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Are 1st Silver Age appearances still a thing?

Started by Gatsby77,

18 posts in this topic

Gatsby77

Gatsby77

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I'm looking to hear from some dealers whether the "first SA appearance" of heroes that were around in the Golden Age are still in demand.

 

I came of age in the early 1990s when a few of the "first Silver Age" appearances first took off.

 

These included the Batman villains, like Lois Lane 70, Batman 155, and Batman 171 -- but also books like Brave & Bold 34, Avengers 4, FF 4 & the like. (Note: not counting new characters like The Flash or Green Lantern)

 

While Captain America's probably an exception due to his movies, are these other books still keys that sell frequently? Are collectors seeking these out?

 

I'm curious, because back in 1991, many of these books were just 25 years old, and just 30 years older than many of the key Golden Age appearances.

 

But now those Silver Age books are 50 years old themselves and several characters have been retconned.

 

Do these still sell? Are they on a lot of want lists? Have they faded because only movie speculation drives the market anymore?

 

 

 

 

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Dick Pontoon

Dick Pontoon

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Strange Tales 101 (1st silver Human Torch) is always a mover I think.

 

I have a VGish copy, but I'm always trying to upgrade.

 

The first SA Human Torch is Fantastic Four #1. FF#7 was on the stands same time as ST #101.

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entalmighty1

entalmighty1

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Strange Tales 101 (1st silver Human Torch) is always a mover I think.

 

I have a VGish copy, but I'm always trying to upgrade.

 

The first SA Human Torch is Fantastic Four #1. FF#7 was on the stands same time as ST #101.

 

Learn something every day. I always thought it was the golden age torch in the Strange Tales 101-109 books, not Johnny Storm. The Fantastic Four reference on the cover makes much more sense now. :idea:

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seredynskib

seredynskib

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Strange Tales 101 (1st silver Human Torch) is always a mover I think.

 

I have a VGish copy, but I'm always trying to upgrade.

 

The first SA Human Torch is Fantastic Four #1. FF#7 was on the stands same time as ST #101.

 

Learn something every day. I always thought it was the golden age torch in the Strange Tales 101-109 books, not Johnny Storm. The Fantastic Four reference on the cover makes much more sense now. :idea:

 

The first SA appearance of the GA Human Torch is Fantastic Four Annual 4

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kimik

kimik

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The batman villains are still fairly expensive , most people including myself can't afford their first appeanrce , so first silver age much more affordable

 

+1

 

1st SA Appearances of Batvillains have been steadily moving up the past 2-3 years.

 

WRT 1st SA DC hero appearances, books like Showcase #4 (1st SA Flash) & #22 (1st SA GL), and to a lesser extend #30 (1st solo SA Aquaman), #34 (1st SA Atom), #60 (1st SA Spectre); B&B #28 (1st JLA = basically 1st SA JSA) & 34 (1st SA Hawkman); and WW #98 (1st SA Wonder Woman), to name a few, have always been noted, but they havfe been experiencing much more pronounced price gains the past 2 - 5 years.

 

FWIW, SC #4 is the grandaddy of all 1st SA appearances for Marvel or DC.

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Gatsby77

Gatsby77

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Yeah - that why I drew a dividing line between "1st SA appearance" vs. 1st appearance of a brand new character (or team). They aren't really comparable.

 

Like...there's a huge difference in importance between Showcase # 4 (first appearance of a new Flash) and Brave & Bold 34 (first SA appearance of essentially the same character from the GA).

 

or between Showcase # 22 (first entirely new Green Lantern) and Avengers 4 (first SA appearance of the same character from the GA).

 

I consider Showcase 4, 22, and even Brave & Bold 28 entirely new first appearances (because the first SA appearance of the JSA is Flash # 137).

 

And Showcase 30 isn't even close to the first SA Aquaman, as he had appeared continuously in Adventure Comics. It's just a try-out book, akin to Marvel Premiere # 3 for Dr. Strange.

 

Might seem like arbitrary splitting of hairs but esp. for the Batman villains, I remember it being a big deal when folks really started seeking out books like Batman 155, 171, 189, 234 or Lois Lane 70 -- all of which featured characters basically unchanged from their GA counterparts.

 

 

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zosocane

zosocane

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And Showcase 30 isn't even close to the first SA Aquaman, as he had appeared continuously in Adventure Comics. It's just a try-out book, akin to Marvel Premiere # 3 for Dr. Strange.

 

That's generally right. Adventure 260, published nearly a year before SC 30, is the first SA Aquaman, and contains material changes to the character's orgin. SC 30 is a book-length retelling of the rebooted origin story in Adventure 260, featuring similar panel layouts as those initially drawn in Adv 260.

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AMightyEsquilax

AMightyEsquilax

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how about Avengers 57 - 1st SA Vision?

 

Feels like that's not a genuine "first Silver Age" in the way I think OP means it. Avengers 57 is the first appearance of the Silver Age Vision, who is distinctly different from the Golden Age Vision. This would be kind of like saying "Showcase 22 is the first appearance of the SA Green Lantern." While that's completely and technically true, I don't think anyone would ever say that about it, because it sort of muddles the distinction between him and Alan Scott. That is, you could say "Showcase 22 is the first appearance of the Green Lantern" and you'd be right, in regards to Hal Jordan.

 

This is in contrast to things like Batman 234, the first appearance of Two-Face in the SA who is the same character as the Two-Face in the GA. Maybe I'm just rambling.

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Ken Aldred

Ken Aldred

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Our Army At War 83, first Sgt Rock?

 

If I'm not mistaken, the OP is referring to SA first appearances of characters that were present in the GA. And Sgt. Rock was not a character created in the GA.

 

 

You're right. doh!

 

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