Approximate
Condition Profile
MARVEL COMICS · 7/87 · DIRECT EDITION
UNIT ECA-003289
MEPHISTO VS. #4
Final chapter of Marvel's 1987 prestige-format Mephisto vs. limited series
// Unit specification
| Publisher | Cover date | Era | Variant | Key attribute | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marvel Comics | July 1987 | Copper | Direct Edition | — | AVAILABLE |
// Run position
// Condition analysis
Cover shows strong gloss and sharp corners with no visible creases or color breaks. Spine appears tight with no stress lines visible in this image. Minor edge wear cannot be ruled out at photo resolution, and the book is in a protective sleeve which adds slight glare obscuring fine 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 | $5 | |
| HIGH_CERT | 9.8 SLAB | $65 |
// Archive commentary
Mephisto vs. #4 closes out a four-issue prestige-format limited series published by Marvel Comics in 1987, pitting the demonic Mephisto against corners of the Marvel Universe across the run. The series was written and illustrated primarily by Al Milgrom, working in the square-bound, higher-production prestige format Marvel used for select event-adjacent miniseries in the mid-1980s. As a fourth and final chapter, the issue carries some collector interest as a series-completion book but does not represent a first appearance, origin story, or other landmark moment in Mephisto's publishing history, which stretches back to his 1968 debut in Silver Surfer #3.
Market data reflects a low-demand, thinly collected Copper Age title: certified population is small, with only a handful of sales recorded even at the top grade of 9.8, and pricing falls off quickly moving down the grade scale. The book trades as a minor completist item for Mephisto collectors and Marvel limited-series specialists rather than as a mainstream key, with values driven almost entirely by scarcity of high-grade certified copies rather than character or story significance.
Collecting activity centers on series completists and Mephisto character collectors rounding out a themed run alongside issues #1-3. Across grades the book trades modestly, with raw copies changing hands cheaply in bulk-bin or dollar-box contexts and only pristine CGC 9.8 slabs commanding a meaningful premium due to the low submission volume. It is not a book pursued for investment upside but rather a supporting piece for those assembling a complete Mephisto vs. set or a broader Al Milgrom bibliography.
// Copies in archive
| Unit | Grade | Variant | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECA-003289 | ~9.2 | Direct Edition | AVAILABLE |
| ECA-003283 | ~9.0 | Direct Edition | AVAILABLE |
| ECA-003285 | ~9.0 | Direct Edition | AVAILABLE |
| ECA-003287 | ~8.5 | Direct Edition | AVAILABLE |
| ECA-006070 | ~8.5 | Direct Edition | AVAILABLE |
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