Truly rare comics may appear once or twice in a lifetime. Most collectors only dream of finding one.
If you’ve stumbled upon a vintage comic find and recognize one or more of those featured on this page, please stop what you’re doing and contact us immediately for a free comic evaluation.
You are reading: Rare comic books for sale
chances are you’ve found a real windfall.
If you want to sell comics for cash, then we can help you get the most money for your rare comics.
we have organized the rare comics by series or main character: action comics, ant-man, batman, green lantern, etc. simply click on any of the links below to see more details of the rarest comics featuring that character, and the minimum they’re worth.
new! really weird comics you’ve never heard of
We’ve added this gallery of truly rare comics because, for all the glamor of the great superheroes and villains, these are the truly hard-to-find books.
they’re arranged pretty randomly, with no attempt to really keep them in order of value per record sales. but rest assured that if they are here, they are rare. really weird comics.
thriller comics #3controversial klan-style bondage and nazi cover
record sale: $262,000minimum value: $1,000
check prices in real time | have yours appraised
in our top list of the best horror comics ever published.
128 page issue of Captain Americaan extremely rare comic!
record sale: $20,000minimum value: $5,000
check prices in real time | have yours appraised
read more about this book on our captain america comics price guide page
All Winners Comics #1 (1941)
record sale: $49,300minimum value: $4,300
check prices in real time | have yours appraised
black comics #1very rare comic book
record sale: $21,000minimum value: $1,100
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Human Torch Comics #1 1940 Timely Comics Rare Issue
record sale: $92,600minimum value: $2,100
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pep comics #34controversial nazi cover, weird comic
record sale: $57,360minimum value: $5,500
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mickey mouse four color comics #16 rare edition
record sale: $78,000minimum value: $1,200
check prices in real time | have yours appraised
rare action comics
action comics #1 (1938)origin and first appearance of superman
how much is it worth?the sky is the limit for this comic! no matter what form it’s in, you’ll be glad you found it.
record sale: $3,250,000 minimum value: $10,200
do you have one? Get it appraised for free!
note: reprints measuring 13 inches across the spine are common and have no value.
action comics #7superman second cover
how much is it worth?early action comics sell much better with supers on the cover. this one is worth more than #2 to #6.
record sale: $204,000 minimum value: $5,200
Know the current prices here | we tell you how much yours is worth
virtually any number of action comics from #1 to #100 is a rare comic, and you can see the values for all of them by clicking here.
action comic values for #101-200 are here.
Other rare superman comics are listed further down this page.
weird adventure comics
during its evolution from a funny comic to a superhero title, through the transition title new adventure comics, this dc title became very popular with buyers at the time.
However, some issues are considered among the rarest of all dc comics. read our adventure comics article for more details.
Adventure Comics #48hour-man first appearance
Not as well known as the Sandman, the Man of the Hour is rarely seen. only 28 known copies!
record sale: $54,600 minimum value: $1,000
get values | rate yours
adventure comics #61first appearance of starman
There are only 30 unrestored copies in the cgc census!
record sale: $10,900 minimum value: $500
get values | rate yours
rare star comics
You won’t come across these very often, but if you find one of these rare star comics, you’ll be very happy.
The series that launched the first superteam in the Justice Society of America and debuted Wonder Woman in comics is highly collectible.
click to read our full article on star comics.
all-star comics #3origin and first appearance of the justice society of america
how much is it worth?the first superteam in comics (although in this issue they just sit around talking…)
record sale: $358,000 minimum value: $1,000
click for values | get a free appraisal
all-star comics #8first appearance of wonder woman
how much is it worth?very important, especially now that wonder woman is appearing in movies. has been underrated for years!
record sale: $936,000 minimum value: $10,000
click to get values | get an appraisal
star comics ended with issue #57, before being relaunched in the 1970s.
In very good condition, any issue of this rare series of comics is worth a lot of money. Get yours appraised for free!
rare american comics
some of the most important and rare comics published in the golden age appeared as part of American comics (full article).
the key to all of them is all-american #16 (first green lantern of the golden age).
all-american comics #16first appearance of the green lantern
how much is it worth?it is rarely sold. our copy (see below) was incomplete (but had a full cover and full green lantern story) and sold for $7,500.
record sale: $215,100 minimum value: $8,000
click to get values
all-american comics #19first appearance of the atom
how much is it worth?much less desirable than #16, but still an important book, with only 17 unrestored examples known to exist.
record sale: $51,400 minimum value: $400
click to get values
rare ant-man comics
compared to some of the golden age comics on this page, ant-man doesn’t appear in any really weird comics.
However, there are a couple of things of value, in particular his first appearances in tales to amaze. they are rare to a high degree.
Check out our ant-man comic book price guide for more details on this character, who is set to make it big with a movie in 2015.
tales to amaze #27origin and first appearance of ant-man
how much is it worth?undervalued silver age key. appearances in ant-man movies have helped him get better prices in recent years.
record sale: $200,000 minimum value: $500
check values | get yours appraised for free!
pep comics #22first appearance of archie andrews, betty and jughead
record sale: $375,000minimum value: $25,000
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archie comics #1first issue of archie solo
record sale: $195,000minimum value: $15,000
check prices in real time | have yours appraised
rare batman comics
If you’ve come across rare comics from the same era (1940s) with just the title batman on the front, then you may be a bit confused.
batman was so popular that dc turned it into its own series. Issue #1 was published on April 7, 1940 (just a few days after Detective Comics #38 first featured Robin).
let’s take a look at some of the rare comics from the batman series itself.
batman #1first appearance the joker and the cat (catwoman)
how much is it worth?batman #1 is a highly sought after book. if you want to run, it won’t be complete without it!
record sale: $2,220,000 minimum value: $15,000
check live prices | get yours rated
batman #3first appearance puppeteer
how much is it worth?not as much as you might imagine, but none of the early batman comics are useless. the dark cover is hard to find in very good condition.
record sale: $40,000 minimum value: $250
check prices | We value yours for free!
batman #11classic joker cover
how much is it worth?joker covers are huge right now, and this first issue of batman has one of the classic joker comic book images. a gem.
record sale: $65,000 minimum value: $750
look what it’s worth | we value yours for free
other batman comic issues to consider
virtually any issue, from batman comic #1 to #100, is worth money. are heavily collected by comic fans around the world.
Also see our article on batman comics #101-200 values fully detailed here.
rare captain america comics
While there are some valuable silver age comic books featuring Captain America, none are truly rare comic books in the way that golden age numbers are.
You’ll come across the Avengers comics much more often than the Captain America comics of the 1940s and 1950s.
did you find any? Get in touch and we will help you find out its value. here are some typical problems. You can read more about the Captain America comics here.
captain america comics #1origin and 1st appearance of captain america; patriotic ww2 cover
how much is it worth?a lot of money. Capand Bucky’s first appearance is worth a lot.
record sale: $915,000 minimum value: $10,000
See Also: The Hunger Games – Book Series In Order
check values | get a free appraisal
captain america comics #2second appearance of cap and bucky; another very rare superhero comic
how much is it worth?not as much as issue 1, but the record for this comic is still in the six figures.
record sale: $103,000 minimum value: $1,000
See Also: The Hunger Games – Book Series In Order
check values | get a free appraisal
any appearance of captain america in the golden age is worth money, being the vital condition, of course. send us the details of yours and we will help you find out its value.
rare batman detective comics
When it comes to weird comics, few are as important as the origin and first appearance of Batman.
detective comics #27 is the great example that any collector of batman comics dreams of owning.
batman is one of the best known and loved superheroes in the world. Over the years, he has gone through many incarnations, from the sublime Dark Knight to the ridiculous Adam West era.
here are the rare batman comics to look for. if you’ve found one or more, get in touch right away for a free appraisal of their value.
detective comics #27origin and first appearance of batman
how much is it worth?no matter what the condition, if you’ve found one of these rare comics, then you’ve got an exciting find!
record sale: $2,100,000 minimum value: $75,000
get yours appraised for free!
Detective Comics #29Batman 2nd Cover
How much is it worth?While issue 28 of Detective Comics is Batman’s second appearance, collectors prefer editions with him on the cover.
record sale: $102,000 minimum value: $5,000
check live prices | we appraise for free!
detective comics #38first appearance of robin the boy wonder
How much is he worth?Love him or loathe him, Robin has been an important character to the rest of the Batman universe since April Fools in 1940.
record sale: $107,750 minimum value: $3,500
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detective comics #40first appearance of clay face
record sale: $32,200minimum value: $1,000
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Detective Comics #73First Scarecrow Comic Cover
record sale: $28,900minimum value: $780
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detective comics #168origin of the joker
record sale: $35,000minimum value: $1,000
check prices in real time | have yours appraised
other weird detective comics
Although Detectives #1 to #26 (“Prehero Era”) do not include Batman, they are still rare comics, especially in good condition.
Almost any number of detective comics featuring batman up to issue 250 are worth checking out. if you have any later issues, check out our detective comic pricing guide for values.
rare captain marvel comics
One of the ‘forgotten’ heroes of the golden age, Captain Marvel (click to view article) first appears in one of the rarest and most sought after comics, whiz comics #2.
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shazam! The movie reinstated some interest in this character, but his similarity to Superman and the relatively sparse nature of the comics means collectors don’t have as much an affinity for this golden age hero.
whiz comics #2(#1)origin and first appearance of captain marvel, later renamed shazam!
how much is it worth?a very rare comic. there are so few of these comics on the market that it’s hard to tell, but plenty!
record sale: $281,000 minimum value: $8,000
research values | get yours rated
captain marvel adventures #1the first independent captain marvel comic. see our article for more information
how much is it worth?surely not as valuable as whiz. the highest known unrestored copy of this book is only 5.0 out of 10! unrestored examples are extremely rare.
record sale: $38,240 minimum value: $800
research prices | rate yours
marvel family #1first appearance of black adam
record sale: $186,000minimum value: $500
check prices in real time | have yours appraised
four weird fantastic comics
The birth of the “wonderful age of comics” began with the Fantastic Four #1, a classic cover that every collector would love to own.
There aren’t too many really rare comics featuring the ff, but in good condition, they can be very valuable. most of the first few numbers of ff are rare to a high degree.
check out our fantastic article on four comics for more information.
the fantastic four #1 (1961)origin and first appearance the fantastic four, first appearance mole man
how much is it worth?the condition is really vital, but this is such an iconic book that, even in poor condition, it has value.
record sale: $300,000 minimum value: $900
check prices | Get yours appraised!
Fantastic Four #5 (1962)origin and first appearance of the amazing villain doctor doom
how much is it worth?while this isn’t a low quality big bucks book, vf copies are getting expensive.
record sale: $138,000 minimum value: $1,500
see prices | get yours valued for free!
other Fantastic Four numbers worth finding
Almost all copies of the Fantastic Four #1 – 20 are highly collectible, although they are not truly rare comics.
some later issues are now considered “key”:
Fantastic Four #48: 1st Silver Surfer and Galactus
Fantastic Four #52: First Black Panther
get in touch if you have any of the above and we’ll help you figure out how much they’re worth.
read more in our detailed price guide for the fantastic four comics here.
rare flash comics
there are a lot of weird comics with flash as a central character. flash is less popular with collectors than superman, spiderman and batman.
However, you may still have a treasure or two if you’ve found some flash comics. let’s take a look at the best of them.
flash comics #1origin and first appearance flash and other characters
how much is it worth?this issue from 1940 is definitely one of those rare comics that every collector wants.
record sale: $450,000 minimum value: $6,000
check current prices | get yours rated
quarterly all-flash #1flash release source
how much is it worth?this is a pretty rare comic from 1941. even if your copy is trashed, it still has some value!
record sale: $33,000 minimum value (in very poor condition): $500
see live prices | send us details!
other flash comics to look for:
virtually any flash comic from the 1940s is worth a lot of money, and those early issues are truly rare comics.
anything after that has to be in better shape to be truly valuable.
if you’ve found a bunch of old flash comics, we’ll help you figure out what they are and how much they’re worth.
rare green lantern comics
There are some really weird comics that feature the Green Lantern.
This golden age character was pretty dark, like flash, until the 2011 movie, when he suddenly became popular with a new generation.
These are the most important to keep in mind.
green lantern (volume 1) #1origin of the green lantern retold; the dark cover is scarce in high degree
how much is it worth?although not as impressive as the US issue #16, the first ever green lantern comic is highly desirable.
record sale: $44,800 minimum value: $500
check prices | get yours rated today
showcase #22first silver age appearance of the green lantern (hal jordan)
how much is it worth?hal jordan is the green lantern continuity, so this silver age comic has skyrocketed!
record sale: $105,000 minimum value: $800
check values | we appraise yours for free
see our articles for more details: golden age green lantern comics | silver age green lantern comics
rare and incredible hulk comics
hulk smash! yes, it’s green, it’s bad, and if you own one of these weird hulk comics, you don’t have to be “bad with green” anymore.
just like the fantastic four, these hulk comics aren’t really that rare, but you rarely see them in good condition.
Marvel chipping (spoon-shaped bits of color fading around the edges) is common in these comics. Check out our article on the incredible hulk comics for more details on the value of these popular comics.
incredible hulk #1origin and first appearance the incredible hulk (with gray skin)
how much is it worth?most of the #1 hulks on the market are wrinkled and chipped. if yours is in good condition or better, then you’re in the money!
record sale: $375,000 minimum value: $3,000
current values | get it appraised
hot book alert!incredible hulk #1 is in the hot 100 comics
incredible hulk #2first green skinned hulk
what is it worth?we all know it as green, so you were probably surprised to find out hulk was gray in the first place! Do you want to discover its value? we can help.
record sale: $47,000 minimum value: $400
check prices | get yours rated today
incredible hulk #181first full appearance of wolverine
how much is it worth?this is where supply and demand work their magic! definitely not a weird comic. there are thousands out there, but they are hot property. worth money in any condition.
record sale: $150,000 minimum value: $200
discover values… | show us your copy. we will assess its value for free.
hot book alert!the incredible hulk #181 is in the hot 100 comics
other hulk comics to consider:
almost all numbers from 1 to 6 are highly sought after. then there is a five year gap, with the incredible hulk #102 being the “next” number in 1968.
hulk appears in recent issues of such to amaze. He also fights the Thing in Fantastic Four #112, the entire Fantastic Four team in Fantastic Four #12, and Spider-Man in Amazing Spider-Man #119 and Amazing Spider-Man #120.
the hulk even appears in amazing spider-man #14, which is most famous for the first appearance of the green goblin.
There are many other Hulk appearances for collectors to look out for, but the ones shown above are the only truly rare comics featuring the Hulk.
rare iron man comics
thanks to robert downey jr. and the movie franchise, Iron Man has become one of the most popular comic characters. Like the Hulk, there are few truly rare Iron Man comics out there, but the key is to get them in the best condition.
These are the ones to really look for. see our iron man comics article for more details.
See Also: Chuck Palahniuk – Book Series In Order
thriller stories #39origin and first appearance, iron man
how much is it worth?often found with faded pale olive green color.
record sale: $262,900 minimum value: $650
check prices | send us details if you have one
other iron man comics:
There are plenty of other iron man comics out there, and you should definitely ask us to rate them if they’re in pretty good shape (they look like they’ve barely been read).
examples are: suspense stories 40 – 41 – 48 – 50 – 52 – 57
most are not rare comics, but they are still collected.
justice league of america rare comics
justice league of america comics (click for main article) have peaked and then declined in value, as speculation and then profit-taking built up around the movie jla came and went.
Even if they’re not rare comics, they’re collectible.
key jla comics to find are:
- brave and the bold #28 (first occurrence)
- brave and the bold #29 (second occurrence)
- brave and the bold #30 (third occurrence)
- justice league of america #1 (first solo comic)
brave and bold #28first appearance of the jla
Finally, this superteam has been promised the cinematic treatment. Prices for this book (long undervalued) are rising rapidly.
record sale: $122,000minimum value: $400
consult market prices | get yours appraised for free
justice league of america #1first appearance in own comic
how much is it worth?2nd most valuable jla book, high grade rare.
record sale: $215,100minimum value: $200
consult market prices | get yours appraised for free
If you’ve found any of these great jla comics, get them evaluated for free by selling my comics.
rare marvel mystery comics
In the golden age, marvel mystery comics (click for full article) (initially called marvel comics) heralded the creation of the world’s most famous comic book brand.
there are some really weird comics in this run!
almost every issue of marvel mystery comics has value. they’re rare comics at high grade, but at lower grades, they’re still worth decent money. rate yours today.
rare ghost lady comics
matt baker’s ghost lady comics (click for full article) are highly sought after by collectors of so-called good girl art. they are super sexy and definitely look ‘edgy’ even today!
run was short, only 11 issues, many of them ‘cutting edge’, and all issues of the ghost lady are rare and highly collected comics.
If you’ve come across ghost lady comics, then you know what to do! evaluate yours for free today.
rare planet comics
From the age of the pulps came the planet’s comics. With their sexy, cheesy sci-fi covers featuring lots of bare skin and googly-eyed monsters, these are rare and highly sought-after comics.
the condition of the cover is more important than the interior. number 1 is the largest.
planet comics #1: The first cover is pretty tame by later standards, but this is a truly weird comic.
how much is it worth?record sale: $108,600minimum value: $1,000
consult market prices | appraisals
planet comics #2 the second in the series is definitely not as exciting a find as #1, but it’s still great.
record sale: $40,200minimum value: $1,000
check prices | free valuation
planet comics #26bondage / googly-eyed monster cover
record sale: $2800minimum value: $200
check prices in real time | have yours appraised
comics from other planets: almost anything in the series with a decent cover will do just fine. especially the ones featuring attractive women having awkward encounters with aliens…
This is a very niche market, so don’t expect prices to match superhero comics from the same era. click for more information on this series.
rare spider-man comics
- reality. spider-man is the world’s most collected comic book hero.
- done. there are no truly weird spider-man comics.
- done. never mind this – the amazing first issues of the spider-man comic and amazing fantasy #15 continue to rise and rise in value!
here are the best comics to search with the web-spinner.
amazing fantasy #15 (click for full article)origin and first appearance of spider-man
how much is it worth?this is the most valuable spider-man comic. in any condition, it’s good to find. well done! don’t wait find out the current market values here.
record sale: $3,600,000 minimum value (very poor condition): $3,000appraise yours for free
hot book alert!af15 is in the hot 100 comics
reprints exist. there is a marvel milestone edition (silver border around the cover) and a collectible series (black border around the cover).
amazing spider-man #12th appearance of spider-man
how much is it worth?much less than amazing fantasy #15, but still a great comic if you found it!
see live market value here.
record sale: $262,900 minimum value: $600
how much is yours worth? find out now for free!
reprints exist.
other spider-man comics worth looking up:
virtually any previous issue of amazing spider-man, from #1 to #150. this especially goes for #1 to #50. they are sold regardless of condition, though the better the shape, the better.
amazing spider-man #121 (the death of gwen stacey) and #122 (the death of the green goblin) are always popular books with collectors.
Also, Spider-Man Annuals #1-#5 are highly collectible.
rare superman comics
Superman may not be to everyone’s taste, but you can’t argue with history.
The most famous comic in the world is the number 1 action comic. it currently holds the world record for the most expensive, at just over $3.2 million. (see details above).
Most copies are worth much less, but the good news is that if you own one of these truly rare comics, then you certainly have a prized asset that any comic collector would envy.
see our superman comics article for more details.
superman #1first in a new series dedicated to superman
how much is it worth?although not quite as spectacular as action #1, superman #1 is still a ‘super’ find if you come across one. very rare in original, unrestored condition.
record sale: $507,000minimum value (very poor condition): $15,000
check values here!
get your #1 rated superman for free
note: reprints measuring 13 inches across the spine are common and have no value.
new york world’s fair comic (1939 and 1940)
how much is it worth?very rare and in excellent condition, these comics are really hard for collectors to add to their superman career.
Remember, comics only cost 10c, from the earliest days to the early 1960s. The 15c cover price must have come as a surprise.
This is good news if you have copies of these rare comic books today. even in poor condition, they sell well.
record sale for 1939: $25,300 minimum value for 1939: $1,200see live prices online!
1940 Record Sale: $9,000 1940 Low Value: $200Discover the price of a 1940 World’s Fair on eBay today.
other superman comics to search for:
All early superman and action comics are worth money, no matter what their condition. in better, unrestored shape, you’ll likely get a lot of money for your find.
Action Comics #1 to #200, Action Comics #242 (brainiac’s first appearance), and Action Comics #252 (Supergirl’s first comic).
superman #1-#100, #123, #199, and annuals #1-#4.
Read more about collectible superman comics here and our action comics price guide here.
weird trip to the mystery and thor comics
there really aren’t too many truly weird thor comics.
however, the increased interest in the character from the avengers movies has made thor’s first appearances a very attractive property.
check out our thor comics article and trip to mystery comics price guide for more information.
journey to the mystery #83origin and first appearance of thor
how much is it worth?this is not a really weird comic. however, it is rare and very valuable at a really high grade (8.0 or higher).
record sale: $319,800 minimum value: $1,000
click to see live prices today! | we will evaluate your jim #83 for free
other thor comics worth looking up:
This is a very popular character, and any comic in great shape will find a prized home with collectors.
journey to the mystery from #85 to #120
Avengers #1-#20, #57
Tales of suspense #49 (click for live prices!)
Check out our full Thor comics article for more on this character.
rare wonder woman comics
the main difference between marvel and dc comics is that dc has characters that have appeared in series continuously since the golden age (1930s to 1950s).
wonder woman is one of them, and as you can imagine, some of the early issues are among the rarest of comics.
Wonder Woman #1more detailed origin story told
how much is it worth?a collector who can’t afford the first two rarities will still want a copy of wonder woman #1 in their collection.
record sale: $291,000 minimum value: $2,500
find one today
get your #1 wonder woman appraised free by selling my comics
other rare wonder woman comics:
Any of the first issues of the sensational comics featuring the lasso girl are worth money, especially in better condition.
all-star comics #11 sees the return of Wonder Woman and appears in multiple issues. all are collectible.
Wonder Woman comic numbers 1 to 107, although in poor condition they are worth a few dollars each. in good condition is worth much more.
check out our wonder woman comics article here.
rare (strange) x-men comics
again, no truly rare x-men comics (click for full article), but condition is vital.
With the exception of a few issues, which have value no matter what their form, when you go back into comics from the late ’60s and even ’70s, only the best condition examples are worth a lot of money.
(uncanny) x-men #1origin and first appearance of the x-men
how much is it worth?one of the few x-men comics worth decent money in bad shape. It is a must have for collectors. the white cover is rarely found clean.
record sale: $807,300 minimum value (very poor condition): $800
see live prices here | evaluate yours for free
Are there any other weird comics featuring the x-men?
none really, but the most interesting find is a series of comics from the 60s and 70s. some wolverine comics are worth a lot of money too.
if you have an old collection that includes many of the back issues of x-men, say from #1 to #40, then you have a nice and valuable resource there. if they are in good shape, the better.
The first x-men specials or annuals are also a good find, but they’re only worth a lot of money if they’re in near mint condition.
have questions about weird comics?
If you’ve found any of these rare comics, or have others you’d like us to search for you, please contact sell my comics. we will be happy to help.
See Also: The 12 Best Motorcycle Books You Need to Read – Ride Vision