The Human Fly #5
Marvel Comics • The Human Fly Vol. 1
Writer
Bill Mantlo
Interior Artist
Lee Elias
Cover Artist
Lee Elias (pencils) and Joe Giella (inks)
Publication Date
January 1978
Cover Variant
Regular/Direct Edition (Whitman/UPC present)
Printing
First Printing
Comic Description
Title: 'Towering Doom!' The Human Fly, a real-life stuntman who was rebuilt after a crash, faces off against the villain Blaze. The story focuses on high-stakes stunt action and heroism.
Condition & Value
Condition Grade
Fine/Very Fine (CGC 7.0)
Condition Details
Visible spine stress marks with some color break; moderate corner blunting on the bottom right; slight edge wear along the top right of the front cover; minor surface scrolling; appears overall flat with good color retention.
Estimated Market Value
Raw: $5.00 - $12.00; Graded (9.6+): $50.00 - $80.00
Recent Sales
Recent eBay sales for raw copies in mid-to-high grade average between $6.00 and $10.00. High-grade CGC 9.8 copies occasionally sell for over $100.00.
Grading Recommendation
Not recommended for professional grading. The costs of shipping and grading fees would likely exceed the market value of the comic. It is best kept as a raw collectible or in a high-quality mylar sleeve and board.
Notable Features
Includes early appearance of Copperhead (Lawrence Chesney) in cameo/indirect context related to previous plots; features the 'The Wildest Super-Hero Ever — Because He's Real!' tagline, referencing the actual stuntman Rick Rojatt.
Authentication Notes
The comic displays authentic 1970s Marvel newsprint stock and period-appropriate dot-matrix printing and color saturation. UPC barcode is present, consistent with a direct/standard distribution for 1978.