CAPTAIN AMERICA #285

Cover shows strong gloss and sharp corners with no major creases or color breaks visible. There is a faint vertical crease/scratch line running through the upper portion of the cover art near the star, and slight edge wear at the top corners. The book is in a protective sleeve which limits full assessment of spine stress and surface sheen; interior and back cover were not examined.

Captain America #285 arrives late in J.M. DeMatteis's run on the title, inked by Kim DeMulder and lettered by Diana Albers, with editorial oversight from Mark Gruenwald and Jim Shooter. The issue continues the Roscoe/Grand Director and Jack Monroe (Nomad) storyline that ran through the early-to-mid 280s, featuring supporting cast regulars Bernie Rosenthal and Jarvis alongside Miss America. The cover, credited to Mike Zeck with inks by John Beatty, reflects the clean, dynamic house style Zeck brought to the title during this period, though it is not counted among the widely cited classic covers of the run.

Market data shows a healthy CGC census with nineteen 9.8 copies recorded out of thirty-nine universal submissions, indicating the issue survives in high grade with some frequency, which caps upside at the top of the grade scale. The $95 FMV for 9.8 reflects steady but modest demand typical of a mid-run Bronze Age issue without a first appearance or landmark event driving speculation. Sales data thins out sharply below 9.4, where certified population and transaction volume both drop, suggesting most collector interest concentrates at the top end of the grade curve rather than across the spectrum.

This issue suits Captain America completists and readers assembling the DeMatteis/Zeck stretch of the title rather than speculative buyers chasing a key. Raw copies in low and mid grade trade for a few dollars in bulk bins and online lots, with value concentrated almost entirely in the near-mint-to-gem-mint tier where certified population remains comparatively thin. As with most non-key Bronze Age Marvel output, the book's ceiling is set by cover art appeal and series continuity rather than any landmark event within its pages.