Top of the Stack: Best-Selling CGC Comic Titles by Decade (April 21 to May 4, 2026)
In the latest fortnight, GPAnalysis reported $6.0M in total sales from 21,316 individual CGC-graded comics, magazines and pulps across major venues. The median price landed at $94, pointing to another broad, active trading window where affordable slabs continued to do the heavy lifting while major keys still shaped the headlines.
Source: GPAnalysis.com, sales recorded from April 21 to May 4, 2026.
Market Observations
🏆 Trophy Sale
The top sale of the fortnight belonged to Star Wars (1977–1986) #1 CGC 9.6, which sold for $162,500. That single result helped push the 1970s into the spotlight and reminded the market that pop-culture gravity still matters when condition, timing and franchise power all align.
🕷️ The Volume King
The most traded title was once again Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963), with 1,332 books sold for a combined $0.6M in sales. Spider-Man remains the market’s most reliable volume engine, moving consistently across grades, eras and collector budgets.
Decade Leaders
Top 5 Titles by Sales Volume Across the Eras.
Let’s step through the ages/eras by decade
Platinum/Golden Age
📰 1930s: Pulps, Early Comics and Pre-Hero Texture
The 1930s were led by Tip Top Comics, which topped both volume and sales for the decade with $10,968. The decade’s activity was spread across early comics, pulp material and pre-superhero oddities, with Amazing Stories, Spicy Adventure Stories, Detective Comics and Weird Tales all appearing in the volume list.
Top 5 titles by volume:
Tip Top Comics (1936–1961)
Amazing Stories (1926–1970)
Spicy Adventure Stories (1934–1942)
Detective Comics (1937)
Weird Tales (1923–1954)
Top 5 titles by sales:
Tip Top Comics (1936–1961): $10,968
Detective Comics (1937): $7,320
Action Comics (1938): $3,416
Keen Detective Funnies (1938–1940): $2,987
Spicy Adventure Stories (1934–1942): $2,562
Most traded issues:
Tip Top Comics #33
Tip Top Comics #36
Tip Top Comics #43
Keen Detective Funnies #7
Large Feature Comic #1
🦇 1940s: Batman Leads the Golden Age Pack
The 1940s were led by Batman (1940) in both volume and sales, with $31,741. Flash Comics, Superman, Planet Comics and Phantom Lady rounded out the sales leaders, showing a mix of superhero strength, sci-fi appeal and classic good-girl cover demand.
Top 5 titles by volume:
Batman (1940)
Superman (1939–1986)
Action Comics (1938)
World’s Finest Comics (1941–1986)
Planet Comics (1940–1954)
Top 5 titles by sales:
Batman (1940): $31,741
Flash Comics (1940–1949): $29,990
Superman (1939–1986): $19,805
Planet Comics (1940–1954): $14,961
Phantom Lady (1947–1949): $13,290
Most traded issues:
Four Color #178
World’s Finest Comics #30
Batman #22
Wings Comics #77
Batman #36
🧪 1950s: Showcase, Batman and Mad Carry the Decade
The 1950s were led by Showcase (1956–1978) in sales, with $51,901, while Batman topped the volume list. The most traded issues were especially strong, including Batman #121, Adventure Comics #247, Action Comics #252, Mad #1 and Superman’s Girlfriend Lois Lane #1.
Top 5 titles by volume:
Batman (1940)
All-American Men of War (1952–1966)
Detective Comics (1937)
Mad (1952)
Action Comics (1938)
Top 5 titles by sales:
Showcase (1956–1978): $51,901
Batman (1940): $40,542
Mad (1952): $26,011
Action Comics (1938): $25,871
Detective Comics (1937): $22,371
Most traded issues:
Batman #121
Adventure Comics #247
Action Comics #252
Mad #1
Superman’s Girlfriend Lois Lane #1
🕷️ 1960s: Marvel’s Core Still Anchors the Market
The 1960s were once again dominated by Marvel’s major pillars. Amazing Spider-Man led sales with $295,903, followed by Fantastic Four at $231,419, X-Men at $151,776, Journey Into Mystery at $105,745 and Amazing Fantasy at $96,672.
Top 5 titles by volume:
Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963)
Fantastic Four (1961)
X-Men, The (1963–1981)
Avengers, The (1963)
Journey Into Mystery (1952)
Top 5 titles by sales:
Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963): $295,903
Fantastic Four (1961): $231,419
X-Men, The (1963–1981): $151,776
Journey Into Mystery (1952): $105,745
Amazing Fantasy (1962–1996): $96,672
Most traded issues:
Daredevil #1
Iron Man #1
Amazing Spider-Man #50
Fantastic Four #49
Fantastic Four #52
Bronze Age
🌌 1970s: Star Wars Gives Bronze Age the Big Sale
The 1970s were the most headline-friendly decade this fortnight, led by Star Wars (1977–1986) with $241,345 in sales. The decade also featured major Marvel keys, including Amazing Spider-Man #129, Giant-Size X-Men #1, Amazing Spider-Man #194 and Incredible Hulk #181.
Top 5 titles by volume:
Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963)
X-Men, The (1963–1981)
Avengers, The (1963)
Star Wars (1977–1986)
Incredible Hulk, The (1962–1999)
Top 5 titles by sales:
Star Wars (1977–1986): $241,345
Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963): $177,718
Incredible Hulk, The (1962–1999): $156,130
Giant-Size X-Men (1975): $90,170
X-Men, The (1963–1981): $66,302
Most traded issues:
Star Wars #1
Amazing Spider-Man #129
Giant-Size X-Men #1
Amazing Spider-Man #194
Incredible Hulk #181
🕸️ 1980s: Venom, Secret Wars and Wolverine Keep Moving
The 1980s were led by Amazing Spider-Man, which generated $137,306 in sales. The issue list reads like a collector starter pack for modern Marvel keys: Amazing Spider-Man #300, Secret Wars #8, Wolverine Limited Series #1, Amazing Spider-Man #252 and Daredevil #181.
Top 5 titles by volume:
Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963)
Uncanny X-Men, The (1981)
Daredevil (1964–1998)
Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars (1984–1985)
X-Men, The (1963–1981)
Top 5 titles by sales:
Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963): $137,306
Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars (1984–1985): $39,102
Daredevil (1964–1998): $31,205
X-Men, The (1963–1981): $26,166
Incredible Hulk, The (1962–1999): $21,856
Most traded issues:
Amazing Spider-Man #300
Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #8
Wolverine Limited Series #1
Amazing Spider-Man #252
Daredevil #181
Modern Age
🧨 1990s: The Spec Era Still Trades
The 1990s were led by Spider-Man (1990–1998), which topped both volume and sales with $44,422. The decade’s most traded list was stacked with familiar high-volume books: Spider-Man #1, X-Men #1, Spawn #1, Uncanny X-Men #266 and New Mutants #98.
Top 5 titles by volume:
Spider-Man (1990–1998)
Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963)
X-Men/New X-Men (1991)
Spawn (1992)
Uncanny X-Men, The (1981)
Top 5 titles by sales:
Spider-Man (1990–1998): $44,422
New Mutants, The (1983–1991): $28,982
Spawn (1992): $25,475
Uncanny X-Men, The (1981): $21,018
Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963): $19,174
Most traded issues:
Spider-Man #1
X-Men/New X-Men #1
Spawn #1
Uncanny X-Men #266
New Mutants #98
🟡 2000s: Invincible Owns the Decade
The 2000s were clearly led by Invincible (2003), which topped both volume and sales with $103,879. Walking Dead, Amazing Spider-Man, Batman and NYX rounded out the sales list, but Invincible was the standout performer by a wide margin.
Top 5 titles by volume:
Invincible (2003)
Walking Dead (2003)
Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963)
Batman (1940)
Spawn (1992)
Top 5 titles by sales:
Invincible (2003): $103,879
Walking Dead (2003): $21,884
Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963): $10,044
Batman (1940): $9,642
NYX (2003): $6,412
Most traded issues:
Invincible #1
Alias #1
Spider-Man Noir #1
Captain America #6
NYX #3
🧬 2010s: Ultimate Fallout Leads the Issue Race
The 2010s were led by Invincible in sales, while Ultimate Fallout #4 was the most traded issue. The decade’s movement was spread across modern character heat, cover-driven demand and media-adjacent titles, including Spider-Gwen, Venom, Batman Who Laughs and Amazing Spider-Man.
Top 5 titles by volume:
Invincible (2003)
Spawn (1992)
Walking Dead (2003)
Amazing Spider-Man (2015)
Venom (2018)
Top 5 titles by sales:
Invincible (2003): $30,566
Amazing Spider-Man (2018): $15,349
Ultimate Fallout (2011): $12,682
Spawn (1992): $10,598
Walking Dead (2003): $9,391
Most traded issues:
Ultimate Fallout #4
Batman Who Laughs #1
Spider-Gwen #1
Venom #1
Amazing Spider-Man #1
⚡ 2020s: Absolute Batman Dominates the Fast Market
The 2020s were led by Absolute Batman (2024), which topped both volume and sales with $119,246. The issue list was heavily current, with Absolute Batman #1, Absolute Batman #15, Fantasy of Cosplay Comic Cover Gallery #6, Bangers Cover Gallery #2 and Multiverse Saga #nn making up the most traded books.
Top 5 titles by volume:
Absolute Batman (2024)
Mark Spears Monsters (2024)
Bangers Cover Gallery (2025)
Amazing Spider-Man (2022)
Fantasy of Cosplay Comic Cover Gallery (2024)
Top 5 titles by sales:
Absolute Batman (2024): $119,246
Amazing Spider-Man (2022): $26,975
Mark Spears Monsters (2024): $20,641
Invincible (2022): $11,282
Something is Killing the Children (2019): $9,828
Most traded issues:
Absolute Batman #1
Absolute Batman #15
Fantasy of Cosplay Comic Cover Gallery #6
Bangers Cover Gallery #2
Multiverse Saga #nn
Final Panel
This fortnight was a strong reminder that the CGC market does not move in one straight line. At the top, Star Wars #1 CGC 9.6 delivered a massive Bronze Age headline with a $162,500 sale. In the middle, Amazing Spider-Man continued to provide the market’s most dependable trading engine. Over the decades, Batman, Superman, Showcase, Fantastic Four, X-Men, and Hulk kept the historical foundation intact.
Meanwhile, the newer end of the market stayed fast, visual and momentum-driven. Invincible continued to prove its post-2000s staying power, while Absolute Batman showed how quickly a current title can dominate modern trading when collector attention locks in.
The result was a fortnight with both weight and movement: $6.0M in sales, 21,316 books sold, a $94 median price, and one very big trip to a galaxy far, far away.
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See you in two weeks. Keep stacking.
