STRANGE TALES #135

Pre-1977 book so no direct/newsstand distinction applies. Notable defects include a vertical spine split/tear near the top edge, general spine stress with wear along the binding, a crease running through the lower left of the cover, and surface wear/scuffing throughout with some loss of gloss. Corners show blunting and there is mild edge wear along the right side; the book is in a protective sleeve which shows some glare. Interior and back cover were not assessed.

Strange Tales #135 (August 1965) is a landmark Silver Age Marvel split-book, pairing Jack Kirby and Stan Lee's launch of Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. with Steve Ditko's continuing Doctor Strange feature. The Fury story introduces both the modern-day espionage version of the World War II commando (previously seen only in Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos) and his adversary organization Hydra, establishing the spy-fiction wing of the Marvel Universe that would expand through the late 1960s. Kirby's cover and interior art set the visual template for S.H.I.E.L.D.'s helicarrier-era aesthetic, while Ditko's Doctor Strange work anchors the book's other enduring pull among Silver Age completists.

Demand is driven almost entirely by the dual first appearances rather than by the Doctor Strange back matter, and the FMV curve shows the steep, non-linear climb typical of a recognized key: prices hold in a narrow band through mid grades before accelerating sharply above 9.0, and again above 9.4, as the pool of eligible copies thins. With roughly 2,150 copies graded and heavy concentration in the 6.0–8.0 range, mid-grade material is plentiful and price-stable, while true high-grade copies are scarce enough that no 9.8 has yet been certified, leaving the top of the market effectively unpriced and speculative.

The book trades across two distinct collector bases: Silver Age Marvel key hunters chasing the Fury/Hydra debut, and Ditko specialists building a Doctor Strange run, with the former dominating high-grade demand. Raw copies in low and mid grade move steadily as affordable entry points into Marvel's spy-fiction origins, while certified copies at 9.0 and above see sharper premiums tied to census scarcity. Absent a certified 9.8 example, the top end of the market remains untested, and any such copy would likely draw significant attention from both key-issue investors and Kirby/Ditko cover collectors.