Why do we value 1st appearances so much??

[slym2none]

What is interesting is the very substantial drop off in value for the 2nd appearance.

No love for the 2nd appearance it seems.

 

Hulk 181 being the exception.

 

And Uncanny 266.

 

 

 

 

-slym

[slym2none]

It is just like in my classroom when students complain about butting in line. First in line, first place, first appearance, and the list goes one. Being first is something special.

 

Yeah, look at all the insufficiently_thoughtful_persons on Youtube who have to have the first comment, with nothing more being said than the word "first".

 

 

 

-slym

[jaydam45]

I think it is because a 1st of anything that is enjoyable or memorable such as a favored character has unseen value to the collector and that value gets capitalized on by the investor and the mess runs down hill . Its actually very simple and basic.

[Norrin's lawyer]

For me personally, it is somewhat obsessive, but if there is a character I love,... such as the Surfer, the fact that FF48 is where he was "born" endears that book to me. As with any other character, major or minor, hero or villain, if I like them, their first appearance book is a special one. I have witnessed the beginning.

[oakman29]

For me personally, it is somewhat obsessive, but if there is a character I love,... such as the Surfer, the fact that FF48 is where he was "born" endears that book to me. As with any other character, major or minor, hero or villain, if I like them, their first appearance book is a special one. I have witnessed the beginning.

 

Well said.

[comicartfan]

It is just like in my classroom when students complain about butting in line. First in line, first place, first appearance, and the list goes one. Being first is something special.

 

 

This is exactly what I was thinking too. No one wants to be #2 in ANYTHING.

[kav]

Cap #1wasthefirst#1CapwasinsothatmakesitvaluabletoCapfansandotherfanstoo.

[Ebel 1911]

For me personally, it is somewhat obsessive, but if there is a character I love,... such as the Surfer, the fact that FF48 is where he was "born" endears that book to me. As with any other character, major or minor, hero or villain, if I like them, their first appearance book is a special one. I have witnessed the beginning.

 

Well said.

 

+1

[valiantman]

Why do we value 1st appearances so much??

Why do we celebrate our birthday and not the second day after we were born?

 

 

Wait a minute... I think we might have something here...

 

Previews and advertisements are like an ultrasound. They don't count as birth, even if they are you and look just like you.

 

The 1st appearance is the same as birthday.

If you were born in the morning and everyone sees you and celebrates your birth on that 1st day, that's definitely your first appearance (Action #1).

but...

if you were born near at the very end of the day (Hulk #180), that's basically a cameo because it wasn't until the 2nd day that everyone got to really "get to know" you during your first full appearance (Hulk #181).

 

[jaeldubyoo]

Why do we value 1st appearances so much??

but...

if you were born near at the very end of the day (Hulk #180), that's basically a cameo because it wasn't until the 2nd day that everyone got to really "get to know" you during your first full appearance (Hulk #181).

 

 

So do you celebrate one's "this is really not your birthday, but I didn't see you until the next day, so we're gonna celebrate this day instead."? Your real birthday is just a cameo day? What about the people who saw you a few days later? Weeks? Months? etc.

[valiantman]

Why do we value 1st appearances so much??

but...

if you were born near at the very end of the day (Hulk #180), that's basically a cameo because it wasn't until the 2nd day that everyone got to really "get to know" you during your first full appearance (Hulk #181).

 

 

So do you celebrate one's "this is really not your birthday, but I didn't see you until the next day, so we're gonna celebrate this day instead."? Your real birthday is just a cameo day? What about the people who saw you a few days later? Weeks? Months? etc.

Birthdays are definitely celebrated the whole day even if you were born near midnight... but that's like celebrating the whole issue of Hulk #180, knowing there's only one page at the very end that matters.

 

It's easy to see why some collectors prefer to celebrate Hulk #181 as the first "full day of" Wolverine, when you imagine that Wolverine was born right before midnight in Hulk #180.

[Fan Boy]

That subject in discussions are good and interesting. I can see the point when the first appearances is applied on coin collecting... I do collect them sometimes time to time. But for me from what I understand in my view. It is scarce what brings prices high in coins. The fewer in number the more rarer it becomes, and thus is where its value is high. This is the world of coin collecting.

 

Now, let's say about Hulk 181 and this series in run. Yes, the # 181 is considered Wolverine's first full appearance. And yes, it does push the value higher than others in the series run. But... What about the Hulk himself? He made his first appearance in the first #1 issue, and therefore the value is still lot higher than #181.

 

How many copies left on Incredible Hulk #1?

 

How many copies left on Incredible Hulk #181?

 

It all come down to scarce and demand in numbers. It is funny when we see a Hulk # 181 in 9.8 grade, we go like "ooh". But what about a Hulk # 1 in 9.6 or 9.8 ? Do we say "ooh" greater? The #181 is more plentiful in higher grades than the # 1 in higher grades.

 

I think it is the first appearances that affects the values more, as far where our thoughts are going.

[NewWorldOrder]

I would much rather have and pay top dollar for a Silver Surfer 1 or 4 then a FF 48 since I love those two books. I of course seek out FF 48 since they command big bucks but I've always wondered why people care so much about 1st appearance they will debate for hours over Hulk 180/181.

 

Well then why would you use ASM 1 as your example then since ASM #1 is a terrible cover.

 

Most often a character's first appearance or 1st issue the artist puts his most classic work into full effect adding to the character's first view desirability to the consumer.

 

AF 15 cover is a classic piece of art.

[eastriver]

Sad but true:

 

Personally, I value the first appearance or #1 most because others do.... meaning because others put a higher monetary value on them.

 

In this stage of my collecting I personally value great covers the most. I appreciate a great cover more than anything else purely as someone who appreciates pop art.

 

I think ASM1 is a cover. I personally love the cover art on ASM 33, but I rather keep the ASM 1 in my collection over the ASM 33. I hate that, but its true.

 

I love DD 55 based on the artistic value of its cover. DD1's cover looks ridiculously childish to me, yet Im taking the DD1 over the 55.

 

 

 

 

 

[revat]

Why do we value 1st appearances so much??

but...

if you were born near at the very end of the day (Hulk #180), that's basically a cameo because it wasn't until the 2nd day that everyone got to really "get to know" you during your first full appearance (Hulk #181).

 

 

So do you celebrate one's "this is really not your birthday, but I didn't see you until the next day, so we're gonna celebrate this day instead."? Your real birthday is just a cameo day? What about the people who saw you a few days later? Weeks? Months? etc.

 

 

I would say its more like starting to crown at 11:59pm (or a bit earlier). Someone saw a part of you that day, but you weren't born yet til sometime after 12am.

 

And with Doomsday, there were complications, and we were looking at his arm for a few full days before he was finally born, much to the relief of all.

[rjrjr]

1st appearances are almost strictly a super-hero comic concern or rather a concern for those who follow continuous stories. You can lump Walking Dead and other ongoing Image creator-owned titles in here as well. The over-the-top, heavy emphasis on 1st appearances also seems to be a current trend in comic collecting. I will go out on a limb here and say that there has been an influx of speculators who have helped propel 1st appearances to a level unseen in comic collecting history. They don't care about the stories and art (otherwise why would IH 271 be worth so much or even a book like Marvel Super-Heroes #18?) so much as the value of the book. Because this area of comic collecting is "hot" it draws the attention and money of collectors who might otherwise not care. There are a ton of people who have jumped on this bandwagon chasing the next "hot" character from the big 2.

 

But, there are a large number of collectors who don't care about 1st appearances as much as how cool a cover is or the story inside or who did the art. Some of those collectors collect horror, sci-fi, etc. from the bygone eras of the Age, Silver, and Coppy Ages. I don't think EC collectors for example care about 1st appearances. Or Bernie Wrightson collectors. Yet those comics are valuable. Some collect superhero titles like those who collect Neal Adam's Batman or Superman issues. Not all 1st appearances, but valuable. There are also collectors who collect the rare and unusual.

 

I fall into this other camp of collectors and couldn't be happier with today's market. There are so many cool comics that are being overlooked while the masses chase mostly the big 2 1st appearances driving those issues into the stratosphere. Pacific and Eclipse horror titles. Characters who have fallen out of favor like Groo, Rocketeer, Madman, etc. Issues in superhero titles that don't have a 1st appearance but are cool regardless. For those collectors, this is a pretty nice time to be collecting.

[Arkham]

1st appearances are almost strictly a super-hero comic concern or rather a concern for those who follow continuous stories. You can lump Walking Dead and other ongoing Image creator-owned titles in here as well. The over-the-top, heavy emphasis on 1st appearances also seems to be a current trend in comic collecting. I will go out on a limb here and say that there has been an influx of speculators who have helped propel 1st appearances to a level unseen in comic collecting history. They don't care about the stories and art (otherwise why would IH 271 be worth so much or even a book like Marvel Super-Heroes #18?) so much as the value of the book. Because this area of comic collecting is "hot" it draws the attention and money of collectors who might otherwise not care. There are a ton of people who have jumped on this bandwagon chasing the next "hot" character from the big 2.

 

But, there are a large number of collectors who don't care about 1st appearances as much as how cool a cover is or the story inside or who did the art. Some of those collectors collect horror, sci-fi, etc. from the bygone eras of the Age, Silver, and Coppy Ages. I don't think EC collectors for example care about 1st appearances. Or Bernie Wrightson collectors. Yet those comics are valuable. Some collect superhero titles like those who collect Neal Adam's Batman or Superman issues. Not all 1st appearances, but valuable. There are also collectors who collect the rare and unusual.

 

I fall into this other camp of collectors and couldn't be happier with today's market. There are so many cool comics that are being overlooked while the masses chase mostly the big 2 1st appearances driving those issues into the stratosphere. Pacific and Eclipse horror titles. Characters who have fallen out of favor like Groo, Rocketeer, Madman, etc. Issues in superhero titles that don't have a 1st appearance but are cool regardless. For those collectors, this is a pretty nice time to be collecting.

 

Great post! I collect first appearances (mainly of characters I dig) and classic covers (with a focus on Neal Adams covers). Sometimes I am able to knock both categories with one hit, for example ToD #1 or Tec #400...

 

----

 

I really don't get this ongoing debate about IH180 vs IH181... It's really, really straight forward:

 

In terms of value, the market is more interested in IH181 as it is a full-story featuring Wolverine and he is prominently featured on the cover.

 

However, a first appearance is characterised (ha!) by the character being unmistakable in the book... As in, the character is clearly depicted and named.

 

If they are not named, not clearly depicted etc, then I think it is up for debate to a certain extent. But if they are unmistakable (clearly depicted and clearly named), then whether that is a cameo or not, it is the true first appearance/first time they have appeared in a comic.

 

There's no "crowning", no 23:59 hrs birth to it... It is perfectly OK to prefer IH181 and have that as your grail etc etc, but I feel quite strongly that, regardless of the market dollar value associated with IH180 vs IH181, people shouldn't undermine or deny the complete and total clarity of this first appearance:

 

 

 

 

 

[jaydam45]

Yea..that last paner certainly is "wolverines 1st full appearance" by shear comon sense olone! But the powers that be (including cgc) say otherwise..Didnt you know they are the absolute law? You do not dare question what they say...unless your looking for a spanking by the entire comic community .

[Arkham]

Gotta take what you can get I suppose....

[Aweandlorder]

Why do we value 1st appearances so much??

 

because we know a low print variant 2nd print is on the way