Achieving a new 2025 market record, as well as the highest price of the sale, was this copy of Marvel Comics’ Amazing Fantasy #15, 1962, CGC 3.5 (Very Good–), which featured the origin and first appearance of Spider-Man, written by Stan Lee; it swung to $42,700 ($25/30,000).
Review by Kiersten Busch
LAMBERTVILLE, N.J. — June 24 saw 328 lots cross the block during Landry Pop Auctions’ (LPA) white-glove Icons & Heroes: Comics auction, which garnered $279,271. “Overall we were very happy with the sale,” shared president Travis Landry. “Especially for being in a time where markets have been in a precarious state, we had some really strong results.”
Landry also gave a little bit of insight into the bidding pool: “The bidding demographic is huge; collectors range from 25 to 70 years of age. Everyone of all ages loves comics! The majority of the top lots sold on the LPA platform, a mix of mostly collectors and some dealers.”
Swinging to the top of the sale was a copy of Marvel Comics’ Amazing Fantasy #15, which was graded a 3.5 (Very Good) by the Certified Guarantee Company (CGC). Published in the United States in 1962, this issue featured the origin and first appearance of Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Uncle Ben and Aunt May. Maintaining its popularity with bidders — it has been number one on Overstreet’s list of “Top 50 Silver Age Comics” for over two decades — the comic flew past its $25/30,000 estimate to earn a web-slinging $42,700. The comic was “incredible,” shared Landry, “that is a new 2025 market record, and the highest result since the Covid peak in 2021 where a 3.5 brought $45,000. Prior to that copy, 3.5 Amazing Fantasy #15 were fluctuating around $30,000. To see a result of $42,700 is a great sign for the market.”
Freshly graded 9.8 (Near Mint/Mint) by the CGC, this copy of Marvel Comics’ Fantastic Four #35, 1965, had a story by Stan Lee and cameos of Peter Parker and Professor X; it rose to $12,200 ($10/15,000).
With a new Fantastic Four movie set to release on July 25 (The Fantastic Four: First Steps, directed by Matt Shakman), fans of the original comics were sure to get their hands on one of 20 lots of the Marvel Comics series that was offered in the sale. The highest price of the group went to a 1965 copy of Fantastic Four #35, which was one of only six copies to receive a 9.8 (Near Mint/Mint) grading from the CGC. The story, written by Stan Lee, featured the first appearance of Dragon Man, the second appearance of Diablo and cameos by Peter Parker, Scott Summers and Professor X. Three additional Fantastic Four copies earned high prices in the sale: Fantastic Four #27, with a CGC rating of 9.6 ($6,710); Fantastic Four #22, with a CGC rating of 9.6 ($6,100) and Fantastic Four #5, with a CGC rating of 3.0 ($4,270).
Another group of Marvel Comics heroes, the Avengers, were represented by five lots of comics, led at $10,980 by a CGC 9.6 (Near Mint+) copy of Avengers #5. “The Avengers #5 was a new world record. There are only 10 copies in a CGC 9.6 and one higher. The all-time high for a 9.6 was $7,200 on November 25, 2024. So, selling our copy for $10,980 was a very good feeling,” Landry shared proudly.
While Marvel Comics took up the majority of the top selling lots of the sale, a DC Comics Showcase #22 which featured the origin and first appearance of the Silver Age Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) flew to $4,270. Rated a 5.0 (Very Good/Fine) by the CGC, the 1959 comic was written by John Broome, with art by Gil Kane and Joe Giella. The additional 10 lots of Showcase issues ranged in price from $96 for a copy of Showcase #15 graded 1.8 (Good–) featuring Space Ranger, to $1,220 for a copy of Showcase #56 graded 9.6 (Near Mint+) featuring Doctor Fate and Hourman.
Flying to $4,270 was DC Comics’ Showcase #22, 1959, CGC 5.0 (Very Good/Fine), which featured the first appearance of the Silver Age Green Lantern ($3/5,000).
Other comic book publishers outside of Marvel and DC were also represented in the sale, with two examples — one from Continental and another from Nedor — earning high results. A copy of Continental’s Suspense Comics #11 rose to $7,320, a new world record for a CGC-rated 4.5 (Very Good+) edition; the previous record was held at $5,675. What made the issue such a coveted one for collectors was its “iconic L.B. Cole cover of a devil,” according to Landry. The issue has also been rated a 7, or “scarce,” on Gerber’s Scarcity Index. A copy of Nedor Publications Real Life Comics #3, which featured a story about Hitler and was rated a 3.0 (Good/Very Good) made its way to $5,856.
Landry Pop’s next auctions will be its Comics: Online Auction on July 23, Icons & Heroes: Comics sale on August 26 and The Vault: Icons Golden to Modern Age on September 9. Prices quoted include buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For information, 508-470-0330 or www.landrypop.com.
