Readcomix

I don't think the Action 1/Superman 1 analogy is apples to apples, even though they both contain Superman origin stories. I think it's more like Superman 1 (first own book) to Superman #53 (first fleshed out, detailed origin).

I'm glad this thread has me thinking about, because my own confusion about what's truly key has kept me from pulling the trigger. Unlike Flash and GL, he's still the same character, but he does get a drastically different origin in #260.

Because Aquaman had ongoing continuity at the time, it's like his Showcase 4/22 moment comes in 260, and Showcase 30 is his 105/GL 1.

I think I just talked myself into both and reaffirmed my long-held position, across various price points for yeeears now, that Aquaman #1 is overvalued.

To all you big gun GA Archie collectors, thank you for indulging me and posting these gems!

I've now concluded that I feel many Archies in the era circa issue #50 are under-recognized gems, and you guys ARE quietly hoarding them on the cheap!

Your secret is safe with me; carry on.....(uh, can I keep my 41???)

Characters like the Beyonder and Sentry are the best arguments AGAINST continuity I've ever seen.

Disregarding them, among the conventional guys, I would historically say Thor though more recent creators have seemed to tip this toward the Hulk. Then you've got the spitting-distance niche characters like Gladiator, Hyperion, Juggernaut, Hercules.

Among the cosmic guys, jeez it's hard to keep the hierarchy straight. I would've thought Eternity or the Living Tribunal (not really One Above All, that's like the Marvel equivalent of whoever the Spectre looks to as his creator), then Kirby rolled out the Celestials and really confused me.

I would love to have Stan's autograph if I met him, but not on a comic book. It's writing on a book. In buying a key book, I would personally pass on an autographed copy.

Obviously, there's a market for it, but I'm not it.

That said, I have a few autographed books in my collection, mostly from buying an estate collection. I got rid of most of them in an auction. The few I kept are cool sigs on $1 books -- basically the same as just having a piece of paper autographed. I kept Joe Kubert and both his sons on some modern x-men book they did, and Walt Simonson and Tony Isabella on a Topps comic they did, and Claremont and Romita Jr.on an X-men, 219 I think. There was also all 5 members of Aerosmith on a Shadowman 19.

The others? A full set of Marvel's Godzilla, signed by Herb Trimpe and Dan Green at a con when I was a kid. They offered and though I didn't really want them to, I felt impolite declining. My friends and I had organized the little con and they were gracious enough to attend and do sketches. I still treasure the Hulk sketch Herb drew and Dan inked for me.

I also picked up a copy of the hardcover Superman from the 30's to the 70's in an antique shop and got home and found "Curt Swan" on an interior page.

I will probably part with most them at some point as autographs from people I have not personally met just don't hold much meaning for me.

I guess it was really ingrained in me as a young collector that writing on comics devalues the book, and I've never understood the whole signature series thing as a result. Again, that's just me. Obviously, many like and appreciate signed books.

Yep, that's what i'm talking about! Yes 41-50 are all nifty, but if #50 is Superboy, then 41 and 44 are Mon-el and Ultra Boy....imho....

Just looked up 48....finally traded for a 41, and you go replace it on my want list! Thanks!?

Curious ...do any Cerebus collectors care about Power Comics #1 for the Dave Sim aardvark prototype?

Isn't Brave and the Bold #28 his first cover appearance, period? (Not just first SA cover appearance?)

I get the argument for 105, but I vote for 123. I think that it (along with Avengers 4) are both still underappreciated for bringing the golden age forward into the silver age and essentially establishing the importance of the concept of continuity (which modern creators seem to have forgotten mostly, in a world where every six months is basically a new "What If?" Miniseries in every title, but that's another rant)....

Anyway, this is the reason that over in the "what is your flagship book" thread I picked these 2 as the last two books I would part with, even though they may not be my most valuable, rarest, etc.

Hey crew,

I'm asking this here because I figure such a club includes lots of GA Archie expert enthusiasts....I totally get and love the Archie 50 cover; but I feel like #'s 41 and 44 are completely overshadowed but probably the #2 & 3 headlights covers among the first 50. Am I crazy, or are you club members quietly hoarding them on the cheap? Fess up!

Help!

I just discovered I need a centerfold for Tessie the Typist #22!

I can buy or trade, Please PM me if you happen to have a spare lying around?

Tricky call, as the other side of the Hulk 181 analogy is Darkseid and his cameo first appearance in Jimmy Olsen 134.

Aquaman is trickier yet in that he's one of those few D.C. Characters published continuously from the Golden Age right into the Silver Age (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Green Arrow being the only others, I think.) Like GA, Aquaman did it solely as a back-up feature, so maybe this argues for the Showcase? But I'm not confident.

This book cannot get enough love, far as I'm concerned! 10-cent hero Marvels...hmm, lessee...there's FF1 and 2 and...this!

Quite arguably the toughest Marvel key to find (maaaaaybe Hulk #1, but if the Watcher showed up and said guess which has fewer copies in existence, I'd have to go with TTA #27.)

Plus, its part of my favorite unrecognized subset of SA keys to attempt to amass: The Lee/Kirby effort to establish plainclothes ordinary-looking heroes to go with their "real world" problems: I define this subset as the Amazing Adventures issues with Dr. Droom, FF #1 & 2, TTA #27, Two-Gun Kid #60, the first couple of Strange Tales Torch stories..am I missing anything? You can lump in the Kirby Challengers of the Unknown if you're ambitious.

If I ever figure out how to get photobucket and phone to talk nicey-nicey, I'll post my membership ticket.

Just stopped in the shop last week. Mood is somber but the staff and Darren's family are determined to keep it going. Chris, the manager, has people working on restocking back-issue bins from their deep storage. Anybody in the region, please stop in and give a little moral support. It's a great shop, and Darren and Chris are true comics guys.

I left the really sharp Conan #1 on the wall for ya....

I'm not familiar with Suburban Nightmares. Is it a great read like Silent Invasion?

All-star 58 (first Power Girl)

Nova 1

A very high-grade Rom 1

Anyone think the D.C. Mask series' will soon get their day in the sun now that IDW's new series has hit the stands?

Thanks for this, I had no clue! Gotta check mine for what exactly I have!

Weren't Peter Parker 90 and Marvel Team-up 141 on the stands at the same time as ASM 252, also with black costume appearances?

Also, from the Golden Age for your list: Blazing Comics #1, first Asian superhero, the green Turtle (by an Asian-American artist, to boot).

Just curious if our paths had crossed as I'm in his shop fairly frequently.

Is it me, or is 251 the toughest of the Adams keys to find these days? I haven't seen one in a shop in a while, but most of the others I see out there.

I have trouble finding Tec 395 in high-ish grades, but I don't come across 251 at all in my LCS stops.

Just learned of this today as well. Vintage, are you in upstate NY too?

I was floored; he was only 39. Darren was a terrific guy, and he leaves behind two sweet little children. I'm told it was Thanksgiving Day, actually.

I've known Darren for a few years and have bought from, sold to, and traded with him frequently. He was always fair, straightforward, and generous. If a book had cooled off, he had no problem drastically reducing a marked price upon request, but if you spotted a bargain, the book never suddenly became not for sale. He built long-term business relationships that way, all old-school with a smile and a handshake.

In fact, I looked at my phone earlier to determine the last time I saw him (via texts that we exchanged to plan to meet up at the shop). It was Oct 28, and we concluded a couple trades. I can't recall how it came up exactly, but Darren, Chris (the store manager, another awesome guy) and I were joking about proper disposition of a massive collection upon one's passing. I think it was Chris who said "They go with ya, like the ancient Egyptians." Darren laughed and said it would be great for us to go out with Viking funerals, burn us on our stacks of books. He had that kind of sense of humor.

He brought humor and positive energy to all he did, and he will be sorely missed! My condolences to Chris, Lowell, the 'Stache (the Comic Depot family) and Darren's own family.

Paul Harding did an amazing sketch of Darren walking on a beach with his children, and its up on his Facebook page. Many pix and stories being shared there, it seems. Paul, if you're reading, prints as a fund-raiser for Darren's kids would be awesome!

You will be missed, my friend.

Pep 26 - first Veronica (Betty and Jughead also in #22)

Amazing Adventures #1 (first Dr. Droom, first Marvel hero series)

Adventure #247 (first Legion of Superheroes)

Superboy #68 (first Bizarro)

Action #242 (first Brainiac)

Action #252 (first Supergirl)

Detective #359 (first SA Batgirl)

Airboy #3 (first Heap; comics' first swamp monster)

House of Secrets #92 (first Swamp Thing)

Archie's Pals N' Gals #23 (first Josie)

Archie's Madhouse #22 (first Sabrina the teenage witch)

Josie and the Pussycats #45 (first Pussycats; first Valerie = first black character in Archie universe)

I have to stop and look back to be sure I'm not being redundant....

Silent Invasion! What an awesome read! Had a few scattered issues, then hunted down the complete run in the form of four paperback bound volumes, old-school Marvel graphic novel size. Just read it end to end over Thanksgiving weekend, and it still blows me away! (Other thing I read was bronze but also awesome in a very different, 50's-EC way -- the 10-issue Michael Fleischer Spectre run in Adventure Comics, #431-440. Also recommended.)

Thank you! Never searched it with "Land" in the search term field; explains my sparse and pricey results in past, perhaps.

Problem is, my brain works such that if I spend $5-$10 on one of these, I am going to feel compelled to acquire a Crime Suspenstories #22 ASAP....And I'll probably do just that to myself, anyway.....