Approximate
Condition Profile
MARVEL COMICS · 4/89 · DIRECT EDITION
UNIT ECA-007123
THE WEST COAST AVENGERS #43
John Byrne's Vision Quest storyline continues as the Avengers West Coast confronts a government strike force
// Unit specification
| Publisher | Cover date | Era | Variant | Key attribute | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marvel Comics | April 1989 | Copper | Direct Edition | — | AVAILABLE |
// Copies in archive
| Unit | Grade | Variant | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECA-007121 | ~9.2 | Direct Edition | AVAILABLE |
| ECA-007123 | ~9.0 | Direct Edition | AVAILABLE |
// Run position
// Condition analysis
Cover shows strong gloss and vibrant color with sharp corners and no visible creases or spine stress. There is a tiny bit of edge wear visible at the top right corner tip and the book is currently housed in a protective sleeve, which limits full assessment of the spine and edges. No stains, tears, or color breaks are apparent in this photo. Interior and back cover 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 | $90 |
// Archive commentary
The West Coast Avengers #43 (April 1989) arrived during John Byrne's celebrated stint as writer and artist on the title, a run that reshaped the team's status quo with the "Vision Quest" arc. This storyline saw the government-sanctioned disassembly of the Vision, a plot thread that Byrne used to probe questions of synthezoid personhood and reset the character for years afterward. While issue #43 does not carry a first appearance, an origin, or a death, it is a recognizable chapter in a storyline frequently cited by fans of the Byrne era and of Vision/Scarlet Witch continuity.
Market data for the issue reflects its status as a well-regarded but non-key Copper Age team book: certified population is modest (49 Universal copies across a graded total of 53), with only a handful of sales recorded at each grade tier and just seven transactions ever recorded at 9.8. Demand is driven almost entirely by completists building the West Coast Avengers run or the Byrne bibliography rather than speculative key-issue buyers, which keeps pricing flat and thinly traded even at the top of the grade scale.
This is a book that trades as a reading-and-run-building copy rather than an investment vehicle: raw low- and mid-grade copies move for pocket change in bulk lots or dollar bins, while a pristine 9.8 slab appeals to a small pool of Byrne-run and Vision/Scarlet Witch collectors willing to pay a premium for census-topping condition. Expect steady but unspectacular demand, with value concentrated almost entirely in the top certified grades rather than distributed across the curve.
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