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Secret Origins #9 front cover
~9.0 AI-Estimated
Approximate
Condition Profile
SECRET ORIGINS #9
DC COMICS · 12/86 · NEWSSTAND
UNIT ECA-013267

SECRET ORIGINS #9

Golden Age JSA-era origins retold by Roy Thomas and George Tuska

SIG 2/10 Available

// Unit specification

PublisherCover dateEraVariantKey attributeStatus
DC Comics December 1986 Copper Newsstand AVAILABLE

// Copies in archive

UnitGradeVariantStatus
ECA-013267 ~9.0 Newsstand AVAILABLE

// Run position

Part of an unbroken run · #7–#9 · 3 issues View all 8 available issues of SECRET ORIGINS →

// Condition analysis

⚠ AI-Estimated / Approximate Condition Profile

Cover shows strong gloss and sharp corners with no visible creases or spine ticks in this photo. Colors appear vibrant with no noticeable fading. The book is in a protective sleeve, which limits full assessment of edges and spine stress; interior and back cover were not examined.

// Valuation — market reference

⚠ AI-Estimated values — approximate, not an appraisal · no market comps found — era-based estimate
BracketGradeEst. market valueMarker
LOW_RAW 0.5 – 1.5 $2
MID_RAW 4.0 – 6.0 $4
HIGH_CERT 9.8 SLAB $60

// Archive commentary

Secret Origins #9 is part of DC's mid-1980s anthology series devoted to retelling the beginnings of both prominent and lesser-known heroes, timed to coincide with the publisher's broader effort to codify continuity ahead of Crisis on Infinite Earths cleanup. This issue focuses on Golden Age and Justice Society-adjacent figures, including Al Pratt's Atom, Dr. Mid-Nite, and Fury (Helena Kosmatos), with supporting appearances from Alan Scott's Green Lantern, Brain Wave, Brainwave Jr., Atom Smasher, and the Crimson Avenger. Roy Thomas, a writer closely associated with Golden Age revivalism at DC, scripts the material with George Tuska on pencils and a small team of inkers including Pablo Marcos, who also provided the cover.

As a non-first-appearance origin anthology built around characters who never carried significant standalone collector demand outside JSA-focused runs, the issue trades as a common back-issue book. It holds interest chiefly for completists assembling full runs of Secret Origins or readers researching Golden Age character histories, rather than for speculative or key-issue buyers. There is no notable variant activity, cover artist premium, or first-appearance hook driving demand.

The book is readily available in the back-issue market and moves primarily through bulk lots, dollar bins, and online marketplace listings rather than showcase auctions. Raw copies in any grade are inexpensive and easy to source, and even top-graded slabs attract only modest premiums given the absence of any landmark content. Collectors interested in the JSA's Golden Age roster or in Roy Thomas's DC output are the natural audience, typically acquiring the issue as part of a broader Secret Origins run rather than as a standalone purchase.

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