It’s time for more Undervalued and Overlooked Comics, where we identify a few issues each week that could be overlooked, undervalued, or both, and may be worth considering for your collection. This week, we’re looking at comics from the Copper Age.  Let’s get started.

Rebirth of an Amazon

In 1985, DC was in revamp mode. Beginning with Crisis on Infinite Earths, DC had begun deconstructing their entire mythos, paring down the excesses and going back to the core of what originally made their characters great. And no character was in greater need of a fresh take than the Amazonian warrior princess herself, Wonder Woman.

DC turned to George Perez, who took over both the writing and the art beginning with the all-new Wonder Woman #1. The pairing of the character with one of comicdom’s greatest artists, made Wonder Woman a hot commodity.

While it’s hard to call this an overlooked comic; there are, after all, 2,751 graded copies in the CGC census; newer collectors aren’t as familiar with Perez’s take on Wonder Woman and would be impressed by the detail in both the art and the writing. It is, however, a very undervalued comic.

There was a price spike for this book, due in large part to the illness of Perez and his subsequent passing, beginning in March of this year, that saw values climb to a peak of $455 for a 9.8 graded copy in an eBay auction on March 27. Half a year later, 9.8 copies of this book can be found for roughly $180, about the same as prior to the price spike.

This book should be selling for more. It’s Perez at the pinnacle of his craft, working on one of DC’s greatest characters and, in the process, creating a timeless tale that would be a fantastic addition to any collection. And get a reading copy while you’re at it. If you haven’t yet perused this comic book, you’re in for a real treat.

Scout – Timothy Truman’s Magnum Opus

Coming off the heels of Grimjack with writer John Ostrander at First Comics, Timothy Truman began his solo career with his greatest creation beginning in Scout #1. Published by Eclipse Comics in 1985, Scout tells the future tale of Emanuel Santana, an Apache navigating his way through a violent and chaotic third-world United States.

Praised for the respectful way in which Truman both wrote and drew the character, the series made Truman a star who would go on to revamp Hawkman at DC.

Scout #1 is an all-but-forgotten comic book. The CGC census contains only 22 graded copies and only seven copies have ever sold. The most recent sale – a 9.2 graded copy selling in a fixed price eBay sale – was for $40. No, I did not leave out a zero. Scout #1 is a true treasure. An independent comic, thoughtfully created by Truman with great detail, that would end up being one of the better comics of the 1980s.

War Machine’s First Solo Comic

In writing pieces on undervalued and overlooked comics, some biases tend to come into play. I will heartily confess to focusing on comics that I feel have some intrinsic value in terms of art, story, or both. Sometimes, though, a comic stands out as being overlooked or undervalued despite not passing any type of critical sniff test. Thus, we come to War Machine #1.

Published by Marvel in 1994, this comic is a prime example of 1990s Marvel excess. Written and drawn by writers and artists no one knew then or knows now, it does sport an eye-catching foil cover.

Flash forward to the present, and the War Machine character is a well-known property thanks to the MCU. So, you would think that his first solo book would be one that collectors would gravitate toward. Of course, that hasn’t happened yet.

There are 333 graded copies in the CGC census; not a tiny number but also not one that screams significance. While it’s had some peaks, even in a down year like 2022, this book is currently plummeting like dead stick Rhodey falling from the sky after being blasted by the Vision. Sorry, couldn’t resist.

The most recent sale of $139 for a 9.8 in an eBay sale on August 11 is the lowest price paid in 2022. Maybe the Armor Wars hype caused this book to peak too soon. Perhaps we’ll hear something about the Disney+ series at D23 in a few weeks. Until then, take advantage of the dip to purchase what may not be a very good comic but is currently overlooked and overvalued Copper Age book in today’s collecting environment.

Next Week: Golden Age Undervalued & Overlooked

Well, that’s all we have time for this week.  Join us next week as we take a look at some undervalued and overlooked Golden Age comics.

Want more Undervalued spec?

Do you think Wonder Woman #1, Scout #1, and War Machine #1 are undervalued, overlooked, or both?  Let us know below!

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