Amazing Spider-Man #50, Marvel Comics, July 1967.
It’s always just a matter of time before the next issue of Amazing Spider-Man has the spotlight shine upon it. Amazing Spider-Man has given us so much, and is probably the most collected of titles.
Collecting comics has slowly changed from a “collecting the run” based hobby to a “collecting the keys” based hobby. In a way this trend has produced an unexpected side effect, it has shown us which titles have given the most to comics. I’m not going to drag any other title through the mud right now just to prove my point instead I’ll state the obvious in that Amazing Spider-Man is so littered with keys, semi-keys, iconic covers, books of historical significance, books that changed comics etc. etc. etc. it ends up being one of the rare titles that practically forces a collector to go after the whole run because chasing down the keys will get you almost half way there.
Amazing Spider-Man #50 features the 1st appearance of the Kingpin. The Kingpin is getting all kinds of great exposure through the Netflix Daredevil series. Actually Kingpin’s most famous arc may be the Daredevil Born Again story line in which Spidey makes a wickedly good cameo. Nonetheless the Kingpin started as a Spider-Man villain and his ability to play the villain to other characters proves his versatility. He’s one of the main players in the whole Hell’s Kitchen corner of the Marvel U and that corner is getting lots of attention these days and will continue to do so in the coming years.
The Kingpin is high up on the A List of Spidey villains, I’m not going to say he’s ahead of the Green Goblin but the Kingpin somewhere near the top and that’s saying a lot considering all the great villains introduced in the Amazing Spider-Man run.
Amazing Spider-Man #50 delivers one of the most iconic covers of the Silver Age, maybe Romita’s best of the run, certainly a revered classic. The cover image has been modified and used countless times by Marvel and other publishers. Inside there is also the famous splash panel that shows Peter Parker walking away from a garbage can where he just threw his Spidey suit, this panel itself has been copied countless times. This is an important comic book cover.
Amazing Spider-Man #50 has been selling for 20% to 30% above Guide in the very high 9.2 grade. The last 9.0 got 17% above Guide.
Amazing Spider-Man #50 will not jump to $4,000 next year but I do consider it an affordable (in high grade) Blue Chip that will stand the test of time. It will be one of those books that will always be in demand, a welcome and stabilizing addition to any collection.
The 46th Overstreet price breaks for this book is $568/$1,284/$2,000 in the 8.0/9.0/9.2 grade splits.
Strengths that make this comic a good long-term investment are:
- First appearance Kingpin
- Classic iconic cover
- Embedded in one of the most collected titles in comics
Couldn’t agree more! This is one of the quintessential comics of the Silver Age! It’s iconic cover, it’s classic story, and intro of the Kingpin make this one a true gem! It is pricey, but lags behind, nevertheless! Great pick!
This is a great book and I’ve owned several copies in various grades. But after 2 seasons of DD… undervalued?
Suicide Squad is getting terrible reviews… even by fluff commentators. Warner just can’t seem to get their mojo right. What’s the deal? Some of the heat is ricocheting off of Ayer to Snyder. The DCU continues to struggle. I think part of the problem is that Warner still views these as “comic book” movies, as opposed to “what if” real world scenarios.
I’m recommending Star Trek Beyond. Story was okay but I think it raised the bar for CGI effects.
Walt……your busy summer schedule is undermining your Undervalued spotlight picks and your comicbookdaily writings in general…….what became of crazy comic covers? Market trends? Auction highlights? …Thank God Mike,Scott ,Dylan, Dennis and Charlie maintain the passion……but where did you go big fella?
My Undervalued spotlight for the month….The return of Walter Durajlija fully committed to this wonderful web site !!! Nuff said?
I’m guilty of being lead by my summer schedule as well but that’s just life. We all do our best to juggle what we’re handed. Being a grass roots site, CBD is basically fuel by passion and considering all that Walter has to juggle, I for one take my hat off to the man (insert golf clap here). I think most of us are brimming with ideas but trying to find the time and energy is challenge… but stay tuned for those ideas.
I think I agree with Charlie on this one because I’ve always thought this was a GREAT book for the reasons cited BUT never have owned one because I felt it was overpriced compared to comparable items every time I had a chance to consider buying one. Then again, the cover and splash are both iconic, Kingpin is a top-tier Marvel villain, and I was nicknamed “El Cheapo Grande” by the late Vic Bertini, owner of Poughkeepsie’s Iron Vic’s Comics. So maybe I am viewing it incorrectly…
Have this issue in @ 8.5 or so ….bought it maybe 20 years ago for 8.00 and just sent it out to be graded,crossing fingers……lol
Wow, good luck! At $8 even I would have pulled the trigger!
Man I thought I was cheap (well I am). I have owned many copies of this book too.. It’s one of my favourite books of all time. I have much more to say about the book that i will save for my own column some day.
Cheap me. I currently own a 4.5 that looks like an 8.0 or better but has water damage. I paid $132 for it but can’t bring myself to upgrading to the current cost of an 8.5 or better.
Amazing Spider-Man #50 appears to have that same Amazing Spider-Man #14 bullet-proof quality about it. There seem’s to be plenty of books around in all grades, but the demand continually outstrips it, and the price keeps going up. I keep waiting a lull in demand that never happens!
Yes, Mike! ASM #14 too! Same way, I’ve never pulled the trigger. Tried to land it in a trade once….gave an original Byrne page from Avengers #183 (vs Absorbing Man) for Avengers #3-19 and a few other things, early DD etc. My friend would not part with the ASM #14; he included the ASM #9 instead, which I love. But its the only time I was close to the #14.
Say fellas!
ASM #50 still has room in my opinion, I think it separates itself more and more as time goes on as a book to have for many of the reasons stated above. Time has a way of drawing books like this out.
Dave! Calling me out like that in front of everybody. You are right of course. But you are also wrong. I stand behind all my picks and I welcome people disputing them, it would suck if we all agreed on everything. That’s what marriage is for.
Walt, you say Amazing Spider-Man 50 “still has room in my opinion”, based on these reasons you stated:
*First appearance Kingpin
*Classic iconic cover
*Embedded in one of the most collected titles in comics
These are reasons why the book is at its current value, but you don’t provide any reasons why the book is undervalued. Let’s take a closer look at your column and the reasons for listing this book in Undervalued Spotlight:
*one of the most iconic covers of the Silver Age
*has been selling for 20% to 30% above Guide in the very high 9.2 grade. The last 9.0 got 17% above Guide
*Amazing Spider-Man #50 will not jump to $4,000 next year but I do consider it an affordable (in high grade) Blue Chip
*always be in demand
No one is basing their purchases or sales on Overstreet Guide anymore, so not sure about that one. Otherwise you’ve provided an excellent and concise argument why Amazing Spider-Man 50 is a solid long term comic investment. But it’s not undervalued, and that’s the point we commenters are making here.
Walter, I’m going to echo Dave and say that I do miss market trends and auction highlights, but those are the things that are of most interest to me so I selfishly want to see those continue.
There’s been a lot of movement (downward) for coins and (10x upward) for sports cards, so it would be nice to have an ongoing dialog around the comics market as collectibles as a whole seem to be in multiple states of flux.
Personally, I feel like we’re running out of good vintage comics to buy — it seems like the same crap, pressed and re-pressed to death, over and over again on eBay, at the auction houses, and in the usual market sites. I would be very interested to hear what other people think about the inventory that is available out there and what they are buying at what price levels.
Objectively though, you do a great job offering well rounded, balanced discussion on comics as a whole and for that, I would say thank-you and keep up the good work.
I think it’s actually a good time to SELL ASM#50. The value ramp for this book has been moderate at best. It only really started to rise the last couple of years due to DD Netflix. This is the “pop” that we’ve been waiting for. Could it go higher? I suppose, over time…. but you could say that about any book. Inflation alone will make this seem true. Generally villains do not return to the screen but like Loki, it appears that Kingpin will continue to antagonize DD, and possibly the Punisher in their respective TV series so there is time to unload this book. But, keep in mind that you are competing with other sellers and the more time you give actual collectors to souce this book, the demand will have been filled. It’s also easier to sell while there is still a bit of room before hitting the ceiling and if you really like this book, you can always buy it back once interest wanes and the books dips.
I think DD#1 is more undervalued than ASM#50. Being a newer SA key (from 1964 as opposed to 1963 or prior as it is with most big SA keys), DD#1 is comparatively “cheap”. You can still pick up a decent grade, say 8.0 for under $5k. Look around and see what 8.0’s of FF#1, X#1, Av#1, TOS#39, JIM#83, HULK#1 and others from a similar time period are fetching. This is an opportunity to move your money into books with a steeper incline.
“Undervalued” suggests good books that are off the radar. However, ASM#50 is a good book that is very much on everyone’s watch list. The renewed interest from TV has artificially inflated it’s value. Will the value hold…? No one can predict the future but history says otherwise: Ultron, Doomsday, Malekith, Apocalypse, Abomination are all examples of villains being grounded again (the exception being, again, the older JIM#85), while heroes like the Surfer, Black Panther continue to rise even after their movie debut. Yes, Deadpool and Harley Quinn are also off their peak but despite the vast quantities of their respective first appearance, does anyone believe that they wont be returning to the big screen with renewed interest?
Here’s an interesting article which echos what I’ve said over and over in the past. Hey Ryan… you out there? Pay particular attention to the second page.:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/robsalkowitz/2016/08/05/movies-are-sending-some-comics-values-skyrocketing-should-you-invest/#7b46083f360b
Just because strong traits got a book to a certain point does not mean those same traits can’t take it further. I think over time some of the “go to” books of today will loose their shine, I think ASM #50, like fine wine, will only get better as an investment with age.
hey looks who’s back from sick bay !!! Greetings Capt Durajlija