Top of the Stack: Best-Selling Comic Titles by Decade (October 6 to October 19, 2025)
In the most recent fortnight, $5.1 million worth of CGC-graded comics, pulps, and magazines changed hands across major marketplaces, with a total of 19,226 books sold. According to GPAnalysis, the median price paid was $99—indicating a balanced blend of blue-chip keys and affordable staples moving through the system.
The most traded title was again Amazing Spider-Man (1963), which added 1,244 copies sold and $0.5 million in sales, further cementing its role as the engine of the graded market.
The top single sale was a CGC 5.0 copy of Amazing Fantasy #15, which fetched $42,000 via Heritage Auctions.
Source: GPAnalysis.com, sales recorded from October 6 to October 19, 2025.
Market Observations
Silver Age still drives confidence. With Amazing Spider-Man (1963) moving over 1,200 units and Fantastic Four, X-Men, and Avengers all showing strong sales, Silver Age Marvel continues to provide liquidity at every tier — from $99 median books to five-figure keys.
Bronze Age remains the bedrock. Steady performance from Hulk #181, Star Wars #1, and Giant-Size X-Men #1 shows that Bronze Age books are still seen as safe, reliable plays — especially in 6.0–8.0 CGC grades.
The ‘90s aren’t just nostalgia. The resurgence of Spawn #1, Spider-Man #1, and X-Men #1 in both volume and value shows there’s meaningful buyer activity beyond nostalgia, particularly for high-grade copies and special variants.
Moderns find footing through scarcity and story. Books like Invincible #1, Ultimate Fallout #4, and Power Hour #2 prove that modern titles can trade hands regularly — especially when supported by multimedia exposure or short print runs.
Collector tastes continue to diversify. From Mark Spears’ Monsters and Fantasy of Cosplay to legacy titles like NYX and Blue Marvel, the presence of indie horror, cosplay galleries, and prestige formats across the charts shows a broader spectrum of interest beyond Big Two superheroes.
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 Stalwarts & Early Hero Foundations
Classic pulp titles return to the spotlight, with Wonderworld Comics leading dollar sales and Weird Tales holding volume ground.
Top 5 titles by volume:
Weird Tales (1923–1954); Super Comics (1938–1949); Tip Top Comics (1936–1961); Horror Stories (1935–1941); Keen Detective Funnies (1938–1940)
Top 5 titles by sales:
Wonderworld Comics – $13,500
Weird Tales – $8,671
Superman – $6,600
Action Comics – $6,000
Mystery Men Comics – $3,240
Most traded issues:
Action Comics #13 (1939); Tip Top Comics #21 (1938); Tip Top Comics #33 (1939); Keen Detective Funnies #7 (1939); Smash Comics #3 (1939)
🦸 1940s – War-Era Icons & Golden Age Titans
The biggest Golden Age heroes flexed their muscles, led by Captain America, Batman, and Wonder Woman.
Top 5 titles by volume:
Captain Marvel Adventures (1941–1953); Batman (1940); Captain America Comics (1941–1954); Pep Comics (1940–1987); Four Color (1939–1962)
Top 5 titles by sales:
Captain America Comics – $132,350
Batman – $104,618
Wonder Woman – $61,834
Pep Comics – $51,123
Captain Marvel Adventures – $49,822
Most traded issues:
World’s Finest Comics #6 (1942); Batman #17 (1943); Batman #7 (1941); Four Color #147 (1947); Blue Beetle #51 (1947)
🕵️ 1950s – Atomic Weirdness, Anthologies & Proto-Silver Buzz
EC crime, DC continuity, and early Showcase test runs make this a transitional decade for collectors.
Top 5 titles by volume:
Batman (1940); Crime SuspenStories (1950–1955); Superman (1939–1986); Mad (1952); Action Comics (1938)
Top 5 titles by sales:
Batman – $18,834
Showcase – $18,212
Action Comics – $11,781
Detective Comics – $10,440
Playboy – $8,242
Most traded issues:
Brave and the Bold #25 (1959); Crime SuspenStories #8 (1952); Batman #121 (1959); Showcase #14 (1958); Double Life of Private Strong #1 (1959)
Silver Age
🧬 1960s – Silver Age Surge & Iconic Firsts
Spider-Man, X-Men, and Fantastic Four anchor a high-performance decade, with silver-era grails commanding top dollar.
Top 5 titles by volume:
Amazing Spider-Man (1963); Fantastic Four (1961); Avengers (1963); X-Men (1963–1981); Tales of Suspense (1959–1968)
Top 5 titles by sales:
Amazing Spider-Man – $243,290
Fantastic Four – $196,344
Amazing Fantasy – $182,666
X-Men – $129,968
Avengers – $93,656
Most traded issues:
Amazing Spider-Man #50 (1967); Fantastic Four #48 (1966); Avengers #57 (1968); Fantastic Four #52 (1966); Iron Man #1 (1968)
Bronze Age
💥 1970s – Bronze Age Bedrock & New Franchises Rise
Horror, sci-fi, and martial arts join superhero ranks, while Hulk #181 and Star Wars #1 anchor activity.
Top 5 titles by volume:
Amazing Spider-Man (1963); X-Men (1963–1981); Incredible Hulk (1962–1999); Star Wars (1977–1986); Batman (1940)
Top 5 titles by sales:
Incredible Hulk – $110,361
Amazing Spider-Man – $88,879
X-Men – $39,399
Giant-Size X-Men – $30,947
Batman – $30,646
Most traded issues:
Star Wars #1 (1977); Incredible Hulk #181 (1974); Amazing Spider-Man #129 (1974); Amazing Spider-Man #194 (1979); Giant-Size X-Men #1 (1975)
👾 1980s – Black Costumes, Indie Breakouts & Mutant Heat
A decade of transformation: indie darlings rise, and Marvel reinvents its flagship characters.
Top 5 titles by volume:
Amazing Spider-Man (1963); Uncanny X-Men (1981); Secret Wars (1984–1985); Batman (1940); Star Wars (1977–1986)
Top 5 titles by sales:
Amazing Spider-Man – $95,519
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – $36,326
Secret Wars – $31,785
Sports Illustrated – $22,188
X-Men – $20,797
Most traded issues:
Secret Wars #8 (1984); Amazing Spider-Man #300 (1988); Amazing Spider-Man #252 (1984); Wolverine #1 (1982); Amazing Spider-Man #316 (1989)
Modern Age
🧪 1990s – Chrome Covers, New Blood & Nostalgia Reborn
Spec books stabilise as early Image, McFarlane, and mutant firsts take centre stage.
Top 5 titles by volume:
Spawn (1992); Amazing Spider-Man (1963); X-Men/New X-Men (1991); Spider-Man (1990–1998); Uncanny X-Men (1981)
Top 5 titles by sales:
New Mutants – $24,071
Spawn – $22,812
Amazing Spider-Man – $21,455
Uncanny X-Men – $17,853
Spider-Man – $17,561
Most traded issues:
Spider-Man #1 (1990); Spawn #1 (1992); X-Men #1 (1991); Uncanny X-Men #266 (1990); Venom: Lethal Protector #1 (1993)
🔥 2000s – Hidden Grails & Modern Debuts Take Root
Books like Invincible #1 and Blue Marvel #1 continue building heat among patient collectors.
Top 5 titles by volume:
Invincible (2003); Spawn (1992); Batman (1940); Amazing Spider-Man (1963); Walking Dead (2003)
Top 5 titles by sales:
Invincible – $27,370
Walking Dead – $9,501
Batman – $5,645
NYX – $5,366
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – $5,336
Most traded issues:
Hulk #1 (2008); Young Avengers #1 (2005); NYX #3 (2004); Invincible #1 (2003); Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel #1 (2009)
🧠 2010s – Modern Keys, Horror Hits & Collector Curiosity
From Miles Morales to SIKTC, the 2010s prove modern keys can hold long-term collector weight.
Top 5 titles by volume:
Spawn (1992); Invincible (2003); Venom (2018); Star Wars (2015); Ultimate Fallout (2011)
Top 5 titles by sales:
Spawn – $15,638
Invincible – $12,456
Amazing Spider-Man – $9,997
Ultimate Fallout – $9,163
Star Wars – $7,357
Most traded issues:
Ultimate Fallout #4 (2011); Detective Comics #1000 (2019); Venom #1 (2018); Something is Killing the Children #1 (2019); Star Wars #1 (2015)
🌑 2020s – Prestige Formats, Indie Ambitions & Collector Taste-Shifts
Aesthetics and scarcity take the spotlight, with Power Hour, Absolute Batman, and Mark Spears Monsters climbing charts.
Top 5 titles by volume:
Absolute Batman (2024); Amazing Spider-Man (2022); Batman (2016); Power Hour (2022); Spawn (1992)
Top 5 titles by sales:
Absolute Batman – $15,491
Amazing Spider-Man (2022) – $14,526
Mark Spears Monsters – $10,070
Power Hour – $9,028
Batman (2016) – $7,541
Most traded issues:
Power Hour #2 (2024); Absolute Batman #1 (2024); Fantasy of Cosplay Comic Cover Gallery #5 (2025); Batman #1 (2025); Deviant Nation #nn (2025)
Final Panel: What the Fortnight Reveals
The latest fortnight reaffirmed a familiar pattern: legacy pillars like Amazing Spider-Man and Fantastic Four continue to power the market, while fresh contenders—from indie horror to prestige-format moderns—gain traction through scarcity, story, and style.
Silver Age strength held firm, but the biggest surprise came from the diversity of momentum across decades. Whether it’s a 1939 pulp, a 2003 Image debut, or a 2025 cosplay variant, collectors are clearly exploring beyond the traditional canon.
This wasn’t just a fortnight of safe bets—it was one of rediscovery. The market is broadening, not breaking. For those watching closely, it’s not just about what’s hot—it’s about what’s quietly climbing.
See you in two weeks. Keep stacking.
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