THE MONSTER OF FRANKENSTEIN #1

Cover shows strong gloss and vibrant color with sharp corners and no visible creases or spine stress from this angle. There is a small handwritten pencil notation near the issue number/price box (appears to read '10 v5' or similar), which is a distracting cover defect that would affect grade. No chipping, tears, or color breaks are visible along the edges, and the book is protected in a plastic sleeve which limits full assessment of edge wear. Interior pages and back cover were not visible and were not assessed.

The Monster of Frankenstein #1 introduced Marvel's black-and-white-turned-color adaptation of Mary Shelley's novel, marking the character's first appearance within Marvel continuity. The issue is best remembered as the professional coming-out for Mike Ploog, whose moody, atmospheric linework set the visual tone for Marvel's early-1970s horror line and influenced the studio's subsequent monster and supernatural titles. Gerry Conway supplied the adaptation's scripting duties, situating the book within Marvel's broader push into gothic horror during the Comics Code's loosened restrictions of the era.

Market data shows a book with substantial print survival and a large certified population exceeding 1,300 CGC Universal copies, reflecting steady collector interest across five decades rather than sudden speculative spikes. Demand concentrates at the top of the grade curve: prices climb gradually through the mid grades before accelerating sharply from 9.4 upward, with the 9.8 population still commanding a strong premium despite 78 examples on census. This pattern indicates the book is valued primarily for centering and page quality at the high end, while raw and lower-grade copies trade as affordable vintage Bronze Age reading copies.

The issue draws a mixed buyer base: Ploog completists and horror-genre specialists compete for high-grade slabs, while general Bronze Age collectors and those assembling Marvel's classic-monster line pick up mid- and low-grade copies inexpensively. Because supply is deep at every tier, the book trades predictably rather than erratically, making it a reliable if modest performer for dealers stocking horror and Bronze Age sections. Long-term appreciation is likely to track broader Bronze Age horror demand and any renewed attention to Ploog's career rather than dramatic key-issue speculation.