Overstreet Price Guide: 1982

While sorting through stuff in my studio, I came across an old 1982 edition of the Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide. Needless to say, comic book collecting has changed dramatically over the past 26 years (for better and for worse). Despite its high falutin' reference to comic book collectors as "panelologists", the 12th edition of the Overstreet Guide was an ambitious yet humble affair...with impressive full color cover galleries offset by hundreds of junky-looking comic shop ads. Of course, the real appeal of my first price guide was its extensive listing of just about every comic book known to man.

Just for fun, I thought I'd see what some of the most famous comic books were going for in near-mint condition back in 1982 (followed by their approximate current values in parenthesis). Many of them are shockingly affordable!

1.  Action Comics #1 (first appearance of Superman): $13,500 ($450,000)

2.  Detective Comics #27 (first appearance of Batman): $7,500 ($382,000)

3.  Marvel Comics #1 (first Human Torch & Sub-Mariner): $16,000 ($325,000)

4.  All Star Comics #3 (first JSA): $1700 ($52,000)

5.  Showcase #4 (first Silver Age Flash): $1100 ($39,000)

6.  Fantastic Four #1: $1200 ($34,000)

7.  Amazing Fantasy #15 (first Spider-Man): $1000 ($42,000)

8.  Brave & The Bold #28 (first JLA): $275 ($7,500)

9.  Avengers #4 (Re-intro of Captain America): $120 ($2,500)

10.  Incredible Hulk #181 (debut of Wolverine): $16 ($1,250)

11.  Giant Size X-Men #1 (debut of the New X-Men): $56 ($1,100)

12.  Amazing Spider-Man #129 (debut of the Punisher): $2 ($1,100)

Comments

[Z Ryan]

Debut of the Red Hulk is going to pay for my retirement someday. You'll see!

[cinephile]

Panelologist...That's rich...But where are the prices of those Betty Rubble comics you mentioned earlier? I'd think those would be a goldmine, especially for all those "panelologists" out there! (:

[Matthew]

I've got a price guide from the same period and love dipping into it to see the breadth of comics that it includes, e.g. all the funnies, and also what was hot then but which is not now (e.g. Howard the Duck).

[Dr. Retro]

If only I had bought Fantastic Four #1 or Amazing Fantasy # 15 twenty-six years ago for just over a mere grand. If only.
"Shockingly affordable" must be a relative term. I wonder if buying some of the more affordable ones now would have the same payoff twenty-six years from now with so many reprints being produced these days.

[Mark Engblom]

Well, by "shockingly affordable", I guess I was thinking more about Spidey #129 ($2) or Hulk #181 ($16), and not so much Action Comics #1...although $13,500 seems at least a bit more attainable than $450,000!

[Chris]

Wow. That's not just an adjustment for inflation, that's some serious market forces working, there.

[J. M. Cornwell]

What would the 1939 Superman #1 be worth in 1982?

[Mark Engblom]

According to the 1982 guide, $9000 in near-mint condition...though they note that "prices vary widely on this book".