One of the funniest reruns back in the 70s was "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein." It was a fun and very campy horror comedy that pits a vaudevillian comedic duo against the classic Victorian monsters we all know and love. It was also during the 70s, that the Comic Code Authority was relaxed to allow horror to be portrayed in comics and Marvel was at the forefront of that change. This paved the way for the Werewolf, Frankenstein, and even Dracula and a host of 70s horror comics that became instant classics. Can these fiendish avatars of horror perhaps make solid speculation bets for the month of October and beyond?  What are the top three books to own from Marvel's Bronze Age?

 

Mood Lyrics Horror Filled Halloween "Thriller":

[Vincent Price:]
"The foulest stench is in the air
The funk of forty thousand years
And grisly ghouls from every tomb
Are closing in to seal your doom
And though you fight to stay alive
Your body starts to shiver
For no mere mortal can resist
The evil of the thriller"
[Into maniacal laugh, in deep echo]

No one can get you in the horror mood like Vincent Price. Anyone who was around when "Thriller" first came out will smile and enjoy the previous lyrics. Halloween will probably be a lonely event due to the pandemic this year. But "All Hallows' Eve" sparks nostalgia for the Bronze Age. There are three very campy Victorian supernatural protagonists in Marvel Comics that were resurrected during the Bronze Age. The Werewolf first appeared in Marvel Spotlight #2. Dracula (Vlad to his friends) first appeared in Marvel Comics in Tomb of Dracula #1. The third leg of this macabre seat is the Monster of Frankenstein #1. Can each of these ferocious entities be worthy as Bronze Age investments?

Title Grade Last Sale Return (1-Year)
Marvel Spotlight #2 7.5 $315 +16%
Tomb of Dracula #1 9.8 $2,298 +4.7%
Monster of Frankenstein #1 9.2 $157 +7.4%

The returns over the last year have been good, not great, simply satisfactory. I did notice during this write up an across the board decline in prices at the high-end essentially grade 9.4, 9.6, and 9.8 near mint grades. Now the reason for this might be many different things but the most obvious is perhaps these books have popped up for the first time over the last two years and buyers can't wait to cash in. That said every grade in the mid-range has been solid, is continuing to earn, and has been increasing over time.  There has been media hype that Dracula or the Werewolf might be appearing in potential TV series or as villains in Moon Knight. As feeble as this evidence is Disney has cast the FBI agent that pursues  "Werewolf by Night" apparently has been cast in Moon Knight. This could lead to an interesting crossover.

Conclusion

These grizzly beasts have weathered the pandemic intact for the most part. However not without some loss of potency in the upper range. The mid-grades still look alive!  Though far from ideal investments, I truly believe the Bronze Age is just starting to come into its own value. After all, "No mere mortal can resist, the evil of the forever..." especially when it comes to long-term investments like Bronze Age horror. Happy Halloween everyone!