MAN-THING #9

Cover shows strong gloss and bright color with sharp corners; a couple of light vertical crease lines are visible near the lower center of the cover art and a faint press line runs through the lower right. Spine appears mostly tight with no major stress lines or color breaking visible. The book is in a protective sleeve which creates some glare but does not appear to be masking major defects. Interior pages and back cover were not assessed.

Man-Thing #9 (September 1974) is a Bronze Age horror title from Marvel's early-1970s monster line, written by Steve Gerber with art by Val Mayerik. The issue introduces Ross G. Everbest as the original Foolkiller, a deranged vigilante who would recur throughout Marvel continuity and later headline his own miniseries and ongoing titles. Gerber's tenure on Man-Thing is well regarded for its satirical, socially conscious storytelling, and this issue is frequently cited in guides as the character-defining entry of the run.

The book's market profile reflects a well-collected but modestly valued Bronze Age series: certified population is moderate (fifty-plus Universal copies across the grading spectrum), with FMV climbing steeply only at the top end, from double digits in mid grades to several hundred dollars at CGC 9.8. Demand is driven almost entirely by the Foolkiller first appearance rather than by Man-Thing's own cover or story appeal, which places most collecting pressure on high-grade certified copies rather than raw mid-grade material. Sales volume at the top grade remains thin, meaning pricing at 9.8 is sensitive to the appearance of even a single fresh copy.

This is a book bought primarily by character-first-appearance collectors and dealers assembling Bronze Age horror or Foolkiller-adjacent runs, rather than by pure Man-Thing completists. Lower and mid-grade raw copies trade cheaply and steadily as reading or filler copies, while pressure concentrates on the handful of near-mint and CGC 9.8 examples, where scarcity relative to demand supports a meaningful premium over the rest of the curve. Long-term interest tracks closely with the visibility of the Foolkiller character in adaptations and modern Marvel storylines.