SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE #88

Pre-1977 book so no direct/newsstand distinction applies. Cover shows moderate wear consistent with a mid-grade Silver Age book: visible vertical creasing and wrinkling across the central figures (Superman and Lois), light corner softness at top left and bottom right, and some minor surface scuffing/rubbing to the green background ink. No major tears, missing pieces, or color breaks are evident, and the book is in a protective sleeve which slightly obscures fine surface detail. Interior pages and back cover were not assessed.

Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #88 arrived in November 1968, part of a long-running DC anthology-style series built around the character's romantic entanglements, workplace rivalries, and recurring imaginary/what-if scenarios involving Superman. The title's regular art was handled through much of this era by Kurt Schaffenberger, whose clean, expressive line work became closely associated with Lois Lane's visual identity, and the book fits into a stretch of the series notable for whimsical, often self-contained plots rather than continuity-altering events. It is not associated with any first appearance, death, or landmark creative milestone, and no cover from this specific issue has entered the standard pantheon of widely cited classic Silver Age covers.

Market data shows a typical long-tail Silver Age demand curve: the book is plentiful in mid grades, with FMV holding in a modest $48-$90 band across 7.5 to 9.2, before climbing more steeply at 9.4 ($150) and 9.6 ($260). No certified 9.8 has traded, though a handful sit on census, indicating collectors chase top-census condition on this issue despite its non-key status, likely driven by general Silver Age DC completism and Lois Lane series collectors rather than character-first-appearance demand. Sales volume is thin at the extremes, which limits precision at both the low end and the unestablished 9.8 tier.

This is a book for series completists, Silver Age DC generalists, and Schaffenberger art collectors rather than key-issue investors. Raw copies in low and mid grade trade as inexpensive filler, commonly picked up in bulk lots or long boxes, while demand only becomes meaningful once a copy reaches high-9.0s or better, where scarcity on census starts to assert itself. A well-preserved copy at the top of the grading scale carries a real premium over its 9.4/9.6 counterparts, but the book overall remains a modestly priced supporting piece within a broader Silver Age Superman-family collection rather than a headline acquisition.