Approximate
Condition Profile
MARVEL COMICS · 6/90 · NEWSSTAND
UNIT ECA-006256
BLACK KNIGHT #1
First issue of the 1990 four-issue Black Knight limited series, scripted by Roy and Dann Thomas with Rich Buckler and Tony DeZuniga art — newsstand copy
// Unit specification
| Publisher | Cover date | Era | Variant | Key attribute | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marvel Comics | June 1990 | Copper | Newsstand | — | AVAILABLE |
// Copies in archive
| Unit | Grade | Variant | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECA-003405 | ~9.0 | Newsstand | AVAILABLE |
| ECA-006256 | ~9.0 | Newsstand | AVAILABLE |
// Run position
// Condition analysis
Cover shows strong gloss and sharp corners with no visible creases or color breaks. There is a faint white spot/scuff near the upper right edge of the cover and the book is in a protective sleeve which may be hiding minor edge wear. Spine appears tight with no stress lines visible. Interior and back cover were not assessed, so grade is estimated conservatively from the front cover image alone.
// 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 | $42 |
// Archive commentary
Black Knight #1 launched a four-issue 1990 limited series revisiting Dane Whitman, the modern Black Knight, alongside his medieval ancestor Sir Percy of Scandia and the Garrett-era Black Knight lineage. Written by Roy and Dann Thomas with art from Rich Buckler and Tony DeZuniga, the series folds in Marvel mainstays including Captain America, Doctor Strange, Hawkeye, Captain Britain, Doctor Druid, and the Enchantress, situating the character within the broader Avengers mythology while exploring the Ebony Blade's cursed history. The book does not introduce any of these characters, nor does it mark a significant creative milestone; its interest lies chiefly in being a complete, self-contained Black Knight story from writers with long tenure on the character.
Market data shows a large certified population (900+ Universal copies) with steady but modest demand: sales activity is heaviest at 9.8, where recent 90-day and 1-year averages have outpaced the current FMV, indicating some short-term price movement at the top of the grade curve. Mid- and low-grade copies see comparatively little sales volume or tracked data, consistent with a book that was widely distributed, is not chased as a key, and draws demand primarily from Copper Age completists and Black Knight or Avengers-family collectors rather than speculative investors.
This is a book that trades cheaply in raw grades and only becomes a modest transaction at the CGC 9.8 level, where population reports and long-tail collector interest in high-grade newsstand copies support incremental premiums. Buyers are typically series or character completists rounding out a Black Knight or early-1990s Marvel limited-series run rather than key-issue investors; across grades it behaves as a low-cost, steady-demand back-issue rather than a speculative or blue-chip holding.
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