What was the first appearance of Martian Manhunter?

[Straw-Man]

Batman #78 (8-9/53) has Ron Kar, The Man Hunter from Mars, precursor to Martian Manhunter.

 

didn't he end up hawking all those things on t.v, the bottle cutter, rhinestone attacher, 'set it and forget it' rotisserie?

[comic_lot]

[Forbush-Man]

Here's my ol' stupid DC comic book....

 

[adamstrange]

Detective #225 for many years was considered the first book of the silver age. Sometime in the late '80s or early '90s the consensus seemed to switch to Showcase #4 and a character that had a more lasting effect.

 

My understanding does match yours as I'm unaware that there was ever a time when you could construe that there was a reasonable hobby consensus of Tec 225 as the start of the SA. There were some attempts to promote Tec 225 at the start of the 90s and, as a result, that was when there was a dramatic price increase in Tec 225 leading some to speculate on the motivation of the promoters.

 

I thought it was printed in the old Overstreets as the first silver age book, but I must have that wrong. (I don't have my old copies any more.) Detectives was one of the titles I collected in the early '80s and I was asking John Verzyl why #225 was so darn expensive - I couldn't figure out why people would pay a huge premium for a minor character's first appearance - and that was the primary reason he gave. Perhaps I gave way too much credibility in my mind to his statement and I imagined reading elsewhere similar information.

 

[adamstrange]

Here's my ol' stupid DC comic book....

 

 

That's a very pretty copy! White pages?

[Old Fashion PB and J]

I need a copy of this bad. But think I will be stuck with a 4.0 at best. Alot of money for that book.

[rjpb]

Here's my ol' stupid DC comic book....

 

 

That's a very pretty copy! White pages?

 

Very nice copy - but the lameness of the cover - combined with the "Uh-oh my identity is about to be revealed" theme screams Silver Age.

 

Also how can one consider MM anything but a SA character (founding member of JLA and all that) - While Showcase #4 is clearly more important (cover appearance, reinvention of a GA character - indicating a totally new era, 1st SA DC Superhero to get his own book) - and has been synonymous with the beginning of the SA since the term was invented - I can see how paradoxically that 'Tec 225 could be considered the first appearance of a strictly SA Superhero - which puts it's relative value in perspective.

[seank]

I need a copy of this bad. But think I will be stuck with a 4.0 at best. Alot of money for that book.

 

I'd love a copy too, but I consider it way overpriced. Consider the GGA you could get for the same amount. Probably a nice Phantom Lady.

[ArAich]

Batman #78 (8-9/53) has Ron Kar, The Man Hunter from Mars, precursor to Martian Manhunter.

 

didn't he end up hawking all those things on t.v, the bottle cutter, rhinestone attacher, 'set it and forget it' rotisserie?

 

 

Ron Popeil ...founder of Ronco...

[Old Fashion PB and J]

I need a copy of this bad. But think I will be stuck with a 4.0 at best. Alot of money for that book.

 

I'd love a copy too, but I consider it way overpriced. Consider the GGA you could get for the same amount. Probably a nice Phantom Lady.

 

Im putting together a run of Detective 50-850 all graded. My AVG. for 200-300 is 6.0 or better. But that book in 6.0 is stupid money IMO. So that and the 1st batwoman will be my sacrifices.

[Aman619]

Martian Manhunter became a SA character solely by being included in the JLA. DC had many backup strips and heroes all through the GA and Atom Ages. I would guess that not a heck of a lot of thought went into throwing MM into BB28 at the time... but it made all the difference in the world.

 

IMO Tec 225 is a pretty important book for MMs first appearance. I dont think it LED to the SA in the way that Showcase 4 did. But it aint chopped liver either. Its just still suffering from a hangover from its diminished status from earlier collecting days when it was a super key for awhile.

[Forbush-Man]

 

IMO Tec 225 is a pretty important book for MMs first appearance. I dont think it LED to the SA in the way that Showcase 4 did. But it aint chopped liver either. Its just still suffering from a hangover from its diminished status from earlier collecting days when it was a super key for awhile.

 

 

Similar to the first appearance of the Legion of Superheroes in Adventure Comics.

[ciorac]

Detective #225 for many years was considered the first book of the silver age. Sometime in the late '80s or early '90s the consensus seemed to switch to Showcase #4 and a character that had a more lasting effect.

 

My understanding does match yours as I'm unaware that there was ever a time when you could construe that there was a reasonable hobby consensus of Tec 225 as the start of the SA. There were some attempts to promote Tec 225 at the start of the 90s and, as a result, that was when there was a dramatic price increase in Tec 225 leading some to speculate on the motivation of the promoters.

 

I thought it was printed in the old Overstreets as the first silver age book, but I must have that wrong. (I don't have my old copies any more.) Detectives was one of the titles I collected in the early '80s and I was asking John Verzyl why #225 was so darn expensive - I couldn't figure out why people would pay a huge premium for a minor character's first appearance - and that was the primary reason he gave. Perhaps I gave way too much credibility in my mind to his statement and I imagined reading elsewhere similar information.

 

Detective 225 was listed as the 1st DC Silver Age Hero through Overstreet #19. With #20 that distinction was dropped.

[JohnT]

Martian Manhunter became a SA character solely by being included in the JLA. DC had many backup strips and heroes all through the GA and Atom Ages. I would guess that not a heck of a lot of thought went into throwing MM into BB28 at the time... but it made all the difference in the world.

 

IMO Tec 225 is a pretty important book for MMs first appearance. I dont think it LED to the SA in the way that Showcase 4 did. But it aint chopped liver either. Its just still suffering from a hangover from its diminished status from earlier collecting days when it was a super key for awhile.

 

Nailed it.

[JohnT]

 

IMO Tec 225 is a pretty important book for MMs first appearance. I dont think it LED to the SA in the way that Showcase 4 did. But it aint chopped liver either. Its just still suffering from a hangover from its diminished status from earlier collecting days when it was a super key for awhile.

 

 

Similar to the first appearance of the Legion of Superheroes in Adventure Comics.

 

[Old Fashion PB and J]

I have always liked the Martian Manhunter (more modern reading) but definately think he is very important in terms of capes. The guy is a great support character, and has held his own weight for many years by being the "backbone" of the JLA. So I would not be too quick to drop him down below a "B" list character.

[JohnT]

Detective #225 for many years was considered the first book of the silver age. Sometime in the late '80s or early '90s the consensus seemed to switch to Showcase #4 and a character that had a more lasting effect.

 

My understanding does match yours as I'm unaware that there was ever a time when you could construe that there was a reasonable hobby consensus of Tec 225 as the start of the SA. There were some attempts to promote Tec 225 at the start of the 90s and, as a result, that was when there was a dramatic price increase in Tec 225 leading some to speculate on the motivation of the promoters.

 

I thought it was printed in the old Overstreets as the first silver age book, but I must have that wrong. (I don't have my old copies any more.) Detectives was one of the titles I collected in the early '80s and I was asking John Verzyl why #225 was so darn expensive - I couldn't figure out why people would pay a huge premium for a minor character's first appearance - and that was the primary reason he gave. Perhaps I gave way too much credibility in my mind to his statement and I imagined reading elsewhere similar information.

 

Detective 225 was listed as the 1st DC Silver Age Hero through Overstreet #19. With #20 that distinction was dropped.

 

I guess that's different than saying the book starts the Silver Age. But it implies that the Silver Age is underway at that point, when it wasn't. I personally don't ever remember a time when Showcase 4 wasn't considered the start of the SA.

 

I notice that Overstreet doesn't call Showcase 4 the first Silver Age book, but it does call Flash DC's first SA superhero.

[rjpb]

 

IMO Tec 225 is a pretty important book for MMs first appearance. I dont think it LED to the SA in the way that Showcase 4 did. But it aint chopped liver either. Its just still suffering from a hangover from its diminished status from earlier collecting days when it was a super key for awhile.

 

 

Similar to the first appearance of the Legion of Superheroes in Adventure Comics.

 

Interesting analogy - since both run about the same in Overstreet - but have very different histories - Tec 225 being a book that not too many people thought about until it was being pushed as the 1st SA book ( a claim that wouldn't have had the traction it did if there wasn't at least some logic to the argument) - whereas Adv. 247 had a long history of fanboy interest - once being second only to Showcase 4 in the pantheon of SA DC IIRC - both have fallen in favor - but does either deserve to guide lower than Showcase #9 (Lois Lane)? - and is Tec 225 any more overvalued than Adv. 210 ( 1st Krypto)? Personally if I had to choose between any of the four I'd take the Tec hands down.

[JohnT]

I'd take Adventure 247, by far. It's so much more of a key. The Legion was a regular DC feature from the mid 60's through the 80's, at least. I've lost track of whether it is still around, but in my youth and early adult life they were big with a big following.

 

The Martian Manhunter is a "C" character, a step below Atom and Hawkman and Aquaman. Lois is a supporting character to Superman, has been around since the early days, and was a pretty silly character for the most part. And Krypto's a dog.

[adamstrange]

I'd take Adventure 247, by far. It's so much more of a key. The Legion was a regular DC feature from the mid 60's through the 80's, at least. I've lost track of whether it is still around, but in my youth and early adult life they were big with a big following.

 

The Martian Manhunter is a "C" character, a step below Atom and Hawkman and Aquaman. Lois is a supporting character to Superman, has been around since the early days, and was a pretty silly character for the most part. And Krypto's a dog.