Approximate
Condition Profile
MARVEL COMICS · 9/94 · DIRECT EDITION
UNIT ECA-008803
THE INCREDIBLE HULK #421
A mid-1990s Peter David-era Hulk issue, scarce in high grade on certified census
// Unit specification
| Publisher | Cover date | Era | Variant | Key attribute | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marvel Comics | September 1994 | Modern | Direct Edition | — | AVAILABLE |
// Run position
// Condition analysis
Cover shows strong gloss and sharp corners with no visible creases, tears, or spine stress lines in this photo. Colors appear vivid and unfaded, and the image is protected in a plastic sleeve which limits full assessment of surface texture. A small printing dot/spot is visible near the top right of the logo area, likely a factory printing artifact rather than damage. Interior pages and back cover were not visible and 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 | $4 | |
| HIGH_CERT | 9.8 SLAB | $80 |
// Archive commentary
The Incredible Hulk #421 arrived in September 1994 during Peter David's long, well-regarded run on the title, a stretch widely credited with reshaping Bruce Banner's psychology and giving the Hulk a sustained voice beyond simple rage. This issue is a standard installment from that run rather than a landmark chapter, part of the era's ongoing exploration of the character's fractured personalities and supporting cast rather than a first appearance, origin, or death issue.
Market data for this issue is thin. Certified population is small, with only a handful of copies graded and sales recorded almost exclusively in the 9.6 and 9.8 tiers; no meaningful sales activity exists at lower grades, reflecting the low collector priority typically assigned to mid-1990s direct-market Hulk issues absent a key distinction. The jump in realized value between 9.6 and 9.8 is steep relative to the book's modest overall demand, a pattern common to thinly traded modern comics where a small number of high-grade sales can swing the top of the curve disproportionately.
This is a book for completists of Peter David's Hulk run or Hulk team-runs collectors rather than speculative buyers chasing a key. Raw copies in low to mid grade carry only nominal value and turn over slowly, while a pristine 9.8 slab can command a real premium purely on scarcity within the certified population rather than narrative importance. Buyers should expect thin liquidity at every tier and treat any certified sale as an outlier rather than an established trend line.
// Copies in archive
| Unit | Grade | Variant | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECA-008803 | ~9.2 | Direct Edition | AVAILABLE |
| ECA-005411 | ~9.0 | Direct Edition | AVAILABLE |
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