Approximate
Condition Profile
DC COMICS · 5/69
UNIT ECA-013052
ADVENTURE COMICS #380
Curt Swan Legion of Super-Heroes story closing out Adventure Comics' Legion lead-feature run before Supergirl takes over
// Unit specification
// Copies in archive
| Unit | Grade | Variant | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECA-013052 | ~7.0 | — | AVAILABLE |
// Run position
// Condition analysis
Cover shows good gloss with bright colors and sharp corners overall; slight wear visible at the bottom left corner tip and minor softness at the top right corner. There is faint edge wear along the right side and a small crease line near the bottom edge. The book is housed in a protective sleeve which slightly obscures fine surface detail. Interior and back cover were not assessed.
// Valuation — market reference
| Bracket | Grade | Est. market value | Marker |
|---|---|---|---|
| LOW_RAW | 0.5 – 1.5 | $10 | |
| MID_RAW | 4.0 – 6.0 | $25 | |
| HIGH_CERT | 9.8 SLAB | $450 |
// Archive commentary
Adventure Comics #380 arrived in May 1969 near the close of a pivotal stretch for the title: the Legion of Super-Heroes had anchored Adventure Comics as its lead feature since issue #300, and this issue represents the final chapter of that run before Supergirl assumed the lead spot beginning with #381. The story was written by Jim Shooter, then still a teenage prodigy shaping the Legion's mythology, with art from the Curt Swan school that defined the era's DC house style, and the cover carries the sharper, more dynamic sensibility Neal Adams brought to Adventure Comics' Legion covers in this period. For Legion completists and Silver Age DC collectors, the issue functions as a transitional bookend rather than a headline event, but it holds a documented place in the feature's publishing history.
Market activity reflects a modest-demand mid-run Silver Age book: certified sales cluster in the $60-$180 range across grades 8.5 through 9.4, with a thin population at 9.6 and no verified 9.8 to date. Pricing rises steadily rather than sharply through the graded tiers, consistent with a book collected mainly by Legion and Adventure Comics specialists rather than a broad crossover audience. Raw copies in low and mid grades trade quietly and infrequently, reflecting the book's status as a solid but non-essential entry in a beloved but niche back-catalog.
This is a book for Legion of Super-Heroes and Silver Age Adventure Comics collectors building complete or near-complete runs, rather than investors chasing a marquee key. Lower-grade raw copies remain readily available and inexpensive, mid-grade raw copies see occasional turnover among run-builders, and top-census slabs command a real but modest premium driven by scarcity at the highest tiers rather than character or story demand. Long-term appreciation is likely to track the broader Legion collecting community rather than outpace it.
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