DC · Silver Age · 1958
Action Comics #242
DC · 1958
Noted for: Brainiac and the Bottle City of Kandor
KEY ISSUEShop this issue
We may earn a commission from these links, at no extra cost to you. Disclosure.
What is Action Comics #242 worth?
The Action Comics #242 is a DC 1958 graded comic. Based on 5 verified eBay sold listings from the last 90 days, recent graded examples have sold for $1,089 to $2,800. Recent verified sales include a CGC 4.5 at $2,800 and a CGC 7.0 at $2,300.
Before you buy
Verify the issue and printing, check the grader certification, review restoration notes, and compare recent sold examples in the same grade.
The Action Comics #242 in context
Why collectors care
The first appearance of Brainiac and of the bottled city of Kandor, cover-dated July 1958, by Otto Binder and Al Plastino. Brainiac became one of Superman's two definitive antagonists, and Kandor a permanent fixture of the mythos.
How to identify it
Action Comics #242, 1958. Two significant firsts in one issue, which is part of why it outperforms its neighbours in the run.
Common mistakes
Confusing it with Action Comics #252 (first Supergirl), also in this catalog and only ten issues later.
Grade considerations
A late-1950s book where high grade is genuinely scarce. Cover gloss, spine ticks and tanning limit most copies.
Sold price summary
5 verified eBay sales from the last 90 days, grouped by grade.
- Source
- eBay sold listings
- Sample
- 5 sales
- Window
- Last 90 days
- Last checked
- Sep 8, 2026
| Grade | Sales | Median | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| CGC 4.5 | 1 | $2,800 | N/A |
| CGC 7.0 | 1 | $2,300 | N/A |
| CGC 3.0 | 1 | $1,488 | N/A |
| CGC 3.5 | 1 | $1,400 | N/A |
| CGC 1 | 1 | $1,089 | N/A |
How this summary is built+
Inclusion
All 5 eBay sold (completed) listings we have for this item from the last 90 days, grouped by grader and grade. Asking prices and active listings are never counted.
Outlier handling
Within any grade that has four or more sales, a price below one-third of, or above three times, the within-grade median is set aside before the median is taken. No sales were set aside for this item.
| Grade | Sales | Included | Set aside |
|---|---|---|---|
| CGC 4.5 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| CGC 3.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| CGC 3.5 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| CGC 7.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| CGC 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Shipping and fees
Figures are the sale prices as recorded by the marketplace. They are not adjusted for shipping, taxes, or seller fees, so treat them as sale-price reference points, not net-to-seller or all-in buyer costs.
Provenance
Every sale in this summary traces to an individual eBay listing, shown in the sold-listings table lower on this page. Methodology version 2026.1. Read the full methodology.
Action Comics #242 value FAQ
What is Action Comics #242 worth?+
Based on 5 verified eBay sold listings from the last 90 days, graded examples have recently sold for $1,089 to $2,800.
What grade sells most often for Action Comics #242?+
CGC 4.5 is the most actively traded grade in the current sample, with 1 sale and a recent median around $2,800.
What is the highest median grade for Action Comics #242?+
CGC 4.5 has the highest median in the current sample at about $2,800. Treat this as a sold-comp snapshot, not a guaranteed sale price.
Is Action Comics #242 worth grading?+
For this comic, compare the likely raw value, grading fees, shipping, and the median for the grade you realistically expect. Grading usually makes sense only when the expected graded value clears those costs.
Part of these hubs
Action Comics #252
DC · 1959
1st: Supergirl (Kara Zor-El)
Action Comics #1
DC · 1938
1st: Superman
Detective Comics #359
DC · 1967
1st: Barbara Gordon as Batgirl
Adventure Comics #247
DC · 1958
1st: Legion of Super-Heroes