Blip #1 Newsstand $1.25 Variant Value
From: The 2025 Newsstand CPV Price Guide for Canadian Price Variants (Type 1A) by Tim Bildhauser, Paul Clairmont, Greg Holland, Jon McClure, Salvatore Miceli, Jayden Mitchell, Benjamin Nobel, Conan Saunders, Doug Sulipa, and Angelo Virone [ introduction, table of contents, all titles, other price guide editions]
9.2 | Near Mint - | $600 |
9.0 | Very Fine / Near Mint | $402 |
8.0 | Very Fine | $322 |
6.0 | Fine | $225 |
4.0 | Very Good | $151 |
2.0 | Good | $75 |
Blip #1 $1.25 Newsstand Cover Price Variant, Marvel, 2/1983, Published in the USA
Blip #1 $1.25 Canadian Price Variant Issue Notes:
1st Appearances of Donkey Kong and Mario; Video game magazine in comic-book format
#1 in this year's Top 100.
Angelo notes: Movie sequel was better than the first. This issue is at the very top of the food chain for Mario comics! If this isn't enough, it's also the first appearance of Donkey Kong as well ! In my opinion, a book that is investment-worthy with more upside potential.In August of 2024 a 9.6 CGC sold for $1422.
Jayden notes: Video Game related speculation is growing, and so is the sales volume of these keys - but the Canadians are STILL never showing up for sale. High grade value is currently hypothetical!
Ben notes: Something that really strikes me about the Blip series is that it is the only instance I am aware of among CPVs where there exist both dual-price newsstand copies *and* single-price newsstand copies (the CPVs) (here's pictures of what I mean).
Sal notes: Another book with HUGE potential. Nintendo looks to have lots of runway with its upcoming Mario sequel / Zelda / Donkey Kong animated movies. If you find this book in the wild, grab it because there aren't many CPV copies to go around, in any condition.
Doug notes: CPV is Scarce in High Grade
CGC label note: Matthew Laborteaux photo cover. 1st comic book appearance of Mario & Donkey Kong. $1.25 cover price.
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Blip #1 value ($1.25 Price Variant)
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Blip Comics, Full Price Guide Page
As one of the top 100 most valuable variants in our guide this year, we rate $1.25 price variant copies of Blip #1 FIVE STARS as a collectible, and the hands-down preferable type to collect for the issue as compared to regular copies. In addition to everything the issue has going for it (as detailed in the issue notes in the page above), we note the price guide value movement since 2019. Regular copies in 9.2 have increased in value by $205 since 2019, or about +1025% on a percentage basis. Meanwhile, CPV newsstand copies in 9.2 have increased in value by $500 since 2019, or about +500%. With a $1.25 variant NM- value of $600, Blip #1 is part of the proverbial cream of the CPV crop, with a value greater than approximately 98% of our guide's entire coverage universe.
Blip #1 Comic Book FAQ
What is the value of Blip #1?
I have a copy of Blip #1 and I want to know what this comic book is worth in different grades as a first printing?
✔️Accepted answer:
The answer depends on the type that you own. For Blip #1, Marvel published a direct edition type (exceptionally well preserved by collectors as direct edition comics were the type sold in comic shops), and two newsstand types which were sold to the general public on newsstands (a regular cover price version and the $1.25 price variant). If you own a price variant, lucky you, it is worth $600 in 9.2 (Near Mint Minus).
Suggested answer:
Check whether the cover of your copy of Blip #1 has a graphical logo or a bar code box. If it has a graphical logo, sorry to break it to you but you own a commonplace direct edition copy which is worth about $225 (still, that's not too shabby).
Suggested answer:
If your copy of Blip #1 has a bar code box on the cover, then you've got a newsstand copy! Is it the more-rare price variant? Now for the moment of excitement: is the cover price of your newsstand copy $1.25? If so, congratulations, you own the cover price variant!!
How rare is the Blip #1 $1.25 cover price variant?
✔️Accepted answer:
As of the October 2023 CGC census, the price variant has census rarity of 3.5%, with 21 price variant copies on record versus 581 regular copies.
What is Blip #1 worth in VF/NM condition?
✔️Accepted answer:
The direct edition (logo on cover) is worth about $151 in VF/NM whereas the $1.25 newsstand variants are worth $402.
Why are the Blip #1 newsstand cover price variants worth so much more than the direct edition copies?
✔️Accepted answer:
As collectibles, direct edition copies are already at a disadvantage compared to newsstand copies in the highest grades, because direct editions were extraordinarily well preserved as the distinct type sold in specialty comic shops. The comic shop owners ordered direct edition copies of Blip #1 at a discount to cover price, but on a non-returnable basis (the graphical logo was to tell non-returnable copies apart from their returnable newsstand counterparts). When their orders arrived, the comic shop staff handled the books with extreme care to preserve their condition, and then the comic book collectors who shopped there typically preserved their purchases in plastic bags with backing boards. By contrast, newsstand copies were treated as reading material with no staff training to handle the books with any semblance of care, and they were then sold to the general public; unsold copies were returned for credit and typically pulped/recycled forward. Only those newsstand copies of Blip #1 that were taken home and preserved by collectors would survive today in the highest grades. Among surviving newsstand copies of Blip #1, the market area that received the $1.25 cover price newsstand copies was a restricted area representing less than 10% the population of the total North American newsstand market. That's because the destination market for $1.25 copies of Blip #1 was Canadian newsstands — hence the name Canadian Price Variant as a short-hand for $1.25 Price Variant. All of this adds up to a market value for the $1.25 variant approximately 166% higher than the direct edition in Very Fine / Near Mint (9.0) condition, as of our 2025 CPV Price Guide Edition.
In VF condition, how much is Blip #1 worth?
✔️Accepted answer:
The direct edition version of Blip #1 is worth about $121 in Very Fine (8.0) whereas the $1.25 newsstand variants are worth $322.
What is the value of Blip #1 in Fine condition?
✔️Accepted answer:
In FN (6.0) shape, the direct edition version of Blip #1 is worth about $84 whereas the $1.25 newsstand variants are worth $225.
What is the approximate Blip #1 value in very good condition?
✔️Accepted answer:
Down in VG (4.0) Very Good condition, the direct edition version of Blip #1 is worth about $57 whereas the $1.25 newsstand variants are worth $151.
What is the Blip #1 price guide value in good condition?
✔️Accepted answer:
The price guide value way down in GD (2.0) Good condition for Blip #1 is about $28 for the direct edition version whereas the $1.25 newsstand variants are worth $75.
Has the Blip #1 $1.25 variant from Marvel been a good investment?
✔️Accepted answer:
Blip #1 $1.25 variant newsstand copies in 9.2 have increased in value by $500 since 2019, or about +500% in 7 years (from our 2019 guide edition to our 2025 guide edition).
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