X-Men Comic Book Prices
Value of X-Men Comics
X-Men comic book prices are higher for older issues, although the team of superpowered mutants would later appear in such spin-offs as X-Factor, Generation X, New Mutants, Astonishing X-Men, and New X-Men. The first series, known as The X-Men, launched in 1963, with the original team consisting of Marvel Girl, Iceman, Cyclops, Beast, and Angel. But success wasn’t immediate, and it took a number of years before the title caught on to become the comic book phenomenon that it is today.
The value of X-Men comics will be examined in this article, and we’ll sign off by taking a brief look at some of the more important characters in the series. If you’ve ever toyed with the idea of starting a collection of X-Men comic books, this information will provide the perfect launching point.
Early Years of the X-Men
Created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee, the X-Men debuted in their self-titled comic book in 1963. This issue is valued at $34,000 in near mint condition, and it also features the first appearance of Magneto. I checked out eBay to see if they had any first issues of The X-Men, and I located a couple right away. One was graded at 6.0 and signed by Stan Lee, and the asking price was $96,000. The other copy was a VF/NM to NM copy for $18,800. As you can see, the prices on these comics varies wildly.
Some of the other more valuable titles from the early days of The X-Men include:
- The X-Men #2 – First appearance of The Vanisher – $4,400
- The X-Men #3 – First appearance of The Blob – $3,600
- The X-Men #28 – First appearance of Banshee – $440
- The X-Men #12 – Origin of Professor and the Juggernaut – $1,000
- The X-Men #9 – A fight against the Avengers and Lucifer’s debut – $1,200
Over the years, the comic has been known as The X-Men, X-Men, The Uncanny X-Men, and Uncanny X-Men. But despite these minor variations, it remains the only Silver Age title from Marvel Comics to retain consecutive numbering. The series is scheduled to end with issue #544 in December of 2011.
Introducing the New X-Men
From issues #67 to #93, the series reprinted earlier stories, but all that changed with X-Men #94 (and Giant-Size X-Men #1). This issue introduced new members such as Wolverine, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Storm, and Thunderbird, and they joined with Cyclops and Banshee to rescue several of the original team. Issue #94 is currently valued at $1,400.
Nobody is more synonymous with the X-Men than writer Chris Claremont. His run on the comic lasted from 1975 to 1991 and an impressive 273 issues. If you’d like to sample his work, pick up any issues of The X-Men from #96 to #279. He would later return for issues #381 to #389 and #444 to #473.
A few of my favorite X-Men storylines from the last several decades include:
- Uncanny X-Men #129-137 – Jean Grey sets off the “Dark Phoenix Saga,” becoming possessed by a powerful entity and drawing her teammates into a lethal interstellar adventure. Great John Byrne art compliments the Claremont storytelling. Several of these issues sell for $80.
- Uncanny X-Men #141-142 – “Days of Future Past” provides a grim look into a future where many of Earth’s heroes are dead, mutants are kept in camps, and anyone who resists is murdered by Sentinels. Both issues are valued at $80.
- Uncanny X-Men #159 – Dracula sets his sights on Storm and battles all of the X-Men in the process. This one can be purchased for only $8.
- Uncanny X-Men #210-213 – The Mutant Massacre begins, with a group of killers known as The Marauders trying to exterminate every mutant they can find. #210 and #213 are the most valuable, with prices of $20 and $30, respectively.
- Astonishing X-Men #1-6 – Joss Whedon of Buffy the Vampire Slayer begins his run on the X-Men with this storyline about an alien who shows up offering a cure for mutants. Meanwhile, Wolverine and Cyclops get into a fight on the front lawn, and an old member makes a return from the dead. The most valuable of these is #1B, which features a variant Cassaday cover for $30.
Crossovers and Other X-Titles
The X-Men have participated in a number of crossovers during the years, and they’ve helped launch a wide array of titles. If you’re interested in additional books featuring members of the X-Men or their mutant allies, be sure to give the following a try:
- New X-Men (vol. 2) – $15 for the variant cover of issue #45A.
- Ultimate X-Men – The DFE sketch variant cover for issue #1G is worth $74.
- X-Force – Issue #102B with a Dynamic Forces variant cover is worth $7.50 in near mint condition.
- X-Factor – #200B with a David Yardin variant cover goes for $20.
- Excalibur – While this series ran for 125 issues, its most valuable issue is only $5.
- The New Mutants – The most valuable issues of Volume One is #87, which features the first full appearance by Cable and is priced at $60.
- Generation X – Issues #1/2A is worth $16 thanks to a realer incentive red foil cover.
Essential X-Men Characters
If you’re new to the X-Men, it helps to know a little about some of the most popular characters over the years. Here’s a brief rundown, although the massive list of current and former mutants makes it impossible to go into too much detail.
- Professor X – The founder of the team and one of the most powerful psychics on the planet. Bald-headed and often depicted in a wheelchair.
- Wolverine – A mutant with claws and a healing factor, Wolverine is usually the wild card of the X-Men and the teammate who must be restrained by others. His attraction to Jean Grey often caused problems with her boyfriend, Cyclops.
- Cyclops – The first X-Man to be recruited, Cyclops has often been the leader of the team. He has frequently clashed with Wolverine, and he’s currently involved in a romance with Emma Frost.
- Jean Grey – An original member of the team, Jean Grey is a powerful psychic who has died on several occasions. She was in a long-term relationship with Cyclops.
- Storm – An African woman with weather control, the popular Storm has starred in the X-Men title longer than any other character. She has often served as the team leader.
- Kitty Pryde – With an innocent demeanor and the ability to phase through objects, Kitty started off as more of a teenage sidekick. She has since grown up and appeared in titles such as Excalibur.
- Magneto – A master of magnetism who believes mutants are superior to humans. He has led the X-Men on occasion, but he usually appears as their enemy.
- Emma Frost – A mentalist with the ability to change into a diamond-hard form, Emma Frost is a member of the X-Men who was once known as the villainous White Queen.
The next time you’re checking out X-Men comic book prices, keep in mind that you can start your own collection for a minimal amount of money. Sure, you might not be able to afford the first issues of the X-Men at the beginning, but there are plenty of mid-range issues that even the most casual fan can purchase. Once you’ve started to build, you can add more expensive titles along the way. Think of it like building a house piece by piece, except that the house has amazing powers and a persecution complex.