Top of the stack: Best-selling titles by decade (May 20 to June 2, 2025)
In the most recent fortnight, spanning May 20 through June 2, GPAnalysis tracked a total of $4.86 million in CGC-graded comic sales, drawn from 19,669 individual transactions across the major venues. The median price was $90, right in that familiar wheelhouse where the core of the hobby lives: mid-tier slabs, everyday trades, and passion-first purchases.
The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) took the lead in total volume, with 1,301 books moved and a healthy $500K in total sales. The headline act, however, came courtesy of Superman #1 (1939), CGC 0.5, sold via HA.com for a towering $66,000. Even in low grade, history commands a premium.
Source: GPAnalysis.com recorded sales, May 20 – June 2, 2025.
Top 5 titles in sales by era
Let’s step through the decades
1930s – Superman (1939–1986)
💰 Total sales: $71,301
Golden Age giants continue to turn up — often in brittle, well-worn condition — but their mythic weight remains undeniable. Superman #1 dominated the era, flanked by early runs of Detective Comics and Adventure Comics.
Top 5 titles by sales:
Superman (1939–1986): $71,301
Detective Comics (1937): $34,560
Adventure Comics (1938–1983): $17,880
Action Comics (1938): $13,300
Time (1923): $5,000
Most traded issue:
Action Comics #5 (1938)
1940s – All-American Comics (1939–1948)
💰 Total sales: $72,711
The Golden Age stayed hot, with Batman and Detective Comics exchanging hands briskly. But it was All-American Comics that unexpectedly topped the sales leaderboard — a reminder that early Green Lantern and Justice Society stories still resonate with deep-pocket collectors.
Top 5 titles by sales:
All-American Comics (1939–1948): $72,711
Batman (1940): $67,546
Detective Comics (1937): $65,918
Captain America Comics (1941–1954): $57,200
More Fun Comics (1936–1947): $37,985
Most traded issue:
Superman #34 (1945)
1950s – Showcase (1956–1978)
💰 Total sales: $40,897
Showcase reclaimed the crown of the '50s this round, bolstered by trades of issues #4 and #13. Beyond the superhero spotlight, oddball pulps like Haunt of Fear and The Unseen also found eager buyers.
Top 5 titles by sales:
Showcase (1956–1978): $40,897
The Unseen (1952–1954): $10,380
Adventure Comics (1938–1983): $8,853
Haunt of Fear (1950–1954): $8,471
Action Comics (1938): $8,020
Most traded issue:
Sports Illustrated #1 (1954)
1960s – Amazing Spider-Man (1963)
💰 Total sales: $220,065
No surprises here — Spider-Man continues to own the Silver Age. Fantastic Four and X-Men both pushed serious numbers as well, with key issues like FF #48 and X-Men #50 seeing consistent action.
Top 5 titles by sales:
Amazing Spider-Man (1963): $220,065
Fantastic Four (1961): $149,407
X-Men (1963–1981): $145,198
Amazing Fantasy (1962–1996): $66,393
Avengers (1963): $59,898
Most traded issue:
Fantastic Four #52 (1966)
1970s – Amazing Spider-Man (1963)
💰 Total sales: $120,950
Hulk #181 and Giant-Size X-Men #1 kept the Bronze Age feeling brawny. Still, Star Wars #1 had its gravitational pull — collectors still believe in the Force.
Top 5 titles by sales:
Amazing Spider-Man (1963): $120,950
Incredible Hulk (1962–1999): $93,145
Giant-Size X-Men (1975): $61,958
X-Men (1963–1981): $56,671
Star Wars (1977–1986): $41,316
Most traded issue:
Star Wars #1 (1977)
1980s – Amazing Spider-Man (1963)
💰 Total sales: $102,808
The '80s are all about Venom, black suits, and turtle power. Secret Wars #8 and ASM #300 dominated the chatter, while TMNT and G.I. Joe had solid numbers.
Top 5 titles by sales:
Amazing Spider-Man (1963): $102,808
Uncanny X-Men (1981): $26,776
Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars (1984–1985): $26,388
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1984–1993): $24,288
G.I. Joe, A Real American Hero (1982–1994): $23,484
Most traded issue:
Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #8 (1984)
1990s – New Mutants (1983–1991)
💰 Total sales: $41,327
The speculation era still has legs. New Mutants #98 led the charge, with Spawn #1 and Spider-Man #1 close behind.
Top 5 titles by sales:
New Mutants (1983–1991): $41,327
Uncanny X-Men (1981): $24,843
Spawn (1992): $22,624
Spider-Man (1990–1998): $18,703
X-Men/New X-Men (1991): $16,892
Most traded issue:
Spider-Man #1 (1990)
2000s – Invincible (2003)
💰 Total sales: $41,949
Invincible continues to punch above its weight, likely fueled by renewed media attention. NYX and Walking Dead also showed strong interest.
Top 5 titles by sales:
Invincible (2003): $41,949
Amazing Spider-Man (1963): $10,495
NYX (2003): $7,333
Walking Dead (2003): $7,233
Batman (1940): $6,095
Most traded issue:
Sentry #1 (2000)
2010s – Ultimate Fallout (2011)
💰 Total sales: $19,142
Miles Morales stands tall. UF #4 remains a defining book of the era, with Edge of Spider-Verse and Spawn close behind.
Top 5 titles by sales:
Ultimate Fallout (2011): $19,142
Spawn (1992): $17,005
Edge of Spider-Verse (2014): $11,763
Invincible (2003): $11,370
Amazing Spider-Man (1963): $8,199
Most traded issue:
Ultimate Fallout #4 (2011)
2020s – Mark Spears Monsters (2024)
💰 Total sales: $17,804
Modern titles are leaning strange, niche, and beautiful — Mark Spears’ Monsters topped sales, while ASM (2022) remained the most traded. Don’t sleep on Waifu Chronicles either — yes, really.
Top 5 titles by sales:
Mark Spears Monsters (2024): $17,804
Amazing Spider-Man (2022): $17,722
Batman (2016): $13,717
Absolute Batman (2024): $11,359
TMNT: The Last Ronin (2020): $8,624
Most traded issue:
Batman #158 (2025)
🧠 Final thoughts
This fortnight's data confirms what seasoned collectors already know: Amazing Spider-Man is still the most reliable workhorse in the CGC-graded market. But the real heartbeat of the hobby? It’s in the diversity, from obscure horror pulps to modern indie experiments.
Thousands of slabs changed hands not just as investments, but as pieces of nostalgia, history, and storytelling. Whether you’re spending $66,000 on Superman #1 or $90 on a slabbed modern, the goal remains unchanged — finding the next story to hold in your hands (or in acrylic).
Check back next fortnight to see which grails rose, which nostalgia hit hardest, and what finds its way to the top of the stack.
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