, his heroic debut in Venom: Lethal Protector just had to come wrapped in a shiny red cover. However, they do have very high grades like 9.9s or 10s that are extremely valuable. Our Comic Book Value Guide provides free information about how to value your The Avengers Comics. Or at least a family structure. When he used the shrinking serum, the brilliant mind carelessly left the growing serum on a counter, now light years away. #30: Invincible Iron Man 512 Stroman Venom Variant (2012). Copies with as low as a 0.5 grading can fetch over $2,000 on eBay, and one recent sale on the auction site was a 7.0, which sold for $19,000 in May 2019. This comic is pretty much all origin story, with Abin Sur of the Green Lantern Corps crashing into the middle of a desert, and while on the throes of death, finds a worthy successor to the Green Lantern in Hal Jordan. Yes, I did blank out the certificate number on the slab. A fact that might get rectified once the Disney - 20th Century Fox deal is official. Highest known CGC 9.8 sale for this comic sold for $72,000 at Heritage Auctions in July of 2021. "Suspense Comics" No. View Comic Book Value Guide. I am actually a bit surprised it hasn't hit the $10k mark just yet. Pretty crazy. Not enough Free Comic Book Day issues appear on the most valuable comic books list. Previously, the highest-priced issue of this book sold for $227,050 and was a 9.0-graded pay copy, meaning it was used to record how much each contributor was paid. Action Comics #1 - About $3.2 Million. This is one of the most rare Golden Age comic books, so much so that even incomplete copies have sold for as much as $5,400. The grail of these 35 Price Variants are the Star Wars #1 comics and have been for a good while. If you are interested in investing in comic books, these . They stretch, go invisible and build bridges of ice and fire. His first appearance in New Mutants #98 now brings in big bucks: an average of around $250. . Venue was over at eBay. The Amazing Spider-Man #1 is one of a handful of important comic books in American pulp history. The large amount of copes that have been graded may be one of the reasons why. Definitely a comic to own for any X-Men fan, and it's no surprise that this comic is quite valuable. Over at CBCS, there are currently zero 9.8 copies recorded in their census. Hank Pym created a serum that can shrink anything and a serum that can grow anything. But he wasnt green, at least not on the cover. Pinning down the true value of the comic is a bit tough. So it's no wonder that one with a 9.4 grade sold for $138,000 in 2021, a record-setting price for this prized possession. That iconic cover with Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Ant-Man & The Wasp squaring up with Loki has seen sales of almost $200,000 before, still bringing in tens of thousands of dollars with every purchase. The 1st appearance of Johnny Blaze Ghost Rider is contained in Marvel Spotlight #5. An ever-growing allegory for Civil Rights started with Charles Xavier standing for Martin Luther King looking for peaceful coexistence pitted against Magneto and his more militant any means necessary approach. If you happened to get the later second printing, with the Anti-Venom reveal on the cover, it's worth a lot morea well-preserved copy will score you around $125 bucks. 2023 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. The first appearance of the Punisher in Amazing Spider-Man #129 is absolutely one of my most prized comics in my personal comic collection. Venom Lethal Protector #1 (1993), black cover error It's. For anyone who either has the issue or the money (166K!) If you're one of the nine or ten people that still have a copy are also sitting on almost 200 thousand, the book has been sold for 193K. Despite that fact. Today, it's worth about $1,000. His first appearance in the costume in Tales To Astonish #35 is the first time the anthology series focused on the little guy and this series would become his own and the first time he was able to talk to ants. His first comic appearance, aided by the fact that he'll be on the big screen in Deadpool 2, is worth an average of around $160 today. By the 1960s, the actual Marvel comic publisher created its own trademarked Captain Marvel. Ride, captain ride upon your mystery ship / Be amazed at the friends you have here on your trip / Ride captain ride upon your mystery ship / On your way to a world that others might have missed. So, these two teamed up to try and take out Johnny Storm in Strange Tales #110. There doesnt appear to be anything notable about "Action Comics" No. I hope this was an informative and fun article for you to read, especially if you're a comic fan. Prior recent and highest known sale of an X-Men #94 CGC 9.8 was for $63,000 in April of 2021. Cover by Herb Trimpe, John Romita and Gaspar Saladino. If that doesnt sound like a valuable comic to own, then perhaps the second story will Dr. Star Wars #1 has the cover date of July, 1977, but hit newsstands April 12 of 1977.The movie Star Wars: A New Hope was released in theaters May 25th of 1977. In 1959, Marvel Comics released Tales of Suspense No. Tales Of Suspense #39 is the epic debut of the man who would become the centerpiece of all that is Marvel. If there are more recent sales for any of the particular comics at 9.8, please comment and let me know. SILVER AGE Marvel Comics 1969 Top 10 key issues by Terry Hoknes. The total for 9.8s of Giant-Size X-Men #1 in the CGC Census is 218. I think he was also non-powered before creator Chris Claremont decided to make him a mutant baddie and stick him in the X-Men comics. Again, Spider-Man in the comic books is akin to Mickey Mouse and Disney. And before that sale, a 9.0 copy of "Action Comics" No. This was the first, regularly published Disney comic book. The comic features the first appearance of the bat plane, batarang, Julie Madsen and the Monk. We'll have to see, but I bet it will definitely be quite a bit. Special Marvel Edition #15 - 1st Shang-Chi and 1st comic appearance of Fu-Manchu. I am surprised and thought that the 1st appearance of Wolverine would've taken the number #1 spot. As Robin might have said in the original "Batman" television series, "Holy profit!". Once again, we are back with some Marvel Bronze Age Horror goodness. The characters that debuted here became linchpins for the team during the '70s, '80s, '90s and even to this day. Its an extremely rare comic, and in early 2018, a 6.5-graded copy sold for $215,100 at Heritage Auctions. As a breakout character with ties to Wolverine, and an appearance in Logan, her first appearance in Nyx #3 is worth an average of $350. This might be one of the best-looking Batman covers ever inked. A little over a month later on September 10th, another copy sold for $11,000 at eBay. 0 comments#1: Action Comics #1. Cover by Gil Kane, John Romita and Artie Simek. A weapons manufacturer gets kidnapped by insurgents and while held captive, he creates a device to keep the shrapnel from hitting his heart and then a suit of armor to escape! This issue reveals Daredevil's origin story and also the first appearance of the gangster, the Fixer. He was sent to Earth by his father, Odin, in order to teach him humility. In 2019, that record was absolutely smashed when a 9.4 graded copy sold for $1.26 million on Heritage Auctions. With a seemingly endless supply of mutants and various X-Books that have come and gone during the years, it might be conceivable that you could paper the entire Earth in X-Men comic books and it all started right here with this comic valued at 492 thousand. UPDATE: Heritage auctions just sold a CGC 9.8 for $38,400.00 on January 13, 2022 and for less than copies sold below: Heritage Auctions sold A CGC 9.8 of Amazing Spider-Man #129 for $43,200 back in September of 2021. But with the massive fanbase the Hulk has, plenty people would be able to bring a copy home for themselves. Even during the Golden Age of comic books variants were a thing. A 1981 comic that also holds what most deem a classic cover by John Byrne and Terry Austin to go a long with this classic story line by Chris Claremont. And some of these comics are so beloved and so expensive that they can fetch hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars at auction. It sold in 2008, and it seems to be the only copy in existence in such good condition. So DC sent out a press packet of hand-typed letters detailing the awesomeness of Americas first superheroine. And instead of putting together a suit in the caves of Afghanistan as he does in the 2008 "Iron Man" movie, this Tony Stark built his crude metal armor in a Vietnam POW camp. Start Over. Was a quick initial shock. A few months prior on Mar 13, 2021, a 9.6 copy sold for $3,200.00 on eBay. The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. It was called the Justice Society of America, and its members included memorable heroes like Green Lantern, Hawkman, Flash, Atom, Sandman and Spectre, along with not-so-memorable heroes Doctor Fate and Hour-Man. Most recent known sale of a Giant-Size X-Men #1 CGC 9.8 was for $45,000 and sold at Comic Connect in September of 2021. Currently, there are 35 Universal 9.8 copies and 1 Signature Series recorded over at CGC, making it a total of only 36 copies. The most valuable Marvel title is also the third most valuable comic book in the world, behind the first appearance of Superman in Action Comics #1 and the first appearance of Batman in Detective Comics #27. 11/06/2022: $90,000 Heritage Auctions sale. Its not the first appearance of Archie and the gang, but its the start of one of the most important non-superhero comics in history. In many ways, Amazing Spider-Man #300 was the turning point in Spider-Man's history, making it a book beloved not only for its value, but also its story. Enter Sabretooth. While both issues have always been high priced, find a pristine copy and you never know how much more it could nab you. Rather, they were used in the 1930s and 1940s to secure trademarks for titles and logos. In the Fantastic Four #5, we are introduced to the grand villain, Dr. Doom, who has been a thorn in the FFs and entire MCUs side for over 50 years. Then, in 2019, a 9.4-graded version sold for a very patriotic $915,000. The comic is certainly rare. 1st cameo of Wolverine. Ashcan comics were not intended for sale. Dr. Doom, one of the best Marvel villains ever created, debuted in 1961 in "Fantastic Four" No. Marvels First Family came back in 2018 after a three-year hiatus from the comic book pages, and Disney recently purchased the franchise rights back from Fox. 1 with the same 5.5 grade sold for only $214,000 in 2011. The real draw is most likely Kitty Pryde, who's become a fan favorite over the years, especially now that she leads the Marauders. Marvel Comics #1 - About $1.2 Million. Damn, once again, the venue it sold at was Heritage Auctions. The following contains spoilers for Star Wars #32 from Marvel Comics. Yes, comic investing is still a thing despite all the backlash. Naturally, that doesn't go as planned and Ol Webhead finds a way to defeat the man made of hardened sand. It continues her origin story and also includes the first appearance of Wildcat and Mister Terrific. We do our best to keep this list updated and try not to have anything on the list worth $15 or less. One issue from 1961 that was graded a 9.4 sold for $300,000 cash. However, if the House Of Ideas hadn't sold off the rights to their most popular heroes like the Fantastic Four, X-Men, and of course your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, then perhaps the Marvel Cinematic Universe wouldn't be what it is today. (Image courtesy Bixentro via CC BY 2.0) The Silver Surfer, a pivotal Silver Age comic book, was first published in August 1968. If you have The Incredible Hulk #1 without the chipping, you have a very rare comic from 1962. The Avengers Comic Book Values. Whether you think Incredible Hulk #180 should or shouldn't more valuable than Incredible Hulk #181, the first cameo appearance of Wolverine is absolutely gaining a lot of momentum in demand among comic collectors and comic investors. This is the first appearance of Daredevil, the Man Without Fear. For just about any comic line, the first issue is almost always the rarest and most valuable. The copy that sold for $107,550 was a 9.4-graded version, the finest version known to exist. Maybe the seller is hoping for renewed interest in the series. How do you know what's valuable? Captain Marvel #17 isn't the first appearance of the new Ms. Marvel, Kamala Khan; Marvel confirmed that she actually appears in a panel in issue 14. So when DC went to revive the character, they couldnt use the name, and turned him into Shazam. A 9.4-graded copy of this iconic comic sold for $275,000 at auction in 2014. The comic book has skyrocketed in value, possibly because of Wonder Woman's resurgence in film and popular culture. Anyway and seriously, look at Wolvie's mask on the cover of this issue compared to the cover of Incredible Hulk #181. A very popular character, indeed, and I am a bit surprised that Incredible Hulk #181 was beaten by Ghost Rider's debut in Marvel Spotlight #5 for CGC 9.8s. There are no first appearances or really anything of importance within the comics plot, but the books cover is so beloved and original prints are so hard to find that some people will pay a huge premium for one in great condition. As if the Canadian White version of Marvel Mystery Comics 128 Special wasnt special enough, then how about different issues being reprinted within the pages of the issue. An incredible 9.8-graded copy sold for just a tad over $141,000 in 2015. The comic that arguably started the entire Marvel Comics Universe arc that dominated the box office for years, "The Avengers" No. A lot of this issue actually deals with John Jameson and NASA-related stuff, but it ends with a massive showdown between Spider-Man and the Rhino. Cover by Dave Cockrum, Al Milgrom and Danny Crespi. Even with so many superhero movies and TV shows out there, there's still probably only three characters that even people who have never picked up a comic book know exactly how they got their powers, and one of thems Spiderman. The other is also a mad scientist, this one who travels around on a glider and looks like a goblin. It's true. "In a recent poll of child readers, 80 percent chose 'Wonder Woman' as their favorite over seven male characters," reads one letter. Actually, this information might wow some comic investors and those into comic speculation more than actual comic collectors. I'm excited. A 6.0 rated Rocket copy sold for $3.18 million in January 2022, having never been sold before, so it looks like prices are continuing to rise for this special book. However, who doesn't know Storm amongst Marvel Comics fans? Over the years that origin story was retconned to make the Avians the original Inhumans and was a big part of the latest Infinity storyline from 2013. If you don't know who or what the Skrulls are than you're going to be for a real treat when and if the evil alien race makes their debut in the movies. Highest and most recent known sale of an Incredible Hulk #181 CGC 9.8 was for $84,000 at Heritage Auctions. One character that has not made their cinematic debut in anyANY Marvel movie is Namor, the Sub-Mariner. This book is therefore the first real appearance of Captain Marvel and also Shazam. We compiled the all-time auction price records for comic books as of February 9th, 2023. Then again, if I owned the 3 known copies in existence, I'd be very reluctant to let my go unless I really needed the money. 27 broke the record for the most valuable comic book when an 8.0-graded copy sold in 2010 for $1,075,000.The seller purchased the comic in the late 1960s for $100. Strange Master Of Black Magic! The first appearance of the Sorcerer Supreme, and his ancient foe, Nightmare are also within the pages of ST #110, which will certainly go up in value, which is currently at 60K if and when Nightmare is announced as the villain of the eventual Strange sequel. Two marquis issues not just in the history of the Fantastic Four, but in Marvel are both currently tied as 65K at their highest value. Tomb of Dracula #10 - 1st appearance of Blade. Because only up until recently did Marvel put their creative juices behind their second-tier characters to craft new stories. Also, Drax the Destroyer has been a prominent character in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. And while fancy metallic, holographic, and other gimmicky covers of the '90s arguably killed comic collecting, a rare few actually went up in value.