Approximate
Condition Profile
MARVEL COMICS · 8/84 · NEWSSTAND
UNIT ECA-019243
AVENGERS #246
Roger Stern/John Buscema Avengers, mid-run Copper Age newsstand issue
// Unit specification
| Publisher | Cover date | Era | Variant | Key attribute | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marvel Comics | August 1984 | Copper | Newsstand | — | AVAILABLE |
// Copies in archive
| Unit | Grade | Variant | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECA-019243 | ~9.0 | Newsstand | AVAILABLE |
| ECA-018882 | ~8.5 | Newsstand | AVAILABLE |
// Run position
// Condition analysis
Cover shows strong gloss and sharp corners with only minor edge wear visible along the right border. There is slight color rub near the top staple area and a faint press line near the spine, but no major creases or color breaks are evident. The book is in a protective sleeve which limits full inspection of spine stress and surface sheen; interior and back cover were not assessed.
// Valuation — market reference
| Bracket | Grade | Est. market value | Marker |
|---|---|---|---|
| LOW_RAW | 0.5 – 1.5 | $3 | |
| MID_RAW | 4.0 – 6.0 | $6 | |
| HIGH_CERT | 9.8 SLAB | $65 |
// Archive commentary
Avengers #246 arrived during Roger Stern's extended and well-regarded run on the title, illustrated by John Buscema with inks from Tom Palmer, a creative team responsible for much of the series' most stable and polished output in the early-to-mid 1980s. The issue features the team roster of the period, including Captain America, She-Hulk, Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau), the Wasp, and Hercules, continuing Stern's plot threads without introducing a new character, origin, or other landmark event that would elevate it to key status within the run.
Market data for this issue is sparse, reflecting its status as a solid but unremarkable installment in a long-running team title rather than a searched-for back-issue. The handful of recorded sales at the higher end of the certified spectrum show modest dollar figures, consistent with a book that trades primarily on completist demand from Avengers run collectors rather than speculative or key-issue interest. Newsstand distribution from this period is generally scarcer than direct-edition copies, which can support a slight premium at the top of the grading scale even without deep sales history.
This issue suits collectors assembling a complete run of Stern-era Avengers or Buscema art collections rather than investors chasing appreciation, and it should be expected to move slowly at auction with wide bid-ask spreads at all grade levels. Low and mid-grade raw copies will typically sell as bulk or run-filler material, while a high-grade certified copy carries value mainly as one of the better-preserved examples of a scarce newsstand print rather than as a standalone key.
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