Star wars #1 should be worth a lot more.

[Bronty]

People love Star Wars because of the movies, not the comic book,

 

People love Wolverine because of the comic book(s).

 

Probably as simple as that.

 

 

that too

[Lazyboy]

Kav I would agree that one would think Star Wars #1 would be worth more money than they are.

But market supply and consumer demand seems to dictate it differently.

Yep. They have a huge cultural impact. Hey bub doesn't.

 

The Star Wars comic book had little to no cultural impact, it rode the success of the movie(s) and the series couldn't sustain after the movies finished.

 

It would be interesting to know how Star Wars 1 sold before and after the movie debuted, since it was on the stands earlier and shouldn't have been removed until after it started playing.

[Icculus308win]

People love Star Wars because of the movies, not the comic book,

 

People love Wolverine because of the comic book(s).

 

Probably as simple as that.

 

 

Short and sweet - well put.

Along with someone noting above Star Wars fans are into Star Wars toys possibly more than comics. Nostalgia fed by toys vs comics.

[comicwiz]

People love Star Wars because of the movies, not the comic book,

 

People love Wolverine because of the comic book(s).

 

Probably as simple as that.

 

 

Sure, but it overlooks the times. Three years between each movie from the OT allowed comics and the syndicated strips to capture it's own audience. Conversely, by the time the mid-80's rolled around, people seemed to have their fill of Wolverine appearances. They are both origin issues for their respective fans and audiences.

[kav]

Yep you guys have nailed the crux of the matter and answered my question.

[Lazyboy]

People love Star Wars because of the movies, not the comic book,

 

People love Wolverine because of the comic book(s).

 

Probably as simple as that.

 

 

Sure, but it overlooks the times. Three years between each movie from the OT allowed comics and the syndicated strips to capture it's own audience. Conversely, by the time the mid-80's rolled around, people seemed to have their fill of Wolverine appearances. They are both origin issues for their respective fans and audiences.

 

Star Wars was a slowly dying title that saw its print run drop by ~40% and sales drop by ~50% in the last 7-ish years of the title. Sales dropped fairly consistently by around 10% per year, except in 1983-84 when sales briefly stabilized (not increased) from RotJ... only to see a 20% drop the year after.

 

Star Wars was no different than most comics based on licensed properties. When the properties in their original form lost popularity and exposure, the comics died.

[comicwiz]

People love Star Wars because of the movies, not the comic book,

 

People love Wolverine because of the comic book(s).

 

Probably as simple as that.

 

 

Sure, but it overlooks the times. Three years between each movie from the OT allowed comics and the syndicated strips to capture it's own audience. Conversely, by the time the mid-80's rolled around, people seemed to have their fill of Wolverine appearances. They are both origin issues for their respective fans and audiences.

 

Star Wars was a slowly dying title that saw its print run drop by ~40% and sales drop by ~50% in the last 7-ish years of the title. Sales dropped fairly consistently by around 10% per year, except in 1983-84 when sales briefly stabilized (not increased) from RotJ... only to see a 20% drop the year after.

 

Star Wars was no different than most comics based on licensed properties. When the properties in their original form lost popularity and exposure, the comics died.

 

Lucas, through Lippincott, had Marvel produce the first 5 issues on LFL's dime. Marvel also didn't need to spend a cent promoting it. I don't know of any other time when this happened in the history of comics, so I'm not sure the "licensed properties" example applies. Also, we are talking about the first issue, not the entire series, so I have no idea how you can introduce Chicken Little in a discussion on it's signficance and impact when its historical fact that movie adaptation sold so well for Marvel that it helped them avert bankruptcy.

[jools&jim]

 

Not sure that it should be worth "a lot" more, but I do agree that it's under-appreciated for what it is...and its ubiquity probably has something to do with that.

 

For a book with soooo many high grade copies out there to choose from (and many more sitting in hoards), it still seems to me at least to command fairly healthy prices...

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Star-Wars-1977-Marvel-1-CGC-9-8-1216271001-/311762983534?hash=item4896859a6e:g:4N8AAOSwo4pYVxuM

 

 

[Lazyboy]

People love Star Wars because of the movies, not the comic book,

 

People love Wolverine because of the comic book(s).

 

Probably as simple as that.

 

 

Sure, but it overlooks the times. Three years between each movie from the OT allowed comics and the syndicated strips to capture it's own audience. Conversely, by the time the mid-80's rolled around, people seemed to have their fill of Wolverine appearances. They are both origin issues for their respective fans and audiences.

 

Star Wars was a slowly dying title that saw its print run drop by ~40% and sales drop by ~50% in the last 7-ish years of the title. Sales dropped fairly consistently by around 10% per year, except in 1983-84 when sales briefly stabilized (not increased) from RotJ... only to see a 20% drop the year after.

 

Star Wars was no different than most comics based on licensed properties. When the properties in their original form lost popularity and exposure, the comics died.

 

Lucas, through Lippincott, had Marvel produce the first 5 issues on LFL's dime. Marvel also didn't need to spend a cent promoting it. I don't know of any other time when this happened in the history of comics, so I'm not sure the "licensed properties" example applies. Also, we are talking about the first issue, not the entire series, so I have no idea how you can introduce Chicken Little in a discussion on it's signficance and impact when its historical fact that movie adaptation sold so well for Marvel that it helped them avert bankruptcy.

 

Well, you did say:

Three years between each movie from the OT allowed comics and the syndicated strips to capture it's own audience. Conversely, by the time the mid-80's rolled around, people seemed to have their fill of Wolverine appearances.

 

But by the mid-80s (July 1986 cover), Star Wars was cancelled because it didn't have (enough of) an audience. Meanwhile, Wolverine was a still-rising star in X-Men and got his own ongoing solo title in 1988 (November cover) which could possibly still be running if not for Marvel's love of relaunches.

 

Yes, Star Wars has its place in comics history, but it's still a licensed property that originated in another medium.

[Badger]

Kav I would agree that one would think Star Wars #1 would be worth more money than they are.

But market supply and consumer demand seems to dictate it differently.

Yep. They have a huge cultural impact. Hey bub doesn't.

 

The Star Wars comic book had little to no cultural impact, it rode the success of the movie(s) and the series couldn't sustain after the movies finished.

 

It would be interesting to know how Star Wars 1 sold before and after the movie debuted, since it was on the stands earlier and shouldn't have been removed until after it started playing.

As a person who was the target age group for the Star Wars comic I can tell you it impacted my peers and myself. Although, the Treasury Edition was the one to have. I remember hordes of people raiding Walmart trying to find decent copies which was tough because of their oversize and the fact that Walmart had no idea what to do with them for display. The comics even made the national news due to their selling out. There was cultural impact just not out-sized when compared tot he impact of the movie.

[Tony S]

This discussion sorta reminds me of a previous thread where the topic was when would Star Wars 1 (Marvel) surpass the value of Star Trek 1 (Gold Key). Lots of hypothesizing about if it would and when it would and why it should.

 

The discussion ground to a halt when Heritage auctioned off the only CGC 9.8 copy of Star Trek #1 for $40,500..

 

My opinion was Star Wars 1 in 9.8 was never getting close to Gold Key's Star Trek 1 in 9.8. My opinion now is Incredible Hulk 181 is always going to be worth more than Star Wars 1. We might never know the exact print run of the first printing of Star Wars 1. What we do know is that it sold - there were no meaningful number of rack returns. So even if Marvel was cautious with the initial first printings, the total number of copies actually sold was probably better than the paid circulation of their other books that month.

 

The real issue is age. Comic book collecting was growing and catching on. I was an adult collecting comics in 1977. (Actually, a few years earlier than that.. ) Around this time is when comic book stores started buying their comics direct. And collectors started buying extra copies. The local comic book store that opened in 1975 bought twice as many comics as they expected to sell and put the rest in back for later sales as back issues. First issues they bought more still. And collectors would arrange to purchase 5-10 or more copies of popular titles and first issues.

 

That wasn't the situation in 1974. There weren't as many "collectors" and buying multiple copies meant getting to the wire rack at the drug story early.

 

My final comment is also the last thing I said on the Star Trek 1 Vs Star Wars 1 discussion. It doesn't matter really who is right or wrong. I could well be wrong.

 

How many of us have dreamed of being able to go back in time and buy key issues when they were cheap? Well -- we can't. BUT - being able to predict the future big gainers is almost as good as a time machine. IF there are a lot of boardies that believe that Star Wars 1 is greatly undervalued, WHY are there sooo many copies for sale on eBay? Why aren't they being snatched up and put away? I have a couple of 9.8's (one with two cast signatures) and a 9.4 with signatures by most of the cast. And I'm not a big believer in the books potential...but figured I would hedge my bets just in case. So if your a believer, go buy, buy & BUY some more....

[Readcomix]

While I think the book has upside compared to where it sits presently, I don't think it will ever be a monster book. I don't assume that every fan of the movie franchise will necessarily want an expensive comic book just because it's the first comic book adaptation issue. They like the movie.

 

Now, as to Disney and 20 years down the road, if Rocket Raccoon and Groot are one day in the Han and Chewy roles as the new girl and guy are now, I would not be surprised.

 

Also, fwiw, not all comics fans love Star Wars, blasphemy to many I know, but consider: when I was 12, my mom took me to see Star Wars the week it came out. I had not heard about it but was thankful and curious. The first scene turned me off when the guys came through the door in the cool white polymer Iron Man type armor and they were using ... Guns! C'mon, no hand beams, super strength, flight, etc? Then an obvious Dr Doom knock-off walks through the doorway. For me as a young comic book reader, it was just too ordinary. I wanted superhero level characters, not a Flash Gordon update.

 

I see no downside to buying a Hulk 180.

[Martin Sinescu]

In the year prior to the release of Episode VII (whose name I have already forgotten), SW 1 was soaring with a few sales in the $2500 range in 9.8 and regularly went for around $2000 through various auction sites. However, much of the market was being manipulated by 1 or more bidders that were backing out of the high-dollar wins (as was detailed on these boards thanks to some solid detective-work), but many saw the surging sales, not realizing that the purchases were not completed, and jumped onboard, leading to consistently high prices in the short term. Once the movie was released the book dropped like a brick back down to pre-hype prices around $1000 for 9.8's. Someone is welcome to link that thread here because it was very revealing as to how easy the market could be manipulated. Many on here said the demand was artificial and unsustainable, citing the piles of high-grade copies sitting around, and they were right. I don't know what 9.8's go for now, but I would be very wary of thinking this book is due for a surge.

[comicwiz]

I see no downside to buying a Hulk 180.

 

Except for the fact it's the wrong one

[Icculus308win]

Or is it.....

[Readcomix]

I see no downside to buying a Hulk 180.

 

Except for the fact it's the wrong one

 

Relax...I just picked up a Journey into Mystery #84...ya never know....

 

Seriously, I said I saw no downside to a Hulk 180, I never said it was a better book to own than a 181. I get that 181 is the wolverine fans' Grail. I get that wolverine fans like lots of different books featuring wolverine. I don't get how 180 has leprosy.

[ChiSoxFan]

I see no downside to buying a Hulk 180.

 

Except for the fact it's the wrong one

 

Relax...I just picked up a Journey into Mystery #84...ya never know....

 

Seriously, I said I saw no downside to a Hulk 180, I never said it was a better book to own than a 181. I get that 181 is the wolverine fans' Grail. I get that wolverine fans like lots of different books featuring wolverine. I don't get how 180 has leprosy.

 

I agree completely on no downside for snagging a #180.

 

If the value of #180 goes down, it would likely be accompanied by a drop in #181's value as well. If #181 continues to rise, #180 should at least remain stable in price where it's at, or rise in conjunction.

 

The wild card factor is that the 1st Wolverine appearance eventually takes the path of the 1st Sgt. Rock appearance. While admittedly this is an apples/oranges thing (since the Sgt. Rock change dealt with prototypes and "actual" first appearances), there is always a chance that the marketplace could shift their opinion on which is more desirable between the two, making the #180 a smart pickup. (For full disclosure, I have gone the best way possible -- I own high grade copies of both. ).

 

As far as Star Wars #1 goes, it feels like a book that should command more, but it just doesn't. As other people have pointed out, the timing of its release and the print runs largely have much to do with it.

[Broke as a Joke]

I think the $800 9.8's are fetching these days is pretty damn good for a 1977 high printed Marvel #1.

[lou_fine]

This discussion sorta reminds me of a previous thread where the topic was when would Star Wars 1 (Marvel) surpass the value of Star Trek 1 (Gold Key). Lots of hypothesizing about if it would and when it would and why it should.

 

The discussion ground to a halt when Heritage auctioned off the only CGC 9.8 copy of Star Trek #1 for $40,500..

 

I could well be wrong.

 

 

Yes indeed, you are wrong here.

 

The CGC 9.8 copy of Star Trek 1 was auctioned off on the CC auction site, not on the HA auction site, as seen below:

 

http://www.comicconnect.com/bookDetail.php?id=623037

[Tony S]

I see no downside to buying a Hulk 180.

 

Except for the fact it's the wrong one

 

Relax...I just picked up a Journey into Mystery #84...ya never know....

 

Seriously, I said I saw no downside to a Hulk 180, I never said it was a better book to own than a 181. I get that 181 is the wolverine fans' Grail. I get that wolverine fans like lots of different books featuring wolverine. I don't get how 180 has leprosy.

 

Incredible Hulk 180 is both the poor man's 1st appearance of Wolverine and a book that many owners of 181 also want to have so they have that "1st appearance" thing fully covered.

 

I don't mean to start any debate. IMHO the market is correct and 181 is the 1st full appearance and worthy of being more desirable than 180. Incredible Hulk 180 has a nice splash panel at the end where Wolverine (1st) appears. But Wolverine isn't on the cover, he isn't anywhere else in the book, the story has nothing to do with Wolverine. He just pops up at the end.

 

But if you collect Wolverine and own an Incredible Hulk 181, you probably want a 180 in your collection. And if you can't afford an Incredible Hulk 181, then 180 makes a great consolation prize.