In June 2026, the Punisher's grail is still Amazing Spider-Man #129 (February 1974), his first appearance: a €1,368.48 eBay median across 82 active listings, with a documented record of $57,000 for a CGC 9.8 copy (ComicConnect, 2022). Every other value for the character is measured against this issue. Here are the 2026 trends, grounded in real data.
The Punisher debuted in 1974: he belongs to the Bronze Age, not the Silver Age. There is no "Silver Age" Punisher grail: all the value concentrates on a handful of mid-1970s Amazing Spider-Man issues, then his 1980s-1990s solo series.
This guide sticks to verifiable data: real-time eBay medians (via our estimator, limited to Amazing Spider-Man) and documented sale records. No invented projections: when a precise figure can't be verified, we state it qualitatively.
The Punisher's key issues and their real value (June 2026)
Values = median of active eBay listings, all grades combined (our estimator, eBay.fr + eBay.com). Our estimator only covers Amazing Spider-Man directly: which is exactly where the character's first appearances live.
| Issue | Significance | eBay median | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazing Spider-Man #129 (Feb 1974) | First Punisher appearance (and the Jackal) | €1,368.48 | 82 |
| Amazing Spider-Man #135 (1974) | Second Punisher appearance | €160.67 | 100 |
| Amazing Spider-Man #162 (1976) | Early Punisher appearance | €41.40 | 101 |
| Amazing Spider-Man #161 (1976) | Early Punisher appearance | €30.17 | 100 |
Sources: live eBay medians (June 2026); ASM #129 CGC 9.8 record documented at $57,000 (ComicConnect, March 2022), with a CGC 9.8 sale at $10,600 already recorded back in 2016 (Wikipedia).
Why #129 dwarfs everything else
The gap between #129 (€1,368) and #135 (€161) is the most telling fact in the Punisher market: the first-appearance premium is enormous. Three concrete drivers explain it:
- Event rarity. #129 is the one and only first Punisher issue. #135, #161 and #162 are early appearances, but they lack that founding status: which is why the medians collapse after the debut.
- The grade effect. The "all grades combined" median for #129 (€1,368) is pulled down by raw copies and lots; listings range from under €6 to nearly €3,900, and a CGC 9.8 reached $57,000 in 2022. On this issue more than any other, grade is the value.
- Liquidity. 82 active listings at any time for a 1974 comic: deep volume, a sign of durable demand that doesn't hinge solely on the screen calendar.
The screen effect: Bernthal, Born Again and One Last Kill
2025-2026 is an exceptional exposure window for the character. Jon Bernthal, already Frank Castle in the Netflix series (2017-2019), returned to the role in Daredevil: Born Again , whose Season 1 premiered March 4, 2025 on Disney+ and Season 2 ran March 24 to May 5, 2026. Crucially, a solo special, The Punisher: One Last Kill , was announced for May 12, 2026, inspired by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon's "Welcome Back, Frank" run.
What can be said without inventing a number: the character has never been more visible, and the print first appearances remain the only finite, scarce asset behind that exposure. Caution still applies: a media-attention spike often inflates listings before being absorbed. The values above are June 2026 medians: always check live before buying.
Beyond Spider-Man: the solo series
The Punisher's first solo books aren't covered directly by our estimator, but their place in the character's history is documented:
- Marvel Preview #2 (1975): the character's origin, by Gerry Conway and Tony DeZuniga.
- The Punisher (1986): first solo mini-series, 5 issues, by Steven Grant, Mike Zeck and John Beatty.
- The Punisher vol.2 (1987): first ongoing, launched by Mike Baron and Klaus Janson, followed by Punisher War Journal (1988). Garth Ennis's MAX run (2004) remains the definitive adult take, and the acknowledged inspiration for the 2026 special.
Note: Gerry Conway, the Punisher's co-creator, died in April 2026 at age 73. The passing of major creators often revives interest in their first appearances: a factor to watch, without drawing any numeric forecast from it.
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Frequently asked questions
Amazing Spider-Man #129 (February 1974), the first appearance of the Punisher and the Jackal. The whole price scale of the character is measured against this issue, because there is no Silver Age grail: the Punisher was born in 1974, in the Bronze Age.
Three factors explain it: event scarcity, since it is the Punisher's only first issue, the condition effect, with grade making the value, and liquidity, with a deep volume of listings. The following early appearances lack the foundational status.
Amazing Spider-Man #135 (1974), the second appearance, then #161 and #162 (1976), early appearances that are far more affordable. Marvel Preview #2 (1975) gives the character's origin, by Gerry Conway and Tony DeZuniga.
The Punisher (1986) is the first solo mini-series, in 5 issues, by Steven Grant, Mike Zeck and John Beatty. Next comes The Punisher vol.2 (1987), the first ongoing, launched by Mike Baron and Klaus Janson, then Punisher War Journal (1988).
The character has never been so visible, with Jon Bernthal in Daredevil: Born Again and a solo special announced. But a peak of media attention often inflates listings before being absorbed: caution remains in order and recent sales should be checked.