Gallery 25: Detective Comics #27 & New Mutants #98

[BradleyX2]

I realize I just posted one of his previous entries last week, but a brand new CGC newsletter for April 2010 is out, and that means a new "Glance At The Gallery" article by our own QC doctor Michael McFadden. Here's what he has to say about some of the new books that have been freshly added to the Gallery.

 

 

CGC’s QC Doctor, Michael McFadden, dapper denizen of the Fortress of Qualitude, back again for a quick look at some of the latest four-color treasures we are proudly displaying in our DigiGallery. We have a lot of Golden Age this month, so let’s roll up our sleeves and get right to work.

 

There seems to be a spate of million-dollar comics lately. Last session, it was Action Comics #1, the origin and first appearance of Superman. This month it’s Detective Comics #27, the debut of Batman. What’s next, New Mutants #98? Well, gang, this copy is an unabashed beauty at 8.0 with vivid, bright colors. Simply a knockout, with a signed cover by Bob Kane actually drawn by Bob Kane! Here at CGC, we’re pretty pleased to be the folks trusted to handle stuff like this. Frankly, I wish all of you out there in fandom got the chance to see books like this as closely as I do. It heightens one’s appreciation of our hobby. I never know what I’ll see from day to day, and it’s hard to get jaded at CGC when a newsstand-quality Detective #27 shows up on my desk!

 

 

 

 

We also saw the 9.4 Denver copy of Marvel Mystery Comics’ short-lived companion title, Daring Mystery Comics. Featuring the origin and first appearances of Fiery Mask, Monako, John Steele and Doc Doyle, characters never exactly on Marvel’s short list for revival, one sees a hint of why the title didn’t last. Its striking cover shows why Alex Schomburg is considered a grandmaster of Golden Age cover art, though. Discussing distinctive covers on pedigree books brings us to the Lamont Larson copy of Action Comics #14 and Fred Guardineer’s beautifully Egyptian-evocative cover, one of two solo Zatarra covers during Action’s run. At 7.5, only one copy has yet graded higher. The Edgar Church copy of DC’s pre-hero More Fun Comics #37 dazzled at 9.4, and a 9.0 was earned by his Flash Comics #42. The Church All Star Comics #19 earned 9.6.

 

 

 

 

Other pedigrees include Gaines File Copies of War Against Crime #s 10 and 11, the first appearances of the Vault of Horror and its loquacious and charming host, the Vault Keeper. With the next issue, V.K. took the book over to inaugurate a memorable 28-issue run of unfettered horror. From 1936, Dell’s Popular Comics #6, a Dick Tracy cover, hit 7.5 for the Lost Valley copy. Stranger still, Strange Tales #104 (Bethlehem, 9.4) introduces one of the coolest villain names ever in the Human Torch story, Paste Pot Pete. He later became “The Trapster,” apparently bowing to Super-Villain Union peer pressure that dictates every respectable super-miscreant’s name sound like it was concocted by a bland public relations media consultant. Pacific copies of Strange Tales included #117 (9.8), #123 (9.6) and #134 (9.8), the last issue of the Torch’s run.

 

 

 

 

Other notable books are Timely’s Tough Kid Squad Comics #1 (8.5), a book apparently named for the people who used to beat me up every day in elementary school. More Timely: Mystic Comics #6 (9.4) is the Destroyer’s first appearance and the origin of both him and the Challenger. Marvel Mystery Comics #89 is the first Human Torch / Sun Girl team-up. Odd team-up? I hear the Torch was an old flame of hers and he wanted to rekindle the hot times. Skippy’s Own Book of Comics #nn (1934) is the fourth official comic book ever and the first devoted to one character. Nearly forgotten today, Skippy was an influential and respected syndicated comic strip of its era. This copy’s 7.5 ties as highest graded. Target Comics #1 (8.5) is the first appearance of Manowar and opens with a Bill Everett western cover. Fawcett’s Spy Smasher, from 1941, earned 9.0 for its unusual silver metallic cover on #1 and 9.2 on #2, the classic “Death to spies in America!” cover.

 

 

 

 

How I love seeing rare Centaur books in the Fortress of Qualitude. Amazing Mystery Funnies v2 #7 is the debut of the Fantom of the Fair, a superhero based at the famous 1939–40 New York World’s Fair. Fantom didn’t seem to mind that DC had the official deal for two issues of World’s Fair Comics, which featured Superman. (The second World’s Fair Comics was the first cover ever shared by Superman, Batman and Robin.) Tough competition in the superhero racket. No matter, Paul Gustavson’s dynamic cover on this issue blows them both away! Novelty Press’ Blue Bolt #1 offers a Joe Simon cover of the Azure Avenger on the occasion of his origin and first appearance, but ironically, it was the book’s lowest-billed backup feature, Dick Cole, also debuting this issue, that had the greatest longevity in the Golden Age. Cult favorite Blackhawk #9, from 1944, is the first issue of a run that lasted until the end of 1968.

 

 

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DC, anyone? We mentioned DC’s World’s Fair Comics earlier and the 1939 issue had the first appearance of the Sandman, he of the stylish fedora and unstylish gas mask. But his famous run (and first conceived story) began in Adventure Comics #40, of which a copy earned a notable 7.0. More Fun Comics #72, an amazing 9.6, showcases Dr. Fate’s god-awful new half-helmet on a Nazi war cover. #75 is the new origin for the Spectre, who survived being murdered by gangsters, thank you, but ultimately couldn’t overcome an idiotic supporting player like Percival Popp. And an incredible all-black cover on Batman #3 certified at 9.4. The issue is the first appearance of Catwoman in a costume. A double cover Star Spangled Comics #1, the debut and origin of Jerry Siegel’s hyped but disappointing Star Spangled Kid and Stripsey, hit 7.0 on the outer cover, 8.5 on the inside.

 

 

 

 

We had some nice runs this month, too. In late 1941 and early 1942, Better’s Startling Comics featured Fighting Yank and Captain Future. We certified copies of #s 11, 13 and 14. A Jack “King” Kirby cover graces Captain America Comics #6 and Al Avison does the honors on #16, rendering the Red Skull. But Avison’s masterpiece is #13, for my money the classic of “classic” World War II propaganda covers, on the newsstands of a stunned America short weeks after the tragic attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Detective Comics #s 57, 59, 62 and 80 impart the devil may care, cavalier quality of the Dynamic Duo in their early days, courtesy of a pair of then-enthusiastic artists, Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson. A most impressive run is Timely’s Human Torch #s 3, 4, 5 and 5, actually the second, third, fourth and fifth issues of the publication that began with #2 and whose numbering was changed to reflect its real sequence of issues; therefore, there are two Human Torch number-fives.

 

 

 

 

The highest-certified Golden Age Green Lantern #4 arrived at 9.2. Action Comics #22 (7.5), #29 (8.0) and #35 (8.5) were notable, the former still with Joe Shuster cover and art. Quality’s Spirit #nn was 9.6. Air Fighters Comics #4 with Airboy flying high and lethally for the war effort was 9.0. Vintage grader West Stephan loves bondage / torture covers like that cool one on Blue Beetle #11. Trouble is, we’ve never figured out whether West quietly fantasizes about being the hero or the villain! He’ll never talk, guys… unless maybe we torture him, of course! But that would be criminal and Lev Gleason Publications remind us Crime Does Not Pay. The last issue, #147, July 1955, is tough because the heat was on for publishers of crime and horror comics. This 6.5 ties for highest graded with one other copy… yeah, which is the ONLY other copy we’ve seen in more than 10 years! A copy of their Golden Age Daredevil #2 is graded 8.0.

 

 

 

 

A blurb on the cover of Green Hornet Comics #30 (9.4) reads “In the Movies,” a reference to the two fine Universal serials of the early forties. It works today, as fans and dealers are submitting Green Hornets to us in anticipation of the new Columbia release slated to open December 22. Centaur’s Funny Pages #41 hit 7.0. Only one certified higher. The same for a 9.2 Jungle Comics #47 with, as our key comment states, a “classic bondage cover,” and it is a beauty by an unknown artist. Not so unsung is the artist of Plastic Man, the multi-talented Jack Cole, with the cover of Police Comics #20 (9.0). Timely’s brief and untimely answer to the Justice Society, the All Winners Squad, hit 9.2 on a copy of All Winners Comics #21. And there are no copies ever grading higher than a 9.2 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies #1 (1941), the first comic book appearance of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig and the man mortals call Elmer Fudd.

 

 

 

 

We had some Silver Age books cross my desk, too. A gorgeous Showcase #45, a then-surprising Sgt. Rock appearance, came in at 9.4. It’s tougher than you might think to find in high grade because fans were all looking for the next DC superhero entry, not retreads like Rock or Tommy Tomorrow. But with a Russ Heath cover and an origin story by Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert, it stands today as a cool curiosity and an essential book for Sgt. Rock and Showcase completists alike. Also 9.4 was a Fantastic Four #17, sporting an early Dr. Doom appearance. Both at 9.6 are copies of Tales of Suspense #41, Shellhead’s third appearance, and #57, Hawkeye’s debut, the Green Arrow-lite Avenger bowing as an Iron Man villain. Atom #s 17, 36 and 38 all reached 9.6.

 

 

 

 

Convention season is SigSeries time at CGC. Frank Brunner drew a fabulous sketch of his signature character, Dr. Strange, on a Marvels Project #1. Remember when Saturday Night Live was the most subversive program on American television? You know, when it was actually funny? Another SigSeries entry is a splendid Marie Severin caricature of the almost original Not Ready for Prime Time Players on Marvel Team-Up #74 from 1978. Dan Aykroyd, not exactly a comic show fixture, signed this one and a number of Ghostbusters this month. Neato! Keep a close eye on our Web site for the upcoming SigSeries signings this convention season, coordinated by our own Jocular Joe Pierson.

 

 

 

 

Finally, we had a copy of New Mutants #98 hit 9.9 this month, which our label tells me is the first appearance of Deadpool, a popular, wisecracking Marvel hero who wears a body-covering red and dark blue costume with a full-face, white-eyed mask. Odd, I thought that was Spider-Man, but that’s just me. My dear friend, CGC modern guru Shawn Caffrey, an Irishman not given to blarney about comic values, tells me another 9.9 of this 1991 opus sold for $12,500 last November. Wow! That is popular. Me, I’m sticking to beat up issues of Charlton’s Atomic Mouse, a decidedly unpopular super-powered rodent, which I can afford! I will sleep well tonight knowing no book with the uber-villainous Gato the Cat will ever go for twelve-five!

 

 

 

 

Comments and questions regarding the gallery? We’re fans, too. We enjoy hearing from you, unless we don’t. You can contact me at mmcfadden@CGCcomics.com . Thank you for your time and do remember — we couldn’t do this column without the steady efforts of our friend, Gemma Adel. Be good to yourself and be CGC-ing you!

 

 

 

[BradleyX2]

BTW, besides all the cool scans of high-grade books, there's alot of neat info Michael dispenses in these reports in case you want to read them as well.

[MutantKeys]

[nearmint]

Love that Larson Action #14.

[Boozad]

Batman #3 9.4

[DrWatson]

I wish one of my books would make the Gallery.