Approximate
Condition Profile
MARVEL COMICS · 8/87 · DIRECT EDITION
UNIT ECA-019380
AVENGERS #282
Avengers battle the Olympian gods in the late stages of the Assault on Olympus storyline
// Unit specification
| Publisher | Cover date | Era | Variant | Key attribute | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marvel Comics | August 1987 | Copper | Direct Edition | — | AVAILABLE |
// Copies in archive
| Unit | Grade | Variant | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECA-019380 | ~9.2 | Direct Edition | AVAILABLE |
| ECA-022042 | ~9.2 | Direct Edition | AVAILABLE |
| ECA-019334 | ~8.5 | Direct Edition | AVAILABLE |
// Run position
// Condition analysis
Cover shown through a protective sleeve appears bright and glossy with strong color saturation and sharp corners; no visible creases, tears, or spine stress lines are apparent in the photo. Slight surface glare from the plastic bag obscures fine detail near the center-right, and the book's interior and back cover were not assessed. Based solely on the visible front cover, this looks like a high-grade, well-preserved copy.
// 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 | $95 |
// Archive commentary
Avengers #282 arrived during the Roger Stern-scripted, John Buscema-illustrated run that carried the team through the "Assault on Olympus" arc, in which the Avengers clash with Zeus, Ares, and the forces of Olympus following the events set in motion by Hercules's earlier ordeal. The issue is a mid-arc chapter rather than an origin, first appearance, or death issue, and it does not carry any of the traditional markers that price guides use to designate a key book. Its interest lies chiefly in the quality of the Stern/Buscema creative team, which was well regarded during this stretch of the title, and in its place within a complete run of a storyline still followed by longtime Avengers readers.
Market data reflects a book typical of late-1980s Marvel output: modest raw values across low and mid grades, with almost all measurable demand concentrated at the top of the certified population. The GoCollect census shows a small but active pool of 9.6-9.8 copies changing hands in the tens of dollars, while mid- and low-grade raw copies see negligible collector attention outside of runs being assembled for completeness. There is no evidence of speculative or nostalgia-driven demand spikes; pricing across grades tracks the broader Copper Age bulk-comic market rather than any character- or event-driven premium.
This is a book primarily bought by Avengers-run completists and readers assembling the Stern/Buscema era rather than by investors or key-issue speculators. Across the grading spectrum it behaves as a common: raw copies in low and mid grade trade for a few dollars at most, while a well-preserved CGC 9.8 commands a modest but real premium reflecting genuine scarcity at the top of the census. Long-term appreciation potential is limited absent a shift in character or story relevance, and the book is best positioned in inventory as a run-filler or a low-cost graded upgrade rather than a marquee catalog listing.
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