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Posted in: Comics, Comics Publishers, Current News, Marvel Comics, Spider-Man, Venom | Tagged: Alan oore, comics journal, Dan DeCarlo, Dave Stevens, Secret Wars, steve bissette, swamp thing, tmnt, Todd cFarlane
First Spider-Man Black Costume Appearance, Comics Journal #85 at $300
The Comics Journal #85 is known the first appearance in print of Spider-Man in his new black costume and is now rocketing in price on eBay
Article Summary
- Comics Journal #85 features Spider-Man's debut in black costume, now highly valuable.
- eBay listings show the issue's CGC 8.0 grade soaring to $300, doubling in value.
- Rare contents include unfulfilled Marvel crossovers and a Secret Wars cartoon tease.
- Comparative sales highlight the collectability of select Comics Journal issues.
The Comics Journal #85 is known for featuring the first appearance in print of Spider-Man in his new black costume. But no one really considered it that much of a collectable. But of late, that seems to have changed, with CGC slabbing copies of the magazine, published by Gary Groth at Fantagraphics back in 1983, rocketing in price on eBay.
Although slabbing the magazine means you lose access to reading the original news report, as scooped by the Journal. Marvel Superheroes Secret Wars is being referred to here as The Secret War. And that the original title of the series was Cosmic Champions. There is also mention of a Rom crossover with the series and across all titles by Bill Mantlo that either wasn't true or just never happened.
There is also a report on a Saturday morning "Secret War" cartoon that never happened, a TSR role-playing game that never happened, but mention of Spider-Man's new black costume, which did, as well as the first published image of it. Though an odd pose for its first-ever reveal…
Anyway, copies have recently sold on eBay for $300 in CGC 8.0 grade, whereas last month they sold for $150 in 8.5. The only comparable sales were for the previous issue featuring early Batman work by Todd McFarlane which have sold unslabbed for over $200. Issue #117 with Dave Stevens has sold for $100 unslabbed, and #89 which has early Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles including the first appearance of Leonardo, and has sold for $90 unslabbed as has #127 with a Bill Watterson interview and art. The Comics Journal #93 has a Steve Bissette/John Totleben Swamp Thing cover and Alan Moore interview at $56, while #113 has a Watchnen feature for $50. And a more recent copy with a Dan DeCarlo interview and art from 2001, Comics Journal #223 still fetches a respectable $48 on eBay.
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