With Avengers: Doomsday on the horizon, many MCU fans like myself are probably doing a rerun of the Infinity Saga and recent releases. We have over a decade’s worth of movies and TV show to get through, and even some recent movies like Thunderbolts and The Fantastic Four: First Steps to prepare for Doomsday. It’s hard to imagine that it all began back in 2008 with the launch of Iron Man, with things coming full circle almost 18 years later, as Robert Downey Jr. takes on the role of Doctor Doom. However, if you go by the comic book timeline, it all began in 1963, when Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Ant-Man, and Wasp teamed up to defeat Loki in The Avengers #1.
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As you’d expect, copies of this issue are in high demand by collectors and fans, with even lower graded ones going for over $6,500. Keeping with the trend, Heritage Auctions recently sold a CGC GD 2.0 graded version of Avengers #1 for $2,806. Yes, that’s a very low grade, but the fact that it’s the first ever appearance of the superhero team more than makes up for it. Evidently, the issue isn’t in great shape, featuring tears, creases, stains, and even a multiple instances of spine splits. However, looking at the picture, the worst thing about it is that it looks like someone has scribbled on the cover with a marker. My first thought was that it could be Loki’s mischief, but a closer look at it revealed that it’s actually the signature of none other than Stan Lee!
Stan Lee Signed Copy Of The Avengers #1 Sells For A Surprisingly Low Price

I wouldn’t have guessed it until I read the copy’s description on the Heritage website, and even then I cross-examined the signature online. It really is Stan Lee’s signature, but he may have probably signed it in a hurry. As a comic book fan or collector, having something in your collection signed by the legend himself is akin to finding a Grail, no matter the actual condition of the item. It’s a pity that the original owner for the copy didn’t look after it better, or else you could expect the final bid price to go well into tens of thousands of dollars. After all, it gave rise to the most ambitious movie crossover of all time, and even gave the first Avengers movie a rough plot line.
The sale of this copy of Avengers #1 is a pretty unique case for how the value of an item is dictated by the collectors market. As you’d imagine, the fact that it’s the fist appearance of The Avengers would result in it getting a high valuation, which would unfortunately be slashed thanks to its CGC GD 2.0 grade. However, Stan Lee’s signature would again boost the value up a fair bit, settling it at what seems to be a fair price for the item, considering everything. However, regardless of all these details and market conditions, there’s no denying that a copy of The Avengers #1 signed by Stan Lee is an absolute Grail which every collector would love to add to their collection.
One of Marvel’s Most Iconic Rivalries Began in This Classic Silver Age Issue
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