punisher comic price guide
For many heroes and villains, public interest waxes and wanes, and the Punisher is an antihero who has seen many ups and downs.
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Rising to its heyday in the late 1980s and early 1990s, punisher comics have come and gone, but frank castle, the man behind the name, has always held a special place in hearts of those who love their tough vigilantism.
With the appearance of the punisher in season 2 of netflix’s daredevil, interest in the character has reignited. In May 2016, the punisher volume 11 was released, as well as a new daredevil/punisher series.
Let’s take a look at the history of the comic book appearances of the key Punisher themes and find out how our friendly Frank Castle became so…frank.
amazing spider-man #129 (marvel, 1974): first appearance of punisher / frank castle
amazing spider-man #129: first appearance of punisher
record sale: $43,200
minimum value: $140
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if you collect punisher comics then amazing spider-man #129 should be at the top of your wish list.
Punisher, created by writer Gerry Conway and artist John Romita, first appears as an extremely violent vigilante trying to assassinate Spider-Man, who supposedly killed Norman Osborn.
Dressed in black with his signature giant skull (later used by Seal Team 3 and American Sniper’s Chris Kyle), Punisher proves he can hold his own against Spider-Man.
why is the punisher so angry and where did he learn to fight like that?
Amazing Spider-Man #129 doesn’t reveal much about Frank Castle’s backstory, but his homicidal ways struck a chord with mature comic book readers, and it wasn’t long before the Punisher appeared across the universe. marvel.
amazing spider-man #135 (marvel, 1974): second appearance of punisher
amazing spider-man #135: second appearance
record sale: $20,400
minimum value: $20
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Returning for his second full appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #135 (with a cameo in #134), Spidey and the Punisher are slowly putting their differences aside.
All of that falls apart when Spider-Man finds himself in the middle of a fight between the Punisher and the Tarantula.
Second appearances aren’t always coveted by casual fans, but for the die-hard Punisher comics collector, Amazing Spider-Man #135 is an affordable investment.
Please note that this issue (along with other Marvel Bronze Age comics such as The Incredible Hulk #181) was issued with a Marvel Value Stamp. this is often cut or torn from the inside pages. check before you buy (or sell!) a copy.
note: the record sale was for a cgc 9.9. a typical sale of 9.8 costs $380-500.
giant-sized spider-man #4 (marvel, 1975): third punisher comic; first appearance of magnum bassinet
giant-sized spider-man #4: appearance of the third punisher, first moses magnum
record sale: $5040
minimum value: $20
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Released in 1974, the six-issue giant-sized Spider-Man was not a big hit except for issue #4.
With the third appearance of the punisher, the punisher and spidey finally seem to hit it off, fighting side by side against moses magnum (first appearance).
jumbo-sized spiderman #4 is the most valuable number in the series.
marvel preview #2 (marvel, 1975): origin story of the punisher
marvel preview #2: origin of the punisher
record sale: $1730
minimum value: $30
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Making his first appearance outside of Spider-Man, the punisher’s devastating origin story is revealed in trailer for Marvel #2.
An ex-US Marine (with three tours of duty in Vietnam), Frank Castle’s wife and children are murdered after witnessing some mob activity. Now completely deranged and with nothing to lose, Frank becomes the Punisher, a one-man war on crime.
As an essential punishing comic with its significant origin story, Marvel #2 Preview is surprisingly common in the upper grades. Curtis magazines have tended to survive in better condition than might be expected.
marvel super action #1: punisher painted classic cover
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marvel super action #1
record sale: $700
minimum value: $10
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amazing spider-man #162 (marvel, 1976): punisher/spider-man/nightcrawler team; first puzzle appearance
amazing spider-man #162: 1st puzzle
record sale: $650
minimum value: $10
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Since Jigsaw’s first appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #162, he has been the Punisher’s archenemy and an antagonist in almost every Punisher comic series.
amazing spider-man #162 is also notable for the first (and only) team-up of nightcrawler and punisher.
Because of the rare nightcrawler/punisher association and the first appearance of jigsaw, amazing spider-man #162 is a great investment if you’re collecting punisher comics.
captain america #241 (1980): classic cap vs punisher cover
captain america #241: classic cover
record sale: $3,250 (cgc 9.9); $375 (9.8)
minimum value: $10
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amazing spider-man #201 (1980): classic version of the punisher
amazing spider-man #201: classic cover
record sale: $480
minimum value: $10
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daredevil #181 (marvel, 1982): first punisher/reckless comic; death of elektra
daredevil #181: 1st daredevil/punisher comic; death of elektra
record sale: $5760
minimum value: $10
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Taking the series in a whole new direction and reviving a “second-rate” hero, Frank Miller’s work on daredevil Marvel comics is considered some of the best in comics history.
until daredevil, punisher was almost exclusive to amazing spider-man. Beginning with daredevil #181, the punisher and daredevil come together in a very memorable partnership (and we use the term “partnership” loosely).
From daredevil #181 to #184, we see the punisher escaping from jail (arrested in amazing spider-man annual #15), trying to hunt down bullseye, kingpin, and other drug dealers and, of course, Of course, going against the grain of daredevil’s orderly crime-fighting.
punisher #1 (circle of blood miniseries) (marvel, 1986): first solo punisher series
Punisher Limited Series #1: First Solo Book
record sale: $950
minimum value: $10
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marvel execs weren’t sure an ongoing punisher solo series was a good idea, so they compromised: a five-issue miniseries.
Back in prison, the punisher learns about the trust, an organization dedicated to rooting out crime bosses.
Looking like the perfect candidate for trust, the Punisher breaks out of jail to start ticking criminals off his long list.
punisher #1 (volume 2) (marvel, 1987): first ongoing punisher solo series
punisher v2 #1: first ongoing issue
record sale: $1800
minimum value: $30
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Because the punisher miniseries was so popular, marvel had no choice but to greenlight a large-scale punisher solo series.
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Published in 104 issues through 1995, Punisher (Vol. 2) expands Frank Castle’s horizons as he takes on international cartels, terrorists, the Kingpin, and his puzzle nemesis.
The 1987 punisher series served as a flagship for other punisher comics, such as war journals, war zone, and armory.
note: the record sale was for a cgc 9.9. a typical sale of 9.8 costs between $80 and $120.
punisher: war diary #1 (marvel, 1988): a deeply personal and refreshing punisher comic
Punisher’s War Diary #1
record sale: $500
minimum value: $10
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In the heyday of punisher comics, a single comic was not enough to contain frank castle and all his fury.
Released a year after Punisher (Vol. 2), Punisher: War Journal delves into Punisher’s past and includes several appearances and cameos by Marvel’s most popular heroes in villains.
Some of the notable guests on Punisher: War Journal include Wolverine, Doctor Doom, Ghost Rider, and Spider-Man.
punisher: war journal ran for 80 issues ending in 1995. war journal volume 2 was published in 2006.
note: the record sale was for a cgc 9.9. a typical sale of 9.8 costs between $80 and $120.
amazing spider-man #330: erik larsen’s punisher cover
amazing spider-man #330: larsen punisher cover
record sale: $330 (cgc 9.9 – 9.8s sell for around $40)
minimum value: $20
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archie meets the punisher (1994): unlikely crossover
punisher vs daredevil #1 (marvel, 2000): rare modern age reprint of daredevil
Punisher vs. Daredevil #1
record sale: $130
minimum value: $20
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Don’t confuse the rare Punisher vs. Daredevil with the common 2006 miniseries Daredevil vs. Punisher.
punisher vs. daredevil reprints daredevil #183, #184 and #257 – three of the best punisher/daredevil stories ever written.
punisher volume 7 #1 (max, 2004): critically acclaimed “grown-up” punishment series
punisher (maximum) #1
record sale: $250
minimum value: $10
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part of the appeal of the punisher is that it never quite fits in with the rest of the marvel superheroes.
In 2004, with the comic code authority rules abandoned, marvel found a new place for the punisher.
punisher (vol. 7) was released under marvel’s max imprint, which allowed for more gritty, realistic, and violent stories.
Exploring Frank Castel’s Vietnamese roots, his past demons, and continuing fight against drugs and crime, Punisher Max was very well received and ran for 75 issues.
note: the record sale was for a cgc 10.0. a typical sale of 9.8 costs $40-60.
deadpool #54 (marvel, 2008): first deadpool/punisher comic
record sale: $210
minimum value: $10
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it would seem that deadpool and punisher could be best friends, but not when they try to kill each other!
When the gnucci family hires deadpool to kill the punisher, the loudmouth mercenary discovers that’s a lot easier said than done.
Like many deadpool comics, deadpool #54 is a classic of the modern age and it’s becoming very valuable.
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