The secondary comic market regularly ebbs and flows as book sales go through moderate changes, and occasionally see big jumps (or falls) in value. Overstreet Access tracks these changes through diligent research into the market and via assessment of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide marketing reports. Those changes are routinely updated on OverstreetAccess.com’s Recent Value Changes page, which can be viewed with a membership to the website.

The romance comic genre began in the 1940s when superhero popularity dwindled and publishers sought new ways to engage with comic fans. Looking to appeal to adult readers and revive the industry, comic creators ventured into romance, Westerns, war stories, crime books, and science fiction.

The romance books drew inspiration from romance pulps, radio dramas, confession magazines, and comic strips. The stories were tales of falling in love and experiencing heartbreak, jealousy, love triangles, misunderstandings, and tales of desire. The genre began in the late 1940s, and by 1950, there were over 150 romance titles in production.

In her research on the ever changing landscape of comic collecting, Overstreet Pricing Editor Yolanda Ramirez noted that several romance comics from the late ‘40s and early ‘50s have seen an uptick in value. Among those is Forbidden Love #1 (March 1950) from Quality Comics, which now has a 9.2/Near Mint- value of $2,800, showing a $100 increase. Fox Comics’ Strange Love #1 (January 1950) also saw $100 growth with a new 9.2 price of $1,800.

More romance titles published by Fox Comics have gone up in value. Burning Romances #1 (January 1949) has grown to $1,600 in 9.2, showing a 6.7% increase. All Real Confession Magazine #3 (March 1949) is up to $1,350 at Near Mint-, reflecting 8% in growth. The Book of Love #1 (January 1950) has risen to $1,300, netting $100 more for the 9.2 grade.

The Recent Value Changes page on OverstreetAccess.com can be found by clicking on the “Search Titles” tab in the Quick Navigation bar on the home page, then click the green “Recent Value Changes” button on the “Titles” page.