FANTASTIC FOUR #45

This is the first appearance of the Inhumans, cover-dated Dec 1966 (pre-1977, so no direct/newsstand distinction applies). The cover shows heavy wear consistent with a low-grade copy: significant surface and corner rounding, multiple creases across the lower left and spine area, a vertical crease near the spine with color break, and general softness/fraying at the edges. There is also a visible seller's grading sticker ('FAIR $7.00') affixed to the cover, which would need removal and could cause further surface loss. Interior and back cover were not assessed from this photo, so overall grade could shift slightly once those are examined.

Fantastic Four #45 (December 1966) is one of the defining Silver Age Marvel issues, delivering the first full appearance of the Inhumans — Black Bolt, Medusa, Karnak, Gorgon, Triton, and Crystal — after a partial tease in the preceding issue. Scripted by Stan Lee with pencils by Jack Kirby and inks by Joe Sinnott, the issue continues the Kirby/Lee run widely regarded as the artistic and narrative peak of Fantastic Four, embedding a new corner of the Marvel Universe that would recur for decades in both comics and adaptations. The introduction of this royal family of "Inhumans" also carried thematic weight uncommon for the period, folding questions of isolation and hidden identity into the team's ongoing conflict with the Fantastic Four.

Market data shows steady, broad collector participation across the full grade spectrum, with over 3,900 Universal copies on census against roughly 4,400 total graded — evidence of a book that has been aggressively pursued and submitted for decades rather than a sleeper title. Pricing rises sharply above the 8.0 range, with the jump from 9.2 to 9.4 alone reflecting nearly a 30% premium, a pattern typical of key Silver Age issues where high-grade survivors are scarce relative to demand. The complete absence of recorded sales at 9.6 or 9.8, despite a handful of certified copies existing, points to holders sitting on top-census examples rather than any lack of interest.

This is a book pursued at every collecting level: entry-grade copies satisfy readers building a complete Lee/Kirby FF run affordably, while mid-grade copies remain a staple of Silver Age key want-lists. At the top of the census, scarcity of both supply and sales data suggests any 9.8 that surfaces publicly would likely set a new benchmark rather than simply track the existing curve, making it a target primarily for advanced Marvel Silver Age and Inhumans specialists rather than general-interest buyers.