LOT #5084 |
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Marvel Comics #1 (Timely, 1939) Condition: Coverless. This, along with Motion Picture Funnies Weekly ushered in the Time...
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Description
Marvel Comics #1 (Timely, 1939) Condition: Coverless. This, along with Motion Picture Funnies Weekly ushered in the Timely's Golden Age of comics. In one fell swoop this issue hit the newsstands in late 1939 and brought the first stories of the Human Torch, The Angel, the Sub-Mariner and the Masked Raider to the general public. Several legendary artists would make their mark upon the comics reading public with this issue. The Human Torch cover for this issue is drawn by sci-fi pulp artist Frank R. Paul. This Key Timely premiere issue brings us The first Torch story with Carl Burgos art; Bill Everett's Sub-Mariner story reprinted from Motion Picture Funnies Weekly; the first Tarzan knock-off, Ka-Zar the Great, delineated by Golden Age master Paul Gustavson; the Angel, also by Gustavson, and a western feature: the Masked Raider. The Ka-Zar story details his origin too. Both Everett and Burgos would long be associated with their respective characters, and would be regarded as the ultimate artists for them. Everett's Sub-Mariner feature, which has had the craft tint-colored for this issue, is particularly striking because of the style in which it was drawn. As important as all this information is, the best part of this lot may be that it is a reading copy. While there is no original cover, a nice color photocopy of the front and back cover has been created as a replacement. Alas, the inside front and back covers have not been reproduced. However, the page quality of the original interior allows one to hold this dream book in one's sweating hands. There is absolutely no feeling like holding this copy in your hands, smelling that old comic smell, absorbing the original inks, and reading what countless others have read since it hit the stands in 1939. As cool as this reading copy is, it does have some defects, and here's a detailed list of them: two water stains along the top edge; a name stamp on the first page; the staples had slight rusting which has been cleaned off; a rust stain around the top staple; a 4" tear on the 26th page; a 2" tear on the 27th page; the pages are cream to tan, and some very minor edge chipping. Even with its "flaws," this is one killer copy that any collector would be proud to own. Overstreet 2003 GD 2.0 value = $18,750.More information about Marvel Comics, and Marvel Comics #1 Comic Title.
Auction Info
2003 San Diego Comic Auction Sale #807 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
July, 2003
15th-20th
Tuesday-Sunday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 6
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 2,088
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
15% of the successful bid per lot.
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