The most valuable Walking Dead comic is the #1 first print (October 2003, Image Comics): with an estimated print run of around 7,500 copies, this edition — identifiable by the complete absence of any printing notation on the cover — trades in CGC 9.8 in the range of €25,000–35,000 based on documented sales. The key issues that follow (#19 first Michonne, #27 first Governor, #100 first Negan) remain comparatively far more accessible, as do the earliest Charlie Adlard issues, which are barely visible on eBay and almost entirely off collectors' radar.
The Walking Dead is a Modern Age comic series created by Robert Kirkman (writer) and Tony Moore (artist), published by Image Comics from October 2003. Tony Moore drew issues #1 through #6; Charlie Adlard took over from #7 and remained on the book until the final issue, #193, published in 2019. The series spawned an AMC franchise launched in 2010 — eleven seasons plus several spin-offs — which embedded Rick Grimes, Michonne, and Negan firmly into global popular culture.
This guide sticks to the verifiable: eBay medians from our estimator (eBay.fr + eBay.com, June 2026) and records documented by specialist sources. One essential warning: our tool returns a median of €12 for The Walking Dead #1 across 101 listings — but that figure is entirely dominated by reprints (2nd, 3rd, 4th printing and later editions, far more common than the 1st print). It in no way reflects the value of the 2003 first print. Similarly, issues #19, #27, and #100 each have only 3 to 5 active listings on eBay: no eBay median is cited for any of those issues.
Walking Dead key issue overview (eBay data and documented records, June 2026)
Walking Dead key issues are sparsely represented on eBay in France and Europe: active listing volumes are low for nearly every major key, making a reliable eBay median almost impossible beyond #1. High-grade CGC records from specialist sources remain the most solid reference available.
| Issue | Significance | eBay data (all grades) | Documented record |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Walking Dead #1 — 1st print (Oct. 2003) | 1st appearance of Rick Grimes; ~7,500 copies printed | Median not cited — 101 listings dominated by reprints | €25,000–35,000 (CGC 9.8, documented sales 2025–2026) |
| The Walking Dead #1 — 2nd print (Dec. 2003) | Second printing; already far more common | Included in the 101 listings above | €800–1,500 (CGC 9.8) |
| The Walking Dead #7 (Jul. 2004) | First issue drawn by Charlie Adlard | 11 listings — insufficient volume | Not publicly documented |
| The Walking Dead #8 (Sep. 2004) | Early Adlard issues — very rarely seen in Europe | Median €7 · 19 listings | Not publicly documented |
| The Walking Dead #19 (2005) | 1st appearance of Michonne | 3 listings — insufficient volume | $650 (CGC 9.8, documented record) |
| The Walking Dead #27 (2006) | 1st appearance of the Governor | 4 listings — insufficient volume | $650 (CGC 9.8, documented record) |
| The Walking Dead #100 (2012) | 1st appearance of Negan; death of Glenn | 5 listings — insufficient volume | Red foil variant: $370 (CGC 9.8) |
Record sources: sellmycomicbooks.com, mycomicscollection.com/en/blog/walking-dead-1-printings-differences/, GoCollect, ComicConnect.
The Walking Dead #1: telling the first print from the reprints
Published in October 2003, The Walking Dead #1 is the first appearance of Rick Grimes, a police officer who awakens in a world overrun by the dead. Script by Robert Kirkman, art by Tony Moore. The first print run is estimated at around 7,500 copies — a modest figure even for an independent Image title at the time. Image Comics subsequently reprinted the issue multiple times: the 2nd printing (December 2003), the 3rd, and the 4th, far more plentiful, now flood the secondary market.
Identifying the first print is therefore essential: it is distinguished by the complete absence of any printing notation on the cover or title page, and a cover price of $2.95. All reprints carry an explicit "Second Printing", "Third Printing", or equivalent notice. Our estimator returns a median of €12 across 101 listings for this issue — but that figure reflects essentially the value of the common reprints. The first print in CGC 9.8 trades in the range of €25,000–35,000 based on recent documented sales, representing a gap of roughly 25 to 40 times the second print value at the same grade.
The three flagship keys: Michonne (#19), the Governor (#27), Negan (#100)
These three issues form the triumvirate of major Walking Dead keys. The Walking Dead #19 (2005) introduces Michonne, one of the franchise's most popular characters, later played by Danai Gurira in the AMC series. The Walking Dead #27 (2006) introduces the Governor, the central antagonist of the series' early arcs. The Walking Dead #100 (July 2012) — published with multiple variant covers — is the first issue to feature Negan and the death of Glenn Rhee, the most discussed single moment in the entire run. That issue was the best-selling independent comic of 2012.
All three are effectively absent from the European eBay market: 3 active listings for #19, 4 for #27, and 5 for #100 at the time of our June 2026 survey — well below the 15-listing threshold for a reliable median. Specialist sources document the CGC 9.8 record for both #19 and #27 at $650 each; the red foil variant of #100 at around $370 in CGC 9.8. These are surprisingly modest figures for first appearances of characters who defined a decade of pop culture — which is precisely what makes them interesting to a well-informed collector.
The early Adlard issues (#7–#18): the forgotten stretch
Charlie Adlard took over the art from issue #7 (July 2004). These early issues of his run — roughly #7 through #18 — represent what we consider the most overlooked stretch of the entire series for European collectors. They feature no major character first appearances, receive little media attention, and are thinly represented on eBay: 11 listings for #7, 19 for #8 (median €7 — the only issue in this range with a volume sufficient for a median figure). Issues #9 through #16 each returned fewer than 12 listings in our data.
This low visibility has a direct consequence: these issues often turn up in poor condition in bargain bins, or are missing entirely from collections through simple neglect. For a collector aiming to build a complete run of The Walking Dead, this stretch is frequently the hardest to complete in fine condition — not because it is expensive, but because it is the least actively sought. Issue #7, as the first Adlard issue, deserves particular attention from collectors who think carefully about what they are building.
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