How to Value and Sell a Horror Comic Collection

Have a Horror Comic Collection? You Need to Read This!

Most collectibles follow (at best) the old 80/20 rule.

That means 80 percent of the value in a collection is contained in 20 percent of the items in the collection.

In many cases, the actual balance is way more skewed even than that.

A lot of the best horror comic book collections might have values as imbalanced as 95/5 -- 95 percent of the value is in just FIVE percent of the issues present!

If you're on board with that concept, them the next question of course is, how do you determine which are worth the real money?

This article will help you to figure it out.

Alternatively, request a FREE comic book appraisal from us.

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What's Worth Money in Your Horror Comic Collection?

The cutoff point for valuable horror comics (with a few exceptions) is the year 1954.

In 1954, the Comics Code Authority was introduced.

It interfered with the imagery and language of horror comic books, making it effectively illegal (or at least financially impractical) to sell comic books featuring such concepts as undead, demons, partial nudity or suggestive clothing, extreme violence or graphic horror.

Many words were no longer acceptable in comic book titles. Titles which included the words Zombie, Horror or Terror were forbidden, for example.

This party spoiler blew a hole in several different genres, ruining the market for violent crime and suspense-style comics as well as horror books.

If you see comics with the Comics Code Authority stamp at the top right, then unfortunately they are far less desirable than the earlier pre-Code horror comics which didn't suffer the same restrictions.

It's All Making Cents Now

The magic pricepoint (again with a few exceptions, which will be displayed below) was 10c.

Comics cost 10c from the 1930s through to the early 1960s. That means if you find a horror comic with 10c on the cover, then it was published before 1961.

Put the two concepts together -- 10c cover price and no Comics Code Authority stamp on the front -- and you have a true pre-Code horror issue that almost certainly has good value.

Some Examples of Cool Pre-Code Horror Comics

These are not necessarily the most valuable 1950s horror comics.

We are showing you a typical representation of what you might find in an old collection.

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Weird Terror #2

Average price $250

Worlds Beyond #1

Lowest price $50

Average price $200

Record price $5,200

This #1 issue by Fawcett features a bunch of weird little creatures tormenting a man.

Terrific #14

Lowest price $50

Average price $150

Record price $950

A late pre-Code horror comic, published in 1954, featuring a Frankenstein's monster-type cover.

House of Mystery #1
First in series

Lowest price $100

Average price $500

Record price $2,450

Not your typical werewolf cover, House of Mystery #1 is a scarce DC horror comic from 1952.

Chamber of Chills #5

Lowest price $60

Average price $250

Record price $1,000

Another vampire-themed pre-Code horror comic, from the series which later produced some of the most valuable horror comics of the era.

This Magazine is Haunted #17

Lowest price $50

Average price $200

Record price $1,450

You won't find this comic on any list of the most expensive horror comics, but it's a decent cover image and is decently valuable in any condition.

Black Magic v2 #10

Lowest price $50

Average price $100

Record price $200

There are surprisingly few sales of this fortune teller-themed horror comic from 1952.

10 Valuable Horror Comics After the Comics Code

While most of the expensive horror comics came from the early 1950s, there are several dozen really expensive horror issues published later.

Here are ten of the best and the most likely to discover in a horror comic collection.

House of Secrets #92
1st Swamp Thing

Lowest price $200

Average price $2,000

Record price $90,000

An absolute classic by Bernie Wrightson, Swamp Thing's debut features an outstanding cover which is one of the most iconic of the Bronze Age.

Amazing Spider-Man #101
First Morbius, the Living Vampire

Lowest price $100

Average price $400

Recent 9.8 Sale $12,500

Record price $26,400

The Morbius movie has come and gone, and it was not well received by fans.

Co-inciding with the downturn in the comics market and the pandemic bubble bursting, values of this book have gone off a cliff lately. It's still one of the classic Marvel horror comics.

Savage Tales #1
1st Man-Thing

Lowest price $200

Average price $400

Recent 9.8 Sale $9,000

Record price $37,000

The first appearance of Man-Thing is a side-note. This magazine was not subject to the same rules as comic books. The Comics Code Authority did not have jurisdiction over magazines.

This loophole allowed Marvel (and later others) to publish darker, more graphic imagery for adult readers.

Walking Dead #1 (2003)
Spawned a long-running AMC TV series

Lowest price $300

Average price $600

Recent 9.8 Sale $2,100

Record price $23,000 (CGC 9.9!)

The comic which launched a massively popular TV series is the most recent horror comic on this list. The cover collects fingerprints, so be sure to wear gloves before you take it out of the bag.

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