What accounts for the recent price spike on Daredevil #7? It’s not like there’s a movie in the works and, in point of fact, Netflix just unceremoniously cancelled their DD show that starred Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio. First let’s look at the data; then maybe we can give an analysis explaining the recent movement on this book.

For a long time Daredevil #7, which is the first appearance of Daredevil’s iconic red suit, was the archetype of an under-performing key. That this comic is a ‘key’, moreover, was never really in dispute. Unlike, say, Iron Man, Daredevil didn’t exactly change costumes every few years. Even with almost all other Marvel Silver Age keys from the period spiking over the last ten years, most sales on most grades of DD #7 were pretty flat….until recently.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daredevil #7 (April 1965) - First red costume

Everyone who's serious about comic book speculation knows the enormous popularity of the Marvel Silver Age keys has effectively lifted the value of many of these early titles up to Valhalla. Of all the major Marvel characters from the Silver Age however, barring perhaps Nick Fury and other minor figures, some of the slowest rise in value have been seen on Silver Age Daredevil.

Looking at the Daredevil run, and going by Overstreet data, the major keys in the early run are the first issue and, yup you guessed it, issue #7. Even as recent as the 47th edition of Overstreet (published 2017) the prices for the first seven issues of Silver Age Daredevil in NM 9.2 are listed as follows:

DD#1 = $10, 500.00
DD#2 = $2, 000.00
DD#3 = $1, 075.00
DD#4 = $925.00
DD#5 = $685.00
DD#6 = $475.00
DD#7 = $2, 150.00

Note that the third most expensive issue according to Overstreet, after the premiere and #7 is DD #2. The second issue featured a guest appearance by the Thing. So, does that mean that it was the Sub-Mariner appearance that kept DD #7 so respected? This is unlikely. Subby was co-staring in dozens of books in the early to mid-sixties, and his appearances in Fantastic Four and Tales to Astonish are the important spec books for the Prince of Atlantis.

Looking at recent sales on Daredevil #7, we see that it has currently holds a value that surpasses the Overstreet 2017 listings (currently selling in 9.2 for $2, 800.00) but is actually still playing catch up in terms of previous year’s sales.

Since 2017, the numbers on DD#7 in mid to high grade are as follows:

9.2 = down -21.4% (after 4 sales)
9.0 = down -27.8% (10 sales)
8.5 = up +13% (10 sales)
8.0 = up +12.3% (18 sales)
7.5 = up +15.7% (27 sales)
7.0 = up +19.8% (21 sales)
6.5 = up +19.5% (19 sales)
6.0 = up +7.3% (17 sales)

These are actually good numbers, except for the 9.0 and 9.2, all other grades are positive and show strong returns.

Looking now at the last three months of activity on this book, we see:

9.2 hasn’t really moved (1 sale on February 27 sold for $2, 900, around Overstreet value) but 9.0 sales over the last 90 days are up an impressive 70% (after an eBay sale on Feb 25 for $1000.00 and a ComicLink auction sale on Feb. 27 for $1, 700.00). All other grades sold in 2019 are also positive, up ranging from 2-15% across the board.

So what’s happening here?

First off, the Daredevil show may have been cancelled, but it was not a dud and it worked out to be a much better promotion for DD in general than the disastrous 2003 Ben Affleck film.

Also, don’t forget the old expression, ‘a rising tide lifts all boats’. All Silver Age Daredevil keys, including #7, with its introduction of the new costume and dynamic Wally Wood cover and art, have been undervalued for years. Now prices are slowly catching up to what we would expect these fan favorite issues in an original Marvel Silver Age run to have.

In other words, what we’re seeing here is perfectly normal.