The Avengers and the X-Men may have overshadowed them in recent years, but make no mistake: without the Fantastic Four, there’s no Marvel as we know it. When Stan Lee and Jack Kirby launched Fantastic Four in 1961, it caused a sensation. It led to a publishing line that changed comics forever. Now, via Comic Book Resources, we’ve learned that a very highly graded, near-mint copy of Fantastic Four #1 is going up for auction. This sale is part of Heritage Auctions’ Comics & Comic Art Signature Auction this fall. This copy has an impressive 9.6 Near-Mint grade. That makes it one of only two copies known to exist at that level of good condition.
A previous copy of The Fantastic Four #1, graded at only 9.2, sold for $1.5 million in 2022. The Heritage Auctions copy of the issue is in better shape, so they expect it to go for far more. Part of the reason, of course, is the current hype surrounding the team. Next year’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps is about to bring Marvel’s First Family into the MCU. And with a cast led by Pedro Pascal, it will presumably launch the team into new levels of popularity. That will only make the value of Fantastic Four #1 go up even higher.
That’s not the only vintage Marvel comic book expected to sell for an astronomical price. Also up for auction is Marvel Super Heroes #20 from 1969, graded at 9.8. This issue was the first title Doctor Doom headlined as a lead character. Although not his first appearance, which would be Fantastic Four #5 from 1962. With Robert Downey Jr. now playing Victor Von Doom, his first headlining comic is no doubt going to go for a lot more than it would have before. Other Marvel Comics and original art will be part of Heritage Auctions’ Comics & Comic Art Signature Auction, which takes place September 12-15. For more information, head on over to their official site.