Top Ten Most Valuable Comic Magazines 3 3

[Randall Dowling]

I'm interested to get other board members evaluation of what they think this top ten list should be.  In any case, it could be an interesting snapshot of perceived values.  I'm restricting this to comic magazines only (so not including Famous Monsters or other non-comic magazines).  After people have submitted their lists, I'll post a poll with all the submittals to get a tally.  Here's my take but feel free to correct/amend/ridicule as you like. 

1. Vampirella 1
2. Shock Illustrated 3
3. Blazing Combat 1
4. Eerie Tales 1
5. Weird Mysteries 1
6. Marvel Preview 4
7. Savage Tales 1
8. Pussycat 1
9. Vampirella 113
10. Marvel Preview 7

Wow.  That was harder than I thought...  

[oakman29]

Mine would be pretty much identical to your list with few exceptions. 

1. Vampirella 1

2. Eerie 1 ashcan Warren

3.Eerie Tales 1

4. House of Horror 1 Warren

5. Blazing Combat 1

6.Shock Illustrated 3

7.Weird Mysteries 1

8.Savage Tales 1

9. Vampirella 113

10.Marvel Preview 7

[N e r V]

I own more than half on both lists. Still missing a few though...

[oakman29]

33 minutes ago, N e r V said:

I own more than half on both lists. Still missing a few though...

You've got a helluva collection Nerv.

[Randall Dowling]

3 hours ago, N e r V said:

I own more than half on both lists. Still missing a few though...

I know, I have a little bit of envy over that.  After I finished my list, I realized I only have 2 of the 10.  

I was hoping you'd chime in on this.  Anything you think should be in the running that hasn't been listed so far?

[N e r V]

14 minutes ago, Randall Dowling said:

I know, I have a little bit of envy over that.  After I finished my list, I realized I only have 2 of the 10.  

I was hoping you'd chime in on this.  Anything you think should be in the running that hasn't been listed so far?

Yeah so, if Famous Monsters is out I’m guessing the Warren Heidi Saha is too but both would top that list highly and I think Famous Monsters #1 is still more expensive than Vampirella #1 grade for grade. That would also leave out a few others that would hit high on that list like Gothic Tales of Love and Gothic Romances although that last one did contain some sweet illustrations by real comic book artists. You both listed Vampirella #113 which is all over the place lately with 9.0’s going for under $200.00 to as much as $400.00. I think copies of Creepy #2 or Spectacular Spider-Man magazine #1 are within those ranges too although also varied. Eerie #23 may have hit new highs too past those since a 9.0 sold for over $600.00 this year on Heritage. Vampire Tales #2 has also passed $500.00 a couple of times this year in 9.0. Marvel Preview #2 has been inching up to around $250.00 in 9.0.

What about Mad magazine #24? That’s around 1k in 9.0. I would say there are some Eerie Pubs. issues that would get several hundred dollars in or around 9.0ish. Also although hard to set a current price on the Vampirella Special hardcover edition should hit somewhere on that list.

Anyway it’s the holidays so there’s something to chew on during thanksgiving week off the top of my head.

[Phantalien]

What about MAD 24?   

It is probably not as hard to find as many on the list but can still get high hundreds to the low thousand

 

I do think it is nice that these key magazine prices pale in comparison to key comic prices

[Taylor G]

I've never understood the regard for Vampirella #113.

1. It's not Warren, it's Harris, the company that later brought us Manga Vampi .
2. It's mostly reprints of mediocre stories.
3. It's reusing a mediocre Enrich cover.

Creepy #146 at least has a cool new Corben cover (and reproduces some genuine classic stories).

[oakman29]

I have such a hard time with these type of lists. To ME my whole collection of mags are priceless, so trying to decipher between one or the other is so damn difficult. 

Oh and happy Thanksgiving guys

[wombat]

I only have three on that list.  I need to up my game. 

[Darkga]

What about Vampirella #3? I'd say that's worth more than 113.

[oakman29]

4 minutes ago, Darkga said:

What about Vampirella #3? I'd say that's worth more than 113.

I agree.

[oakman29]

I think maybe we are making a case for a top list of Warren mags. So Heidi Saha and FM #1 can be included too!

[stippy52]

28 minutes ago, oakman29 said:

I think maybe we are making a case for a top list of Warren mags. So Heidi Saha and FM #1 can be included too!

Warrens could be its own thread 

[Artboy99]

I sold a Pussycat magazine for $1200.00 usd so it definitely is on the list.

Gothic Romances #1 is another magazine of some value.

 

[Randall Dowling]

These are excellent suggestions, all!  It's a really tough thing to put together because of how close in price certain mags are.  My initial interest in posing the question was that lists of the top 5 or 10 golden age comics are pretty easy to put together.  Pretty much the same with silver age.  But magazines seemed a bit more complicated.  If it is open to non-narrative comic strip magazines, then maybe that's easier.  I say open it up and see what else we're missing.  EC Picto-Fictions are a bit tough as they go for cheap in low grades but Gaines File Copies have been fetching some impressive prices lately.  But maybe they belong also (beyond the obvious Shock 3)?  

As much as I try, I can't come up with either a Stanley, Eerie or Skywald publication that is near the top (not that some aren't very cool!).

[The Lions Den]

25 minutes ago, Randall Dowling said:

As much as I try, I can't come up with either a Stanley, Eerie or Skywald publication that is near the top (not that some aren't very cool!).

I'd have to say the books that've been listed so far present a good overview of scarcity and value. For me, the ones that are more valuable are the books that are truly scarce in high grade and have something special going for them (like a great cover).  

For instance, Blazing Combat #1 in 9.0 or above is insanely difficult. I've seen one copy in 9.4, and that wasn't for sale. Another tough one is the Eerie #23---I few years ago a 9.6 copy went for well over 1 k (I bid over 1 k and still lost the auction!)  

And keep an eye on some of those other books that are getting tougher and tougher to find in high grade, like Web of Horror #3 and Eerie #25...

 

 

[DonSal1976]

Pussycats #1 and Vampirella #113 both have Canadian variants which are virtually impossible to find in high grade.

[chevalmeow]

1 hour ago, DonSal1976 said:

Pussycats #1 and Vampirella #113 both have Canadian variants which are virtually impossible to find in high grade.

Creepy 146 also has a Canadian variant!

[N e r V]

1 hour ago, chevalmeow said:

Creepy 146 also has a Canadian variant!

 

3 hours ago, DonSal1976 said:

Pussycats #1 and Vampirella #113 both have Canadian variants which are virtually impossible to find in high grade.

As do other magazines like the Spectacular Spider-Man, etc.

Not trying to sound jerkish or single out posters but I really hate the newer term variant now being applied to non US editions. They are just Canadian editions or UK editions or whatever. The term variant in comics in general has been used to apply to differences like with the cover or price or other differences of the same edition from the same country. There are variant copies and there are non US (or foreign depending on your location) editions and they are not the same thing. I honestly believe some people started calling non US editions variants in order to give them interest vs their US counterparts. There are enough foreign books out there that stand on their own merits of scarcity and don’t need the term variant applied to them. You both just sited some.