Fantastic Four Bronze Age Key Issues (1970s)

When Stan Lee and Jack Kirby departed the series after issue #102 (1970), a talented new creative team carried the torch — Stan Lee briefly, then Archie Goodwin and Roy Thomas, with John Buscema on art. The result was a decade of Bronze Age issues rich in first appearances and landmark stories, from 1970 through the late 1970s, that are today among the most sought-after collectibles in the run.

This guide sticks to the verifiable: eBay medians from our estimator (eBay.fr + eBay.com, June 2026) and documented sale records. When listing volume is too thin for a precise figure, we say so qualitatively rather than invent one.

Bronze Age keys at a glance (real data, June 2026)

eBay median = all grades and editions combined (our estimator). "Documented record" is the best publicly found transaction in CGC high grade.

Sources: Pedigree Comics, GoCollect, Heritage Auctions, eBay.

Fantastic Four #112: Battle of the Behemoths

Fantastic Four #112 (July 1971) is arguably the most famous Bronze Age issue of the entire run. Stan Lee writes, John Buscema pencils, Joe Sinnott inks: the Thing battles the Hulk through Central Park in what has become one of the most iconic covers of the Bronze Age. It also carries the symbolic weight of being the 112th issue of a series that launched the Marvel Age of Comics in 1961.

• Thin eBay volume. Only 22 active listings on our estimator; the all-grades median is dragged down by low-grade copies and modern reprints. Do not use this figure as a reliable buying reference.
• Graded record data. Pedigree Comics sold the first known CGC 9.8 copy in August 2009 for $24,017. A second CGC 9.8 realized $5,341 in 2020 — the gap illustrates how much timing and seller matter. Heritage Auctions documented a CGC 9.2 sale at $1,800.
• Not a first appearance — but a cultural landmark. The value here rests on its status as an iconic Bronze Age story, not a character debut. That distinction matters when setting price expectations.

Fantastic Four #120: First Air-Walker

Fantastic Four #120 (March 1972), written by Stan Lee and drawn by John Buscema, introduces Gabriel Lan / Air-Walker, herald of Galactus. The arrival of a new cosmic herald in the lineage of the Silver Surfer makes this a solid entry point for collectors of the series' cosmic keys.

Our estimator returns a median of €34 and a high of €58 across 24 listings — a relatively active market for a mid-tier Bronze Age key. No CGC high-grade record sale was found in publicly available sources; high-grade CGC copies carry qualitatively higher value, but a precise figure cannot be cited here without fabricating data.

Fantastic Four #129: First Thundra

Fantastic Four #129 (December 1972) marks the first appearance of Thundra, a seven-foot Femizon warrior from the future, written by Roy Thomas and drawn by John Buscema. The issue is consistently cited among the best Bronze Age female first appearances in the Marvel universe.

eBay volume is 28 listings, with the all-grades median pulled down by reprints and low grades. Heritage Auctions listed a CGC 9.4 Rocky Mountain Pedigree copy, and mid-grade CGC copies are documented selling in the hundreds of dollars; a precise CGC 9.8 record was not found in publicly available data and is not cited here.

Fantastic Four #164: Frankie Raye and the Proto-Quasar

Fantastic Four #164 (November 1975) packs two first appearances into one issue: written by Roy Thomas, penciled by George Pérez. It introduces Frankie Raye — who will later become Nova, herald of Galactus, in FF #244 (1982) — and the Crusader (Thelius), whose quantum bands would eventually be worn by Quasar of the Avengers. It is also the first issue since Kirby's departure at #102 to feature a Jack Kirby cover.

Our estimator returns a median of €14 and a high of €60 across 29 listings — an active, accessible market for a double-key Bronze Age issue. With Galactus and his heralds central to The Fantastic Four: First Steps (released July 2025, opening weekend $118 million, starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach), collector interest in cosmic herald keys has been renewed.

Fantastic Four #185: Nicholas Scratch

Fantastic Four #185 (1977) introduces Nicholas Scratch, son of Agatha Harkness. With 46 eBay listings and a median of €9, it is the most accessible issue in this guide. A CGC 9.8 has been documented at $372 (GoCollect) — modest for a high-grade Bronze Age key, but the character has attracted MCU speculation given Agatha Harkness's prominent role in the Disney+ era.

Bronze Age FF collector strategy

• FF #112 = the prestige piece. The legendary battle, but real value is locked in CGC high grades — a 9.2 surpasses $1,800, a 9.8 reached $24,000. All-grades eBay medians do not reflect that reality.
• FF #120 and #164 = best "first appearance" entry points. eBay medians between €14 and €34, liquid markets, with #164 offering a rare double key (Frankie Raye + quantum bands).
• FF #129 (Thundra) = solid Bronze Age key. Strong artistic pedigree (Buscema/Thomas), recurring character, raw copies accessible at modest cost.
• MCU context boosts cosmic heralds. Since The Fantastic Four: First Steps (July 2025), keys tied to Galactus and his heralds — Air-Walker, Frankie Raye — are attracting renewed collector attention.