The Ultimate Batman Comic Book Collector Guide: TOP 99 Key Issues

Posted on by Brian Colwell

Based on extensive research from CGC Census data, Heritage Auctions, ComicConnect, and recent 2024-2025 market data, here is the definitive guide to Batman comic book values, organized by the TOP 99 most valuable issues.

Also make sure to check out – ‘Investing In Comic Books: Key Batman Comics, Prices And Trends By Era’.

TOP 99 BATMAN KEY COMICS RANKED BY CGC 9.8 PRICES

1. Batman #1 (1940) – $2,220,000

  • Highest Grade/Price: CGC 9.4 – $2,220,000 (Heritage Auctions, January 2021) Antique Trader
  • Key Issue Significance: First appearances of the Joker and Catwoman; first dedicated Batman comic series Antique Trader
  • Recent Sales: CGC 8.0 – $1,110,000 (March 2023); Cgccomics CGC 4.0 – $288,000 (2024) Cllct

2. Detective Comics #27 (1939) – $1,825,088

  • Highest Grade/Price: CGC 6.5 – $1,825,088 (ComicConnect, March 2024) Cgccomics
  • Key Issue Significance: First appearance of Batman Cgccomics and Commissioner Gordon Cgccomics
  • Recent Sales: CGC 4.5 – $675,000 (Heritage, June 2024) Cllct

3. Detective Comics #140 (1948) – $456,000

  • Highest Grade/Price: CGC 9.6 – $456,000 (Heritage Auctions, March 2023) Cgccomics
  • Key Issue Significance: First appearance and origin of the Riddler Cgccomics
  • Note: Promise Collection Pedigree Cgccomics

4. Brave and the Bold #28 (1960) – $300,000-$350,000

  • Key Significance: First appearance of Justice League of America featuring Batman as founding member Therealbatmanchronologyproject
  • Current Value: $300,000-350,000 estimated for CGC 9.8 (no 9.8 exists yet, highest is 9.6) Qualitycomix
  • Source: Heritage Auctions – CGC 9.2 sold for $120,000 in 2013. Ranked #5 on Overstreet’s Top 50 Silver Age Comics Heritage Auctions, Qualitycomix

5. Detective Comics #31 (1939) – $329,400

  • Highest Grade/Price: CGC 7.0 – $329,400 (recent sale) Landrypop
  • Key Issue Significance: First appearances of Batplane and Batarang; CBR first Bruce Wayne love interest Heritage Auctions, CBR
  • CGC Census: Only 50 known unrestored copies Qualitycomix

6. Batman #47 (1948) – $280,000-$320,000

  • Highest Grade: Estimated based on lower grades
  • Key Issue Significance: First detailed origin of Batman; Batman tracks parents’ killer
  • Note: High-grade copies extremely rare

7. Detective Comics #29 (1939) – $276,000

  • Highest Grade/Price: CGC 7.5 – $276,000 (June 2022) Qualitycomix
  • Key Issue Significance: Second cover appearance of Batman
  • CGC Census: Only 34 copies, highest grade 9.6 Qualitycomix

8. Justice League of America #1 (1960) – $250,000-$300,000

9. Detective Comics #66 (1942) – $250,000-$300,000

  • Highest Grade: Estimated CGC 9.8 value
  • Key Issue Significance: First appearance of Two-Face (Harvey Dent) Comicsandcollectiblesnearme
  • Note: Extremely scarce in high grade

10. Batman #121 (1959) – $220,000-$280,000

11. Detective Comics #58 (1941) – $200,000-$250,000

  • Highest Grade: Estimated CGC 9.8 value
  • Key Issue Significance: First appearance of The Penguin Comicsandcollectiblesnearme
  • Note: Major villain first appearance, Golden Age key

12. Batman #181 (1966) – $180,000-$220,000

  • Highest Grade: CGC 9.8 – $96,000 (Heritage Auctions, August 2023) CgccomicsHa
  • Key Issue Significance: First appearance of Poison Ivy Cgccomics
  • Note: Greenwich Collection sale, only 13 copies graded higher than 9.4 HaCgccomics

13. Detective Comics #33 (1939) – $194,000

14. Detective Comics #36 (1940) – $150,000-$200,000

  • Key Significance: First appearance and origin of Dr. Hugo Strange, Batman’s first recurring villain to discover his secret identity. Qualitycomix Also introduced fins on Batman’s gloves Qualitycomix
  • Current Value: CGC 8.0 sold for $65,500 in 2018. Qualitycomix A CGC 9.8 would likely exceed $150,000-200,000

15. Detective Comics #168 (1951) – $150,000-$180,000

  • Highest Grade: Estimated CGC 9.8 value
  • Key Issue Significance: First appearance of Red Hood (original) CBR
  • Note: Important Joker origin connection

16. Detective Comics #38 (1940) – $150,000

  • Highest Grade: CGC 8.0 estimated at $120,000-150,000
  • Key Issue Significance: First appearance and origin of Robin Comicsandcollectiblesnearme (Dick Grayson) Qualitycomix
  • Recent Sales: CGC 7.0 – $95,000-110,000

17. Batman #171 (1965) – $140,000-$170,000

  • Highest Grade: Estimated CGC 9.8 value
  • Key Issue Significance: First Silver Age appearance of The Riddler Sell My Comic Books
  • Note: Pink cover difficult to find in high grade Sell My Comic Books

18. Detective Comics #359 (1967) – $132,000

  • Highest Grade/Price: CGC 9.8 – $132,000 Sell My Comic Books (Heritage Auctions, January 2021) Antique Trader
  • Key Issue Significance: First appearance of Batgirl (Barbara Gordon) Ha
  • Note: Boston pedigree copy, Ha only 4 copies at CGC 9.8 Bleedingcool

19. Detective Comics #225 (1955) – $120,000-$150,000

  • Highest Grade: Estimated CGC 9.8 value
  • Key Issue Significance: First appearance of Martian Manhunter Comicsandcollectiblesnearme
  • Note: Key DC character debut

20. Detective Comics #35 (1940) – $119,500

  • Highest Grade/Price: CGC 7.5 – $119,500 (recent sale)
  • Key Issue Significance: Early Batman appearance, pre-Robin era
  • Note: Part of crucial first year of Batman stories

21. Batman #155 (1963) – $100,000-$130,000

  • Highest Grade: Estimated CGC 9.8 value
  • Key Issue Significance: First Silver Age appearance of The Penguin Comicsandcollectiblesnearme
  • Note: Popular Silver Age villain return

22. Batman #3 (1940) – $100,000-$125,000

  • Highest Grade: CGC 9.4 estimated value
  • Key Issue Significance: Early Batman issue, Catwoman in costume Qualitycomix, CBR
  • CGC Census: Only 232 total copies Qualitycomix

23. Batman #189 (1967) – $90,000-$110,000

  • Highest Grade: CGC 9.8 – $36,000 (Rocky Mountain Pedigree, 2022) Qualitycomix
  • Key Issue Significance: First Silver Age appearance of Scarecrow Heritage Auctions
  • Note: Earlier sale CGC 9.8 – $21,000 (April 2022) Qualitycomix

24. Batman #37 (1946) – $87,000

  • Highest Grade/Price: CGC 9.6 – $87,000 (Promise Collection, 2021) Qualitycomix
  • Key Issue Significance: Joker creates his own signal and vehicles Qualitycomix
  • Recent Sales: CGC 6.0 – $4,000; CGC 1.5 – $550 Qualitycomix

25. Detective Comics #233 (1956) – $80,000-$100,000

26. Detective Comics #37 (1940) – $80,000-$100,000

  • Key Issue Significance: Last solo Batman adventure Sell My Comic Books before Robin’s introduction Qualitycomix
  • Current CGC 8.0 Price: $80,000-$100,000

27. Batman #2 (1940) – $80,000

  • Highest Grade: CGC 8.0 estimated at $60,000-80,000
  • Key Issue Significance: Second appearances of Joker and Catwoman Qualitycomix
  • CGC Census: Only 119 unrestored copies Bleedingcool, Qualitycomix

28. Batman #25 (1944) – $78,000

  • Highest Grade/Price: CGC 9.4 – $78,000 (Promise Collection, 2021) Qualitycomix
  • Key Issue Significance: Joker and Penguin team-up Qualitycomix
  • Note: Previously $7,170 (2011) Qualitycomix

29. Batman #89 (1955) – $70,000-$90,000

30. Detective Comics #267 (1959) – $60,000-$80,000

  • Key Issue Significance: First appearance of Bat-Mite Mycomicshop
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $60,000-$80,000

31. Batman #11 (1942) – $65,725

  • Highest Grade/Price: CGC 9.4 – $65,725 (August 2016) Qualitycomix
  • Key Issue Significance: Both Joker and Penguin appearances Qualitycomix

32. Batman #232 (1971) – $50,000-$70,000

  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: Recent sale $9,900 (market correction from highs) Sell My Comic Books
  • Key Issue Significance: First appearance of Ra’s al Ghul Comicconnect 

33. Detective Comics #62 (1942) – $45,000+

34. Detective Comics #400 (1970) – $43,200

35. Batman #251 (1973) – $38,000

  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $38,000 (ComicLink, June 2024) Cgccomics
  • Key Issue Significance: Classic Neal Adams Joker cover Cgccomics

36. Detective Comics #411 (1971) – $35,000-$45,000

  • Key Issue Significance: First appearance of Talia al Ghul Sell My Comic Books
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $35,000-$45,000

37. World’s Finest Comics #3 (1941) – $32,000

38. Batman #92 (1955) – $30,000-$40,000

39. Detective Comics #327 (1964) – $25,000-$35,000

  • Key Issue Significance: “New Look” Batman begins; yellow oval logo debut
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $25,000-$35,000

40. Detective Comics #241 (1957) – $20,000+

  • Key Issue Significance: Rainbow Batman story Bleedingcool
  • High Grade Estimate: $15,000-$20,000

41. Batman #100 (1956) – $18,000-$25,000

42. Batman #608 Retailer Incentive (2002) – $15,000-$20,000

43. Batman #234 (1971) – $12,000-$18,000

  • Key Issue Significance: First Silver Age Two-Face appearance Mycomicshop
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $12,000-$18,000

44. Detective Comics #298 (1961) – $12,000-$18,000

  • Key Issue Significance: First appearance of Clayface II
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: Estimated $12,000-$18,000

45. Batman #139 (1961) – $10,000-$15,000

  • Key Issue Significance: First appearance of Batgirl (Betty Kane)
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $10,000-$15,000

46. Batman #171 (1965) – $10,000-$15,000

  • Key Issue Significance: First Silver Age appearance of Riddler Gocollect
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $6,000-$10,000

47. Detective Comics #476 (1978) – $10,000-$15,000

  • Key Issue Significance: Classic Joker story by Englehart/Rogers
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: Estimated $10,000-$15,000

48. Batman #189 (1967) – $8,000-$12,000

  • Key Issue Significance: First Silver Age Scarecrow appearance Sell My Comic Books
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $8,000-$12,000

49. Detective Comics #259 (1958) – $8,000-$12,000

  • Key Significance: First appearance of Calendar Man, recurring villain who gained prominence in modern Batman stories
  • Current Value: Limited sales data but CGC 3.5 examples selling for $1,000+. A CGC 9.8 would likely reach $8,000-12,000

50. Batman #164 (1964) – $6,000-$10,000

  • Key Issue Significance: First Silver Age Scarecrow return
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $6,000-$10,000

51. Batman #227 (1970) – $5,000-$8,000

52. Batman #244 (1972) – $5,000-$8,000

  • Key Issue Significance: Ra’s al Ghul storyline; Neal Adams art
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $5,000-$8,000

53. Detective Comics #344 (1965) – $5,000-$8,000

  • Key Issue Significance: Johnny Witts appearance
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $2,000-$3,500

54. Batman #200 (1968) – $5,000-$7,000

  • Key Issue Significance: 200th anniversary issue
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $5,000-$7,000

55. World’s Finest Comics #94 (1958) – $4,000-$6,000

  • Key Issue Significance: First appearance of Composite Superman
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $4,000-$6,000

56. Batman #608 2nd Print (2003) – $4,900

  • Key Significance: Beginning of Hush storyline, Mycomicshop significantly rarer than 1st print Cgccomics
  • Current Value: $4,900 (recent 2024 sale)
  • Source: Recent eBay sale documented, GoCollect tracking shows consistent $1,000+ values CBSI

57. Batman Adventures #12 Newsstand (1993) – $4,000+

  • Key Issue Significance: First comic appearance of Harley Quinn (Newsstand edition)
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $4,000+
  • Note: Newsstand editions command significant premium over direct editions

58. Batman #169 (1965) – $3,000-$5,000

  • Key Issue Significance: First appearance of Penguin in Silver Age Batman title
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $3,000-$5,000

59. Batman #497 (1993) – $3,000-$5,000

  • Key Issue Significance: Bane breaks Batman’s back; iconic Knightfall moment
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $3,000-$5,000

60. Batman #457 2nd Print Newsstand “000” Error (1990) – $3,000-$5,000

  • Key Significance: First Tim Drake as Robin with extremely rare “000” indicia error. Only 12-17 copies known to exist CBSICgccomics
  • Current Value: $3,000-5,000+ estimated for CGC 9.8 CBSI
  • Source: ComicBookSpeculation.com, considered potentially rarest Batman variant by expert Kirk Ticknor CBSI

61. World’s Finest Comics #61 (1952) – $3,000-$5,000

  • Key Issue Significance: Golden Age Superman/Batman team-up; pre-Comics Code
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $3,000-$5,000

62. Batman #609 2nd Print (2003) – $3,000-$5,000

  • Key Issue Significance: Hush storyline continuation; Jim Lee art; second printing rarity
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $3,000-$5,000

63. Detective Comics #402 (1970) – $3,000-$5,000

  • Key Issue Significance: Classic Bronze Age Neal Adams cover; Man-Bat appearance
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $3,000-$5,000

64. Batman #155 (1963) – $3,000-$4,500

  • Key Issue Significance: First Silver Age Penguin appearance in Batman title
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $3,000-$4,500

65. Batman #357 (1983) – $3,800

  • Key Issue Significance: First appearances of Killer Croc and Jason Todd (Robin II)
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $3,800 (Newsstand premium; only 5 CGC 9.6 copies, none higher)

66. Detective Comics #328 (1964) – $3,000-$4,000

  • Key Issue Significance: Second “New Look” Batman issue; Elongated Man backup
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $3,000-$4,000

67. Detective Comics #523 (1983) – $3,000-$4,000

  • Key Issue Significance: Poison Ivy appearance; important Bronze Age villain story
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $3,000-$4,000

68. Detective Comics #300 (1962) – $2,500-$3,500

  • Key Issue Significance: 300th issue milestone; Polka-Dot Man first appearance
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $2,500-$3,500

69. Batman #423 (1988) – $2,500-$3,500

  • Key Issue Significance: First appearance of KGBeast
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $2,500-$3,500

70. Batman: The Killing Joke (1988) – $2,500-$3,500

  • Key Issue Significance: Definitive Joker origin story; Barbara Gordon paralyzed
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $2,500-$3,500

71. Detective Comics #474 (1977) – $2,000-$3,500

  • Key Issue Significance: Classic Deadshot story; Englehart/Rogers run
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $2,000-$3,500

72. World’s Finest Comics #71 (1954) – $2,000-$3,000

  • Key Issue Significance: Classic Superman/Batman team-up from Golden Age
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $2,000-$3,000

73. Detective Comics #475 (1978) – $2,000-$3,000

  • Key Issue Significance: Classic Joker story; Englehart/Rogers collaborative run
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $2,000-$3,000

74. Batman Adventures #12 (1993) – $2,000-$2,200

  • Key Issue Significance: First comic appearance of Harley Quinn
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $2,000-$2,200 (Heritage Auctions)

75. Detective Comics #395 (1970) – $1,500-$2,500

  • Key Issue Significance: Classic Neal Adams Batman cover; Bronze Age key
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $1,500-$2,500

76. Batman #666 (2007) – $1,800-$2,500

  • Key Significance: First appearance of Professor Pyg and Eduardo Flamingo (Grant Morrison creation) Hollywood
  • Current Value: $1,800-2,500 in CGC 9.8
  • Source: Heritage Auctions 2023-2024 sales show CGC 9.4 selling for $1,200-1,400

77. Batman #404 (1987) – $1,800-$2,200

  • Key Issue Significance: Batman: Year One begins; Frank Miller story
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $1,800-$2,200

78. Batman (Vol. 2) #6 (2012) – $1,500-$2,200

79. Batman #426 (1988) – $1,500-$1,800

  • Key Issue Significance: “A Death in the Family” Part 1; Jason Todd’s fate decided
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $1,500-$1,800

80. Batman #436 (1989) – $1,200-$2,000

  • Key Issue Significance: First appearance of Tim Drake (future Robin III)
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $1,200-$2,000

81. Batman #655 (2006) – $1,200-$2,000

  • Key Issue Significance: First appearance of Damian Wayne (Batman’s son)
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $1,200-$2,000 (ComicsPriceGuide)

82. Batman: Shadow of the Bat #1 (1992) – $1,200-$2,000

  • Key Significance: First appearance of Victor Zsasz and Jeremiah Arkham
  • Current Value: $1,200-2,000 in CGC 9.8

83. Batman #635 (2005) – $1,200-$1,800

  • Key Significance: First appearance of Jason Todd as Red Hood Gocollect
  • Current Value: $1,200-1,800 in CGC 9.8

84. Batman and Robin #1 (2009) – $1,200-$1,800

  • Key Significance: First full appearance of Professor Pyg in main continuity Wikipedia
  • Current Value: $1,200-1,800 in CGC 9.8

85. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1 (1986) – $1,200-$1,800

  • Key Significance: First appearance of Carrie Kelly Heritage Auctions (new Robin), seminal Frank Miller story
  • Current Value: $1,200-1,800 in CGC 9.8

86. Batman #423 Canadian Price Variant (75¢) (1988) – $1,200-$1,800

87. All-Star Batman #1 NYCC Exclusive Foil Variant (2016) – $1,200-$1,800

  • Key Significance: New York Comic Con exclusive with special foil treatment, Snyder/Romita Jr. launch Amazon
  • Current Value: $1,200-1,800 in CGC 9.8

88. Batman #428 (1988) – $1,200-$1,500

  • Key Issue Significance: “A Death in the Family” Part 3; Jason Todd dies
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $1,200-$1,500

89. Batman (Vol. 2) #2 (2011) – $1,000-$1,500

  • Key Significance: First mention/cameo of Court of Owls WikipediaScreenRant
  • Current Value: $1,000-1,500 in CGC 9.8

90. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #2 (1986) – $1,000-$1,500

  • Key Significance: Carrie Kelly becomes Robin, key chapter of Miller’s masterwork
  • Current Value: $1,000-1,500 in CGC 9.8

91. Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #1 (1989) – $1,000-$1,500

  • Key Significance: Launch of prestige format Batman anthology series
  • Current Value: $1,000-1,500 in CGC 9.8

92. Batman: The Long Halloween #1 (1996) – $1,000-$1,500

  • Key Significance: Beginning of acclaimed Jeph Loeb/Tim Sale limited series
  • Current Value: $1,000-1,500 in CGC 9.8

93. Batman #423 3rd Printing (1988) – $1,000-$1,500

  • Key Significance: Third printing of death of Jason Todd issue
  • Current Value: $1,000-1,500 in CGC 9.8
  • Source: GoCollect market data, CGC Census shows 638 universal copies graded Gocollect

94. Detective Comics #552 Canadian Price Variant (75¢) (1985) – $1,000-$1,500

  • Key Significance: First Harvey Bullock in Detective Comics, Canadian exclusive
  • Current Value: $1,000-1,500 in CGC 9.8
  • Source: Canadian Price Variant specialist sites

95. Batman #89 Error Misprint Cover A (2020) – $1,000-$1,500

  • Key Significance: First appearance of Punchline EBay, EBay with printing error Variantcovercgc
  • Current Value: $1,000-1,500 in CGC 9.8
  • Source: CGC grading forums, error variant tracking Variantcovercgc

96. Batman #366 (1983) – $1,000-$1,200

  • Key Issue Significance: Jason Todd becomes Robin; significant character transition
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $1,000-$1,200

97. Batman #150 SDCC 2024 Exclusive Foil Cover (2024) – $1,000+

  • Key Significance: San Diego Comic Con exclusive special edition foil cover DC
  • Current Value: $1,000+ in CGC 9.8 (recent release, trending upward)

98. Batman #405 (1987) – $800-$1,000

  • Key Issue Significance: Batman: Year One Part 2; Frank Miller continuation
  • Current CGC 9.8 Price: $800-$1,000

99. Batman #442 (1989) – $600-$1000

  • Key Significance: First appearance of Tim Drake in Robin costume Dacardworld
  • Current Value: $600-1,000 in CGC 9.8