AVENGERS ANNUAL #23

Cover shows sharp corners and clean edges with strong color and gloss, no visible creases or spine stress lines. The book is in a protective sleeve which limits full assessment of surface sheen and potential minor edge wear. No stains, tears, or writing are visible on the front cover; interior and back cover were not assessed.

Avengers Annual #23 is a 1994 one-shot written by Roy Thomas and Al Milgrom, with art by longtime Avengers artist John Buscema handling pencils, inks, and cover. The story pits Hercules against a cast of Greek mythological figures including Pluto, Persephone, and Typhon, with Loki also factoring into the plot. The issue also features an early appearance of Thunderstrike alongside Avengers mainstays Captain America, Hank Pym, Crystal, and Vision, but it contains no first appearances, deaths, or other events that price guides or collectors treat as landmark.

The book's market profile reflects its status as a mid-1990s direct-market annual: print runs were high, speculator-era interest has long since faded, and demand today is thin. Certified population is small, with only nine Universal copies on census and just three recorded sales at the top grade, all clustering around modest dollar figures. There is no meaningful grade-to-price curve visible in the data below 9.8, which is typical for a book whose primary appeal is Buscema's art and general Avengers-team completism rather than any specific collecting hook.

This annual is best understood as connective-tissue material for Avengers and Hercules completists, or for those assembling a run of 1990s Marvel Annuals. It is not a book driven by grade-chasing outside of the high end, where a small number of registry-minded buyers may pursue a pristine slab for set completion. Raw copies in any condition trade for little more than cover price, and the book is unlikely to see significant appreciation absent a broader revival of interest in this specific Hercules storyline or era.