There’s a collector and determined bidder for just about every comic book. If you’re already confident you’ve got a valuable Silver Age comic book or collection and would like to sell it for the maximum at auction (live or online), contact Central Mass Auctions today. Or read on to learn more about Bronze Age comics and what to expect when selling them. (You may also check out our pages on Bronze Age and Golden Age comic books.)
1962 copy of Amazing Fantasy # 15 featuring the first appearance of Spider-Man, sold for nearly $800,000 at auction
When was the Silver Age of comic books?
The Silver Age of comic books took place from 1956 to 1970. Some sources, including Britannica, list 1969 as the final year.
Even though comic books were popular during the Silver Age, Britannica notes that the genre faced new competition during the 1950’s. The Adventures of Superman ran on television from 1953 to 1957. Many comic book readers switched from reading Superman to viewing him on television.
DC Comics turned to other themes, like science fiction and the Cold War with Russia to attract more readers, according to Britannica. In 1955 they introduced the first new character in approximately 10 years, the Manhunter from Mars. They also released updated versions of superheroes from the past: the new Flash, the new Green Lantern, Justice League and the “New Look” Batman.
The Justice League was generating such strong results for DC Comics in 1961 that Marvel Comics shifted its focus to superheroes. The Fantastic Four’s premier edition was published in November of 1961. Marvel later created the Incredible Hulk, the Mighty Thor, Daredevil, the X-Men, Captain America and the Amazing Spider-Man.
Guinness World Records website has a timeline of the introduction of new comic book characters. Supergirl first appeared in 1959. The Justice League was first published in 1960. As previously mentioned, the Fantastic Four was created in 1961. 1962 saw the introduction of the Incredible Hulk and Spider-Man. Ironman and the X-Men first appeared in 1963.
In our last live auction, we sold a first edition of the Incredible Hulk. Despite being in only fair condition, it went for $4,500. High-quality Silver Age comics in near perfect condition can bring huge prices. A Fantastic Four # 1 sold for over $200,000 in 2012. In 2018, Justice League issue # 1 also brought over $200,000. An Incredible Hulk # 1 sold for over 1/3 of a million dollars in 2018. A first issue of X-Men fetched nearly $500,000 in 2012. A 1962 copy of Amazing Fantasy # 15 featuring the first appearance of Spider-Man sold for nearly $800,000 at auction this year. That should have made the consignor feel almost superhuman.
