When Did Comic Cover Signatures Become the Standard? 1 1

[XxSpideyxX]

I was looking at some of my favorite ASM Romita covers the other day, and I realized Romita didn't sign his name on a cover until 24 issues into his run with ASM 62.    He didn't even sign the classic ASM 50!  In fact, I am wondering is ASM 62 is the very first artist signature to appear on a Spidey comic as I don't think Ditko ever signed a cover either.  Oddly enough, Romita's signature again disappears before showing up a bit more regularly with the classic Mysterio cover to ASM 66, but even then it is sporadic in the run.

Does anyone know the story behind cover signatures? I wonder who was the first to start doing this and when it finally became a cover staple?

 

 

[HighVoltage]

Pretty sure Ditko signed the cover of ASM #2...

[XxSpideyxX]

Oh wow!  Never noticed that before!  Ditko’s signature is somewhat worked into the drawing itself, unlike Romita.  

[Math Teacher]

I always enjoyed trying to find Romita's signature. Some were easy to find, like ASM #62 pictured above. Others, like ASM #76, #81, and #84 required some searching.

As to the question asked by the OP, Charles Biro signed a LOT of covers in the Golden Age.

 

[Crimebuster]

On 8/7/2021 at 1:19 PM, Math Teacher said:

As to the question asked by the OP, Charles Biro signed a LOT of covers in the Golden Age.

 

From what I've read, that includes some he didn't even draw!

[The lips]

That ASM 62 was the first Romita cover I bought. It’s a stone wall classic imo. 

[Larryw7]

Bob Kane is another one who constantly signed covers he didn't draw.

[Primetime]

On 8/6/2021 at 8:11 AM, HighVoltage said:

Pretty sure Ditko signed the cover of ASM #2...

The only Spidey Ditko signed covers that are shown up to print are #2, #3, and #9. Most artists signed the original art to the covers but often after sizing and printing, signatures were cut off and not shown in the final product. Schomburg had all his covers signed in the golden age but some covers had his sig cut off. 

[Primetime]

On 8/8/2021 at 3:29 PM, Larryw7 said:

Bob Kane is another one who constantly signed covers he didn't draw.

He can thank Shelley Moldoff