Top of the Stack: Best-Selling Comic Titles by Decade (December 2–15, 2025)
In the most recent fortnight (December 2–15, 2025), GPAnalysis reports $9.4M in sales from 23,489 individual CGC-graded books traded across major venues spanning comics, magazines, and pulps. The median price paid was $90, with the period’s top sale landing deep in Golden Age territory.
Fortnight at a glance (Dec 2–15, 2025):
Total sales: $9,366,138
Total volume: 23,489 books
Median price: $90
Most traded title: Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963) — 1,402 copies, $0.6M in sales
Top sale: Action Comics (1938) #1 CGC 8.5 (1938) — $554,428 via ComicConnect.com
Source: GPAnalysis.com, sales recorded from December 2–15, 2025.
Market Observations
🌐 $9.4M on a $90 median = broad participation. With 23.5K graded books traded, this was a true “wide market” fortnight—active well beyond trophy sales.
🕷️ Amazing Spider-Man remains the volume engine. ASM (1963) led the pack again with 1,402 copies and ~$0.6M in sales—classic liquid blue-chip behaviour.
🏛️ Action Comics #1 didn’t spike—it anchored. Action Comics #1 CGC 8.5 at $554,428 is a statement sale that keeps the elite Golden Age setting the tempo.
📚 The 1930s are pulp-heavy, but sales skew to cornerstones. Volume is packed with Weird Tales and other pulps, while dollars climb on heavy hitters like Action Comics, Marvel Comics, and Spicy Mystery Stories.
🔥 Modern demand is concentrated in a few “must-own” titles. The 2020s are led hard by Absolute Batman (2024), with a noticeable drop after #1—collector attention clustering at the top.
Decade Leaders
Top 5 Titles by Sales Volume Across the Eras.
Let’s step through the ages/eras by decade
Platinum/Golden Age
🕰️ 1930s — Pulp Power & Proto-Icons
Pulp staples dominate volume, while a few cornerstone early comics pull the decade’s dollar totals upward.
Top 5 titles by volume:
1. Weird Tales (1923-1954)
2. Dime Detective Magazine (1935-1953)
3. Terror Tales (1934-1941)
4. Thrilling Mystery (1935-1944)
5. Spicy Mystery Stories (1935-1942)
Top 5 titles by sales:
1. Action Comics (1938): $567,748
2. Spicy Mystery Stories (1935-1942): $300,114
3. Marvel Comics (1939): $273,801
4. Weird Tales (1923-1954): $265,775
5. Saucy Movie Tales (1935-1939): $78,136
Most traded issues:
1. Spicy Mystery Stories (1935-1942) #11 (1936)
2. Weird Tales (1923-1954) #147 (1936)
3. Saucy Movie Tales (1935-1939) #11 (1936)
4. Mickey Mouse Magazine (1935-1940) #3 (1936)
5. Marvel Science Stories (1938-1939) #4 (1939)
🦇 1940s — Golden Age Titans Hold the Line
DC heavyweights lead the charge, with classic superhero runs driving both trading activity and sales.
Top 5 titles by volume:
1. Batman (1940)
2. Superman (1939-1986)
3. Weird Tales (1923-1954)
4. Detective Comics (1937)
5. Action Comics (1938)
Top 5 titles by sales:
1. Batman (1940): $146,631
2. More Fun Comics (1936-1947): $131,423
3. Detective Comics (1937): $59,255
4. Wonder Woman (1942-1986): $53,542
5. Captain America Comics (1941-1954): $48,098
Most traded issues:
1. Batman (1940) #42 (1947)
2. Batman (1940) #12 (1942)
3. Time (1923) #22 (1943)
4. Weird Tales (1923-1954) #238 (1947)
5. Planet Comics (1940-1954) #35 (1945)
📺 1950s — Post-War Staples & Showcase Sparks
Reliable DC mainstays stay liquid, while Showcase signals the decade’s growing collector focus on key moments.
Top 5 titles by volume:
1. Superman (1939-1986)
2. Batman (1940)
3. Action Comics (1938)
4. Showcase (1956-1978)
5. Detective Comics (1937)
Top 5 titles by sales:
1. Showcase (1956-1978): $50,785
2. Batman (1940): $36,698
3. Action Comics (1938): $25,845
4. Cinderella Love (1950-1955): $23,226
5. Superman (1939-1986): $18,947
Most traded issues:
1. Action Comics (1938) #252 (1959)
2. Mad (1952) #1 (1952)
3. Action Comics (1938) #242 (1958)
4. Showcase (1956-1978) #4 (1956)
5. Superboy (1949-1979) #68 (1958)
Silver Age
🕷️ 1960s — Marvel Ascendant
Silver Age Marvel rules the decade, powered by foundational runs and evergreen first-appearance demand.
Top 5 titles by volume:
1. Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963)
2. Fantastic Four (1961)
3. X-Men, The (1963-1981)
4. Avengers, The (1963)
5. Tales of Suspense (1959-1968)
Top 5 titles by sales:
1. Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963): $343,886
2. Fantastic Four (1961): $296,637
3. X-Men, The (1963-1981): $226,419
4. Amazing Fantasy (1962-1996): $223,532
5. Avengers, The (1963): $134,035
Most traded issues:
1. Fantastic Four (1961) #52 (1966)
2. Fantastic Four (1961) #48 (1966)
3. Daredevil (1964-1998) #1 (1964)
4. X-Men, The (1963-1981) #1 (1963)
5. Silver Surfer, The (1968-1982) #1 (1968)
Bronze Age
🌌 1970s — Keys, Crossovers & Blockbuster Gravity
Big-key superheroes stay highly tradable, with Star Wars injecting pop-culture fuel into the mix.
Top 5 titles by volume:
1. Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963)
2. X-Men, The (1963-1981)
3. Star Wars (1977-1986)
4. Incredible Hulk, The (1962-1999)
5. Batman (1940)
Top 5 titles by sales:
1. Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963): $133,960
2. Incredible Hulk, The (1962-1999): $101,093
3. Giant-Size X-Men (1975): $82,629
4. X-Men, The (1963-1981): $77,729
5. Batman (1940): $76,313
Most traded issues:
1. Star Wars (1977-1986) #1 (1977)
2. Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963) #129 (1974)
3. Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963) #194 (1979)
4. Incredible Hulk, The (1962-1999) #181 (1974)
5. X-Men, The (1963-1981) #101 (1976)
🐢 1980s — Event Books & Modern-Era Icons
Landmark issues and event-driven collecting shine, keeping the decade’s signature keys in steady rotation.
Top 5 titles by volume:
1. Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963)
2. Uncanny X-Men, The (1981)
3. Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars (1984-1985)
4. Daredevil (1964-1998)
5. Batman (1940)
Top 5 titles by sales:
1. Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963): $116,250
2. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1984-1993): $59,254
3. Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars (1984-1985): $39,552
4. X-Men, The (1963-1981): $22,215
5. Uncanny X-Men, The (1981): $21,314
Most traded issues:
1. Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars (1984-1985) #8 (1984)
2. Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963) #300 (1988)
3. Omega Men, The (1983-1986) #3 (1983)
4. Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963) #252 (1984)
5. Wolverine Limited Series (1982) #1 (1982)
Modern Age
💥 1990s — #1 Fever & Spec-Era Staples
Iconic #1s and era-defining books drive turnover, anchored by persistent demand for Spider and X-Men.
Top 5 titles by volume:
1. Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963)
2. X-Men/New X-Men (1991)
3. Spider-Man (1990-1998)
4. Uncanny X-Men, The (1981)
5. Spawn (1992)
Top 5 titles by sales:
1. New Mutants, The (1983-1991): $32,770
2. Spider-Man (1990-1998): $30,283
3. Uncanny X-Men, The (1981): $24,989
4. Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963): $23,495
5. X-Men/New X-Men (1991): $20,575
Most traded issues:
1. X-Men/New X-Men (1991) #1 (1991)
2. Spider-Man (1990-1998) #1 (1990)
3. Uncanny X-Men, The (1981) #266 (1990)
4. Spawn (1992) #1 (1992)
5. New Mutants, The (1983-1991) #98 (1991)
🧟 2000s — Indies Rise, Modern Keys Take Shape
A modern key pipeline emerges as indie breakouts (led by Invincible) outperform expectations.
Top 5 titles by volume:
1. Invincible (2003)
2. Batman (1940)
3. Hulk (2008)
4. Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963)
5. Catwoman (2002)
Top 5 titles by sales:
1. Invincible (2003): $40,196
2. Walking Dead (2003): $12,811
3. Batman (1940): $9,382
4. Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008): $8,555
5. NYX (2003): $6,426
Most traded issues:
1. Hulk (2008) #1 (2008)
2. Batman (1940) #635 (2005)
3. Young Avengers (2005) #1 (2005)
4. NYX (2003) #3 (2004)
5. Captain America (2005) #6 (2005)
🕸️ 2010s — Modern Keys Stay Liquid
Modern “key culture” stays strong, with a few signature books repeatedly leading sales and volume.
Top 5 titles by volume:
1. Invincible (2003)
2. Spawn (1992)
3. Batman (2011)
4. Amazing Spider-Man (2015)
5. Ultimate Fallout (2011)
Top 5 titles by sales:
1. Ultimate Fallout (2011): $17,291
2. Invincible (2003): $15,300
3. Something is Killing the Children (2019): $11,826
4. Spawn (1992): $9,657
5. Walking Dead (2003): $7,503
Most traded issues:
1. Ultimate Fallout (2011) #4 (2011)
2. Something is Killing the Children (2019) #1 (2019)
3. Amazing Spider-Man (2015) #800 (2018)
4. Stranger Things (2018) #1 (2018)
5. Venom (2018) #3 (2018)
🔥 2020s — Breakout Titles, Concentrated Heat
Collector attention clusters around a handful of “must-own” modern books, with sharp drop-offs after the leaders.
Top 5 titles by volume:
1. Absolute Batman (2024)
2. Amazing Spider-Man (2022)
3. Bangers Cover Gallery (2025)
4. Batman (2016)
5. Power Hour (2022)
Top 5 titles by sales:
1. Absolute Batman (2024): $68,361
2. Amazing Spider-Man (2022): $15,762
3. Mark Spears Monsters (2024): $12,564
4. Batman (2016): $8,866
5. Invincible Universe: Battle Beast (2025): $8,605
Most traded issues:
1. Absolute Batman (2024) #1 (2024)
2. Bangers Cover Gallery (2025) #2 (2025)
3. Deviant Nation (2024) #nn (2025)
4. Batman (2025) #1 (2025)
5. Power Hour (2022) #3 (2025)
Final Panel: What the Fortnight Reveals
A $9.4M fortnight on 23,489 graded books with a $90 median is a clean snapshot of a market that’s still moving at scale—anchored by evergreen liquidity (Amazing Spider-Man) and punctuated by heavyweight vintage demand (Action Comics #1).
Want to dig into every sale behind these highlights?
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See you in two weeks. Keep stacking.
