Comic & Original Art Markets Produced Robust Results in 2025
By Amanda Sheriff and J.C. Vaughn
Comic book and comic art sales thrived in 2025, setting multiple records for major key books, the work of top artists, and important moments in comics history. Below is a sample of the record breakers and notable sales from comic and original art auctions that happened throughout the year.
Superman #1 CGC 9.0 sold for a world-record $9.12 million in Heritage’s Comic Books Signature Auction.
Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions.
The biggest news in comics came from the Man of Steel when Superman #1 CGC 9.0 sold for $9.1 million, setting a new record for any comic book. Superman accounted for multiple top sales in 2025, including another Superman #1 CGC 3.5 that realized $370,000 at ComicLink.
Comic-Connect sold an Action Comics #1 CGC 8.5 Restored for $554,428 and #7 CGC 5.0 for $179,400, while Heritage sold an Action Comics #1 CGC 6.5 Apparent for $384,000 and #15 CGC 9.4 for $264,000.
Sponsored
Early Batman appearances and issues of Detective Comics did well in 2025, led by Detective Comics #27 CGC 8.5 Restored (True North Collection) that set a new Restored sales record when it realized $520,950 at ComicConnect. A Detective Comics #1 CGC 6.5 hit $228,000 at Heritage, #31 CGC 5.0 totaled $153,333 at ComicConnect, and MyComicShop sold #31 CGC 1.0 for $50,000 and #40 CGC 6.5 Signature Series Jerry Robinson for $52,000.
The introductions of Golden Age heroes produced many high value results, even for mid to lower grades and Restored copies. ComicConnect sold a More Fun Comics #73 CGC 9.4 (first Aquaman, Green Arrow, and Speedy) for $460,128, setting a new record for the title. Heritage sold Flash Comics #1 CGC 8.5 (first Flash, Hawkman, and Hawkgirl) for $396,000 and MyComicShop sold a CGC 6.0 Restored copy of the book for $48,000.
ComicLink sold Marvel Mystery Comics #4 CGC 7.5 (first Sub-Mariner cover) for $133,000 and Sub-Mariner Comics #1 CGC 9.2 for $130,169, while ComicConnect sold Marvel Comics #1 CGC 4.5 (first Human Torch, Ka-Zar, and Angel) for $273,801. Whiz Comics #2 (#1) CGC 7.0 (origin and first appearance of Captain Marvel) went for $288,000 at Heritage and Marvel Family #1 CGC 9.4 (first Black Adam) saw $85,555 at MyComicShop. Captain America Comics #1 CGC 7.0 (first Captain America, Bucky, and Red Skull) cleared $266,814 and a CBCS 9.4 totaled $133,528 at ComicConnect.
The Hulk smashed his way to the top of Silver Age first appearance sales when Incredible Hulk #1 CGC 9.2 (debut of the Hulk) reached $780,000 and a CGC 9.0 brought $312,000, both at Heritage. Tales of Suspense #39 CGC 9.4 (Iron Man’s first appearance) sold for $144,900 at ComicConnect, Daredevil #1 CGC 9.6 (first Daredevil) brought $96,000 at ComicLink, and Showcase #4 CGC 8.0 (first Barry Allen/Silver Age Flash, from the Nicholas Cage Collection) saw $90,000 at MyComic-Shop. ComicLink sold Journey Into Mystery #83 CGC 9.0 (Thor’s debut) for $76,950 and MyComicShop sold Amazing Fantasy #15 CGC 6.5 (Spider-Man’s first appearance) for $85,500 and CGC 5.5 for $54,605.
Silver Age team books produced notable sales, such as the X-Men #1 CGC 9.2 that brought $131,334 at Hake’s and the Avengers #1 CGC 9.2 that realized $70,000 at ComicLink. Sales for the debut of Marvel’s first family were highlighted by Fantastic Four #1 White Mountain Pedigree CGC 9.2 for $600,000 and a CGC 9.0 for $234,000 at Heritage, and a CGC 8.5 for $132,250 at ComicConnect.
Incredible Hulk #181 (debut of Wolverine) CGC 9.8 totaled $125,000 at ComicLink and a CGC 9.8 saw $66,000 at MyComicShop. ComicLink’s top comic sales also included Silver Surfer #1 CGC 9.8 (Silver Surfer’s origin) for $150,000 and #3 CGC 9.8 for $94,888, and Famous Funnies #214 CGC 9.4 (Frank Frazetta cover) for $94,888, and MyComicShop sold a Giant Comics Editions #12 CGC 8.0 for $77,000.
The highest prices paid for original art went to Frank Frazetta pieces offered at Heritage. They sold his Conan Man Ape novel cover painting for $13.5 million, Luana movie poster/Vampirella #31 cover for $1.7 million, Eerie #81 “Queen Kong” cover for $1 million, and Famous Funnies #214 Buck Rogers cover $1 million.
The X-Men #150 cover by Dave Cockrum sold for $356,627 at ComicConnect.
Image courtesy of ComicConnect.
The X-Men thrived in the original art market, led by Dave Cockrum’s X-Men #150 cover that went for $356,627 at ComicConnect. They also sold Marc Silvestri’s X-Men #249 cover for $143,750 and a Giant-Size X-Men #1 page by Cockrum for $115,000. John Romita Jr.’s Uncanny X-Men #200 cover realized $95,000 and Jim Lee’s X-Men #8 page 8 went for $87,000 at ComicLink.
Spider-Man was another profitable character in original art when ComicLink sold Ron Frenz and Brett Breeding’s Amazing Spider-Man #252 page 8 for $130,000 and Alex Ross’ Amazing Spider-Man #792 cover for $42,000. Heritage sold Al Milgrom’s The Amazing Spider-Man #194 cover with Black Cat’s first appearance for $1 million.
Some of DC’s high sellers of 2025 were the Neal Adams Superman #233 cover that totaled $1.5 million and Todd McFarlane Batman #423 cover that saw $781,250 at Heritage. Greg Capullo’s Batman #50 cover sold for $39,000 at ComicLink.
Marvel accounted for many of the year’s big sales like Gil Kane’s Marvel Spotlight #32 cover for $690,000 at Heritage, Herb Trimpe’s Incredible Hulk #131 cover for $115,000 at ComicLink, and John Buscema’s Avengers #83 cover for $108,305 at ComicConnect.
Sponsored
Don Heck’s Tales of Suspense #39 story page 7 from Iron Man’s first appearance cleared $504,000 at Heritage, Frank Miller’s Daredevil #190 page from the revival of Elektra reached $104,650 at ComicConnect, and Jim Lee’s Punisher War Journal #4 cover saw $60,000 at ComicLink.
George Perez’s Fantastic Four Annual #15 cover sold for $92,000 and Michael Turner’s Civil War #3 cover brought $90,850 at ComicConnect, Steve McNiven Civil War #6 pages 20-21 (two-page splash) realized $38,888 at ComicLink, and Hake’s sold The Marvels #4 comic page by Alex Ross sold for $16,874. Hake’s also sold a Star Wars #1 page by Howard Chaykin for $80,476 and #5 page 15 by Howard Chaykin for $42,834.
Notable highlights continued with Bill Watterson’s Calvin and Hobbes daily strip with the first appearance of Spaceman Spiff for $480,000 at Heritage, Carl Barks’ Sheriff Donald at Gorey Gap painting for $83,950 at ComicConnect, Barry Windsor-Smith’s Pathways to Fantasy #1 cover for $62,000 at ComicLink, and Brian Bolland’s Judge Dredd – 2000 AD Prog 197 cover for $51,920 at Hake’s.
ComicLink sold Bernie Wrightson’s Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s Frankenstein published illustration page 19 for $45,000, and ComicConnect sold Tony Moore’s The Walking Dead #1 pages for $60,950 and $52,900.
Amanda Sheriff is the Editor-Digital for Gemstone Publishing. J.C. Vaughn is Gemstone’s President.
