Approximate
Condition Profile
MARVEL COMICS · 3/90 · DIRECT EDITION
UNIT ECA-007174
AVENGERS WEST COAST #56
Conclusion of the "Vision Quest" storyline, John Byrne
// Unit specification
| Publisher | Cover date | Era | Variant | Key attribute | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marvel Comics | March 1990 | Copper | Direct Edition | Conclusion of the "Vision Quest" storyline (Vision disassembled and rebuilt without emotions); notable John Byrne writer/artist run, not a first appearance or origin issue | AVAILABLE |
// Run position
// Condition analysis
Cover shows strong gloss and vibrant color with sharp corners and no visible spine stress or ticks. Slight waviness/reflection near the center fold may be plastic sleeve glare rather than an actual crease, but a faint vertical line is visible near Iron Man's figure that should be checked in hand. No creases, tears, or discoloration observed on the front cover; interior and back cover were not assessed.
// Valuation — market reference
| Bracket | Grade | Est. market value | Marker |
|---|---|---|---|
| LOW_RAW | 0.5 – 1.5 | $1 | |
| MID_RAW | 4.0 – 6.0 | $5 | |
| HIGH_CERT | 9.8 SLAB | $65 |
// Archive commentary
Avengers West Coast #56 (March 1990) closes out the "Vision Quest" arc written and drawn by John Byrne, one of the more talked-about Avengers stories of the late 1980s. Across the preceding issues, the synthezoid Vision is captured, disassembled, and rebuilt by a government task force; this issue delivers the emotional fallout, with Vision's personality restored but his emotions and human coloration stripped away, altering the character for years afterward. The storyline also carries consequences for Scarlet Witch and the West Coast Avengers' status quo heading into the 1990s.
Market demand for the issue is modest and driven almost entirely by completists of the Byrne run and Vision/Scarlet Witch character collectors rather than by any first-appearance or origin significance. The FMV curve is essentially flat from mid to high grade until the final jump into 9.8, a common pattern for late-Copper direct-market comics that were widely saved in quantity but rarely pursued outside dedicated character or creator runs. Sales volume at 9.8 is comparatively healthy for a book of this era, suggesting steady if unspectacular collector interest in top-census copies.
This is a book that trades as a reading and run-completion copy in low-to-mid grade, commanding little beyond a token premium over cover price, while high-grade slabs appeal to registry builders and Vision/Scarlet Witch specialists chasing census-top examples. It is not a speculative vehicle and shows no indication of breakout demand, but its role in a well-remembered Byrne storyline gives it steady, narrow collector appeal.
// Copies in archive
| Unit | Grade | Variant | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECA-007174 | ~9.2 | Direct Edition | AVAILABLE |
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