Undervalued Gems

[Elveen]

Cool.

[StarBrand]

I think X-Files 1 from 1995 might be an undervalued gem. It's the first comic appearance of Mulder and Sculley, and I think it's a great property that really has a place in pop culture. Plus, I don't think the print run is very high.

[greg]

I think X-Files 1 from 1995 might be an undervalued gem. It's the first comic appearance of Mulder and Sculley, and I think it's a great property that really has a place in pop culture. Plus, I don't think the print run is very high.

It was a pretty high print run... but yes, there's a good chance it's undervalued.
There were reprints, if I remember correctly, which included the unique serial numbers.

[StarBrand]

On Comichron it came in in 80 something place for the month, and it was 1995 so I figured the print run wasn't too high.

[StarBrand]

The reprint was numbered 1 to 120,000, so there were lots of those printed.

[greg]

On Comichron it came in in 80 something place for the month, and it was 1995 so I figured the print run wasn't too high.

Good point. The Standard Catalog of Comic Books shows Capital City orders at 16,700 copies for X-Files #1. The next month, they show Capital City orders for Harbinger Files #2 at 9,800 copies. So, having Harbinger Files #2 at around 50,000 copies total, that would mean somewhere around 85,000 copies for X-Files #1 (direct editions, no barcode on cover)... I remember X-Files #1 at non-comic retailers like grocery stores, so there would probably be tens of thousands more for newsstand editions (barcode on cover).

There's also a black and white cover "ashcan" which came with the Star Wars Galaxy magazine, but seems to be the same size as the regular book (not a smaller "ashcan" size). Not sure how many of those were printed... probably several because Star Wars Galaxy wasn't a small independent title.

The "special numbered edition" second printing (with the serial number) states 120,000 copies, so maybe the first printing was also around 120,000 copies (total, direct plus newsstand).
The "special edition" (third printing, slash through the barcode) is also pretty common.

So, if I had to pick one, I'd probably go for the first printing newsstand... green The X-Files title on the cover, barcode on the cover... currently with zero graded copies on eBay.

[StarBrand]

Thanks. My calculations were much lower than that. My calculations were wrong. Lol

[StarBrand]

Still, when I think of how important the X-Files is compared to some comic characters whose first appearances sell for more but don't seem to be nearly as important in pop culture I think the first appearance of Mulder and Scully seems undervalued.

[greg]

Still, when I think of how important the X-Files is compared to some comic characters whose first appearances sell for more but don't seem to be nearly as important in pop culture I think the first appearance of Mulder and Scully seems undervalued.

I make the same argument for Star Wars #2 (1977). First appearance of Han Solo, Chewbacca, the Millenium Falcon, and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Some of those were "cameos" on the cover of #1, but no appearances in the #1 issue at all.

(EDIT: Looks like I already mentioned Star Wars #2 in this topic in February... so I'll say that the Star Wars #2 35-cent variant is undervalued, and the Han Solo movie will be out in May 2018.)

[StarBrand]

Good tip on Star Wars 2.

[Elveen]

Still, when I think of how important the X-Files is compared to some comic characters whose first appearances sell for more but don't seem to be nearly as important in pop culture I think the first appearance of Mulder and Scully seems undervalued.

I make the same argument for Star Wars #2 (1977). First appearance of Han Solo, Chewbacca, the Millenium Falcon, and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Some of those were "cameos" on the cover of #1, but no appearances in the #1 issue at all.

(EDIT: Looks like I already mentioned Star Wars #2 in this topic in February... so I'll say that the Star Wars #2 35-cent variant is undervalued, and the Han Solo movie will be out in May 2018.)

You did mention it before.
It was under valued then. And still is now.

I love Star Wars #2.

[StarBrand]

So what are you guys' favorite tips from this thread?

[chriskay99]

I think X-Files 1 from 1995 might be an undervalued gem. It's the first comic appearance of Mulder and Sculley, and I think it's a great property that really has a place in pop culture. Plus, I don't think the print run is very high.

There's lots of properties with a place in pop culture but I don't feel like the comic books have any huge value. Buffy, Terminator, Aliens, The Simpsons, Battlestar Galactica - all have comic books made of them. I could be wrong, but I feel like none are incredibly valuable.

[nycjadie]

Gotham City Sirens is on fire due to movie speculation. I didn't even know about this book a week ago.

[greg]

I think X-Files 1 from 1995 might be an undervalued gem. It's the first comic appearance of Mulder and Sculley, and I think it's a great property that really has a place in pop culture. Plus, I don't think the print run is very high.

There's lots of properties with a place in pop culture but I don't feel like the comic books have any huge value. Buffy, Terminator, Aliens, The Simpsons, Battlestar Galactica - all have comic books made of them. I could be wrong, but I feel like none are incredibly valuable.

That's true but they're at least candidates for undervalued. Combine those first comic appearances with possible future reboots or additional movies/series and the definite passage of time and you can see a path for first Buffy or first Terminator to be bigger books when they're 40 years old (and on up).



Now that I think about it, the first comic for Scooby Doo suddenly skyrocketed recently... it was pretty funny.

[StarBrand]

The X-Files is already the longest running sci-fi show ever and has had a couple movies. That hits home.

[Tony_H]

The X-Files is already the longest running sci-fi show ever and has had a couple movies. That hits home.

SB: I respectfully beg to differ! Dr. Who's run was/is the longest, even if you only count the original iterations of both shows.

Speaking of ye olde Doctor, Dell Movie Classics #190 ("Dr. Who and The Daleks" from 1966) wouldn't likely prove to be an imprudent investment. Marvel Premiere #57 (1980), with Walt Simonson's cover and Dave Gibbons' interior art, isn't a bad little book, either; the interior is a reprinted story from the UK's Dr. Who Weekly, but I think it was the 1st appearance of the Doc in US comics after that 1-shot from Dell.

[StarBrand]

You're right Tony. My bad. X-Files is the longest running sci-fi tv show in the country where comics are the most popular!

[Tony_H]

Wow...the X-Files vs. Dr. Who conversation led me to check key 70s Planet of the Apes books. Prices for the Gold Key "Beneath the Planet of the Apes" 1-shot and both the Marvel #1s--i.e., the B&W "Planet of the Apes" and the later color "Adventures on the Planet of the Apes"--have all gone up a lot since the last time I looked (it's been a couple of years, I think).

[StarBrand]

I was thinking along the same lines and I researched the first appearance of James Bond is comics. He first appeared in 1962 in a Dr. No adaptation published in the U.K. and reprinted the next year by D.C. in Showcase. The prices on those books are way out of my range.

[StarBrand]

Have they made a Planet of the Apes movie lately?

[GGSAE]

I was thinking about this the other day on a way to capitalize on this. I wonder if comparing similar comics with similar values in overstreet 25 years ago vs today to identify the ones that have appreciated in value vs those that didn't.

[StarBrand]

I think a lot could be learned by doing that.

[Tony_H]

Have they made a Planet of the Apes movie lately?

"War for the Planet of the Apes" is due in July. We saw the preview at "Rogue One", which sold a ticket to me, at least!

[StarBrand]

Nice. Every new movie featuring a property spurs new demand for the comics.