FANTASTIC FOUR #135

Cover shows strong gloss and bright color with sharp corners; a faint vertical crease line is visible on the right edge near the spine and slight whitening at the top spine tick area. No major creases, tears, or stains are visible on the front cover, though the book is in a protective sleeve which may obscure minor surface wear. Interior pages and back cover were not assessed, so the grade is based solely on this front cover image.

Fantastic Four #135 arrived in June 1973 during Gerry Conway's run as writer, with pencils by John Buscema and inks by Joe Sinnott, continuing a stretch of stories in which Medusa of the Inhumans served as a fill-in member of the team while Sue Storm was away. The issue sits within the larger Frightful Four/Thundra continuity that ran through the early 130s, a period notable for experimenting with the team's roster rather than introducing any new characters or origins. It is a representative example of the Buscema/Sinnott art team's polished, dynamic Bronze Age Marvel style, but it carries no first appearance, death, or other historically pivotal event.

Market data shows a large certified population — over 160 CGC Universal copies — with the bulk of sales concentrated in the 9.0 to 9.6 range, where price movement is modest and gradual. The 9.8 tier commands a real premium relative to 9.6 and below, reflecting how few copies exist at the top of the census (only 11 at 9.8 against dozens at 9.4-9.6), but overall demand tracks general Bronze Age Fantastic Four collecting rather than any key-issue spike. Sub-9.0 grades see thin sales data, consistent with a book that is not actively chased below high grade.

This issue appeals mainly to Fantastic Four run collectors and Bronze Age Marvel completists filling out the Conway/Buscema stretch, rather than speculators or key-issue investors. Raw copies in worn condition trade cheaply and are readily available; the meaningful value is concentrated at the CGC 9.8 tier, where scarcity relative to demand from registry-set builders supports a substantial premium over mid-grade material. Across the grading spectrum, the book behaves as a steady, low-volatility filler title rather than a growth asset.