What Issue Is Considered the First Dr. Strange Cover?

[BizarroChuck]

I've seen it mentioned in a couple different places on the birds that Strange Tales 130 is the first Dr. Strange cover. I concede that it is his first feature cover, but certainly not his first cover appearance.

 

ST 118 - His face appears on the cover

ST 121 - Bottom 1/3 of the cover is a Dr. Strange panel

ST 122 - Full figure of Strange on the right of the cover

ST 123 - Half of the cover is Strange vs Loki

ST 125 - Face on cover

ST 126 - bottom 1/3rd is a Strange panel

ST 127 - panel on cover

ST 128 - bottom 1/3 Strange panel

 

What do you think? Does it have to be a feature to be a first cover?

 

[namisgr]

I've seen it mentioned in a couple different places on the birds that Strange Tales 130 is the first Dr. Strange cover. I concede that it is his first feature cover, but certainly not his first cover appearance.

 

ST 118 - His face appears on the cover

ST 121 - Bottom 1/3 of the cover is a Dr. Strange panel

ST 122 - Full figure of Strange on the right of the cover

ST 123 - Half of the cover is Strange vs Loki

ST 125 - Face on cover

ST 126 - bottom 1/3rd is a Strange panel

ST 127 - panel on cover

ST 128 - bottom 1/3 Strange panel

 

What do you think? Does it have to be a feature to be a first cover?

 

To me, #118 is Dr. Strange's first cover appearance, showing his face, gloved hands, and the Eye of Agammoto. Ish 121 is the first split cover to feature the good Doctor, and ish 146 is the first to feature Dr. Strange exclusively (and is doubly cool for being Ditko's last work on Dr. Strange).

[Aman619]

given the choices, with all the early ones being partial images, it has to be 118, the FIRST partial cover image. If he took over the entire cover any time a few months after 118 we could say it was the first cover , but 146 is years too late.

[rodan57]

Hoping not to cloud the issue but I would peg Dr. Strange's first full cover appearance as FF #27. It was on the newsstands in March 1964, concurrent with Strange Tales #121.

 

Grand Comics Database image

[akaSteveRogers]

Hoping not to cloud the issue but I would peg Dr. Strange's first full cover appearance as FF #27. It was on the newsstands in March 1964, concurrent with Strange Tales #121.

 

Grand Comics Database image

 

Hope this doesn't start a whole new CGC label war...

 

first full cover appearance vs first brief cover appearance vs 1st "cameo" cover appearance vs...

 

[Aman619]

the FF cover looks like a "real" full cover appearance to me… he is a major piece in the composition plus a cover blurb.

[Spiderphill]

FF21 out does ST118 by far but since his head appears on 118s cover, 118 wins.

[BizarroChuck]

I would tend to agree with spiderphil and namisgr. It's not an amazing cover, but he's still on the cover.

[gadzukes]

Hoping not to cloud the issue but I would peg Dr. Strange's first full cover appearance as FF #27. It was on the newsstands in March 1964, concurrent with Strange Tales #121.

 

Grand Comics Database image

 

Hope this doesn't start a whole new CGC label war...

 

first full cover appearance vs first brief cover appearance vs 1st "cameo" cover appearance vs...

 

 

Jeez, even on his first "full" cover he is the smallest figure in the composition. There simply isn't an amazingly cool FULL cover image of Dr Strange in his first year.

 

Even ST 130 which is a great cover, has the HUGE distraction of Ben & Johnny with Beatles hair.

[gadzukes]

I'm not too excited about ST 118 being the first Dr Strange cover appearance.

 

But, you know.... if Jackpot 4 can get so much attention with Archie's head, then sooner or later ST 118 will get the same accolades.

[AlexanderM]

I would say 118, and although I had a microsecond of will to buy it.... I really don't care about it...

 

Not that I don't care about the good Doctor.. because I do... just not that book.

[namisgr]

I would say 118, and although I had a microsecond of will to buy it.... I really don't care about it...

 

Not that I don't care about the good Doctor.. because I do... just not that book.

 

For me, ST#118 is an essential comic to collect. With Kirby art on the FF, Ditko art on Dr. Strange (arguably more imaginative than his ASM work), and Stan Lee stories on both, it's too good to be overlooked. That it has the first cover appearance of Dr. Strange in headshot is just icing on the cake.

[Iksar]

I've done some digging on this one, and I'm pretty sure the first "primary" Dr. Strange cover is Strange Tales 130. The cover blurb even calls attention to the fact the good doctor gets the showcase spot. The Torch and Thing are just the floating heads in Beatles wigs along the margin.

 

I've never heard anyone else mention this...

[pmpknface]

I'd have to say ST #118, which was out the same month as FF #24. So FF #27 was shortly afterwards.

 

I'd also like to remind people of JiM #108, obviously not 1st but significant and was out the same month as ST #124.