Spider-Man swung into the scene in 1962, proudly appearing on the cover of Marvel’s Amazing Fantasy #15. Since his first appearance, Spider-Man has become one of the most popular comic book characters of all time. Beyond his decades-long comics career, spanning dozens of series and hundreds of issues, the character has also starred in cartoons, movies, and video games. This popularity led to him becoming Marvel Comics’ unofficial mascot.
Spider-Man began as the creation of the talented artist Steve Ditko and business-savvy writer Stan Lee. By taking advantage of Ditko’s skills at creating exaggerated action scenes, the two sold the idea of a man with the reflexes and agility of a spider. They also agreed to defy conventions by completely covering the webslinger’s head in a mask, allowing anyone to imagine becoming the hero. His start as a normal high schooler also helped readers latch onto him and resonate with his daily issues.
Spider-Man’s real identity is Peter Parker, an originally unassuming high-school boy with a love of science. His life changed when he was bitten by an experimental spider that gave him superpowers that mimicked the arachnid. He became extremely flexible and agile, as well as stronger than any normal human. While he naturally could not produce webs, his powers led him to develop web shooters and a special formula that created bio-degradable “webs.” Along with his ability to climb on walls, Spider-Man could easily traverse his home city, New York City. Furthermore, he gained a “spider-sense” that warned him of impending danger.
Beyond his extraordinary abilities, Spider-Man has one of the most recognizable rouges galleries in comics. These villains ranged from troubled villains like the Lizard and the Green Goblin to cruel mob bosses like the Kingpin. This easily allowed his story and battles to be retold in various media.
Presenting the Ten Most Expensive Spider-Man Collectibles that Have Sold on Online Auction Sites
Spider-Man appears in a wide range of products, from comic books to action figures. Fans love to hunt down the rarest and most unique pieces of webslinger history. This has allowed many of his collectibles to become extremely valuable. Moreover, many artists have tackled this character with their art, eventually becoming available to the public.
Understanding his draw, we sought out the ten most expensive Spider-Man collectibles that have sold on online auction sites. To maintain the integrity of this list, we removed any listings that felt suspicious or fraudulent. We also only listed the most expensive example of each product. Finally, we decided only to highlight listings for individual items and not lots or collections.
10. Original Art The Amazing Spider-Man #61 Cover by John Romita Sr.
One of the most influential artists who provided their talents to the Spider-Man series was John Romita Sr. He began his comics career back in 1949 at Timely Comics. Eventually, he officially joined Marvel Comics in 1965, beginning with titles like Daredevil. When the original Spider-Man artist, Steve Ditko, left in 1966, John Romita Sr. stepped into the role and became Spider-Man’s official artist. His work on The Amazing Spider-Man later led to him becoming Marvel’s Art Director in 1973.
Throughout his career as a Spider-Man artist, John Romita Sr. created many of the most memorable moments and covers for the series. He even designed and introduced many key characters like Mary Jane Watson. Thus, his artwork, especially the inked line art, has become treasured collectibles.
One of these beloved covers was the one for Spider-man #61, which came out in 1968. This issue was notable as the first to feature Gwen Stacy on the cover. The image that prepared readers for the story, “O, What a Tangled Web We Weave-!” presented an action scene with Spider-Man swinging in to save the day. Gwen Stacy and her father, Captain George Stacy, were both restrained to chairs, waiting for the hero to save them from a falling vat.
John Romita Sr.’s original art was made available by Heritage Auctions. They placed a twice-up scale piece in ink over blue pencil over Bristol board. The board had an image area of 12.25” x 18”. It also featured the signature of John Romita Sr. in the bottom margin even though it had a few issues, like a crease on the upper left corner and production stains on the reverse side; this original art sold for $167,300.00 on May 12, 2018.
9. 2013 Fleer Retro Marvel Metal #6 Spider-Man with Beckett grade 9
Fleer was formed in 1885 with a focus on creating bubble gum. They eventually began producing trading cards for sports like baseball in 1923. The company continued to produce various trading cards, including those for pop culture franchises, until 2005. The legacy continued in Upper Deck, the company that bought Fleer.
Fleer created trading cards featuring various characters from Marvel in 2013. These cards came in packs featuring only five cards each. This line featured 60 base cards with various characters like Elektra, Nightcrawler, Thor, and more. Fleer also produced 25 chase cards within the series. The line-up also included rare Precious Metal Gems cards that came with red, blue, and green backgrounds. The metal gems with green backgrounds are the rarest and command the highest prices.
One of these rare green-background Metal Gems popped up on Goldin in 2022. This Metal Gems card was marked as #02/10 of the Spider-Man card. Beyond being a rare card of Spider-Man, it also had a grade from Beckett. The service had evaluated the card, looking over multiple elements. They awarded the centering a 9, the corners a 9, the edges an 8.5, and the surface a 9.5. Altogether, Beckett had graded this card as a 9. It sold for $168,000.00 on May 21, 2022.
8. Original Art of The Amazing Spider-Man #62 Cover by John Romita Sr.
John Romita Sr. created multiple memorable covers during his run as the official artist for The Amazing Spider-Man. One of these covers was for issue #62, which featured Medusa from the Inhumans. This cover became notable as the first time the character appeared in the Spider-Man series. She had previously mostly shown up within the pages of the Fantastic 4 comics. Moreover, she wore a new costume on this cover.
Medusa stood out with her mane of long, red prehensile hair. When Marvel introduced her, she was a member of the Frightful Four, a group that battled the Fantastic Four. Thus, Spider-Man initially traded punches with her when he initially met her. Despite her prior rampage, Spider-Man eventually decides to let her go free so that she can return to the rest of the Inhumans.
John Romita Sr. created the artwork for the cover of The Amazing Spider-Man #62, featuring a snapshot of the fight between Medusa and Spider-Man. The ink over graphite art was created in a twice-up scale on a Bristol board. It had an image area of 12.25” x 18.5”.
This rare piece was made available through Heritage auctions. Even though it had a few issues like a creased top left corner, pinholes, and glue stains, it still commanded a high sales price. Thus, the listing ended with a recorded $179,250.00 on February 20, 2013.
7. Original Art from The Amazing Spider-Man #27 by Steve Ditko
Some of the rarest pieces of original Spider-Man art came from the era when Steve Ditko was the series’ artist. Steve Ditko played a key role in the creation of the character, assisting Stan Lee in producing the look for the web-slinger. His anatomy-defying artwork also gave Spider-Man an inhuman feel of agility and flexibility. Thus, Spider-Man fans treasure Steve Ditko’s art.
Steve Ditko was the main artist for the series from its inception in 1962 until he left Marvel in 1966. Thus, his art was featured in issues #1 up until #38 of The Amazing Spider-Man. He also did the artwork for the first two Spider-Man Annuals. His artwork could also be found in the pages of many other Marvel productions before he left the company.
One of Steve Ditko’s original ink-over-graphite Bristol boards was made available to the public in 2016. This piece featured the line art for Splash Page 1 of the 1965 Amazing Spider-Man #27. As part of the “Bring Back My Goblin to Me!” story, the panel featured a gloating green goblin dropping off an unconscious Spider-Man in front of a crowd of gangsters. The Bristol board had an image area of 12.5” x 18.5”. The Heritage Auctions listing for this original artwork ended on November 19, 2016, with a documented $239,000.00.
6. Original Art from The Amazing Spider-Man #18 by Steve Ditko
As Steve Ditko’s time on The Amazing Spider-Man spanned multiple years, he created hundreds of pieces of art for the web-slinger. Another issue that he worked on was #18, which Marvel published in 1963. This issue featured a story touting that it would be “The End of Spider-Man.”
Within the pages of issue #18, Spider-Man began by fleeing away from the Green Goblin. He later hid away from Sandman as he prioritized the health of his Aunt May over fighting crime that night. This led to New York City’s citizens seeing him as a coward. Thus, they believed, for a time, that the web-slinger’s crime-fighting career was over. However, Spider-Man eventually returned to fight crime once more.
Heritage Auctions offered a twice-up scale line-art piece from this issue to the public. It was an ink-over-graphite artwork on a Bristol board with a 12.5” x 18.5” image area. The linework comes from page 22, when Spider-Man decides to suit up once more. It also featured Stan Lee’s signature within the margins. This original art sold for $288,000.00 on November 17, 2018.
5. Original Art of The Amazing Spider-Man #60 by John Romita Sr.
Another memorable cover that John Romita Sr. created was for The Amazing Spider-Man #60, which came out in 1968. The story found within this issue was “O, Bitter Victory!” As Spider-Man tangled with the might of the Kingpin within this issue, a depiction of the fight appeared on the cover. Thus, John Romita Sr. created a scene where the Kingpin was swinging around Spider-Man as if he weighed nothing.
The Kingpin was a villain who made his debut appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #50. Wilson Fisk was one of the web-slinger’s largest foes, whose size was only challenged by the size of his reign of crime over the city. As the Kingpin, Fisk ruled over the largest criminal empire within New York City and called upon various other villains to do his bidding. Thus, his goals clashed with Spider-Man on multiple occasions.
John Romita Sr. created the black-and-white line art for the cover in a twice-up scale. This Bristol board featured ink over graphite art. Furthermore, the board had an image area of 13.5” x 20”. It also had all stat paste-ups of the corner box logo, CCA stamp, and lower text. This art had a slit around the upper torso, which allowed the artist to apply the logo stat. It also had production tape to hold parts in place. John Romita Sr. also signed this piece within the swing arc.
This original artwork was sold at Heritage Auctions on November 17, 2018. When the listing closed, it was reported as sold for $288,000.00.
4. Original Art of The Amazing Spider-Man #100 Cover by John Romita Sr. and Frank Giacoia
One of the most significant covers that John Romita Sr. worked on was the one for Issue #100 of The Amazing Spider-Man. This momentous cover celebrated the long run of the series with depictions of various characters from the series. Both villains and allies appeared as heads on this cover.
For instance, the cover included the heads of Aunt May, Gwen Stacy, Mary Jane, Harry Osborn, J. Jonah Jameson, and Berry Brant. There were also villains like Doc Ock, Vulture, Scorpion, Rhino, The Lizard, the Beetle, Sandman, Kingpin, Kraven the Hunter, Doctor Doom, Green Goblin, and Mysterio. It also featured the Prowler, Captain Stacy, Robbie Roberston, Ringmaster, the Shocker, and more.
While John Romita Sr. had concluded his run as one of Spider-Man’s official artists with issue #95, he returned to help produce the art for issue #100. To help him draw all the various characters, another Marvel artist, Frank Giacoia, also worked on this piece.
This original art was created in ink over blue pencil on the World Color Bristol board. It had an image area of 10” x 15”. It also included the paste-ups of the corner box and logo. The art board also featured John Romita Sr.’s signature in the lower margin. This piece appeared on Heritage Auctions in 2018. The listing closed at $478,000.00 on February 24, 2018.
3. Marvel The Amazing Spider-Man #1 with CGC grade 9.6
Spider-Man officially became the star of his own comic book series in 1963 with the start of The Amazing Spider-Man. Stan Lee wrote the script for the web-head’s first adventure in his series. Meanwhile, Steve Ditko and Sol Brodsky provided the art for the issue.
To help launch the Amazing Spider-Man series in 1963, Marvel made use of their popular set of superheroes, the Fantastic Four. Highlighting this fact, the cover featured the Fantastic Four along with a banner that proclaimed that the heroes were meeting. Meanwhile, this issue introduced one of Spider-Man’s most iconic villains, the Chameleon. This master of disguise could change his appearance to mimic the appearance of any person.
As this comic came out in the early 1960s, it has become increasingly rare to find a copy in excellent shape. Thus, many collectors have turned to services like the CGC to grade and preserve their vintage comics. Beyond having a grade to prove the quality of the book, they also gained a means to store, ship, and display their comics safely.
One of these rare issues was placed up for auction on an online auction site. It stood out with its CGC case, which proudly showed that the organization had awarded the issue a 9.6 grade. When the listing closed on July 26, 2023, it was recorded with a final price of $520,380.00.
2. Marvel Amazing Fantasy #15 with CGC grade 8.5
While Spider-Man’s series began in 1963, the hero made an appearance in an earlier comic book series. Marvel has created many stories under the Amazing Fantasy logo since 1961. This anthology series allowed the company to explore side stories and test the impact of upcoming heroes. Thus, it made the perfect location to introduce readers to Spider-Man.
Spider-Man made his first official appearance in August 1962, within the pages of Amazing Fantasy #15. Beyond introducing Peter Parker as the iconic hero, this issue also introduced his family members: Aunt May and Uncle Ben. Other key characters were introduced, such as Flash Thompson and Liz Allan. Meanwhile, the story only used a generic burglar as the antagonistic force.
The story within this issue introduced Spider-Man and presented his backstory. Readers learn how Spider-Man received his powers through an accident where a radioactive spider bit him. They also learned how he momentarily became a wrestler, the Masked Marvel, in a bid to win money. However, the choice to allow a criminal to run free led to the tragic death of his uncle. Thus, Spider-Man became dedicated to fighting crime and preventing similar tragedies.
A copy of this historic issue was made available on Goldin in 2021. This issue was encased within a CGC case with a grade of 8.5. When the listing closed on September 19, 2021, the issue sold for $690,000.00.
1. Marvel The Amazing Spider-Man #129 with CGC grade 9.8
Another historic issue became the most expensive Spider-Man collectible on our list. As Spider-Man became a key part of Marvel Comics, the pages of his issues became launching points for future heroes. Thus, some of his issues draw the adoration of multiple fandoms. One of these future heroes was the Punisher, who made his first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #129.
The 19-page long issue came out in 1974, during an era when Ross Andru was penciling the comic’s panels. Meanwhile, Gerry Conway penned the story for the Punisher’s first appearance. It also included notable artists Gil Kane and John Romita Sr. as the creators of the cover art.
As the Jackal desired to terrorize the city without Spider-Man interfering and spoiling his plans, he sought out a third party to take out the wall-crawler. Thus, he hired the violent vigilante, The Punisher, to eliminate the hero permanently. Meanwhile, Spider-Man was mourning the death of his girlfriend, Gwen Stacy, as Harry Osborn was settling into his new role as the Green Goblin. In the end, the Jackal’s cruel methods led to the Punisher turning his sights on the villain.
One of these comics appeared on eBay in 2017. The CGC had cased and graded this issue, awarding it a grade of 9.8. Moreover, this copy featured the signatures of many key Marvel figures. Stan Lee, Gerry Conway, and John Romita Sr. on 10/15/14. Meanwhile, Dave Hunt also signed the issue on 04/11/15. When the listing closed on July 13, 2017, the issue was recorded as sold for $1,000,000.00.
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Bio: I am the founder and owner of Wheeljack’s Lab Pop Culture and Toy Shop. My vision has always been to reunite customers with their favorite childhood toys and pop culture, triggering fond memories and reigniting their imaginations. Every day, I work in the “lab,” where it’s Christmas 365 days a year. I scour the internet, like when we had the Sears Catalog of yesteryear, for the next great treasure. Then, I await the arrival of the postman as if he were Santa Claus himself and helping collectors worldwide with their versions of Christmas. Every day as a vintage toy buyer is an absolute joy!