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Batman #423 (1988)Classic Todd McFarlane cover

How much is Batman #423 worth? It comes down to the grade, and whether you have a 1988 first printing, a later printing or a modern facsimile. Check which copy you have below, then compare it with what the same grade and edition actually sold for.

Publisher
DC Comics
Cover date
September 1988
Cover price
75 cents (US); $1.00 on Canadian newsstand copies
Writer
Jim Starlin
Artist
Dave Cockrum (pencils)
Cover
Todd McFarlane
Key
One of the best-known Batman covers of the 1980s

Batman #423 prices by CGC grade

Grade moves the price more than anything else: a CGC 9.8 can sell for many times a 9.0. Each eBay link searches the copies for sale now in that grade, with facsimiles, reprints, later printings and the 2022–2023 convention foil and virgin editions filtered out of the search where eBay allows. The Heritage link lists past auction results for graded copies; Heritage shows the sold price once you sign in with a free account.

  1. For sale: CGC 9.8Near Mint/Mint, the top common grade
  2. For sale: CGC 9.6Near Mint+
  3. For sale: CGC 9.4Near Mint
  4. For sale: CGC 9.2 / 9.0Near Mint- and Very Fine/Near Mint
  5. For sale: CGC 8.5 / 8.0Very Fine+ and Very Fine
  6. For sale: CBCS, any gradeThe other big grading company
  7. For sale: Raw (not graded)Ungraded copies: judge condition from the photos
  8. Past sales: Heritage AuctionsPast auction results for CGC-graded copies; a free Heritage account shows the sold prices
  9. Sold on eBay (sign-in needed)eBay's completed sales, all grades; eBay asks you to sign in to see them

The eBay links show copies for sale now and work without an eBay account. To see sold prices, eBay asks you to sign in and Heritage asks for a free account. ComicSeeker doesn't show prices or sell anything.

Which copy do you have?

Newsstand vs. direct edition

Copies sold at newsstands carry a UPC barcode on the cover; copies sold in comic shops (the direct edition) do not. Canadian newsstand copies have a $1.00 cover price instead of 75 cents and are much scarcer.

First printing vs. later printings

DC went back to press for this issue, so second and third printings exist. They use the same McFarlane cover art, but the corner box at the top left of the cover reads “DC Comics Aren’t Just For Kids” instead of showing Batman (direct edition) or a UPC barcode (newsstand). Later printings sell for far less than a first printing, so check the corner box and compare with sales of the same printing.

Original vs. facsimile

DC has also released a Facsimile Edition, including a foil cover. A facsimile has a modern cover price; an original has a 75-cent (US) or $1.00 (Canadian) price.

Convention foil and virgin editions (2022–2023)

Convention-exclusive foil and virgin (no cover text) versions of the McFarlane cover, such as the Fan Expo editions, were printed in 2022 and 2023. They are modern books, not 1988 copies: skip listings that say foil, virgin, Fan Expo, MegaCon or Spectral when you compare prices. The eBay grade searches above filter out most of them.

  1. For sale: newsstand edition, any gradeThe barcode version
  2. For sale: $1.00 Canadian price variantThe scarce newsstand copy
  3. For sale: second printingTo see how a later printing compares
  4. For sale: facsimile editions (incl. foil)So you can see how far below an original it is priced

For sale now, auction results and price guides

  1. eBay — for sale nowBuy-it-now and auctions, reprints filtered out
  2. ComicLinkCurrent auctions for the title (all issues)
  3. MyComicShopLarge back-issue dealer
  4. HipComicMarketplace for raw and graded comics
  5. GoCollectPrice guide based on recorded sales
  6. League of Comic GeeksEvery cover and variant listed
  7. Comic VineCredits, story and first appearances

Why is Batman #423 worth so much?

The value of Batman #423 is in the cover. Todd McFarlane drew it in 1988, around the time his Spider-Man work made him a star, and it became one of the most recognized Batman images of its era. The story inside, by Jim Starlin with pencils by Dave Cockrum, has police officers comparing their run-ins with Batman. No major first appearance here: demand comes from the cover, which is why high grades sell for so much more.

Batman #423: common questions

How much is Batman #423 worth?

It depends on grade and printing. A fair value for your copy is what the same grade and printing actually sold for recently. The Heritage past-sales link above lists real auction results (a free Heritage account shows the prices); eBay asking prices in the same grade show what sellers want today.

How do I know if my Batman #423 is a first printing?

Look at the corner box on the cover: first printings show Batman (direct edition) or a UPC barcode (newsstand); second and third printings read “DC Comics Aren’t Just For Kids”. Later printings share the cover art and sell for much less.

Is the newsstand edition worth more?

Newsstand copies carry a barcode; the $1.00 Canadian newsstand copies are scarce and usually sell for more in the same grade. Compare sales at the same grade.

Who drew the Batman #423 cover?

Todd McFarlane drew the cover. The story inside is written by Jim Starlin with pencils by Dave Cockrum.

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