Approximate
Condition Profile
DC COMICS · 5/69
UNIT ECA-012891
DETECTIVE COMICS #387
Standard Silver Age Batman issue, May 1969, Frank Robbins-era Detective Comics run
// Unit specification
// Copies in archive
| Unit | Grade | Variant | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECA-012891 | ~7.0 | — | AVAILABLE |
// Run position
// Condition analysis
Cover shows good gloss and bright colors with no major creases visible; corners appear sharp with only slight blunting at the bottom right. There is minor edge wear along the top and right border and a small spine tick near the mid-spine area. The book is housed in a protective sleeve which obscures fine surface detail and possible spine stress lines. Interior and back cover were not assessed, so grade is based solely on the visible front cover.
// Valuation — market reference
| Bracket | Grade | Est. market value | Marker |
|---|---|---|---|
| LOW_RAW | 0.5 – 1.5 | $15 | |
| MID_RAW | 4.0 – 6.0 | $48 | |
| HIGH_CERT | 9.8 SLAB | $1,050 |
// Archive commentary
Detective Comics #387 arrived in May 1969, part of the Frank Robbins-scripted era of the title that leaned into a moodier, more detective-oriented Batman following the departure of the campy tone associated with the 1966 television show. Interior art in this period typically came from Bob Brown or Irv Novick, with Gil Kane frequently handling Batgirl backup features that ran in Detective during these months. The issue is a solid representative of the late-1960s Batman line but does not carry a recognized first appearance, origin story, or death that would elevate it to key status among collectors and price guides.
Market activity mirrors what one would expect from a mid-run Silver Age Batman title: a deep certified census (337 Universal copies of 358 total graded) with steady turnover across the mid grades and a sharp value climb only at the very top of the pyramid. Sales data shows a fairly flat plateau through grades 6 to 9, with FMVs clustering in the $65-$210 range, before jumping meaningfully at 9.4 and above, culminating in a $1,050 mark at 9.8 on just five recorded transactions. This pattern is typical of Silver Age Batman family books where raw and mid-grade supply is abundant, but true gem-mint survivors remain scarce relative to demand from Batman completionists and Silver Age type-set collectors.
This book will primarily attract Batman-title runs collectors and those assembling complete Detective Comics sets rather than speculative key-issue buyers. Lower and mid-grade raw copies trade as inexpensive run-fillers with little volatility, while the top of the CGC 9.8 population commands a real premium driven by scarcity rather than character or story significance. Expect steady but unspectacular demand across grades, with the census-topping slabs serving niche registry-set buyers rather than broader market speculation.
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