Approximate
Condition Profile
MARVEL COMICS · 11/72
UNIT ECA-028276
FANTASTIC FOUR #128
Bronze Age Fantastic Four featuring the Mole Man, with Buscema/Sinnott art.
// Unit specification
| Publisher | Cover date | Era | Variant | Key attribute | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marvel Comics | November 1972 | Bronze | — | — | AVAILABLE |
// Copies in archive
| Unit | Grade | Variant | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECA-000902 | ~6.5 | — | AVAILABLE |
| ECA-028276 | ~6.5 | — | AVAILABLE |
// Run position
// Condition analysis
Cover shows moderate wear with visible vertical crease lines and stress marks running through the artwork, likely from being stored in a plastic sleeve that has creased against the surface. There is noticeable surface scuffing/scratching across the cover with light reflections indicating a somewhat glossy but disturbed surface. Corners appear reasonably sharp with no major blunting visible, and edges show only minor wear. Interior and back cover were not assessed from this photo.
// Valuation — market reference
| Bracket | Grade | Est. market value | Marker |
|---|---|---|---|
| LOW_RAW | 0.5 – 1.5 | $8 | |
| MID_RAW | 4.0 – 6.0 | $16 | |
| HIGH_CERT | 9.8 SLAB | $700 |
// Archive commentary
Fantastic Four #128, cover-dated November 1972, lands squarely in the Bronze Age Roy Thomas era of Marvel's first family, with interior art by John Buscema and Joe Sinnott and a Buscema cover. The issue continues a Mole Man storyline, delivering the polished, dependable house style that defined the title in this period. As a mid-run entry in one of Marvel's foundational ongoing series, it carries the pedigree of the franchise without introducing a first appearance, origin, or other landmark event.
The market profile here is that of a collected common issue rather than a key. Certified demand concentrates in high grade, where the curve climbs sharply from the mid-tiers into the 9.6 range, while lower and mid grades trade for modest sums consistent with an abundant supply of graded copies. With well over one hundred Universal copies on the census and steady but small sales counts, pricing is stable and driven largely by condition rather than scarcity, except at the very top of the grade ladder.
Buyers for this book are typically Fantastic Four run collectors and Bronze Age Marvel completists filling gaps, along with registry-minded collectors chasing the scarce 9.8. In low and mid grades it changes hands inexpensively and frequently, making it an easy pickup for set builders; the premium is reserved for the handful of top-census examples, where limited supply commands a meaningful multiple over the next grade down.
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