It’s something that pops up on Key Collector.

Wait, come back, there’s more. Key Collector has become an invaluable tool for many collectors – a source of breaking news on hot comics, optioned movies and TV series, as well as industry-related goings-on.

The world before Key Collector was very different. Keys were set in stone – you had your Hulk 181, your Fantastic Four 1, your Amazing Fantasy 15, etc. As far as I’m aware, no one really valued minor characters and their appearances. But we didn’t have the MCU and an entertainment industry that revolves around comic books.

A key for me stands out. So whether you’re talking about a character who stands the test of time (Batman, Superman, Spider-Man), or gobsmacking art (Batman 227, for instance), or rare Golden Age issues that are almost impossible to find in high grades (Famous Funnies 214), these are all solid keys to me.

I don’t necessarily tie a key to a trend or franchise, but those also play a part. For instance, The Crow was turned into a popular film starring Brandon Lee, and there’s been talks for decades of a new Crow movie. The Crow #1 1st printing, therefore, retains its status as a key issue.

Bone #1 1st printing is a modern example. It’s been well documented the sort of production hell that Bone and Jeff Smith have endured. But it’s still an important series because the print run was so limited and because…it’s beautiful and has a timeless quality.

Timelessness is the essence of a comic book key.

Batman, Superman Golden Age, Marvel blue chip keys, these are irreplaceable – unique. They are culture, historical documents and pop art that redefined their time and ours.

But maybe a comic book key is also something else. Maybe it’s personal. Maybe it’s an issue that no one else, including Key Collector, apart from you thinks it’s worth anything. For you, this issue goes beyond monetary value. It represents a moment in time, an event, a love. This comic book has become the purest expression of a key.