Approximate
Condition Profile
DC COMICS · 3/67
UNIT ECA-037939
BATMAN #190
Silver Age Batman featuring the Riddler during the height of Batmania
// Unit specification
// Copies in archive
| Unit | Grade | Variant | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECA-037939 | ~5.0 | — | AVAILABLE |
// Run position
// Condition analysis
Cover shows noticeable overall wear including toning/yellowing to the white background areas, a diagonal crease running through the lower right near Batman's cape, and soft/rounded corners. There is minor edge wear along the top and right edges with slight color fading, and the cover has some surface scuffing. No major tears or missing pieces are visible, and the spine appears reasonably intact though not perfectly tight. Interior and back cover were not assessed.
// Valuation — market reference
| Bracket | Grade | Est. market value | Marker |
|---|---|---|---|
| LOW_RAW | 0.5 – 1.5 | $48 | |
| MID_RAW | 4.0 – 6.0 | $130 | |
| HIGH_CERT | 9.8 SLAB | $4,600 |
// Archive commentary
Batman #190, cover-dated March 1967, arrived at the peak of the character's mainstream popularity, riding the wave generated by the ABC television series. The issue features the Riddler, one of the rogues gallery villains whose profile had been dramatically elevated by Frank Gorshin's performance on the show, and it carries a cover attributed to Carmine Infantino, the artist most closely associated with the "New Look" Batman redesign that reshaped the title beginning in 1964. The interior art reflects the house style of the period, with Sheldon Moldoff among the pencilers commonly credited to Batman work of this era under Bob Kane's studio arrangement.
Market data shows a conventional Silver Age demand curve: raw copies in low and mid grades trade in the tens to low hundreds of dollars, with values climbing sharply once a copy crosses into the 8.0-9.0 range and again above 9.4, where census population thins out considerably. Sales volume across the grade spectrum is substantial, with dozens of transactions recorded in most brackets, indicating a book that circulates steadily rather than one that trades only sporadically. The Riddler content and TV-era timing give the issue a modest demand premium over a typical undistinguished issue from the same run, though it is not chased as a first appearance or origin story.
This is a book for Silver Age Batman run collectors and villain-specific specialists rather than investors seeking a marquee key. Low- and mid-grade raw copies serve as affordable reading or filler pieces for those building a complete run, while top-census 9.6 and 9.8 slabs command a real premium reflecting their scarcity relative to the hundreds of mid-grade survivors. Expect steady, unspectacular appreciation tracking the broader Silver Age Batman market rather than the volatility seen in recognized key issues.
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