TALES OF SUSPENSE #92

Pre-1977 book so no direct/newsstand distinction applies. Cover shows moderate wear consistent with a mid-grade Silver Age copy: visible spine stress lines and slight color rub along the spine, a small tear/chip at the top left edge, and mild corner softness at bottom left. Overall color is bright with no major stains or creases visible, but the book is in a protective sleeve which slightly obscures fine surface detail via glare. Interior and back cover were not assessed.

Tales of Suspense #92 arrived during the run's Captain America solo period, after the anthology title split its pages between Iron Man and Cap in the mid-1960s. This issue continues the Steranko-and-Kirby-influenced visual direction that defined the book's late Silver Age Cap stories, with Jack Kirby's layouts and cover work anchoring the era's house style. It sits just ahead of Tales of Suspense #93, which introduced MODOK, placing #92 within the build-up to that storyline without itself containing a recognized first appearance.

The certified population is substantial, with 420 Universal copies recorded against 453 total graded, reflecting a well-preserved and heavily submitted title typical of late-1960s Marvel. Pricing is flat across the low-to-mid grade bands, holding near $44-48 from grade 5.0 through 7.5, before rising steadily through the low hundreds at 9.2-9.4 and spiking sharply at 9.6 and 9.8. This shape is characteristic of a non-key Silver Age book: demand is driven by series completists and Captain America Silver Age collectors rather than speculative key-issue buyers, with the steep top-end curve reflecting the difficulty of finding true high-grade survivors rather than any narrative significance.

Collecting interest centers on Captain America run-builders and Kirby cover collectors assembling complete Tales of Suspense sets. Mid-grade and low-grade copies trade as affordable, accessible pieces of the run with little volatility, while the small population of 9.6 and 9.8 copies command outsized premiums driven by census scarcity at the top rather than character or story importance. Expect steady, unspectacular demand across most grades with sharp appreciation only at the extreme high end of the certified population.