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Adventure Comics Price Guide
Value of Key Issue DC Adventure Comics
Adventure first appeared in 1935, under the title New Comics.
National Allied Publications, one of the companies that eventually merged into DC, created it as a humor series.
With issue #12, the name was changed to New Adventure, and with that name change came a format change, moving towards serious adventure.
By the time that issue #32 came around in November, 1938, the title was shortened to Adventure.
In issue #40, superheroes began to appear, and would dominate the title until 1972, when Adventure became a fantasy/supernatural anthology series.
Superheroes returned only a few issues later, although usually the title featured more "off the beaten path" heroes. It was eventually canceled in 1983.
Over the years, Adventure would be home to:
- The Sandman
- Hourman
- Starman
- Martian Manhunter
- Green Arrow
- Superboy
- Johnny Quick
- Aquaman
- Legion of Super Heroes
- SuperGirl
- The Spectre
and numerous others would grace its pages.
Many of the issues produced over the 48-year run of Adventure would go on to become very desirable to collectors.
Particularly the Golden Age issues that feature the first appearances of superheroes.
Have Your Copies of Adventure Valued!
If you've got some old issues of Adventure (including issues #26, #40, #48, #103, #247, or #381), then click here to have them valued FREE by Sell My Comic Books!
New Adventure #26: The Rarest DC Comic?
Record sale: $11,100
Minimum price (poor but complete shape): $???
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It should be mentioned that any Golden Age comic is generally very desirable to collectors, and even the "pre-superhero" era of Adventure proves that true.
A copy of New Adventure #26, from 1938, and still bearing the transitional title, New Adventure, is very hard to price because copies are extremely scarce.
This issue appeared a month before Action Comics #1, and featured an ad for Action #1. It was one of the first times an image of Superman would be seen in print.
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Adventure Comics #40: The Sandman Cometh
Record sale: $63,000
Minimum price (poor but complete shape): $5,000
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The issue of Adventure that launched the superhero era in that title is one of the rarest of all key issue DC Comics.
There are, in fact, so few copies of issue #40 around that there has never been a copy above CGC 8.0 up for auction. CGC has only graded 22 unrestored copies in any condition.
Issue #40 of Adventure features Wesley Dodds, aka The Sandman, in a story called The Tarantula Strikes.
Adventure Comics #48: First Appearance of Hourman
Record sale: $54,000
Minimum price (poor but complete shape): $1,000
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Adventure #48 features the origin of Hourman, and is a scarce and valuable issue of this title.
There is also a Sandman story, but it is the Hourman origin that gives this issue its collector appeal, along with its rarity.
This is a very rare comic book, with just 20 graded by CGC.
Adventure #61: First Appearance of Starman
Record sale: $21,000
Minimum price (poor but complete shape): $500
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Another rare first appearance comic, with just 27 unrestored copies graded by CGC.
Adventure #73: Origin of Manhunter
Record sale: $21,000
Minimum price (poor but complete shape): $200
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Adventure #103: Superboy Takes Over
Record sale: $8,000
Minimum price (poor but complete shape): $150
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With Adventure #103 in 1946, Superboy takes over Adventure Comics.
Young Clark Kent's adventures would remain the lead feature in this title for a whopping 277 issues (a 23-year run).
Superboy needs no introduction, and Adventure #103 was not his first appearance, but it began a very long tenure that should help to explain the high value of this comic.
Adventure #210: First Appearance of Krypto the Super-Dog
Record sale: $16,800
Minimum price: $250
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Some ideas are best left on the drawing board. Krypto the Super-Dog is one such idea.
DC Comics had a habit of coming up with hokey content, and it only got worse in the 1960s, just as Marvel got their act together and started making heroes with realism.
Adventure Comics #229: First True Appearance of Aquaman in the Silver Age
Record sale: $650
Minimum price (poor but complete shape): $30
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This book is the TRUE first Silver Age appearance of Aquaman. It was published in the same month as Showcase #4, the book which most pundits agree began the Silver Age.
It predates Showcase #30 by two years.
Adventure Comics #247: First Appearance of The Legion of Super Heroes
Adventure Comics #247 (1st Legion of Superheroes) is on our 100 Hot Comics you must invest in. Click to read more!
Record sale: $19,200
Minimum price (poor but complete shape): $300
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Perhaps the most valuable of the Silver Age issues is Adventure #247, from April of 1958, which features the introduction of the Legion of Superheroes.
Only three Legionnaires appear: Cosmic Boy, Lightning Boy, and Saturn Girl.
There are 269 copies certified by CGC, but this book seldom comes up for sale.
Adventure #256: Origin of Green Arrow
Record sale: $1,500
Minimum price: $20
Adventure #260: Origin of Aquaman
Record sale: $6,400
Minimum price: $50
Adventure #267: 2nd Appearance of the Legion of Super-Heroes
Record sale: $7,200
Minimum price: $40
Adventure #269: First Appearance of Aqualad
Record sale: $2,500
Minimum price: $20
Adventure #271: Origin of Lex Luthor Retold
Record sale: $1,900
Minimum price: $10
Adventure #283: First Appearance of General Zod and Dr. Xadu. First Appearance of the Phantom Zone
Record sale: $2,400
Minimum price: $50
Adventure #300: Legion of Super-Heroes Takes Over
Record sale: $4,500
Minimum price (poor but complete shape): $20
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With Adventure #300, the Legion would become a regular second feature in Adventure, and would sport a very large and rotating roster of heroes.
Adventure #462: Death of Earth Two Batman
Record sale: $350
Minimum price (poor but complete shape): $1
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Have Your Adventure Comics Valued
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