Spotlight on the Comic Reader

Posted on January 17, 2020 by Comicbookscalping Leave a comment

The Comic Reader was a fanzine launched in 1961 by Jerry Bails. Early issues of this fanzine can sell for $30 to $50 in high grade but there are other issues that sell well on the secondary market. The Comic Reader has been regarded as the “first” comics industry news fanzine – including interviews, art pin-ups and previews of both Marvel and DC titles. While some issues sell well because of sales gimmicks like the April Fools 1980 issue #179 which features a memorial for Stan Lee others sell well because they feature the first “published” appearances of certain characters and books – like Comic Reader #216 which sells for $15 to $20 in high grade because it features the first published appearance of DC’s Nightwing – its also features a really cool Archie in hell cover by Stan Goldberg.
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Here are two books from the Comic Reader series that have seen a big jump in interest over the past 12 months.

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The Comic Reader #117 was published in April of 1975 and inside of this book there is a mock-up of the cover for Giant Size X-Men #1. Giant Size X-Men #1 is a historically important book because it features the second appearance of Wolverine as well as Wolverine joining the X-Men. Giant Size X-Men #1 was published by Marvel in May of 1975 – one month after the release of The Comic Reader #117 which has resulted in this book commanding high sales online. Over the past few months on ebay this issue has been selling for $40 to $100 in varying conditions.

The Comic Reader #100 was published in August of 1973 and features an incredible wraparound cover by Jack Kirby showing Superman and Shazam. This book also features a mock-up of the cover for Amazing Spider-Man #129 – prominently showing the new Punisher character. Amazing Spider-Man #129 was published in February of 1974 – seven months after The Comic Reader #100. This is apparently a new discovery as copies of the Comic Reader #100 have only started moving in the past four months. Copies of this issue have started selling online from $30 to as much as $80.