AMETHYST #1

Cover shows strong gloss and vibrant color with sharp corners and no visible spine stress or ticks. No creases, tears, or stains are apparent in this photo, and the image sits in a protective sleeve which may account for slight glare in a few areas. Interior and back cover were not assessed, so the grade is conservative pending full inspection.

Amethyst #1 (November 1987) launched the character's second ongoing series at DC, following her 1983 twelve-issue miniseries and subsequent Legion of Super-Heroes backup appearances. The character, originally created by Gary Cohn, Dan Mishkin, and Ernie Colon, is here scripted by Keith Giffen and Mindy Newell, with Spanish fantasy illustrator Esteban Maroto providing pencils, inks, and cover art, giving the issue a distinctive painted-adjacent European look that sets it apart from the house style of most DC output of the period. Karen Berger edited the title during a run that would extend to 16 issues before cancellation, placing this book at the front end of a short-lived but complete Copper Age series.

The issue carries no recognized first appearance, death, or landmark creative milestone beyond being the opening chapter of this particular volume, and it has not registered meaningful aftermarket demand distinct from ordinary back-issue traffic. It circulates in dollar bins and bulk lots alongside the rest of the Amethyst volume 2 run, with interest largely confined to completists of the character or admirers of Maroto's art rather than broader speculative or investment buying.

This is a reader- and completist-market book: raw copies move for pocket change regardless of condition nuance, and even certified high-grade examples command only a modest premium over cover price rather than any independent collector premium. It suits Amethyst or Maroto fantasy-art collectors filling out a run, and is not a book driven by crossover, first-appearance, or landmark-creator demand in the way that moves prices for genuine key issues of the era.