Approximate
Condition Profile
MARVEL COMICS · 5/89 · DIRECT EDITION
UNIT ECA-022000
AVENGERS #303
John Byrne-era Avengers issue from the late Copper Age Under Siege/Acts of Vengeance run
// Unit specification
| Publisher | Cover date | Era | Variant | Key attribute | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marvel Comics | May 1989 | Copper | Direct Edition | — | AVAILABLE |
// Copies in archive
| Unit | Grade | Variant | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECA-019560 | ~9.4 | Direct Edition | AVAILABLE |
| ECA-022000 | ~9.0 | Direct Edition | AVAILABLE |
// Run position
// Condition analysis
Cover shows strong gloss and sharp corners with no visible creases or color breaks; spine appears tight with no stress ticks visible in this photo. There is minor surface glare from the protective sleeve which may obscure very small print defects. No writing, stains, or tears are apparent on the front cover. Interior pages and back cover were not assessed, so grade is based solely on this front cover image.
// 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 | $36 |
// Archive commentary
Avengers #303 arrived in May 1989 during John Byrne's tenure as writer and penciler on the title, a period that followed the acclaimed "Under Siege" storyline and preceded the line-wide "Acts of Vengeance" crossover. The issue features the Byrne-assembled roster of the era, with Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, and She-Hulk carrying the team through a transitional stretch of continuity. It holds no first appearance, death, or origin story, and its cover is not among the small set of Avengers images regularly cited by price guides as a design classic.
Market data reflects a common, high-supply late-1980s direct-market comic: certified population is modest at 37 total graded copies, but the FMV curve is nearly flat from 8.5 through 9.6, with only a slight premium at 9.8, indicating ample high-grade material and limited competitive pressure among CGC buyers. Demand is driven almost entirely by Avengers-team completists and Byrne-run collectors assembling the full arc rather than by any landmark-issue speculation, and raw copies see negligible turnover outside bulk lots and long boxes.
This is a book that trades as bindery filler for runs rather than as a standalone target: raw low- and mid-grade copies move cheaply and mostly within complete-run purchases, while a certified 9.8 draws modest but real interest from registry-set builders chasing top-census Byrne-era Avengers issues. Collectors of the broader Avengers series and John Byrne art collectors represent the primary audience, with little crossover demand from character-specific or event-driven buyers.
INQUIRE_ABOUT_THIS_UNIT
Institutional buyers, auction houses, and private collectors — direct line to the archive.
