Approximate
Condition Profile
MARVEL COMICS · 8/79 · NEWSSTAND
UNIT ECA-009530
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA #18
Walt Simonson cover on a mid-run issue of Marvel's Battlestar Galactica TV adaptation
// Unit specification
| Publisher | Cover date | Era | Variant | Key attribute | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marvel Comics | August 1979 | Bronze | Newsstand | — | AVAILABLE |
// Run position
// Condition analysis
Cover shows strong gloss and vivid color with sharp corners and no visible creasing or spine stress in this photo. Slight edge wear may be present near the top corners but is hard to discern through the protective sleeve's glare. The book is bagged, which limits full assessment; no major defects like tears, stains, or color breaking are visible. Interior and back cover were not assessed.
// Valuation — market reference
| Bracket | Grade | Est. market value | Marker |
|---|---|---|---|
| LOW_RAW | 0.5 – 1.5 | $1 | |
| MID_RAW | 4.0 – 6.0 | $4 | |
| HIGH_CERT | 9.8 SLAB | $65 |
// Archive commentary
Battlestar Galactica #18 is part of Marvel's licensed adaptation of the ABC television series, published during the franchise's brief but enthusiastic run from 1979 to 1981. This issue features a cover by Walt Simonson and an interior story, "Forbidden Fruit!," plotted by Simonson and scripted by Steven Grant, with layouts by Sal Buscema and finished art by Klaus Janson. Like much of the series, the story continues the adventures of the Galactica's crew as they search for Earth, drawing on a talented Bronze Age Marvel bullpen even though the underlying license never achieved the sales or cultural footprint of Marvel's concurrent Star Wars title.
Demand for the Battlestar Galactica comic run is driven almost entirely by completists and CGC set-builders rather than broad speculative interest; the franchise has a devoted but comparatively small collecting base next to Star Wars or mainstream Marvel superhero books of the same period. Within the run, issue #1 functions as the de facto key and pulls a real premium in high grade, while mid-run issues like #18 trade as supporting pieces of a series set, valued more for completeness and for the presence of respected artists such as Simonson and Janson than for any landmark story content. Surviving high-grade raw and certified copies are not scarce, since the book saw adequate print runs and modest handling by a niche but attentive fan base.
This issue is best suited to buyers assembling a run of the Marvel Battlestar Galactica series or Walt Simonson cover collectors rather than investors chasing appreciation. Low-grade reading copies circulate cheaply in dollar bins and bulk lots; mid-grade raw copies move steadily through online marketplaces at modest prices; and CGC 9.8 examples surface infrequently enough to command a real, if modest, premium over lower certified grades, reflecting genuine scarcity in top grade rather than speculative demand.
// Copies in archive
| Unit | Grade | Variant | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECA-009530 | ~9.0 | Newsstand | AVAILABLE |
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