The Most Valuable Key Comics Aren’t Always About the Hero – These Supporting Characters Prove It
Supporting characters in comic books hold a dear place in the hearts of comic book fans. They are not the stars of the comic, but they are the heart and soul of some of the best stories ever. What is Spider-Man without Aunt May? Whether you like him or not, Jimmy Olsen is an important character in the Superman mythos.
Supporting characters like Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane had long-running comic book series in the 20th century. Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen ran for a consecutive 163 issues from 1954 to 1974. A comic with Jimmy Olsen as the lead ran for over 20 years; imagine that happening in today’s comic environment.
Here is a list of seven comics featuring the first appearances of supporting characters that fans love.
1. Jimmy Olsen
Jimmy Olsen is one of those Superman supporting characters everyone knows about, even if they have never read a comic book. The meek newsboy represents a stand-in for readers to experience the world of Superman. In modern times, Olsen has become a close friend of Superman. Their friendship often represents Superman’s tenuous connection to humanity as a God-like alien.
Jimmy Olsen made his debut in Action Comics #6 in 1938; however, he was an unnamed character. The character only got his name in the Superman radio program in 1940. He made his debut as “Jimmy Olsen” in the comics in Superman #13 in 1941.
So, if you can get your hands on Action Comics #6, even a 4.0 CGC grade, it would be worth $9,455. If you can get a 9.2 CGC grade of Superman #13, it could be worth $4,500.
Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen: Who Killed Jimmy Olsen? is a 2019 12-issue series modernizing Jimmy Olsen, a supporting character, as a comic book lead. Someone is trying to kill Jimmy Olsen, and he enlists the help of Batman and Superman to solve the mystery. Buy this 320-page paperback at Amazon now for $11.49.
2. Bucky Barnes
Bucky Barnes was a child orphan serving as a mascot for the troops at Camp LeHigh during WWII. Barnes discovers that Steve Rogers is Captain America. Rogers takes him on as his sidekick. Until 2005, Bucky Barnes was seen as one of the most historically important and yet popularity-bereft supporting characters. Barnes was little used by Marvel until his dramatic 2005 reinvention as the Winter Soldier.
In 2005, Bucky Barnes was remade as the mind-wiped and mind-controlled assassin, the Winter Soldier. The character is now a billion-dollar IP and infinitely more popular than Bucky Barnes ever was.
Barnes made his debut in Captain America Comics #1 in 1941. A copy of this comic with a CGC grade of 6.0 is worth almost $17,000.
3. Wong
Actor Benedict Wong has made Wong one of the most popular supporting characters in the MCU. He is not even the star of the Dr. Strange films, but he has a fanbase. No one had heard of the character before 2016’s Dr. Strange, except for comic book readers. The character made his debut in Strange Tales #110 in 1963.
Wong did not have a name in that issue. He would be known simply as a valet or manservant for Strange and was only seen in one panel. He did not get the name “Wong” until Strange Tales #119. All that was known then about Wong was that he was a descendant of monks from Kamar-Taj.
Try to find a copy of Strange Tales #110 with a 9.2 CGC grade; it has a collectibles market value of almost $23,000.
4. James Rhodes
James “Rhodey” Rhodes is well known to modern audiences as one of the main supporting characters from the MCU Iron Man films. Rhodes made his first appearance in Iron Man #118 in 1979. Rhodes was a pilot for Stark in the Vietnam War. He would then become a close friend and Stark ally. By the early 1980s, Rhodes was assuming substitute duties as Iron Man and wearing the armor until he became War Machine in the 1990s.
A 9.8 CGC grade of this comic is worth almost $380.
5. Falcon
In the MCU, Falcon can be on the list of supporting characters since he is technically Captain America. Sam Wilson also currently shares the title of Captain America in the comic books with Steve Rogers. Still, he was technically Falcon from 1969 until very recently, so we will include him on this list.
Sam Wilson made his debut as Falcon in Captain America #117 in 1969. A 9.8 CGC grade of this comic is worth over $14,000.
6. Foggy Nelson
While many Netflix and MCU fans know Foggy Nelson from the streaming shows, he has been one of the most important supporting characters in the Daredevil comic book mythos. Nelson made his debut in Daredevil #1 in 1964. Nelson was Matt Murdock’s law partner, friend, and clueless about his alter ego, Daredevil.
As his friend, Foggy Nelson represents the grounded world that Matt Murdock lives in when he isn’t Daredevil. Nelson did not learn about Matt’s alter ego until 1995 in the comics, in Daredevil #347.
A copy of Daredevil #1 with an 8.0 CGC grade is worth over $10,000.
7. Virginia Pepper Potts
Although Pepper Potts had an infatuation with Tony Stark when she became his secretary, she chose Happy Hogan. The couple were married in the comics for decades. Hogan would act as Stark’s bodyguard and Potts as his secretary; Stark’s hectic life as Iron Man would always inconvenience the couple.
Potts did not become Stark’s love interest in the comics until after the success of 2008’s Iron Man. Potts made her debut in Tales of Suspense #45 in 1963.
A 9.8 CGC grade of this comic is worth $16,000.
The Appeal of Supporting Characters
Great structures, great leaders, and even billion-dollar comic book character IPs are great because of their support systems. Supporting characters support the main characters, provide back-up narratives to flesh out stories, and act as reader stand-ins to help readers vicariously experience fantastic stories.
Bucky Barnes, Robin, Sam Wilson, Lois Lane, Mary Jane, J. Jonah Jameson, and others are supporting characters with vocal fanbases. Always remember that when looking for your next collectible comic.
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Allen Francis is a full-time writer, prolific comic book investor and author of The Casual’s Guide: Why You Should Get Into Comic Book Investing. Allen holds a BA degree from Marymount Manhattan College and has decades of experience in comic investing and personal finance. Before becoming a writer Allen was an academic advisor, librarian, and college adjunct for many years. Allen now focuses on comic book reviews, collectible investments, and helping others collect and enjoy comics.