Top 40 Copper in Overstreet

[AlexanderM]

New Mutants 100?

[RockMyAmadeus]

Warrior #1 (No. It's a UK published book, and while very important to MM, and a much beloved personal favorite, it doesn't have a spot here.)

 

You forgot to say why.

 

It's the first appearance of V For Vendetta--a perennial-classic graphic novel and a movie that both did well and persists in public awareness--and the first appearance of the modern version of a seminal character in superhero comics who has now been given high-profile treatment by Marvel Comics and whose collections by Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman will be on shelves for decades.

 

These TWO characters are better known than just about any other first-appearance character on that list...and they BOTH had their first appearance in the same issue. Awareness of this issue and its importance has grown gradually and continues to.

 

Not too many copper books more important and influential than this one.

 

No, didn't forget any of that. Again, however...it's not important and influential, mainly because both the strips were reprinted for American audiences in comic book format. The fact that it is a UK publication AND in magazine format seriously devalues the book in the eyes of collectors (see Hulk #271.)

 

Ask 100 comic book fans where V for Vendetta first appeared, and you're likely to get 97 answers of "V #1"...if they even know.

 

Plus, it's not *really* the first appearance of MM. Whenever you have to start explaining and qualifying, the point is already lost.

 

That's not to diminish either character or strip; they're both groundbreaking and worthy of inclusion, among the best work produced in that, or any, era...but Warrior #1 has too many hurdles to overcome for this list.

[JTLarsen]

Warrior #1 (No. It's a UK published book, and while very important to MM, and a much beloved personal favorite, it doesn't have a spot here.)

 

You forgot to say why.

 

It's the first appearance of V For Vendetta--a perennial-classic graphic novel and a movie that both did well and persists in public awareness--and the first appearance of the modern version of a seminal character in superhero comics who has now been given high-profile treatment by Marvel Comics and whose collections by Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman will be on shelves for decades.

 

These TWO characters are better known than just about any other first-appearance character on that list...and they BOTH had their first appearance in the same issue. Awareness of this issue and its importance has grown gradually and continues to.

 

Not too many copper books more important and influential than this one.

 

No, didn't forget any of that. Again, however...it's not important and influential, mainly because both the strips were reprinted for American audiences in comic book format. The fact that it is a UK publication AND in magazine format seriously devalues the book in the eyes of collectors (see Hulk #271.)

 

Ask 100 comic book fans where V for Vendetta first appeared, and you're likely to get 97 answers of "V #1"...if they even know.

 

Plus, it's not *really* the first appearance of MM. Whenever you have to start explaining and qualifying, the point is already lost.

 

That's not to diminish either character or strip; they're both groundbreaking and worthy of inclusion, among the best work produced in that, or any, era...but Warrior #1 has too many hurdles to overcome for this list.

 

I didn't think we were talking value, were we? I thought we were talking importance and historical impact. Warrior 1 isn't even listed in Overstreet. Yet. But awareness of this book is growing and while it's not in triple digits, it already gets about ten times what it did just a few years ago.

 

You might not like the format or country of origin, but it hasn't been devalued over time, it's increased in value, awareness and interest.

 

Just wait til he joins the Marvel Universe.

[RockMyAmadeus]

Warrior #1 (No. It's a UK published book, and while very important to MM, and a much beloved personal favorite, it doesn't have a spot here.)

 

You forgot to say why.

 

It's the first appearance of V For Vendetta--a perennial-classic graphic novel and a movie that both did well and persists in public awareness--and the first appearance of the modern version of a seminal character in superhero comics who has now been given high-profile treatment by Marvel Comics and whose collections by Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman will be on shelves for decades.

 

These TWO characters are better known than just about any other first-appearance character on that list...and they BOTH had their first appearance in the same issue. Awareness of this issue and its importance has grown gradually and continues to.

 

Not too many copper books more important and influential than this one.

 

No, didn't forget any of that. Again, however...it's not important and influential, mainly because both the strips were reprinted for American audiences in comic book format. The fact that it is a UK publication AND in magazine format seriously devalues the book in the eyes of collectors (see Hulk #271.)

 

Ask 100 comic book fans where V for Vendetta first appeared, and you're likely to get 97 answers of "V #1"...if they even know.

 

Plus, it's not *really* the first appearance of MM. Whenever you have to start explaining and qualifying, the point is already lost.

 

That's not to diminish either character or strip; they're both groundbreaking and worthy of inclusion, among the best work produced in that, or any, era...but Warrior #1 has too many hurdles to overcome for this list.

 

I didn't think we were talking value, were we? I thought we were talking importance and historical impact. Warrior 1 isn't even listed in Overstreet. Yet. But awareness of this book is growing and while it's not in triple digits, it already gets about ten times what it did just a few years ago.

 

You might not like the format or country of origin, but it hasn't been devalued over time, it's increased in value, awareness and interest.

 

Just wait til he joins the Marvel Universe.

 

Whether I like or dislike the format or country of origin has nothing to do with my reasoning. And no, we aren't talking about value.

 

The discussion was "keys", and that was defined by the OP as "significance to collectors of the Copper Age." To that end, unfortunately, despite the fact that the book has gotten a higher profile in the last few years, the hurdles it has (magazine format, UK book) limit its appeal broadly.

 

It is, historically, why UK only books (Captain Marvel #1, #8, 2000 AD #2, the various Death's Head books) have not done nearly as well as their US counterparts.

 

This has been shown, handily, in the Marvel Preview #7/Hulk #271 situation. If not for the fact that MP #7 is decidedly rarer than Hulk #271, MP wouldn't be worth anywhere near what Hulk #271 is, even though Hulk #271 is RR's second appearance.

 

And, since V and MM was reprinted in a more familiar format down the road, MM #1 and V #1 have gotten the lion's share of the perception of historical importance. How many people who are fans of MM are even aware that it was originally printed (up to issue 6) in a UK Mag a few years earlier? The truth is, when people think of "1st Miracleman", invariably the thought goes to Eclipse's MM #1, even though that's not correct.

 

Of course, this may change (as such things can), but at this time, Warrior #1 doesn't have the brand recognition that it needs to be included in this list. You said it yourself...Warrior isn't even listed in Overstreet. That's a pretty important criteria to being one of the "top 40 keys of the Copper Age", I would say.

 

 

[jjonahjameson1]

ASM 238 is an absolute must and a proven Top 40 Copper book. Not even sure why there's any question about it.

 

I would also add Howard Chaykin's Black Kiss. To me, that was the 1st comic book I had to show ID to purchase. I also think it was one of the first, if not the very first polybagged comics.