When Spawn #1 launched in May 1992, it sold 1.7 million copies — a record for an independent/creator-owned comic that still stands (source: Comichron, Wikipedia). It was the founding statement of Image Comics, launched by seven star artists who walked out of Marvel. For collectors, though, #1 remains very affordable: an eBay median of €15 across all editions (102 active listings, June 24, 2026, via our estimator) — a direct consequence of that colossal print run.
The original Spawn series isn't just a comic: it's the birth certificate of the modern creator-owned model. Todd McFarlane, then a Marvel superstar, left the publisher to co-found Image and publish his own characters. Spawn became the showcase for that gamble.
This analysis sticks to the verifiable: documented sales figures (Comichron, Wikipedia) and a real-time eBay median via our estimator. When a figure can't be verified, we state it qualitatively rather than inventing it.
1992: why McFarlane left Marvel
Todd McFarlane was one of Marvel's most bankable artists. He drew The Amazing Spider-Man from #298 (1988) through #328 (1990), then launched the adjectiveless Spider-Man title whose #1 (1990) sold roughly 2.5 million copies (source: Wikipedia) — a monthly-comic sales record at the time. But in November 1991, frustrated by editorial constraints, he left the title after issue #16.
In 1992, McFarlane co-founded Image Comics with six other star artists who had left Marvel (among them Jim Lee, Rob Liefeld, Marc Silvestri, Erik Larsen). The idea: own your creations rather than work on publisher-owned characters. Early Image titles were distributed through Malibu.
The Spawn #1 phenomenon: 1.7 million copies
Spawn #1 shipped in May 1992, Image's second release after Rob Liefeld's Youngblood the month before. The sales figures were spectacular (source: Comichron):
| Distribution channel | Copies (Spawn #1) |
|---|---|
| Direct market (comic shops) | 1.25 million |
| Newsstand | 200,000 |
| Anco multipacks | 250,000 |
| Reported total | 1.7 million |
For the full year 1992, Spawn #1 ranked 8th in units ordered at Diamond (source: Comichron). That 1.7-million total remains, by documented record, the high mark for an independent / creator-owned comic.
What that print run means for collectors
The logic is unforgiving: a comic that sold 1.7 million copies is not rare. That's exactly what current values confirm.
- Spawn #1 — €15 median (102 active eBay listings, June 24, 2026, all editions and grades combined). The range runs from ~€9 (low grade) to ~€37 at the top end via our estimator.
- Spawn #9 (1993) — €13 median (100 listings). Yet this is the first appearance of Angela, co-created by Neil Gaiman; the issue stays accessible despite its importance and the famous rights dispute that followed (Gaiman retained Angela; the character moved to Marvel in 2013).
- Spawn #100 (2000) — €47 median (17 listings): clearly higher, but on a thinner volume, so check live before relying on it.
- Spawn #300 (2019) — €25 median (30 listings). An anniversary issue; it was actually #301 that made Spawn the longest-running creator-owned series (passing Cerebus and its 300th), earning a Guinness World Record.
Medians = active eBay listings, all editions and grades combined (our estimator, eBay.fr + eBay.com), as of June 24, 2026.
Where the value actually hides in the first series
If the "all editions" median is low, the standout value is elsewhere:
- Grade. On a comic this widely printed, the gap is made in high-grade CGC: raw copies are everywhere, certified 9.8 slabs far less so. Always check condition before buying.
- Story keys. #1 (first appearance of Spawn / Al Simmons) and #9 (first Angela) concentrate the historical interest of the original series.
- Liquidity. With ~100 active listings at any time on #1 and #9, these are easy issues to buy at the right price — the opposite of a rare grail.
Own a Spawn #1 or another issue from the original series? Get a free valuation with our tool based on real eBay sales to find its low, median and high value.