Just back from CGC: Pre-hero Marvel Journey Into Mystery #62 (Hulk prototype)

[RushComics]

[g-man]

6.0?

[Bonds25]

Cool comic!

[Aces]

6.0?

 

Either that or 8.0...

 

Not Green or Grey?

 

These "proto-type" issues are rip-offs.

Most aren't even close to the real thing.

[Mister_Comics]

Thats some nice book!

Someday I got ta figure out how to post scans here. I've got hundreds of these old monster comics I'd like to show. I love the old horror comics.

[RushComics]

Forgot to tell you the grade.. sorry about that!

 

[RushComics]

6.0?

 

Either that or 8.0...

 

Not Green or Grey?

 

These "proto-type" issues are rip-offs.

Most aren't even close to the real thing.

 

I think they're totally cool!

 

I also have a copy of Journey Into Mystery with the Sorcerer (Doctor Strange prototype), Tales to Astonish with Metallo (Iron Man prototype) and Strange Tales #97, which had "Aunt May and Uncle Ben," (spoiler warning!) who looked exactly like Pete's aunt and uncle but were the aunt and uncle of a handicapped girl who turned out to be a mermaid at the end of the story.

 

Charlie

[Aces]

6.0?

 

Either that or 8.0...

 

Not Green or Grey?

 

These "proto-type" issues are rip-offs.

Most aren't even close to the real thing.

 

I think they're totally cool!

 

I also have a copy of Journey Into Mystery with the Sorcerer (Doctor Strange prototype), Tales to Astonish with Metallo (Iron Man prototype) and Strange Tales #97, which had "Aunt May and Uncle Ben," (spoiler warning!) who looked exactly like Pete's aunt and uncle but were the aunt and uncle of a handicapped girl who turned out to be a mermaid at the end of the story.

 

Charlie

 

Great book!

Yes, they are cool.

But when people try to pass them of as the 1st apperance of Aunt May or something and try to charge huge $$$ for them, that's what I call a rip-off.

Not the books, but some people trying to cash in selling them.

[rjpb]

Beautiful book! I've always wanted that JIM. Ditko inks on Kirby pencils, a killer combination!

[drbanner]

Is this the issue with the "variant" 12-cent cover where some copies have the 10-cent price blacked out??

[RushComics]

6.0?

 

Either that or 8.0...

 

Not Green or Grey?

 

These "proto-type" issues are rip-offs.

Most aren't even close to the real thing.

 

I think they're totally cool!

 

I also have a copy of Journey Into Mystery with the Sorcerer (Doctor Strange prototype), Tales to Astonish with Metallo (Iron Man prototype) and Strange Tales #97, which had "Aunt May and Uncle Ben," (spoiler warning!) who looked exactly like Pete's aunt and uncle but were the aunt and uncle of a handicapped girl who turned out to be a mermaid at the end of the story.

 

Charlie

 

Great book!

Yes, they are cool.

But when people try to pass them of as the 1st apperance of Aunt May or something and try to charge huge $$$ for them, that's what I call a rip-off.

Not the books, but some people trying to cash in selling them.

 

 

 

Why didn't anyone think of this before?

 

Note to the folks at Marvel: Here's how you can make some nice $$

 

First, go to auctions, comic shops, basically any back-issue outlet you can and buy up copies of Strange Tales # 97.

 

Then, publish a story in an issue of Amazing Spider-man where Aunt May starts talking about the girl who she and Uncle Ben used to care for before Peter's parents died. Then have the girl (who happens to be a mermaid) show up in the story line!

 

That would put Strange Tales # 97 in the official Spider-man canon and ensure the book would shoot up in value!

 

[DDPGambit]

 

Note to the folks at Marvel: Here's how you can make some nice $$

 

First, go to auctions, comic shops, basically any back-issue outlet you can and buy up copies of Strange Tales # 97.

 

Then, publish a story in an issue of Amazing Spider-man where Aunt May starts talking about the girl who she and Uncle Ben used to care for before Peter's parents died. Then have the girl (who happens to be a mermaid) show up in the story line!

 

That would put Strange Tales # 97 in the official Spider-man canon and ensure the book would shoot up in value!

 

 

Note to self: Become writer on a Spider-Man title, follow above diagram for quick and easy money.

[Fan4Fan]

If Roy Thomas were still in editorial at Marvel, I am sure that this would come to pass.

 

Thanks,

Fan4Fan

[supapimp]

Is this the issue with the "variant" 12-cent cover where some copies have the 10-cent price blacked out??

 

no that's JIM 76

[ft88]

I always thought and still think this is the first appearance of Aunt May and Uncle Ben. Other than no Peter Parker and a goofy story it is their first appearance.

 

1. They look like later appearances of Uncle Ben and Aunt May

2. Drawn by Steve Ditko

3. Specifically referred to as Aunt May and Uncle Ben and not May and Ben

4. Aunt May is a dotting aunt (complete with milk and cookies on tray) while Uncle Ben is the gentle caring father figure in the background.

5. Strange Tales came out just 3 months prior to AF15.

 

Without an actual Peter Parker appearance how else could this be a true first appearance? If these two turned out to be aliens in costume, alright, its not a first appearance. If they were two young lovers named Aunt May and Uncle Ben, then its not a first appearance. But this issue is the first appearance of these two characters no ifs ands or buts.

 

I will buy any issue of this for guide plus 20% in any grade.

 

Of all the prototype issues, this is the only one that doesn't have some half- costume or trick that isn't even close. I am specifically thinking of the Man-Spider issue or this "Hulk" issue (nice book by the way). If you believe this is not a first appearance no big deal but to sell this book as a first appearance is by no means fraud.

[FFB]

 

I always thought and still think this is the first appearance of Aunt May and Uncle Ben. Other than no Peter Parker and a goofy story it is their first appearance.

 

1. They look like later appearances of Uncle Ben and Aunt May

2. Drawn by Steve Ditko

3. Specifically referred to as Aunt May and Uncle Ben and not May and Ben

4. Aunt May is a dotting aunt (complete with milk and cookies on tray) while Uncle Ben is the gentle caring father figure in the background.

5. Strange Tales came out just 3 months prior to AF15.

 

Without an actual Peter Parker appearance how else could this be a true first appearance? If these two turned out to be aliens in costume, alright, its not a first appearance. If they were two young lovers named Aunt May and Uncle Ben, then its not a first appearance. But this issue is the first appearance of these two characters no ifs ands or buts.

 

I will buy any issue of this for guide plus 20% in any grade.

 

Of all the prototype issues, this is the only one that doesn't have some half- costume or trick that isn't even close. I am specifically thinking of the Man-Spider issue or this "Hulk" issue (nice book by the way). If you believe this is not a first appearance no big deal but to sell this book as a first appearance is by no means fraud.

[Aces]

I hope I didn't come accross as a pre-hero Marvel hater cause I'm not.

[ft88]

Not at all, but it came across as strong to suggest that someone selling ST 97 as the first appearance of Aunt May and Uncle Ben was somehow being devious. I believe it is a first appearance and do nothing wrong in stating so even without qualifiers.

 

Ed

[RushComics]

 

Not that I've seen every ad, or even nearly, but I've never seen these books advertised as anything other than "prototype," which I think is perfectly fair and not at all misleading.

 

Take, for example, the ad for the very Journey Into Mystery # 62 I originally posted, in the link to my auctions below. :-)

[jbud73]

I love the prototype issues, its cool to see a little bit of history as writers and artists introduced characters that would be refined later and become cornerstones of the culture. The Hulk is a weak care, Aunt May and Uncle Ben are a bit stronger. I love buying these things in Low Grade to read.