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.

Variant comic covers can sell for much more than the regular main covers. That goes for key issues and stories, and average books that never see much growth in the secondary market. Variant covers offer variety for collectors. They are drawn by several artists, some are black and white or line art, and some have special treatments. Others are recreations of older covers or pay homage to pop culture. Overstreet Pricing Editor Yolanda Ramirez did a recent valuation update of the 2015 Starfire series and found variant covers rising in price.

Starfire is a DC hero who was introduced as Princess Koriand’r from the planet Tamaran. She was enslaved and abused by the Citadel, then when she escaped, Koriand’r fled to Earth. Starfire joined the Teen Titans and became Starfire. She can convert ultraviolet radiation into energy and project energy and heat as Starbolts. Her powers also include superstrength, speed, fighting skills, and she can fly. In addition to the Teen Titans, Starfire has been a member of the Justice League, the Outlaws, and R.E.B.E.L.S.

Starfire 2015 Series Variant Cover Value Updates

Starfire debuted in DC Comics Presents #26 (October 1980), and finally got her own series in Starfire. It ran for 12 issues from August 2015 to July 2016. The main covers for each issue are valued in the $4 to $12 range in Near Mint-/9.2 grade. However, the variants sell for well above those prices. The Starfire #1 main cover is valued at $6 in 9.2, but the 1:25 variant by Emanuela Lupacchino was recently reevaluated to $50 in the same level.

The second issue main cover in 9.2 is $4, but Lupacchino’s 1:25 variant is valued at $35, marking an increase of over 1000%. Issue 3 is priced at $4 for the main cover, but the 1:25 variant cover by Darwyn Cooke has recently increased to $200 in Near Mint-. That reflects over 6,500% in value growth. The main cover of issue 6 is also valued at $4, while Lupacchino’s Looney Tunes variant has grown in value to $25 in 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.