Issue cover. Verify the exact issue, printing, and cover before buying.
DC · Copper Age · 1986
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1
DC · 1986
Noted for: Miller Dark Knight Returns begins
KEY ISSUEShop this issue
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What is Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1 worth?
The Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1 is a DC 1986 graded comic. Based on 6 verified eBay sold listings from the last 90 days, recent graded examples have sold for $100 to $1,045. CGC 9 examples are the most actively traded grade in this sample, with a recent median around $390.
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 Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1 in context
Why collectors care
The opening issue of Frank Miller's four-issue 1986 miniseries, with Klaus Janson and Lynn Varley. Alongside Watchmen it reset what mainstream superhero comics could be, and it remains one of the most reprinted and most influential Batman stories ever told.
How to identify it
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1, 1986, prestige format. The series was originally titled simply "Batman: The Dark Knight." Multiple printings exist, and later printings are common; confirm the first printing in the indicia.
Common mistakes
Second and later printings sold at first-printing prices is the dominant trap on this book, because the covers are near-identical. Check the printing statement before you buy.
Grade considerations
The prestige format's squarebound spine shows creasing and stress readily, and the cover stock scuffs. Spine and corner condition dominate the grade, and high-grade first printings are much scarcer than raw availability suggests.
Sold price summary
6 verified eBay sales from the last 90 days, grouped by grade.
- Source
- eBay sold listings
- Sample
- 6 sales
- Window
- Last 90 days
- Last checked
- Aug 3, 2026
| Grade | Sales | Median | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| CGC 9 | 5 | $390 | $220 to $1,045 |
| CBCS 9.0 | 1 | $100 | N/A |
How this summary is built+
Inclusion
All 6 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 9 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| CBCS 9.0 | 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.
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1 value FAQ
What is Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1 worth?+
Based on 6 verified eBay sold listings from the last 90 days, graded examples have recently sold for $100 to $1,045.
What grade sells most often for Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1?+
CGC 9 is the most actively traded grade in the current sample, with 5 sales and a recent median around $390.
What is the highest median grade for Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1?+
CGC 9 has the highest median in the current sample at about $390. Treat this as a sold-comp snapshot, not a guaranteed sale price.
Is Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1 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.
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