FANTASTIC FOUR #241

Graded at 8.5 (VF+) on 2026-11-03, from new photos taken out of the sleeve: front and back. Small cream chip in the dark band at the top edge. Tiny wear at the top left corner. A few pale flecks on the purple at lower right. Back cover clean with the mail-in coupon uncut and unfilled.

Fantastic Four #241 (April 1982) arrives during John Byrne's celebrated run as writer-artist on the title, a stretch widely regarded as one of the strongest creative periods in the series' history. The issue advances plot threads involving Terrax the Tamer and Frankie Raye, laying groundwork for the acclaimed Galactus Trilogy that follows in issues #242-244. While it does not itself contain a marquee first appearance or origin story, it is squarely within the run that cemented Byrne's reputation for blending cosmic-scale storytelling with grounded character work on Marvel's First Family.

Market data for this issue is sparse, with only a handful of certified sales recorded and no examples graded above 9.6. This reflects the book's status as a mid-run supporting chapter rather than a stand-alone key; demand is driven primarily by Byrne-run completists and Fantastic Four series collectors rather than speculative first-appearance buyers. Pricing across grades tracks general Bronze Age newsstand patterns, with raw copies trading modestly and high-grade certified examples commanding a premium chiefly due to condition scarcity rather than content-driven demand.

This is a book for series runs and Byrne-era completists rather than key-issue investors. Entry-level and mid-grade raw copies are readily available and inexpensive, making them approachable for readers assembling the full arc leading into the Galactus Trilogy. High-grade certified copies are scarce simply because so few have been submitted or preserved at the top end, so a well-preserved slab benefits from population scarcity even without a landmark story to anchor demand.