One area of focus in comic collecting that has been overlooked since other forms of media began to have such a great influence on the hobby is that of hunting down key comics by top creators. Never fear. We’re here to help you sort through the top books by individual creators, both in terms of investing and reading. This time the spotlight will be on George Perez.

First Key Book

No one could fit as many characters on a comic cover or page as legendary artist George Perez. That is perhaps why he’s best remembered for his work on superhero team books at Marvel and DC. Perez got his start as a comic artist with Marvel in a two-page story in Astonishing Tales #25. However, his first key book would come a year later when he began a long on-and-off again tenure on Avengers with Avengers #141.

Even from the start, Perez displayed a great understanding of team dynamics and how to display chaotic movement amongst so many characters.

There are only 209 graded copies of Avengers #141 in the CGC census. It’s a comic that doesn’t sell all that often, being less a key issue and more a run filler sought after by Avengers collectors. Only one graded copy has sold so far in 2023: a 9.0 graded copy selling for $100 on eBay.

If you’re interested in collecting the works of George Perez, this is a must-have and can be found fairly inexpensively.

First Avengers Run

Perez would continue as the primary Avengers artist through the remainder of the 1970s. While there are a number of issues that don’t contain interior art by him, many of the covers of those issues do.

Some of his best issues were published in 1977, including Avengers #161 and Avengers #162 – a two-parter that gave Perez his first chance to illustrate Ultron – and Avengers #167 – the first meeting of the Avengers and the original Guardians of the Galaxy.

Avengers #162 – an issue that also contains the first appearance of Ultron’s would-be-bride, Jocasta – appears to be the one most valued by collectors. This comic (so far) look like it’s immune to the downtrends that have beset most of the comic book back issue market of late.

The most recent sale of a 9.8 for a slashed $878 on December 4 is also the highest price paid for this book. Lest you think that’s an outlier, a November 3 eBay sale for $520 is the third highest price paid. It’s a great issue, and if you can’t afford the top grade, it’s definitely worth pursuing in the less expensive grades.

Among other Avengers issues by Perez to consider for your collection are Avengers #185 – one of his finest Avengers covers, despite the fact that the interior was drawn by John Byrne; Avengers #196 – the first appearance of Taskmaster; and Avengers #200 – his final issue on the original Avengers series.

Fantastic Four

Perez quickly became a fan-favorite artist on Fantastic Four as well. In fact, his first issue – Fantastic Four #164 – was published one month prior to his first work on Avengers. That issue also marks the first appearance of Frankie Raye, who would go on to become a herald of Galactus, and the return of Golden Age hero Marvel Boy as the Crusader.

A minor key, this one didn’t shoot up much in the recent boom and prices have remained relatively stable over the past two years, as evidenced by a fluctuation of only $5 between the 30-day average of $189 and the 1-year average of $194. It’s worth speculating on this comic for Frankie Raye. It’s worth owning this comic as a representation of Perez’s early work at Marvel.

If you’re looking for a great issue that showcases the drawing wizardry of Perez, you’ll definitely want to check out Fantastic Four #186. Featuring the first appearance of Salem’s Seven, it’s a fine example of his ability to depict so many characters in so many fight scenes.

Best of all, you can get it dirt cheap, as evidenced by the only sale this year: a 9.2 graded copy selling for just $51 in a February 6 eBay auction.

First Key Creation

1975 was a busy year in the early career of George Perez. Besides starting on Marvel’s two flagship team comics, he also co-created with Bill Mantlo the first Puerto Rican superhero, White Tiger. Hector Ayala made his first appearance in Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #19.

Due to the fairly low census count of 162 graded copies and the regular speculation that White Tiger’s appearance in the MCU is imminent, prices for this book run pretty high.

Among the most recent sales is a 9.2 graded copy sold in a December eBay auction for $1,088. However, the low census count is partly due to the devaluing on the part of collectors of Marvel’s 1970s magazine.

It’s definitely worth hunting down raw copies of Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #19 and then sending them in for grading, as you’ll likely pay much less overall.

Move to DC and the New Teen Titans

One month after his final issue of the Avengers – Avengers #200 – George Perez would join Marv Wolfman in what is, arguably, their greatest work – The New Teen Titans.

The two brought together characters from the original Teen Titans with new creations Raven, Cyborg, and Starfire, along with a revamped Beast Boy as Changeling. They made their first appearance in DC Comics Presents #26.

Cover dated October 1980, this is arguably DC’s most collected late Bronze Age comic. There are 5,031 graded copies in the CGC census, dozens of which trade hands each month. The latest sale was a colossal one. A 9.8 graded copy with verified signatures by Marv Wolfman and cover artist Jim Starlin sold for $2,000 in a February 25 fixed-price eBay sale.

While not the highest price paid, it’s near the top, and a sign that this comic is experiencing a bit of a turnaround, at least in the higher grades. For further evidence, check out the 30-day averages of $513 and $343 for the 9.6 and 9.4 grades respectively, both of which are higher than the 90-day averages.

More Teen Titans

Of course, the New Teen Titans would star in their own long-lived series beginning with The New Teen Titans #1. This would be DC’s most popular series of the early 1980s and one of few comics that stemmed the tide of Marvel’s dominance at the time. There are 2,915 graded copies of The New Teen Titans #1 in the CGC census.

While copies sell regularly, it’s nowhere near the volume or price that we see for DC Comics Presents #26. If you’re a Perez collector and can’t afford the New Teen Titans’ first appearance, their first issue is a more than worthy alternative.

George Perez set a high standard on The New Teen Titans. Besides his fantastic interior work, his covers really blossomed during this time. You really can’t go wrong with any of them.

One of my favorites is The New Teen Titans #28. It’s a cover that really highlights the artist’s ability to draw earth and stone. It may seem odd to focus on that but it’s a layer of detail that set Perez above his peers.

Deathstroke

One of the greatest creations to appear in the pages of The New Teen Titans during Perez and Wolfman’s run was Deathstroke. Appearing for the first time in The New Teen Titans #2, the character would go on to lasting fame as a fan-favorite DC villain. There are more graded copies of this issue – 7,303 – than there are of even DC Comics Presents #26, testament to the popularity of Deathstroke.

While prices are down a bit from 2021 and early 2022 peaks, 9.8 graded copies have recently been selling in the $1,000 range. Of note, however, is the $600 sale in the January 17 Heritage auction. If you can find a 9.8 for this low a price, you should definitely consider purchasing. I can’t imagine that Deathstroke isn’t high on the list of characters that will be involved in the new DCU.

Nightwing

One of the key points on Perez and Wolfman’s run on The New Teen Titans was that the characters were no longer kids anymore. Thus it was that the two allowed Robin to finally grow up, going so far as to permanently change Dick Grayson’s heroic name to Nightwing. Perez’s original costume design for Nightwing has seen some changes over the years, but the overall motif has stayed intact.

Nightwing made his first appearance in Tales of the Teen Titans #44, a hugely popular early Copper Age issue for collectors, surpassing even The New Teen Titans #2 in terms of census count. Prices are rebounding for this issue despite the high census count. The 9.8 30-day average of $460 now surpasses the 90-day average and is nearly equal to the one-year average.

JLA

While at DC, Perez was able to have one of his greatest wishes granted by becoming a regular penciller on Justice League of America. He had actually begun working on the series prior to leaving Marvel and is probably the only artist in history to pencil the biggest team comic at each of the major publishers at the same time. One of the most notable issues is Justice League of America #193, a comic that introduces the All-Star Squadron.

Also of note is Justice League of America #200, a giant-size issue with work by numerous artists in addition to primary penciller Perez. Of the two, Justice League of America #200 is the one that most collectors target. The current fair market value for a 9.8 graded copy is $275 and, based on current sales, you should be able to find grades below that for under $100.

Crisis on Infinite Earths

By the mid-19080s, DC realized they had a problem. The weight of decades of continuity, few comics catching on with readers, and lackluster sales left DC as an also-ran to a continually rising Marvel. Realizing that something had to change, the powers that be turned to Wolfman and Perez to right the ship. It was an exceptionally wise choice.

The Crisis on Infinite Earths mini-series streamlined DC’s comic universe into one far more manageable for future writers and artists. To get there would require Perez to draw nearly every DC character. Not only did Perez pull off this monumental feat he also left comic collectors with one of the most lasting covers of the 1980s: Crisis on Infinite Earths #7. It’s an oft-imitated cover and a comic that, despite its fame, is an inexpensive item.

Only during the back issue peak of 2021 would it have cost you more than $200 to purchase a 9.8 graded copy. The current FMV stands at $174, a low price to pay for one of Perez’s greatest works.

Wonder Woman

Perez would next take on a member of DC’s trinity, Wonder Woman. His increasingly detailed artwork fit in perfectly for new tales – written by Perez – that tied Wonder Woman more tightly to her Greek mythology origins. While popular among collectors at the time of its publication in 1987, Wonder Woman #1 hasn’t been a hot commodity in the back issue market.

While it saw a significant peak in pricing in early 2022, it’s come back down to earth since and 9.8 graded copies have been selling for less than $200 since August 2022. It’s very affordable as a graded book, but I highly recommend buying a raw reader copy as well – it’s a fantastic comic and really showcases Perez at the height of his artistry.

Infinity Gauntlet

After more than a decade at DC, Perez would return to Marvel beginning with a bang with Infinity Gauntlet. While unable to complete the mini-series, Perez’s artwork was as mind-blowing as always in the issues he finished. The key issue here is Infinity Gauntlet #1.

Most collectors are familiar with this comic, and I highlighted it in my recent blog on Jim Starlin, so I won’t belabor it here. Suffice it to say it’s one of the most popular Copper Age comics with nearly 12,000 copies in the CGC census and a current 9.8 FMV of a little more than $200.

Future Imperfect

One of the most popular Hulk storylines ever told the story of a future version of the Hulk known as the Maestro. Written by Peter David with artwork by Perez, Hulk: Future Imperfect #1 and Hulk: Future Imperfect #2 told a tight, concise story with incredible detail.

Nowhere is this more emblematic than in the trophy room containing paraphernalia of multiple deceased Marvel characters. It’s the type of comic illustration that few outside of Perez could create and is well worth the hour or so of studying you’ll use to peruse the details.

Fortunately, both issues are very affordable, with 9.8 graded copies of Hulk: Future Imperfect #1 clocking in around the $100 mark, while Hulk: Future Imperfect #2 currently sells for a little more than $60.

Return to the Avengers

Perez would return to the Avengers once more with Avengers #1 in 1998, along with writer Kurt Busiek. Asked by Busiek which Avengers he would like on the team, Perez responded, “all of them.” He got his wish.

The gatefold cover alone for Avengers #1 is a career highlight, depicting more Avengers than had likely ever graced a Marvel cover. It’s fun just to look at it and try to identify everyone and it’s a cheap comic for back-issue collectors, currently trading at roughly $50 for a 9.8 graded copy. It’s a seriously undervalued comic when you consider its brilliance.

As good as this issue is, Avengers #2 sports an equally impressive cover with all the Avengers depicted as knights. Check it out…

JLA/Avengers

Serving as a fitting capstone to a career as the great superhero team comic artist, Perez would finally be able to draw a JLA/Avengers team-up book in 2003. It was a comic that many felt Perez had been born to draw. However, it took 20 years from its original conception in 1983 until it finally saw the light of day.

While the mini-series has its flaws, Perez’s artwork was as luscious as ever. The cover for Avengers/JLA #4 is about as iconic as a superhero cover can get – Superman holding Captain America’s shield and Thor’s hammer. Overall, the mini-series is inexpensive to purchase, with the FMV for a 9.8 JLA/Avengers #1 currently standing at a little over $32.

One blog isn’t enough to do justice to the entire career of a great like George Perez. There are so many fantastic works that I haven’t had the space to mention here. Sadly, we lost George Perez last year after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Fortunately for all comic collectors and readers, his beautiful and immense body of work is still out there to enjoy.

Do you collect George Perez’s works? What are some of your favorites? Let us know below.

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