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Top 30 Horror Comics of the 1950s

Most Expensive Horror Comics of the 1950s

Before the Comics Code Authority ruined horror comics for decades, the so-called Golden Age of horror, crime and suspense comics was incredible!

So called Pre-Code horror comics featured gruesome cover and interior art.

Images of graphic torture, cruelty, bondage, decapitation, eye injuries, demon worship, undead or incredibly violent crime were the norm.

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30 Most Expensive Horror Comics of the 1950s

Suspense Comics #3
Nazi sacrifice cover

Lowest price $15,000

Average price $50,000

Record price $263,000

Any six-figure sale of a comic book is extremely significant. There have been several $100K+ sales in horror comics of the 1950s lately, as this market has exploded in interest.

This cover is notorious, being reminiscent of the Klan as well as featuring Nazi war crimes.

Captain America Comics #74
Renamed Captain America's Weird Tales

Lowest price $2,500

Average price $14,000

Record price $204,000

By the mid-50s, sales of superhero comics had declined. The market demanded crime and horror comic books.

This comic reflects the change of interest with a name change for the title.

Punch Comics #12
Giant skull cover

Lowest price $6,500

Average price $33,000

Record price $204,000

Not the most gory of pre-Code horror comic covers, but this is an extremely scarce and very popular book with collectors.

Mask Comics #1
Classic LB Cole cover

Lowest price $4,000

Average price $12,000

Record price $144,000

Cole's cover art is best-known for the bright primary colors and primitive style. This cult-themed cover is hugely popular, and scarce in any condition.

Startling Comics #49
Robot bondage cover

Lowest price $4,000

Average price $14,000

Record price $132,000

This is an absolute classic cover! Alex Schomburg created this insane robot carrying off a bound woman.

Eerie #1 (1947, Avon)
One of the earliest dedicated horror comics

Lowest price $1,800

Average price $6,000

Record price $108,000

Okay, we admit it. Technically NOT a horror comic of the 1950s, being published in 1947, but considered the earliest horror comic ever.

Chamber of Chills #19
Classic cover

Lowest price $2,000

Average price $18,000

Record price $102,000

This memorable cover combines "headlights" with a green skeleton toasting the blonde, showing her skull through the glass. It doesn't make a lot of sense, but who cares?

Crime Does Not Pay #24
Intensely violent cover

Lowest price $1,500

Average price $15,000

Record price $102,000

It's hard to imagine a publisher deciding to put out a comic book with this image on the cover today! Let alone in the 50s.

A criminal holding a woman's head to the stove top to set fire to her hair. Unbelievable.

Crime SuspenStories #22
Classic decapitation cover

Lowest price $1,700

Average price $7,000

Record price $90,000

EC Comics were masters at creating memorable cover art.

This one is considered amongst their finest, and is snapped up by eager collectors whenever it comes to market.

Venus #19
Classic cover, rare comic

Lowest price $3,000

Average price $16,000

Record price $76,000

An amazing cover, showing a male lover bursting out of his skin and moving into a lethal embrace with his girl. A very rare issue that is hard to find in any shape.

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Terrific Comics #5
Classic Alex Schomburg bondage and torture cover

Lowest price $2,500

Average price $15,000

Record price $75,000

Another comic which was published in the 1940s, but so so worthy of a place on this list.

Schomburg is best-known for his action-packed, highly detailed covers. This is one of the most infamous of them all.

Black Cat Mystery #50
Classic radiation cover

Lowest price $4,000

Average price $14,000

Record price $72,000

If you thought that the criminal burning the woman's hair was too much, then this gruesome cover raises the bar yet again (or, perhaps more fittingly, lowers it...).

Suspense Comics #8
Classic skull black widow cover

Lowest price $2,800

Average price $7,000

Record price $60,000

This very rare horror comic is seldom offered in the market. It's somewhat similar to Startling Terror Tales #11 (see below).

Haunted Thrills #6
Classic roll the dice cover

Lowest price $500

Average price $6,700

Record price $50,400

A scarce comic book showing an undead gambler throwing the dice one last time, while a demon looks on in the background.

Tomb of Terror #15
Classic exploding face cover

Lowest price $1,800

Average price $6,500

Record price $45,600

Another unbelievable cover image. Somehow a little "cuter" than the other radiation cover...

Catman Comics #28
Classic LB Cole cover

Lowest price $1,900

Average price $4,500

Record price $43,200

Unmistakably an LB Cole cover, what this lacks in blood and gore it makes up for in artistic expression.

Diary of Horror #1
Undead using skulls as lanterns cover

Lowest price $200

Average price $1,250

Record price $43,200

A classic cover featuring loose women being guided by undead, all using skulls for lanterns. Rare in high grade, which explains the big gap between the record and average prices.

Super-Mystery Comics V6 #3
Classic torture cover

Lowest price $500

Average price $6,000

Record price $40,800

Hard to know where to start here, as this looks like a magic show gone wrong... Before it gets REALLY weird.

Fight Against Crime #20
Classic decapitation cover

Lowest price $2,000

Average price $7,500

Record price $38,400

There are not many covers like this -- the most obvious being Crime SuspenStories #22 (see above). Gruesome!

Astonishing #30
Classic radioactive alien eyes cover

Lowest price $300

Average price $3,500

Record price $36,000

A melting man in the gaze beams of giant alien eyes in the sky... Weird and wonderful. And rare!

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Ghost Comics #6
Classic cover

Lowest price $250

Average price $1,200

Record price $33,600

A classic vintage horror comic book theme: a weird green creature about to take advantage of a big-breasted blonde who presumably fainted away at the sight of him.

Mask Comics #2
Classic LB Cole cover

Lowest price $3,000

Average price $8,000

Record price $33,600

Another very rare LB Cole cover. Beautiful imagery and color use. Very tough to acquire in any shape.

Startling Terror Tales #11
Classic LB Cole skull spider cover

Lowest price $1,500

Average price $10,000

Record price $33,350

This is THE LB Cole cover horror comics of the 1950s. It's not the most valuable, but it will change hands in ANY condition. Immediately!

Vault of Horror #12
Classic torture cover

Lowest price $450

Average price $3,600

Record price $31,300

One of the EC Comics which set records when the Gaines file copies came to market. Very popular in any shape.

Ties with Crypt of Terror for the first horror comics series.

Crime SuspenStories #20
Classic hanged man cover

Lowest price $450

Average price $2,000

Record price $31,200

Another of the classic EC Comics covers, this one is both very simple, and very graphic. I also find it borderline hilarious for some reason... Weird and wild.

Shock SuspenStories #6
Classic Klan and bondage cover

Lowest price $450

Average price $2,600

Record price $31,200

Somewhat similar to the first entry on this top 30 horror comics of the 1950s. Much less rare, and less graphic.

Amazing Mysteries #32
Classic monster cover

Lowest price $300

Average price $1,800

Record price $26,400

A bizarre and fantastic cover, showing a sea monster systematically devouring a crowd of fascinated humans.

Front Page Comic Book #1
Murderous undead cover

Lowest price $150

Average price $2,900

Record price $26,400

A very rare and unusual cover, showing an undead murdering a human. One of the least likely comic book names for a horror comic.

Amazing Ghost Stories #14
Classic green monsters cover

Lowest price $200

Average price $4,000

Record price $25,200

Not sure how green monsters fit into the ghosts theme, but this is a cool and very tough book.

Tales of Terror Annual #1
Very scarce EC annual

Lowest price $4,000

Average price $15,000

Record price $24,725

An incredibly rare annual! Also a very fun and effective cover image.

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We're buying! Click here to send us details of your collection and get it valued FREE.

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Free Old Horror Comics Price Guides
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Best DC Horror Comics

Best DC Horror Comics
DC Comics published a bunch of horror series, mostly during the 1970s.

Awesome Marvel Horror Comics

Awesome Marvel Horror Comics
See values for the best of Marvel's horror comics. Does not include Atlas issues, as we publish guides to those separately.

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