X-Men #52

Title: X-Men

Issue Number: #52

Publisher: Marvel

Publication Date: January 1969

Era: Silver Age

Series/Volume: X-Men Vol. 1

Writer: Arnold Drake

Artist/Penciler: Don Heck / Werner Roth

Inker: John Tartaglione

Cover Artist: Marie Severin / Joe Sinnott

Format: Standard Comic Book

Variant/Cover: 12¢ Cover

Printing: First Printing

Key Issue/Notable: Erik the Red appearance, revealed as Cyclops; Magneto, Mesmero and Lorna Dane/Polaris appearances; Beast origin backup story. Heritage describes #52 as Erik the Red's first full appearance.

UPC: None

Grade Range: FN (6.0)

Page Quality: Cream to Off-White

Complete: Yes; cover and centerfold attached at both staples.

Condition Notes: Attractive Silver Age copy with strong front-cover color and very good overall eye appeal. Front cover has moderate spine stress with several color-breaking ticks, light edge and corner wear, and minor handling wear. No major front-cover crease, large tear, or significant piece loss. Back cover shows age toning and general handling wear, with light soiling, small edge/corner creases, and a noticeable circular stain/discoloration in the upper-right area. Interior pages show typical age toning but remain supple. Staples are intact and secure. Overall structure is solid, with the back-cover staining and accumulated spine wear being the primary factors holding the book at the Fine level.

Scan Note: Images are high-resolution scans of the actual comic. Scanning can exaggerate page toning, surface wear, color variations and other minor imperfections. Colors and paper tones may vary slightly from how the comic looks in person.

Comic Book Grading Guide

Near Mint (NM) 9.2–9.8: An exceptionally well-preserved comic with excellent eye appeal. May have only very minor manufacturing or handling defects.

Very Fine (VF) 7.5–9.0: An attractive, well-preserved comic showing light wear. May have minor spine stress, small corner wear or other minor defects.

Fine (FN) 5.5–7.0: An above-average copy with moderate wear. May have noticeable spine stress, minor creasing, edge or corner wear, and other small defects while remaining complete and attractive.

Very Good (VG) 3.5–5.0: A well-read copy showing noticeable wear. May have creases, spine wear, small tears, discoloration or other defects but remains complete and collectible.

Good (GD) 1.8–3.0: A heavily read copy with significant wear. May have substantial creasing, tears, spine damage, staining, writing or other defects. The comic remains generally complete and readable.

Fair (FR) 1.0–1.5: A heavily worn or damaged comic. May have significant tears, staining, splits, loose or detached components, missing non-story portions or other major defects.

Poor (PR) 0.5: A severely damaged or incomplete comic with major defects that substantially affect its condition and collectibility.

Grading Disclaimer: Grading is based on commonly accepted comic book grading standards. We are not professional graders, but make every effort to provide an accurate and conservative assessment based on the condition of each comic. Grading is subjective and opinions may vary. If you have any questions or concerns about an item, please reach out to us.