Flash Comic Book Prices
Value of Flash Titles
Loyal readers of DC Comics may have a passing knowledge of Flash comic book prices, while those raised on The X-Men are probably totally in the dark. Hopefully, this article will clear up any confusion.
When people think of DC, their first thought is often of Batman, Superman, or Wonder Woman. But the super-fast hero known as The Flash isn’t far behind, thanks to his constant appearance in comic books, cartoons, and video games over the years. His yellow lightning bolt symbol against a red background is also an immediate and memorable eye-catcher.
I only bought a handful of Flash comic books as a child, but I imagine those issues would be worth a pretty penny by today’s standards. If you have a box of old Flash titles gathering dust in the attic, bring them down and check out the current values at a site like ComicsPriceGuide.com. If not, read our article and get ready to start building your collection.
Value of Flash Comic Books
You’ll be pleased to know that the value of Flash comic books is reasonably high, and Flash Comics #1 ranks in the top-10 of the biggest comics sales ever made. As part of a private sale, a graded 9.6 copy of the issue sold for $350,000, and the same copy later sold for $450,000 during a 2010 Heritage auction. The current value of the issue is listed at $100,600 for a near mint copy.
Barry Allen made his debut in the pages of Showcase #4. According to a 2009 copy of the Overstreet Guide, a near mint copy of this comic is estimated to be worth $48,000.
Issues 2 thru 4 of Flash Comics is worth between $5,000 and $10,000, and the price doesn’t drop below $1,000 until issue #63. It stays in the $900 range until issue #85, then it jumps back up to $3,000 with #86. Issue #100 is also one to target, with a value of $3,500. Flash #104, the final issue of the original Jay Garrick series, is also worth a nice amount for collectors, as ComicBookRealm.com has it listed for $8,000.
The Flash series that ran from 1959 until 1985 and starred Barry Allen also has its share of valuable titles. The first issue (which is actually number #105 to pick up where the last series left off) is valued at $8,800, and the first 65 issues are worth at least $100. Later issues drop considerably and can be had for anywhere from $5 to $10.
The Flash from 1987 until 2009 doesn’t have a lot of valuable titles, with most falling in the $3 to $5 range. The most valuable option is an RRP sketch variant cover for issue #231 (231c, to be exact) that’s listed at $31.
Important Flash Characters
Whether you’re looking to become a regular reader or begin a collection of back issues, learning more about the important Flash characters will help you become better acquainted with the Scarlet Speedster. This brief list covers some of the essential names.
Jay Garrick – A veteran member of the Justice Society of America, Garrick was the first DC character to use the name of The Flash. He gained his powers after falling asleep in a college chemistry lab and being exposed to hard water vapors.
Barry Allen – The second Flash, Barry Allen made his first appearance in Showcase #4. He sacrificed himself to save the Earth during the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths, and he was absent for the next 23 years. He returned in 2008 and serves as the Flash along with Wally West.
Wally West – The first hero to use the Kid Flash moniker, Wally has been a member of the Teen Titans, New Teen Titans, and the Justice League. He is the third hero to carry the Flash name.
Bart Allen – The grandson of Barry Allen from the 30th century, Bart debuted as Impulse and served as a member of Young Justice and Teen Titans. He would become the second Kid Flash and the fourth Flash.
Allan Scott – The first hero in DC Comics to use the name Green Lantern, he is a longtime teammate and friend of Jay Garrick.
Hal Jordan – A Green Lantern who is one of the best friends and confidant to Barry Allen.
Captain Cold – An honorable villain who has served as a longtime opponent to both Barry Allen and Wally West. Has a cold gun that can freeze anything to absolute zero.
Captain Boomerang – An Australian villain who was a master of boomerangs. He died during the events of Identity Crisis, but his son took over his legacy and later became a hero.
Professor Zoom – An insane speedster from the 25th century who murdered the wife of Barry Allen and later tried to kill his fiancée. Zoom had his neck broken by The Flash, but he returned in later issues to plague the hero. He has become increasingly psychotic over time.
The History of the Flash
The history of the Flash can get pretty complicate due to time travel, but I’ll try to provide an easy-to-understand breakdown in the following section.
Jay Garrick first appeared as the Flash in the pages of Flash Comics #1, which was published by All-American Publications (later to become DC Comics). He was a popular character throughout the 1940s.
When the Silver Age of comics began in the middle of the 1950s, DC decided to introduce a new Flash. This was Barry Allen, and his success led to the revamping of other Golden Age heroes such as Green Lantern and the formation of the Justice League of America.
Flash #123 presented a story called “Flash of Two Worlds,” which became the first time that a Silver Age character and Golden Age character had met one another. This was due to Barry Allen and Jay Garrick living on parallel worlds, although Garrick would later come to reside on the primary Earth represented in DC Comics.
Kid Flash was created when Wally West was exposed to the same lab accident that created Barry Allen. Wally, Barry’s nephew by marriage, would don the costume of The Flash after his mentor died. Barry Allen would not return full-time until the events of 2008’s Final Crisis.
Other characters to don the mantle of Flash over the years include: Jesse Chambers, Blaine Allen, John Fox, Sela Allen, Bizarro Flash, Jace Allen, Lia Nelson, Tanaka Rei, and Kryad.
While his TV series flopped and a feature film project has yet to get off the ground, The Flash remains a beloved comic book character whose logo often turns up in various corners of pop culture. For this reason, Flash comic book prices remain at a respectable level and are well worth the effort for any collector looking to make a smart investment.