FANTASTIC FOUR #135

Graded at 8.0 (VF) on 2026-11-02, from new photos taken out of the sleeve: front, back and interior page. Bright, glossy cover with a tight spine. Corners sharp. Faint surface line near the lower right corner. Clean back. Cream pages.

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.