Approximate
Condition Profile
MARVEL COMICS · 4/91 · DIRECT EDITION
UNIT ECA-025187
FANTASTIC FOUR #351
Walt Simonson's Fantastic Four run continues in the wake of the team's #350 anniversary storyline
// Unit specification
| Publisher | Cover date | Era | Variant | Key attribute | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marvel Comics | April 1991 | Copper | Direct Edition | — | AVAILABLE |
// Copies in archive
| Unit | Grade | Variant | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECA-014027 | ~9.2 | Direct Edition | AVAILABLE |
| ECA-025187 | ~9.0 | Direct Edition | AVAILABLE |
// Run position
// Condition analysis
Cover shows strong gloss and vibrant color with sharp corners and no visible creases or spine stress; the black cover areas show no noticeable color breaks. The comic is housed in a protective sleeve which slightly obscures fine surface detail and glare is present in a few spots. No writing, stains, or tears are visible on the front cover. Interior pages and back cover were not assessed.
// Valuation — market reference
| Bracket | Grade | Est. market value | Marker |
|---|---|---|---|
| LOW_RAW | 0.5 – 1.5 | $1 | |
| MID_RAW | 4.0 – 6.0 | $3 | |
| HIGH_CERT | 9.8 SLAB | $75 |
// Archive commentary
Fantastic Four #351 (April 1991) arrived during Walt Simonson's extended run as writer-artist on the title, following directly on the heels of the oversized #350 anniversary issue that reunited the original foursome. This issue continues the team dynamics established in that arc, with Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm sharing the roster alongside Sharon Ventura and Crystal, reflecting the shifting membership Simonson favored during his tenure. It is a representative example of late Copper Age Marvel output rather than a book tied to a first appearance, origin, or landmark creative debut.
The certified population is modest at 38 graded copies, with most of the census concentrated at the high end and only scattered single copies recorded below 9.0. Sale activity is thin across the board, with nine transactions anchoring the 9.8 tier and only one recorded sale at 9.6; grades below that have no priced sales at all in the available data. This pattern is typical of a late-run direct-market issue from a well-collected series title: demand exists primarily among Fantastic Four run collectors and CGC registry builders chasing top-census slots, rather than from speculative or crossover buyers.
Raw copies in low and mid grade trade as bulk long-box material, priced for convenience rather than scarcity, and are chiefly sought by readers completing a Simonson-era FF run. High-grade certified copies command a real premium relative to raw stock, reflecting the difficulty of finding pristine copies of a direct-edition book from this period, but the ceiling remains modest against Marvel's genuine key issues. Overall, the book functions as steady run-filler with a thin but present premium at the CGC 9.8 tier for registry-focused buyers.
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