SHOWCASE #9 What a great deal if I had 12k sitting around

[Forbush-Man]

2005 Overstreet Top 20 Silver Age Books:

 

1) Amazing Fantasy # 15

2) Showcase # 4

3) Fantastic Four # 1

4) Amazing Spider-Man # 1

5) Incredible Hulk # 1

6) Showcase # 8

7) X-Men # 1

8) Showcase # 9 (Lois Lane)

9) Journey into Mystery # 83

10) Flash # 105

11) Tales of Suspense # 39

12) Brave & Bold # 28

13) Adventure Comics # 247

14) Justice League # 1

15) Showcase # 22 (Green Lantern)

16) Showcase # 14 (Falsh)

17) Fantastic Four # 5 (Dr. Doom)

18) Green lantern # 1

19) Fantastic Four # 2

20) Tales to Astonish # 27 (Antman)

 

Interesting note from the above: FF # 5 has a higher placing than FF # 2 & is significant because of the villan.......no other top 20 Silver Age can say that.

 

Richie Rich didn't make the cut.

[adamstrange]

In an alternate universe Strange Adventures 9 might trump Showcase 4 as the true dawn of the SA, but not in our universe. No one cares about Capt Comet, and the fact that he appeared in 1951, which led to absolutely nothing revolutionary happening in 1952, 1953 and 1954, indicates that he was the precursor of... nothing.

 

No SA 9, no Space Cabbie.

 

Worse, no Adam Strange

[Forbush-Man]

In an alternate universe Strange Adventures 9 might trump Showcase 4 as the true dawn of the SA, but not in our universe. No one cares about Capt Comet, and the fact that he appeared in 1951, which led to absolutely nothing revolutionary happening in 1952, 1953 and 1954, indicates that he was the precursor of... nothing.

 

No SA 9, no Space Cabbie.

 

Worse, no Adam Strange

 

Come on, Adam......it's got Capt. Comet!!!

[supapimp]

1979 Overstreet Price Guide Top 20 Silver Age titles:

 

1) Fantastic Four

2) Showcase

3) Amazing Spider-Man

4) Flash

5) Brave & Bold

6) Tales to Astonish & The Hulk

7) Journey into Mystery & Thor

8) Jimmy Olsen

9) Lois Lane

10) The Avengers

11) Green Lantern

12) Challengers of the Unknown

13) Tales of Suspense & Iron Man

14) Justice League

15) Strange Tales & Capt. America

16) Richie Rich

17) My Greatest Adventure & Doom Patrol

18) X-Men

19) Conan

20) Daredevil

 

Of course these are for "Titles" and not specific issues. Just shows how much collector interest has changed in the last 36 years.

 

16) Richie Rich ?!?

 

no AF 15!?!

[Forbush-Man]

Supa, this was a list of "Top 20 Titles" and not specific issues.

 

Overstreet didn't list specific books at the time.

[Forbush-Man]

I wish they HAD listed individual books: would make it all the more interesting!

[adamstrange]

In an alternate universe Strange Adventures 9 might trump Showcase 4 as the true dawn of the SA, but not in our universe. No one cares about Capt Comet, and the fact that he appeared in 1951, which led to absolutely nothing revolutionary happening in 1952, 1953 and 1954, indicates that he was the precursor of... nothing.

 

No SA 9, no Space Cabbie.

 

Worse, no Adam Strange

 

Come on, Adam......it's got Capt. Comet!!!

 

This was the point that I was responding to: " indicates that he was the precursor of... nothing." Neither Space Cabbie nor Adam Strange started in SA 9, but they could have been inspired by it. Or not.

 

Now, that it's explained

[tth2]

I think that to many collectors, our views on Adventure 247 being a nice book or important in some way will be seen as equally outdated. Times have moved on and honestly, who gives a fig about the Legion these days, apart from (near) middle aged farts like us.

If that`s the sole basis for your analysis, then 3/4 of the "new wave" of SA DC are irrelevant today. Among youngsters today, who cares about Atom, Hawkman and Aquaman? Or Adam Strange, Metal Men, Rip Hunter, etc. etc. etc. And the Flash that they know isn`t even Barry Allen!

 

The point is that I think a long run counts for a lot, even if the run doesn`t make it up into current times. The Legion had that.

[tth2]

Flash 123. How could I forget that. To me, this has to be one of the most important SA DC keys. It may have no new characters, but when you think of how entrenched the DCU became for the next 20+ years with the different Earths, this really is a major book. I certainly think this is more important than the Adventure.

Definitely a Top 10 book, but wouldn`t make it into my Top 5. Very important concept was introduced, which served as the basis for many of my favorite DC stories, but as you say, no new characters were introduced, which knocks it down a few pegs in my opinion.

[tth2]

Detective Comics # 255, first Martian Manhunter (11/55) should be in here somewhere. Once upon a time it was in the running, and considered by many, as the start of the DC Silver Age. DC's just don't get the respect they deserve!

The issue you`re referring to is #225, and Gary did mention it. I also dismissed it because it`s technically not a SA book, since it pre-dated Showcase #4.

[tth2]

No SA 9, ... no Adam Strange

[adamstrange]

No SA 9, ... no Adam Strange

 

Go ahead, collect men in tights.

 

I've got Alanna.

[Aman619]

in your dreams you do. Only in your dreams!

[Aman619]

I think that to many collectors, our views on Adventure 247 being a nice book or important in some way will be seen as equally outdated. Times have moved on and honestly, who gives a fig about the Legion these days, apart from (near) middle aged farts like us.

If that`s the sole basis for your analysis, then 3/4 of the "new wave" of SA DC are irrelevant today. Among youngsters today, who cares about Atom, Hawkman and Aquaman? Or Adam Strange, Metal Men, Rip Hunter, etc. etc. etc. And the Flash that they know isn`t even Barry Allen!

 

The point is that I think a long run counts for a lot, even if the run doesn`t make it up into current times. The Legion had that.

 

 

well, now that you asked:

Atom.......irrelevant

Hawkman.......irrelevant

Aquaman.......irrelevant

Adam Strange.......irrelevant

Metal Men.......irrelevant

Rip Hunter.......TOTALLY irrelevant

 

Sadly TTH2, all these heroes are just hanging on in continuity by a thread...

[JohnBull]

If that`s the sole basis for your analysis...

 

Nice try, but you know it wasn't!

[Forbush-Man]

I think that to many collectors, our views on Adventure 247 being a nice book or important in some way will be seen as equally outdated. Times have moved on and honestly, who gives a fig about the Legion these days, apart from (near) middle aged farts like us.

If that`s the sole basis for your analysis, then 3/4 of the "new wave" of SA DC are irrelevant today. Among youngsters today, who cares about Atom, Hawkman and Aquaman? Or Adam Strange, Metal Men, Rip Hunter, etc. etc. etc. And the Flash that they know isn`t even Barry Allen!

 

The point is that I think a long run counts for a lot, even if the run doesn`t make it up into current times. The Legion had that.

 

 

well, now that you asked:

Atom.......irrelevant

Hawkman.......irrelevant

Aquaman.......irrelevant

Adam Strange.......irrelevant

Metal Men.......irrelevant

Rip Hunter.......TOTALLY irrelevant

 

Sadly TTH2, all these heroes are just hanging on in continuity by a thread...

 

...and Krypto, The Super-Dog ?!?

 

 

Okay,....I was just fishing......

[tth2]

well, now that you asked:

Atom.......irrelevant

Hawkman.......irrelevant

Aquaman.......irrelevant

Adam Strange.......irrelevant

Metal Men.......irrelevant

Rip Hunter.......TOTALLY irrelevant

 

Sadly TTH2, all these heroes are just hanging on in continuity by a thread...

Then why won't the darned prices go down for these books? Don't sophisticated collectors understand the youth of today don't care about these books and they're only destined to decline in value? I got outbid for the PC Showcase 40 in the recent Heritage auction. Why does anyone care about the 4th appearance of the Metal Men?

[tth2]

If that`s the sole basis for your analysis...

 

Nice try, but you know it wasn't!

You've seen through all of my lawyer tricks!

[Silver]

I have a very near complete Legion collection (to current date no less!). I am only missing the 247, the Action 276, and a couple of minor/cameo appearances. I think the 247 is important as a SA book BECAUSE it has such a loyal following and has survived in one form or another for basicaly 42 years (starting with their regular appearances in Adventure Comics 300) ...

 

It is arguably in the top 5 DC SA books. Showcase 4, 22 and BB 28 are cetainly more important. I rank the Adventure 247 in the same group as like Detective 225, Action 252, etc. It's really hard to rank it compared to Lois Lane 1, Jimmy 1, BB 34, Showcase 6, MIS 53, etc, etc. Each persons list is going to be biased. I think those top 3 I named are pretty indisputable, after that there is like a next 20 you could put in any order, that is where I think the Adventure 247 is ...

[JohnBull]

well, now that you asked:

Atom.......irrelevant

Hawkman.......irrelevant

Aquaman.......irrelevant

Adam Strange.......irrelevant

Metal Men.......irrelevant

Rip Hunter.......TOTALLY irrelevant

 

Sadly TTH2, all these heroes are just hanging on in continuity by a thread...

Then why won't the darned prices go down for these books? Don't sophisticated collectors understand the youth of today don't care about these books and they're only destined to decline in value? I got outbid for the PC Showcase 40 in the recent Heritage auction. Why does anyone care about the 4th appearance of the Metal Men?

 

Don't worry. Give it 10 or 20 years and then pick it up. Alternatively, you might start trying to buy these in about 3.5 - probably get them for $5 to $10