AVENGERS #226

Cover shows strong gloss and vibrant color with sharp corners and no visible creases or spine stress lines. Minor surface reflection from the protective sleeve makes fine assessment slightly difficult, and a small dark mark near the bottom left could be a minor stain or printing artifact. Edges appear clean with no chipping visible. Interior and back cover were not assessed, so grade is based solely on this front cover photo.

Avengers #226 (December 1982) arrived during Jim Shooter's final stretch as regular scripter on the title, with Bob Hall handling pencils, part of a run that carried the team through several transitional storylines in the early 1980s. The issue reflects the workmanlike, plot-heavy Avengers of the period rather than a landmark chapter, predating the more heavily collected roster shift that would follow in the next few issues.

Market data for this issue is sparse across all grades, with only a handful of certified sales recorded and no meaningful population at the top of the census. The FMV curve is essentially flat and low, consistent with a common late Bronze Age team title that trades mostly as filler within run sets or long boxes rather than as a standalone draw. Demand is driven almost entirely by completists assembling the full Avengers series rather than by any first-appearance or landmark-cover interest.

Collecting activity for this issue centers on Avengers run collectors and dealers stocking bulk Bronze Age inventory; raw copies in low and mid grades move cheaply and infrequently, while a 9.8 slab commands a modest premium simply due to the rarity of pristine surviving newsstand copies rather than any content-driven demand. This is a book bought to complete a run, not chased as a key.