With the new Netflix animated series on the heels of 2019's comic relaunch, the Transformers are making a valiant return to pop culture. How has that affected 1984's premiere issue?

THE IMMORTAL TRANSFORMERS

There are some ideas that are so good that they will never die. No matter how old the characters might be, each generation gives it new life. Things like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, G.I. Joe, Scooby-Doo, Thundercats, and Masters of the Universe will always capture imaginations, but there is no making that list without putting the Transformers near the top.

Giant alien robots with canons (and sometimes fly for whatever reason) who turn into cars, trucks, jets, and tanks and are at war with each other? What's not to love? Finally, Netflix has figured out that audiences are only there for the robots and wanton destruction. No need for Spike or Sam Witwicky in this one.

RETURN TO MAINSTREAM PROMINENCE

If Michael Bay's movies can't kill the Transformers, nothing will.

The franchise's return to mainstream began a year ago. After IDW brought the Transformers universe to an end, the publisher rebooted the title in 2019. Here we are a year later, and the new Netflix series is a hit with fans. With two new movies in the works, we could be seeing the early stages of a Transformers renaissance. Those are two words I did not expect to use in the same sentence.

All this should have comic collectors taking a second look at that 1984 debut.

 

 

 

TRANSFORMERS #1 (1984)

As soon as the news broke that Netflix was putting together a new Transformers series, prices for their first comic appearance began to surge.

When it comes to investing, the higher grades are the only ones that have earned any significant returns. In 2018, collectors could have purchased a 9.8 for less than $400. While that may seem steep, keep in mind that its fair market value jumped to nearly $600 a year later. Now that the new animated series has debuted, that 2019 average seems like a bargain. Over the past 90 days, the 9.8 has averaged $739, but more telling are the most recent sales, which came in at $850 and $870 mid-July.

The 9.6 has shown an impressive FMV increase. Going back two years, this grade averaged a respectable $145. Just last month, it sold for a record-high $407. That gives it a three-month FMV of $251.

For those wanting something special, be on the lookout for the Canadian price variants. A 9.2 recently sold for $361 in July, and it averages over $200 more than its American price counterpart.

The good part about Transformers is you can find a grade for any budget. If you are a fan wanting a piece of their history, opt for a mid-grade copy. Bear in mind that even those prices are inflating. A 7.0, which had been selling for $49 on average last year, brought $87 earlier this month. In July, a 5.0 sold for $50, so don't delay if you have been considering getting one.

TRANSFORM AND ROLL OUT

Transformers' popularity will come and go. That much is inevitable, and it means prices will wax and wane for years to come. If the current prices are out of your budget, be patient. For those who invested two or three years ago, enjoy the moment.

 

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