Editing First appearance (section)

==Monetary value of first appearance issues==
First appearances of popular characters are among the most valuable comic books in existence. Of the "ten most valuable comic books" listed in the spring 2002 issue of ''[[The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide]]'', seven are first appearances of popular [[superhero]]es.<ref>[http://www.gemstonepub.com/hake/toptoys/comics.html Gemstonepub.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060207182528/http://www.gemstonepub.com/hake/toptoys/comics.html |date=February 7, 2006 }}</ref> Another, ''[[Marvel Mystery Comics|Marvel Comics]]'' #1 (October 1939), is the first appearance of the [[Human Torch (android)|Golden Age Human Torch]], but is more noteworthy as the first comic published by [[Marvel Comics]].

It can take many years for a character to attain sufficient popularity after their first appearance to be considered "iconic." By the point a character reaches that level of popularity, it is common for few copies of their first appearance issues to remain. Furthermore, even fewer of those remaining copies will be in the pristine condition prized by collectors. What few remain can be worth thousands of dollars to interested collectors. For example, in 2004, a copy of ''[[Flash Comics]]'' #1 (January 1940), the first appearance of [[Flash (Jay Garrick)|The Flash]], was [[auction]]ed for $42,000<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=4275|title=CBR.com - The World's Top Destination For Comic, Movie & TV news|website=CBR|access-date=November 28, 2004|archive-date=December 7, 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041207230008/http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=4275|url-status=dead}}</ref> and a copy of ''Captain America Comics'' #1 (March 1941), the first appearance of [[Captain America]] sold for $64,400.<ref>[http://comics.heritagegalleries.com/common/info/press/default.php?ReleaseID=510 Heritagegalleries.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060218094111/http://comics.heritagegalleries.com/common/info/press/default.php?ReleaseID=510 |date=February 18, 2006 }}</ref> In 2010, another copy of ''Flash Comics'' #1 sold privately for $450,000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://itsalljustcomics.com/2010/03/16/edgar-churchmile-high-flash-comics-1-sells-for-450000/|title=Edgar Church/Mile High Flash Comics #1 Sells for $450,000|date=March 16, 2010|website=itsalljustcomics.com}}</ref>

The first appearance of [[Superman]], [[Action Comics 1|''Action Comics'' #1]] (June 1938), has been regarded as the "[[holy grail]]" of comic books due to its cultural significance and rarity; fewer than one hundred copies are thought to exist.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/08/05/comic-book-containing-supermans-debut-sold-for-nearly-one-millio/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/08/05/comic-book-containing-supermans-debut-sold-for-nearly-one-millio/ |archive-date=January 12, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Comic book containing Superman's debut sold for nearly one million dollars|newspaper=The Telegraph|access-date=January 7, 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Superman is widely considered to have solidified, if not created, the superhero archetype; therefore, his first appearance is not only important to fans of the character but to fans of superheroes and comic books as a whole.<ref>{{cite book | last=Holt | first=Douglas B. | year=2004 | title=How Brands Become Icons: The Principles of Cultural Branding | publisher=[[Harvard Business School Press]] | location=[[Boston]], MA | page=1 | isbn=1-57851-774-5 }}</ref> Well-preserved copies of ''Action'' ''Comics'' #1 have been sold at auction for record-breaking prices. A copy graded at 8.0 ("very fine") on the 10-point scale typically used by collectors was sold at auction for $1,000,000 in 2010.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://herocomplex.latimes.com/uncategorized/action-comics-no-1-sale-pushes-superman-to-new-heights/|title=Action Comics No. 1 sale pushes Superman to new heights|date=February 23, 2010|newspaper=Hero Complex - movies, comics, pop culture - Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=January 7, 2017}}</ref> Even a copy graded at a much lower 5.5 ("fine minus") sold for $956,000 in 2016.<ref name=":0" />

Shortly after the record-breaking million-dollar sale of ''Action Comics'' #1 in 2010, a copy of ''[[Detective Comics]]'' #27 featuring the first appearance of [[Batman]] was sold for $1,075,000 in a [[Heritage Auctions|Heritage]] auction.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://herocomplex.latimes.com/uncategorized/batman-beats-superman-again-as-his-first-appearance-breaks-1-million-mark/|title=Batman beats Superman (again) as his first comic appearance breaks $1-million mark|date=February 26, 2010|newspaper=Hero Complex - movies, comics, pop culture - Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=January 7, 2017}}</ref>

Several factors determine the value of a first appearance. All values are according to [https://web.archive.org/web/20060114071046/http://www.comicspriceguide.com/Default.asp ComicsPriceGuide.com] and are for editions certified by the [http://www.cgccomics.com/ Certified Collectibles Group] (see below):
*The importance of the character(s) that debuted; the first appearance of [[Spider-Man]] in fine condition is listed at $45,150; the first appearance of the similarly popular [[Iron Man]], in the same condition, is listed at $3,837; and the first appearances of most characters are not valued significantly higher than other comics published the same month.
*The rarity of comic book itself; comics from the Golden Age are usually more valuable than later comic books because they are older and fewer copies survive. [[Spider-Man]] is more popular than [[Spectre (DC Comics character)|The Spectre]] but Spider-Man's 1962 first appearance is valued at $45,150 while a copy of The Spectre's 1940 debut, in fine condition, is valued at $54,000. Also, first appearances often lack value if they are relatively recent issues of high-profile, best-selling titles. Except during a 1990s [[Comic book collecting#The Speculator Bubble|collector's bubble]], the first appearances of several [[Image Comics]] characters and newer [[X-Men]] have not been as valuable as one may expect for such popular characters because those comics were widely produced.
*Other reasons for historical importance; ''[[Fantastic Four (comic book)|The Fantastic Four]]'' (November 1961) #1 is not only the first appearance of the [[Fantastic Four|eponymous group]] but also represents a turning point in the history of [[Marvel Comics]] and is the first issue of a long-running series.
*Occasionally, a comic book is the first appearance of more than one important character. Usually the characters are related; ''[[Uncanny X-Men|X-Men]]'' #1 (September 1963) introduced the [[X-Men]] and their archenemy [[Magneto (Marvel Comics)|Magneto]].<ref>[http://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=75 Complete Marvel Reading Order]</ref> However, rarely a comic book is the first appearance of two unrelated, important characters. ''[[More Fun Comics]]'' #73 (November 1941) introduced both [[Green Arrow]] and [[Aquaman]], who have little relation to one another.<ref>[http://www.geocities.com/mbrown123/morefun73.html geocities.com/mbrown123]{{dead link|date=October 2010|bot=AnomieBOT}}</ref> This is also the case with ''Action Comics'' #1, which contained the first appearances of [[Zatara]] and [[Tex Thompson]], as well as Superman.
*Occasionally a first appearance will lack the value expected for a character of such stature because the debut was not splashy. [[Wonder Woman]], a popular and historically important hero, debuted in the anthology title [[All Star Comics 8|''All Star Comics'' #8]] (December 1941), and was not featured on the cover. This issue is valued at $30,000 in fine condition. Comparatively, the first appearances of equally (or even less) important peers [[Green Lantern]] and [[The Flash]], boldly introduced on their covers, are worth $131,250 and $69,000, respectively. Arguably, the first appearance of Wonder Woman is worth much less because she did not make a flashy debut that lent the comic book an air of history.
*As is the case with all collectibles, condition greatly affects the value of comic books, although considerable wear is expected for decades-old comics. Most comic books are worth more if their condition is certified and they are protectively packaged (or "slabbed") by the Certified Collectibles Group, a professional grading service involved in the sale of most high-value comic books, although some fans accuse the group of inflating the value of comics.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.teako170.com/cgc.html|title=TMe: CGC: The Good, the Bad & the Ugly|website=www.teako170.com}}</ref>