Approximate
Condition Profile
DARK HORSE COMICS · 7/02
UNIT ECA-010496
KISS #1
J. Scott Campbell cover launches Dark Horse's Kiss ongoing series
// Unit specification
| Publisher | Cover date | Era | Variant | Key attribute | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Horse Comics | July 2002 | Modern | — | — | AVAILABLE |
// Copies in archive
| Unit | Grade | Variant | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECA-010496 | ~9.2 | — | AVAILABLE |
// Run position
// Condition analysis
Cover shows strong gloss and vivid color with sharp corners and no visible creasing or spine stress. Slight edge wear is possible near the bottom corners but not clearly visible through the protective sleeve. The book is bagged, which slightly obscures fine surface detail; interior and back cover were not assessed.
// Valuation — market reference
| Bracket | Grade | Est. market value | Marker |
|---|---|---|---|
| LOW_RAW | 0.5 – 1.5 | $3 | |
| MID_RAW | 4.0 – 6.0 | $8 | |
| HIGH_CERT | 9.8 SLAB | $110 |
// Archive commentary
Kiss #1 marked Dark Horse Comics' 2002 launch of an ongoing series built around the rock band's stage personas—Starchild, Demon, Celestial (Spaceman), and Chikara (Catman)—recast as costumed adventurers. Joe Casey supplied the writing chores, Mel Rubi handled interior art with Derek Fridolfs inking and Digital Chameleon on colors, but the issue's most enduring draw is its cover by J. Scott Campbell, whose stylized rendering of the band members arrived at the height of his popularity in the early 2000s.
Market data for this issue is thin relative to Golden or Silver Age fare, reflecting its status as a modern licensed-property comic rather than a recognized industry key. Sales activity clusters at the top of the census, with 9.6 copies moving around $85 and a single 9.0 sale near $50; grades below 9.0 show census population but little to no realized sales, indicating collector interest concentrates heavily on high-grade, cover-forward copies rather than reading copies. This pattern is typical of Campbell-cover books from this era, where the artist's fanbase sustains demand for pristine slabs while raw mid- and low-grade copies see minimal secondary-market turnover.
The book's audience is narrow but consistent: Kiss collectors, Campbell cover completists, and Dark Horse licensed-comics specialists. Given the small census (36 Universal copies across 44 total graded) and no confirmed 9.8 sales despite three on record, a well-preserved 9.8 slab commands a clear premium over the 9.6 tier, though the overall ceiling remains modest compared to mainstream superhero keys. Raw copies in low or mid grade trade as inexpensive reading or collection-filler pieces, while graded high-end copies are the primary focus of active buyers.
INQUIRE_ABOUT_THIS_UNIT
Institutional buyers, auction houses, and private collectors — direct line to the archive.