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My Return To Collecting? List your Marvel SA Classic Superhero Covers

Started by Drummy,

46 posts in this topic

fantastic_four

fantastic_four

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The problem with asking people about cover art is that they'll just list the ones they happen to like the best or they'll list keys. Were I to do this, I'd say FF #82 and Spidey #69, as those are my favorite Silver covers of those runs. However, picking covers that are more iconic due to their quality of art or due to the effectiveness with which they capture the essence of a great story is a more compelling exercise, so along those lines my picks are as follows:

  • Spidey #39 - Goblin dragging an unmasked Spidey around captures one of the biggest Spidey plot twists. Cover art further immortalized when there was a direct homage to it in the first Spidey film.
  • Spidey #50 - Captures one of Spidey's most significant early dramas in great form. Cover art further immortalized with a direct homage to it in the second Spidey film.
  • Fantastic Four #12 - Rarely does the quality of a story alone cause an issue's price to go through the roof, but it did with this one, and the cover captures the conflict within quite compellingly.
  • Fantastic Four #55 - first major Silver Surfer battle cover. Another issue where the quality of the battle within sells the book, and like FF #12, the cover captures it in dramatic style.
  • Journey Into Mystery #89 - the best early Thor cover with a great action pose and outstanding coloring.
  • Avengers #4 - Seems like too easy a pick since it's a key, but the cover art is absolutely outstanding amongst keys. Great depiction of Captain America coming back and instantly becoming the central figure in the Avengers.

If it were a Silver Age book, I'd put Spidey #122 on that list, as the story changed the course of comics for decades to come and the cover captures the drama really well, but I suppose it's early Bronze, isn't it...

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Blind Owl

Blind Owl

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The problem with asking people about cover art is that they'll just list the ones they happen to like the best or they'll list keys. Were I to do this, I'd say FF #82 and Spidey #69, as those are my favorite Silver covers of those runs. However, picking covers that are more iconic due to their quality of art or due to the effectiveness with which they capture the essence of a great story is a more compelling exercise, so along those lines my picks are as follows:

  • Spidey #39 - Goblin dragging an unmasked Spidey around captures one of the biggest Spidey plot twists. Cover art further immortalized when there was a direct homage to it in the first Spidey film.
  • Spidey #50 - Captures one of Spidey's most significant early dramas in great form. Cover art further immortalized with a direct homage to it in the second Spidey film.
  • Fantastic Four #12 - Rarely does the quality of a story alone cause an issue's price to go through the roof, but it did with this one, and the cover captures the conflict within quite compellingly.
  • Fantastic Four #55 - first major Silver Surfer battle cover. Another issue where the quality of the battle within sells the book, and like FF #12, the cover captures it in dramatic style.
  • Journey Into Mystery #89 - the best early Thor cover with a great action pose and outstanding coloring.
  • Avengers #4 - Seems like too easy a pick since it's a key, but the cover art is absolutely outstanding amongst keys. Great depiction of Captain America coming back and instantly becoming the central figure in the Avengers.

If it were a Silver Age book, I'd put Spidey #122 on that list, as the story changed the course of comics for decades to come and the cover captures the drama really well, but I suppose it's early Bronze, isn't it...

 

Good reasoning on all the above picks; (thumbs u

 

I'd also add FF #23 because i think it's an awesome visual cover featuring one of the FF's all-time super bad villians (#39 also).

 

Amazing Spiderman had a LOT of great covers but another besides the ones you've picked would be #33. The climax to an epic story arc as well.

 

JIM #92 because it's also a classic although I agree with #89.

 

TOS #58...."Nuff Said".....

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KirbyJack

KirbyJack

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You're an art guy, how about going with one classic per fav artist? Kirby, Fantastic Four 100. Big John Buscema, Avengers 57. Ditko, Strange Tales 146. Romita ASM 61,etc.

 

I'm just throwing out some different examples with the picks, BTW. Those aren't my official votes for Greatest Covers Ever.

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Drummy

Drummy

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Everyone --

 

Thanks so much for your thoughts and images. I'm getting excited about the challenge, which I'll increase by looking only for books that have superior centering, eye appeal, and page quality. But -- any grade is fine as long it presents well. 8.5 is one of my favorite "values", for instance, but 4.5 and 6.5 will also work great. Essentially, though, I'll be buying the book and not the grade, so that won't matter too much and will help me budget.

 

Here's what I've decided thus far, with perhaps more to be added:

 

AF 15 (wish me luck...will at least keep me from being tempted by ASM #1)

Amazing Spider-Man 28, 33, 50, perhaps one other early one...13? 3?

Avengers 4, 57 (23 is also a possibility)

Daredevil 7

Fantastic Four (my favorite title):

1-16 (all of 'em!), 25, 28, 29, 39, 45, 48-51, 55, 57, 72

Incredible Hulk 1 (seems iconic to me)

Iron Man 1

Journey Into Mystery 89, 109, 112, 127

Strange Tales 107 (maybe 108, 114)

Tales of Suspense 39, 49 (maybe one more)

Tales to Astonish -- hard to decide. (27, 57, 60, 93? No clear winners yet.)

X-Men 4, 14, 50

 

That's about 50 books...should keep me going for a while! What have I missed??

 

Dan

 

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adamstrange

adamstrange

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That looks like an awfully fun mix of books. You probably ought to have a Steranko or two. Possibilities include:

 

Captain America 110

Nicky Fury 1, 4, 6

Strange Tales 163

 

Lastly, I'd consider Silver Surfer 4 which ranked pretty high the last time we did a Silver Age cover poll here on the boards.

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Drummy

Drummy

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Adamstrange --

 

Excellent advice -- I'll add my favorite Nick Fury cover (#3), Cap #110, which I forgot about, and of course Silver Surfer #4 (maybe 3 as well). Keep the great ideas coming if you have them.

 

Thanks,

 

Dan

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chrisco37

chrisco37

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One that I haven't seen on the list so far, that's one of my favorites (and significantly less money than the uber-keys thusfar) is FF#74.

 

2nd Surfer/Galactus cover. A fraction of the cost of #49 (the1st one).

 

Also, as FF said a few posts up, #82 is a really great cover.

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Drummy

Drummy

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Hey all --

 

Thanks for more good ideas. I am keeping them all in a "second batch" of possible books moving forward. Trying to keep my first list at about 50 books and 5 years... :tonofbricks:

 

For Steranko, I'm leaning toward Nick Fury #7 and Captain America #110-111, but those Strange Tales are nice also.

 

I'm not likely to go past FF #72 on my first list, but I too am a fan of #74 (and #75) and #84.

 

Dan

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