‘90s Comic Books That Are Actually Worth A Ton Now
'New Mutants #98' (1991): $7,500
Photo: Marvel ComicsWade Wilson - better known as Deadpool, the Merc With the Mouth - is undoubtedly one of the most popular characters introduced in the ‘90s, and so it makes sense that his first appearance is valuable.
His debut comic, New Mutants #98 by Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld, generally sells for hundreds of dollars. A mint condition copy reportedly once sold for $7,500, which set the record for comics from the '90s.
'Elseworlds 80-Page Giant #1' (1999): $4,700
Photo: DC ComicsDC Comic’s Elseworlds 80-Page Giant #1 - which featured a series of stories from a variety of creators - was a pricier-than-average comic when it first hit the shelves. Then a total recall on the issue resulted in the majority of copies being pulped, and its value has soared ever since with a record sale of $4,700.
The 80-Page Giant was recalled primarily because of a segment titled “Letitia Lerner, Superman’s Babysitter” by Kyle Baker and Liz Glass. The story features baby Clark Kent getting himself in all sorts of trouble - including crawling inside a microwave - and that was deemed inappropriate for distribution by DC Vice-President Paul Levitz. It later earned an Eisner Award and a reprint.
'Uncanny X-Men #266' (1990): $3,200
Photo: Marvel ComicsOne of the most significant members of the X-Men to make their debut in the ‘90s was Remy LeBeau - the charming rogue known as Gambit. He first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #266, created by Chris Claremont and Mike Collins, and was a fan favorite from day one.
Gambit’s instant importance to the X-Men roster makes his debut comic a valuable one, and the record sale for a copy stands at a remarkable $3,200.
'Bone #1' (1991): $3,200
Photo: GraphixWriter and artist Jeff Smith’s Bone series is as beloved as they come, but that’s in large part due to the collected omnibus editions of his story. Smith originally released Bone using his own small publishing company, Cartoon Books, which resulted in a low distribution rate.
A well-kept copy of Bone #1¸ the first part of a story arc called Out From Boneville, sold for a record of $3,200 at auction.
'Spawn #1' With Manufacturing Error (1992): $2,800
Photo: Image ComicsArtist-turned-writer Todd McFarlane was one of the biggest names in comics in the ‘90s - so much so that he helped launch Image Comics with his creator-owned character, Spawn. The first issue of the character’s debut series was a hot seller, but a particular version of it fetches a significantly higher price on the market these days, and it’s all because of a manufacturing error.
A certain number of Spawn #1 issues were shipped despite being printed without any black ink. Nobody noticed until some of the comics were already in stores, but the eventual recall made a rare edition even rarer. It’s gone for as high as $2,800 at auction.
'Batman Adventures #12' (1993): $2,500
Photo: DC ComicsHarley Quinn is one of the most significant DC Comics characters created during the ‘90s, but she actually made her debut on television in Batman: The Animated Series. Though Bruce Timm and Paul Dini created the character, when she entered comic book continuity, Kelley Puckett and Mike Parobeck took the reins.
With a plot that focuses mainly on Batgirl, Batman Adventures #12 features the first comic book appearance of Harley Quinn - and thus well-kept copies of it are in high demand. The comic has sold for as high as $2,500.
'Danger Girl #2' With Ruby Red Smoking Gun Variant (1998): $2,250
Photo: Image ComicsJ. Scott Campbell is an artist known for his vivacious drawings of women, and he put that talent to work in a ‘90s series that he also co-wrote - Danger Girl. Like many other series from the decade, each issue featured a number of variant covers, and the eye-catching art of Campbell made Danger Girl covers a particularly sought-after commodity.
Danger Girl #2 published with multiple different color variations of the variant. The “Ruby Red” version of a particular variant was the rarest and earned a record sale of $2,250.
'The Maxx' Ashcan #3 (1993): $2,100
Photo: IDW PublishingThe Maxx was a series by Sam Keith and William Messner-Loebs and published by Image Comics, which printed special Ashcan editions in low quantities with a variety of colors. Each of these three issues received blue, red, yellow, and black Ashcan covers.
The blue, red, and yellow editions of The Maxx were printed in the hundreds, but only a few dozen black copies were ever released. The rarest among these appears to have sold for as high as $2,100.
'New Mutants #87' (1990): $2,000
Photo: Marvel ComicsThe mutant Cable was immediately popular when he made his debut in 1990, and his significance to the X-Men franchise only grew when it was revealed that he was the time-traveling son of Cyclops and Jean Grey.
Nathan Summers first appeared as Cable in New Mutants #87, by Louise Simonson and Rob Liefeld, and he quickly became the centerpiece of that title. In accordance with his status as a fan favorite, mint condition copies of Cable’s debut have sold for as high as $2,000.
'Iron Man #281' (1992): $1,750
Photo: Marvel ComicsThe character James Rhodes first appeared in 1979 and had a stint as Iron Man in the ‘80s, but he didn’t get his own set of armor until 1992. The first brief glimpse of the War Machine suit came in Iron Man #281 by Len Kaminski and Kevin Hopgood, and that’s enough to qualify it as a debut issue - which has resulted in the book selling for as much as $1,750.
'Vengeance Of Bane Special #1' (1993): $1,635
Photo: DC ComicsFew comic book characters make their debut in a super-sized comic that bears their name, and it’s even rarer for supervillains - but Bane is a notable exception. Bane made a massive impact on the ‘90s by breaking Batman’s back, but readers already knew him from his break-out book, Vengeance of Bane Special # 1, by Chuck Dixon and Graham Nolan.
The short run of this comic and its historical significance to a major DC Comics storyline has increased its value over time, and it once sold for a record $1,635.
'Marvel Collectible Classics: Spider-Man #1' (1998): $1,500
Photo: Marvel ComicsThere may be no truer testament to the power of a variant cover than Marvel Collectible Classics: Spider-Man #1. The issue just reprints Amazing Spider-Man 300 - the debut of Venom by David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane - with a chromium cover and a short print run designed to drive up demand.
That’s resulted in the comic selling for as high as $1,500.
'Deadpool #1' (1993): $1,250
Photo: Marvel ComicsWade Wilson is an important character of the ‘90s, at least according to the huge record sale of his debut comic. He’s so popular, in fact, that the opening issue of his first solo series - The Circle Chase by Fabian Nicieza and Joe Madureira - has sold for as high as $1,250.
'The Batman Adventures: Mad Love' In Prestige Format (1994): $1,100
Photo: DC ComicsPaul Dini and Bruce Timm were the main creative minds behind the beloved Batman: The Animated Series, and they’re also the creators of Harley Quinn. In 1994, Dini and Timm teamed up for a Harley-centric comic called Mad Love.
The issue, which focused on the relationship between the Joker and Harley Quinn, was popular enough that a second edition was printed in a “prestige” format, and it’s this version of the comic that is most valuable with a record sale of $1,100. They later adapted the comic into an episode of The Animated Series.
'Preacher #1' (1995): $1,100
Photo: DC VertigoPreacher is a lengthy and much-loved series created by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon and published under the DC Vertigo imprint.
Decades after the comic's publication, Sam Catlin and Seth Rogen adapted Preacher into an AMC television series. But its debut issue was a hot seller long before Jesse Custer and friends hit the small screen. The record sale for Preacher #1 reached $1,100.
'Wolverine #145' With Nabisco Promotional Variant Cover (1998): $1,000
Photo: Marvel ComicsWolverine #145, by Erik Larsen and Leinil Francis Yu, was an important issue for the mutant also known as Logan, but that’s not why this comic is so valuable. A special edition with a unique variant cover was only available to fans who collected and mailed in enough Nabisco barcodes.
As such, it’s one of the hardest comics out there to get one’s hands on. It has sold for as high as $1,000.
'Harbinger #1' With Coupons Intact (1992): $1,000
Photo: Valiant ComicsHarbinger #1 from Valiant Comics, which marked the debut of the series created by Jim Shooter and David Lapham, isn't that significant in the grand scheme of things. Each issue, however, contained a coupon that fans could combine with coupons from later issues to trade in for a copy of Harbinger #0.
Since most copies of Harbinger #1 had their coupons ripped out, those that are still intact can sell for as much as $1,000.
'Spawn #1' Black And White Edition (1997): $1,000
Photo: Image ComicsThe first issue of Spawn at Image Comics was a big deal for a multitude of reasons, not the least of which were numerous variant covers by series creator Todd McFarlane. One of the most valuable of these variants is the simple black and white edition, which can go for as high as $1,000.
