Why this one matters
Before this issue the X-Men were a cancelled title running reprints. This one comic introduced the international team and set up everything that followed, including the entire run that made the franchise.
It is a comic whose importance has only grown, because almost every X-Men film and series draws on the characters introduced here rather than the original 1963 line-up.
What catches people out
- It is oversized. Giant-Size issues are physically larger than standard comics, which means they were often stored badly, bent into normal boxes and creased along the spine.
- Reprints and facsimiles. Widely reprinted. The original has a 1975 date and a 50 cent cover price.
- Spine roll. The larger format and thicker page count make spine roll very common on this issue, and it hits the grade hard.
The honest verdict
A major book that holds its value well. Worth having looked at properly rather than guessed at, particularly if the spine is straight and the colours are strong.
How to check yours
Search the exact issue on eBay and filter to sold listings rather than asking prices. An item sat unsold at a high price tells you what somebody hoped for, not what anybody paid. Match the printing, and be honest with yourself about condition, because it usually matters more than people expect.
If you would rather not work it out yourself, send me photos and I will tell you what you have and what it is realistically worth, for free and with no obligation to sell me anything.
Want it valued properly?
Photos of the cover, the spine and the indicia are enough. You will get an honest answer either way, including if the answer is that it is not worth much.
Get a free valuation