Top of the Stack: Best-Selling CGC Comic Titles by Decade (September 22 – October 5, 2026)
The latest fortnight produced one of the biggest sales periods we’ve seen in Top of the Stack this year.
Trading volume remained below 21,000 books, yet spending reached a level far beyond what volume alone would suggest. The reason becomes clearer once we move through the decades; this was a fortnight with considerable money flowing into older, high-value material.
From September 22 to October 5, 2026, GPAnalysis reported:
Total Volume: 20,904 books
Total Sales: $13,443,894
Median Price: $105
Source: GPAnalysis.com, sales recorded from September 22 to October 5, 2026.
Market Observations
🏆 Trophy Sale
Captain America Comics #1 CGC 9.0 (1941), $716,750 via HA.com.
🕷️ The Volume King
Amazing Spider-Man (1963), 1,260 books sold, approximately $1.0M in sales.
Insights
Where the Money Went
Combined sales of each decade’s five highest-selling titles during the September 22–October 5, 2026 reporting period.
Popularity ≠ Spending
Comparing each decade’s most-traded title with its highest-selling title during the September 22–October 5, 2026 reporting period.
decades had the same title lead both volume and sales.
Decade by decade
・
Decade by decade ・
Platinum/Golden Age
1930s
Detective Comics was comfortably the decade’s standout. It led in volume, produced the most traded issue and generated $159,160 in sales, more than five times the total of the next title.
The five highest-selling titles combined for $218,818, with Detective Comics responsible for almost 73% of that figure.
Top 5 Titles by Volume
Detective Comics (1937)
Amazing Stories (1926–1970)
Shadow (1931–1949)
Film Fun (1920–1962)
Mickey Mouse Magazine (1935–1940)
Top 5 Titles by Sales
Detective Comics (1937) — $159,160
Marvel Mystery Comics (1939–1949) — $29,280
Wonder Comics (1939) — $12,200
The Blue Beetle (1939–1950) — $9,638
New Book of Comics (1937–1938) — $8,540
Most Traded Issues
Detective Comics #33 (1939)
The Blue Beetle #1 (1939)
Keen Detective Funnies #9 (1938)
Wonder Comics #1 (1939)
Little Giant Detective Funnies #1 (1938)
1940s
The 1940s were the financial powerhouse of this reporting period. The five highest-selling titles generated $2,810,864, with Captain America Comics alone accounting for more than $1.5 million. The biggest transaction in the market boosted its performance: Captain America Comics #1 CGC 9.0 at $716,750.
Batman added another $531,285, while Marvel Mystery Comics, Wonder Woman and USA Comics all produced six-figure totals.
Top 5 Titles by Volume
Captain America Comics (1941–1954)
Batman (1940)
Marvel Mystery Comics (1939–1949)
Superman (1939–1986)
Detective Comics (1937)
Top 5 Titles by Sales
Captain America Comics (1941–1954) — $1,516,158
Batman (1940) — $531,285
Marvel Mystery Comics (1939–1949) — $344,659
Wonder Woman (1942–1986) — $231,004
USA Comics (1941–1945) — $187,758
Most Traded Issues
Superman #61 (1949)
Marvel Mystery Comics #46 (1943)
Wonder Woman #1 (1942)
Murder Incorporated #1 (1948)
Daring Mystery Comics #1 (1940)
1950s
The 1950s produced one of the fortnight's most balanced sales tables. Only $9,452 separated first and fifth place, with Showcase narrowly beating Cinderella Love for the top position.
The Top Five combined for $241,881, spread across superheroes, romance, horror and crime rather than being dominated by a single franchise.
Top 5 Titles by Volume
Space Adventures (1952–1979)
Action Comics (1938)
Out of this World (1956–1959)
Batman (1940)
Detective Comics (1937)
Top 5 Titles by Sales
Showcase (1956–1978) — $52,548
Cinderella Love (1950–1955) — $51,601
Action Comics (1938) — $49,252
Weird Mysteries (1952–1954) — $45,384
Crime SuspenStories (1950–1955) — $43,096
Most Traded Issues
The Flash #105 (1959)
Crime SuspenStories #22 (1954)
Action Comics #252 (1959)
Showcase #22 (1959)
Weird Science-Fantasy #29 (1955)
Silver Age
1960s
The 1960s continued to show remarkable depth. Its five sales leaders generated $1,591,750, making it one of the dataset's strongest decades.
Amazing Spider-Man led both volume and sales at $597,246, but unlike some other decades, the market behind it remained substantial. Fantastic Four generated $345,944, Avengers $272,454 and Amazing Fantasy $221,500.
Top 5 Titles by Volume
Amazing Spider-Man (1963)
Fantastic Four (1961)
X-Men (1963–1981)
Avengers (1963)
Tales of Suspense (1959–1968)
Top 5 Titles by Sales
Amazing Spider-Man (1963) — $597,246
Fantastic Four (1961) — $345,944
Avengers (1963) — $272,454
Amazing Fantasy (1962–1996) — $221,500
X-Men (1963–1981) — $154,606
Most Traded Issues
Amazing Spider-Man #41 (1966)
Iron Man #1 (1968)
Avengers #57 (1968)
Avengers #1 (1963)
Fantastic Four #49 (1966)
Bronze Age
1970s
Amazing Spider-Man attracted the most transactions, but The Incredible Hulk generated the most money, bringing in $189,046. The Top Five reached $486,654, with several of the decade’s major keys also appearing among its most traded issues.
Top 5 Titles by Volume
Amazing Spider-Man (1963)
X-Men (1963–1981)
Star Wars (1977–1986)
The Incredible Hulk (1962–1999)
Avengers (1963)
Top 5 Titles by Sales
The Incredible Hulk (1962–1999) — $189,046
Amazing Spider-Man (1963) — $110,923
X-Men (1963–1981) — $82,364
Giant-Size X-Men (1975) — $60,442
Marvel Spotlight (1971–1981) — $43,879
Most Traded Issues
Star Wars #1 (1977)
Amazing Spider-Man #194 (1979)
Giant-Size X-Men #1 (1975)
Amazing Spider-Man #129 (1974)
Marvel Spotlight #5 (1972)
1980s
Amazing Spider-Man again led both volume and sales, but Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles produced an impressive $127,361 despite not appearing in the decade’s Top Five by volume.
The Top Five generated $461,552.
Top 5 Titles by Volume
Amazing Spider-Man (1963)
Uncanny X-Men (1981)
Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars (1984–1985)
X-Men (1963–1981)
Star Wars (1977–1986)
Top 5 Titles by Sales
Amazing Spider-Man (1963) — $209,989
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1984–1993) — $127,361
Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars (1984–1985) — $71,384
The Incredible Hulk (1962–1999) — $27,842
Uncanny X-Men (1981) — $24,976
Most Traded Issues
Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #8 (1984)
Amazing Spider-Man #300 (1988)
Amazing Spider-Man #252 (1984)
Wolverine Limited Series #1 (1982)
Wolverine #1 (1988)
Modern Age
1990s
The 1990s were remarkably tight. Just $7,768 separated the highest and fifth-highest sales totals, with Spider-Man narrowly leading Amazing Spider-Man and The New Mutants.
Top 5 Titles by Volume
Spider-Man (1990–1998)
Amazing Spider-Man (1963)
X-Men/New X-Men (1991)
Uncanny X-Men (1981)
Spawn (1992)
Top 5 Titles by Sales
Spider-Man (1990–1998) — $29,913
Amazing Spider-Man (1963) — $28,994
The New Mutants (1983–1991) — $28,187
Spawn (1992) — $24,544
Uncanny X-Men (1981) — $22,145
Most Traded Issues
Spider-Man #1 (1990)
X-Men/New X-Men #1 (1991)
Spawn #1 (1992)
Venom: Lethal Protector #1 (1993)
Uncanny X-Men #266 (1990)
2000s
Invincible generated the most transactions, but Walking Dead generated more than 2.5 times as much in sales, finishing the fortnight at $69,121.
Top 5 Titles by Volume
Invincible (2003)
Batman (1940)
Amazing Spider-Man (1963)
Walking Dead (2003)
Spawn (1992)
Top 5 Titles by Sales
Walking Dead (2003) — $69,121
Invincible (2003) — $26,817
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) — $15,657
Amazing Spider-Man (1963) — $12,391
Batman (1940) — $10,307
Most Traded Issues
Amazing Spider-Man #601 (2009)
Batman #635 (2005)
Batman #608 (2002)
Hulk #1 (2008)
Batman #655 (2006)
2010s
Invincible again led volume, while Ultimate Fallout commanded the spending. Ultimate Fallout generated $43,922, and Ultimate Fallout #4 was also the decade’s most traded individual issue.
Top 5 Titles by Volume
Invincible (2003)
Spawn (1992)
Amazing Spider-Man (2015)
Ultimate Fallout (2011)
Batman (2011)
Top 5 Titles by Sales
Ultimate Fallout (2011) — $43,922
Invincible (2003) — $17,101
Spawn (1992) — $15,674
Amazing Spider-Man (1963) — $13,549
Something is Killing the Children (2019) — $10,601
Most Traded Issues
Ultimate Fallout #4 (2011)
Something is Killing the Children #1 (2019)
Amazing Spider-Man #800 (2018)
Detective Comics #880 (2011)
Black Cat #1 (2019)
2020s
Absolute Batman completely separated itself from the rest of the modern market. It led volume and generated $223,972, compared with only $9,959 for the second-highest-selling title.
The Top Five produced $262,444, meaning Absolute Batman accounted for roughly 85% of their combined sales.
Top 5 Titles by Volume
Absolute Batman (2024)
Bangers Cover Gallery (2025)
Deviant Nation (2024)
Amazing Spider-Man (2025)
Amazing Spider-Man (2022)
Top 5 Titles by Sales
Absolute Batman (2024) — $223,972
Absolute Batman Ashcan (2024) — $9,959
Amazing Spider-Man (2022) — $9,921
DC All In Special (2024) — $9,512
Deviant Nation (2024) — $9,080
Most Traded Issues
Absolute Batman #1 (2024)
Deviant Nation #nn (2025)
Bangers Cover Gallery #3 (2026)
Absolute Batman #19 (2026)
Absolute Batman #20 (2026)
One Comic. $716,750.
Captain America Comics #1 CGC 9.0 was the highest sale of the September 22–October 5, 2026 reporting period. Here’s how much one transaction moved the market.
comic accounted for more than 5% of every dollar spent across 20,904 sales.
The Bottom Line
The September 22–October 5 reporting period was not simply a busy fortnight. It was an expensive one. GPAnalysis recorded 20,904 books sold for $13.44 million, while the median price climbed to $105.
Amazing Spider-Man continued doing what it has done repeatedly throughout Top of the Stack: providing the market with enormous trading activity and appearing across multiple generations of collecting.
But this time, the biggest story came from the opposite end of the market.
Captain America Comics, Batman, Marvel Mystery Comics and other Golden Age titles brought serious money into the fortnight, while the 1960s demonstrated remarkable depth, and Absolute Batman continued to dominate the youngest end of the market.
The result was a market with two very different engines running simultaneously.
Spider-Man drove the transactions. The Golden Age drove the dollars.
Want to dig into every sale behind these highlights?
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See you in two weeks. Keep stacking.
