The Copper Age of comics is generally considered to be the twenty years between the mid-1980s and the early 2000s.  There are a lot of amazing comics in this span of time that showcase the convergence of storytelling and artwork that we love.  GoCollect tallies the top-selling book of each era on a regular basis. This post highlights a few top movers so you can decide if you might be a buyer or a seller of the hottest Copper Age books.

Top Mover - Venom: Lethal Protector #1

In the top spot (and second top-seller over the entire market) is this start to the 1993 six-book mini-series.

There is no doubt that Venom has made a huge impact on the Marvel world.  From King in Black to hints of the Amazing Spider-Man movie franchise embracing the character, this train just keeps rolling.

This is a special book where Eddie Brock evolves from an interesting villain to a central antihero character, similar (but more impactful) than a character like the Punisher.  If you are thinking of selling this book, make sure to know the variant editions and various error books out there which carry huge valuations.

#4 - Amazing Spider-Man #300

Moving up one place to creep higher in the list of top Copper Age sales, is this industry-changing book.  When this hit the LCS in 1988, it put ASM on a run that has not really stopped since.

This seminal work by Todd McFarlane is a 'must own' book and an iconic cover.  It is the first full Venom story and, as mentioned above, Venom is a character with serious momentum going.

#8 - Amazing Spider-Man #1 Silver variant

Along with the #9 mover (ASM #1 regular edition), these two books both being ranked so high shows the huge move in sales of this book.

The cover artwork is, like ASM 300, iconic work by Todd McFarlane.  Nothing signaled the start of the 1990s like this reboot of the ASM series.

There are a huge number of variants that impact the value of this book, if you are a buyer or a seller, you will want to make sure to read the GoCollect blog post by Harry Stone that goes book by book through these variants.  This is a title to really be hypercritical of the evaluation of grading.  There are 29 census books with 10.0 grades and all are valued over $5,500.

#14 - Infinity Gauntlet #1

Jim Starlin created the concept of the Infinity Stones back in 1975; he was brought in to write this 1991 series.

While it was originally thought to be the end of Thanos, thankfully Marvel has used this character and storyline to bring us great joy, embracing the main storyline in this book to drive Avengers movies.

Collectors are right in focusing on this book; it appears clear that Marvel has decided that the Infinity Stones will continue to play a significant role in stories and movies in the future.

Giant Leap Forward to #20 - Ghost Rider #28

Moving up 27 places in the top sales list is this key Ghost Rider book.  This is not just about the rehabilitation of Nicholas Cage happening (who played Ghost Rider in the NOT critically acclaimed movie); this 1992 book has a host of first appearances and is the start of the Midnight Sons.

This is the story run where Danny Ketch is the Ghost Rider and has the feel of a gritty 1970s book.  Ghost Rider has always been a complicated character, not easily put in the "hero" box. Still, there appears to be a real appetite for complex storylines such as Avengers: Infinity War or the WandaVision series.  This is also a reasonably-priced key book to chase, with a 9.8 grade having a current estimated value of $170.

Copper has never been more fun to collect.  It is clearly a fountain of dynamic characters and storylines that continue to impact comics today.

Let us know what you Copper Age books you feel are worth buying right now!

*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not reflect investment advice on behalf of GoCollect.