Antiques Roadshow

GUEST

I bought them new when I was about 11 and 12 years old, and I put them in a box, and for the last 50-something years, they've sort of sat in that box. I got inspired when ANTIQUES ROADSHOW came to town, and I thought I'd bring them in.

APPRAISER

Oh, very cool. So you remember it, back in the day, in 1962 and '63?

GUEST

I loved these comics. These were great. Marvel was, I thought, the best comics.

APPRAISER

So all the comics in your collection date from the silver age of Marvel, beginning from 1961 and your later book is until about 1967. Marvel has been around since the late '30s, originally as Timely Comics, in the golden age. But it wasn't until 1961, with the birth of the Marvel silver age of comics, when it finally had a change from Atlas Comics to Marvel. And the first book that started it all was "Fantastic Four Number 1" in November of 1961.

GUEST

Oh, really, ah.

APPRAISER

But when it comes to comic book collecting, what we look for is, what is a key issue? And a key is essentially just any type of comic that's historically significant, whether it's the first appearance of a character, a costume change, an important storyline, maybe somebody died.

GUEST

Right.

APPRAISER

And historically for Marvel, the Fantastic Four is a breeding ground of superheroes. So the Fantastic Four was really a way for Marvel to introduce and intertwine a bunch of characters. We have "Fantastic Four 36." Now, first appearance of the Frightful Four, but more importantly, the first appearance of Medusa. Who is Medusa, come to this issue, the first Inhuman. And that's what takes us to issues 48 and 49. It's the first appearance of Galactus, and, more importantly, the Silver Surfer. "Fantastic Four 48" is your best book by far. In its current condition, the "Fantastic 48" alone is a $2,000 to $3,000 comic.

GUEST

Okay.

APPRAISER

Now jump to issue 49. You have the first full appearance of Galactus, and there he is on the cover.

GUEST

Right.

APPRAISER

And then you also have the Silver Surfer on the cover.

GUEST

Right.

APPRAISER

That book in its condition is $1,000 to $1,500. Now, continuing to the next row, we keep with the Fantastic Four, issue 52. This book is literally hotter than fire in the marketplace.

GUEST

Really? Wow.

APPRAISER

T'Challa, first appearance of the Black Panther. The Black Panther is the hottest character right now in the Marvel universe. Easily at auction, this is an $800 to $1,200 comic. "Avengers 11," important key issue. Because why? You have the first crossover

with Spider-Man joining the Avengers. Very hot book because Avengers

Endgame came out earlier this year, and here you have Spider-Man joining the Avengers for the first time. In its current condition, you have a $300 to $400 comic. Last but not least, one of my favorites on the table-- "X-Men 12." I don't know if you're a movie goer, but Deadpool 2, a super-hot satirical movie. The Juggernaut was in it. What happens? Revitalized interest. Everybody wants a Juggernaut comic. In that condition alone, the Juggernaut book in itself is $500 to $800. Now, that's just ten comics outside of the 110 you have. And the condition across the board is, realistically, it's phenomenal. Conservatively at auction, for the entire collection, I think you easily have $30,000 to $40,000 worth of comics here. So times 100, at 12 cents apiece, I mean, what are you in, like ten bucks all in, $12? I mean, that's not too bad of a return of your investment.

GUEST

I really didn't think of it as an investment at 12, but I guess it was.

APPRAISER

On the "Fantastic Four 52," if this was in 9.8 condition, you'd easily have a $100,000 comic.

GUEST

Are you kidding me?

APPRAISER

Yeah, it's the Black Panther, of course!

GUEST

It's hard to believe. There's no way that I can make that into a $100,000 comic book?

APPRAISER

No, I can't. No, unfortunately... (snapping fingers) I don't have that Infinity Gauntlet, so I can't make them. If I did, trust me, I'd make your dreams come true.