SUPERBOY #191
Bronze Age Superboy adventure with no major first appearances
// Unit specification
// Run position
// Condition analysis
Cover shows a diagonal stress crease running through the upper-right and mid-section of the artwork, along with a shorter crease near the lower left affecting the wagon and figure area. Corners show moderate rounding and softness, particularly the top corners, and there is minor edge wear along the right side. The book is currently housed in a plastic sleeve, and only the front cover was assessed; interior pages and back cover condition are unknown. No color breaks or major tears are visible, but the creasing is significant enough to limit the grade to the mid-range.
// Valuation — market reference
| Bracket | Grade | Est. market value | Marker |
|---|---|---|---|
| LOW_RAW | 0.5 – 1.5 | $3 | |
| MID_RAW | 4.0 – 6.0 | $8 | |
| HIGH_CERT | 9.8 SLAB | $170 |
// Archive commentary
Superboy #191, cover-dated October 1973, arrived during DC's Bronze Age continuation of the Superboy title, a period when the series alternated lead adventures of the young Kryptonian with backup features while the broader superhero line navigated shifting sales and format changes. The issue is a standard entry in a long-running series rather than a landmark installment, reflecting the workmanlike output that filled out DC's line in the early 1970s without introducing new characters or altering established continuity.
Market data for the issue is thin, consistent with a book that draws collector attention primarily from Superboy and Silver-to-Bronze Age Superman-family completists rather than from speculators chasing a key. Certified sales cluster in the higher grades, with a modest but real premium at 9.8 versus 9.6 and 9.4, indicating that demand exists mainly for top-census condition rather than across the grade spectrum. Lower and mid-grade raw copies see little recorded transaction activity, suggesting the book is inexpensive and readily available in those conditions.
This issue suits value-oriented collectors building a complete Superboy run or DC Bronze Age archive rather than investors seeking a key-driven asset. Expect raw copies in low and mid grades to remain affordable and easy to source, while high-grade certified examples, particularly true 9.8s, will continue to command a disproportionate premium simply due to census scarcity at the top end rather than any inherent scarcity of the issue itself.
// Copies in archive
| Unit | Grade | Variant | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECA-007544 | ~5.0 | — | AVAILABLE |
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