Approximate
Condition Profile
MARVEL COMICS · 1/78 · NEWSSTAND
UNIT ECA-006535
JOHN CARTER, WARLORD OF MARS #8
Mid-run Marvel Barsoom issue with Gil Kane and Rudy Nebres art on part eight of "Air Pirates of Mars"
// Unit specification
| Publisher | Cover date | Era | Variant | Key attribute | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marvel Comics | January 1978 | Bronze | Newsstand | — | AVAILABLE |
// Run position
// Condition analysis
Cover shows strong gloss and vibrant color with sharp corners and no visible creases or color breaks. There is minor rubbing at the top edge and slight softness at the bottom right corner. Spine appears tight with no visible stress lines in this view. Interior and back cover were not assessed; book is in a protective sleeve which limits full surface inspection.
// Valuation — market reference
| Bracket | Grade | Est. market value | Marker |
|---|---|---|---|
| LOW_RAW | 0.5 – 1.5 | $1 | |
| MID_RAW | 4.0 – 6.0 | $6 | |
| HIGH_CERT | 9.8 SLAB | $210 |
// Archive commentary
John Carter, Warlord of Mars #8 continues Marvel's Bronze Age adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom novels, arriving as part eight of the "Air Pirates of Mars" storyline. Marv Wolfman scripts the issue, with Gil Kane providing pencils and a cover finished by Rudy Nebres, pairing two artists closely associated with Marvel's sword-and-planet and adventure output of the era. The cast remains centered on John Carter, Dejah Thoris, Tars Tarkas, and Kantos Kan, figures drawn directly from Burroughs' source material rather than characters originated within the comic itself.
Market data reflects a low-population, low-turnover title typical of Marvel's licensed adventure line from the late 1970s. Certified copies are scarce across the run, with only 27 Universal-graded examples recorded and sales concentrated at the top of the census; the 9.8 tier shows the most consistent trading activity, while mid and low grades have essentially no certified sales history to draw from. This pattern is common for a mid-run issue in a series without a first appearance, a landmark artist debut, or any death or origin sequence tying it to broader Marvel continuity.
Demand centers on Gil Kane and Barsoom completists building out the full John Carter, Warlord of Mars run rather than speculative buyers chasing a key. Raw copies in lower grades trade as inexpensive fill-ins for readers and series collectors, while mid-grade raw copies see modest but steady interest from the same audience. High-grade certified copies, particularly at the 9.8 tier, draw a small but active pool of registry-focused buyers, since Bronze Age newsstand survivors in top condition are disproportionately scarce relative to demand, even for a title with limited overall key status.
// Copies in archive
| Unit | Grade | Variant | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECA-009253 | ~9.0 | Newsstand | AVAILABLE |
| ECA-006535 | ~8.5 | Newsstand | AVAILABLE |
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