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X-Men #53
Title: X-Men
Issue Date: February 1969
Era: Silver Age
Series/Volume: X-Men Vol. 1
Writer: Arnold Drake
Artist/Penciler: Barry Windsor-Smith
Inker: Michael Dee
Cover Artist: Barry Windsor-Smith
Format: Standard Comic Book
Variant/Cover: 12¢ Cover
Printing: First Printing
Key Issue/Notable: Early Barry Windsor-Smith Marvel work; continuation of the Blastaar storyline; Magneto Range: FN- (5.5)
Page Quality: Cream to Off-White
Complete: Yes; cover and centerfold attached at both staples.
Condition Notes: Solid Silver Age copy with very strong overall presentation. Front cover retains excellent color and gloss with a clean, attractive central image. Moderate color-breaking spine wear is present, particularly around the staples and lower spine, along with small edge and corner wear. There is a small crease/wear area at the lower-left corner and light wear along the top and right edges. Back cover has moderate age toning and light general soiling, with some edge wear and a small darkened/worn area along the right edge. Interior pages are evenly toned with good color. Staples remain attached and the book has good structural integrity. The accumulated spine wear keeps this below the Fine 6.0 level, but the strong front-cover eye appeal makes FN- 5.5 a fair conservative raw grade.
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.
