What Bronze Age books have CGC 'classic cover' designation on the label? 3 3

[THE_BEYONDER]

On 11/5/2021 at 12:16 AM, grendelbo said:

I'm sure there is.

Your question, what makes a classic cover, is deserving of it's own thread.

Or....

 

Just talk about it here 

[grendelbo]

On 11/4/2021 at 10:18 PM, THE_BEYONDER said:

Or....

 

Just talk about it here 

Well, a classic cover should be homage-worthy. If it hasn't been copied or parodied then it isn't so classic.

Of course, a cover becomes classic because of it's contents and significance.

And again I'll say it needs to be recognizable across the hobby. Mostly. A collector who's strictly into modern variants should be able to appreciate it's place in comicbook art. To a degree you have to be greater an aficionado the older the comic age gets.

[Morganmi]

If this isn't one. It should be. 

[grendelbo]

Take this sample from my collection. I'm pretty sure none have the "classic cover" designation, but aren't they all classics?

 

Spoiler

Except you of course Avengers Annual 10.

 

Edited November 5, 2021 by grendelbo

[OtherEric]

My copy is just a reader, but I've seen pics of this with the Classic Cover designation on the slab:

[PopKulture]

On 11/4/2021 at 11:07 PM, Doctor Dositheus said:

Even Fantastic Four 159 gets no love from CGC.

My favorite bronze age cover!!  

[grendelbo]

@ADAMANTIUM showcased one recently.

 

[PopKulture]

As others have alluded, many iconic books also sport iconic or classic covers. The distinction definitely becomes somewhat murky. Take Action 1 for instance: does anybody really think that is not a classic cover?? Of course it is. 

Batman 1 - simple and classic. Silver age Green Lantern 1 - not so much. Looking through the annals, many key books also sport classic covers, but many of them do not get noted as such. 

In my mind, an operational definition might be summed up thusly: a cover that makes a book dramatically stand out against others near it in a run, or an era, which is often desired more for its cover alone by collectors who otherwise might not collect that run or title. 

ASM 151 is a sound bronze age example. I'd argue it's the cover that drives the demand more on a book like Hulk 340 than the interior, especially now some thirty years later.  

[PopKulture]

On 11/5/2021 at 12:33 AM, grendelbo said:

@ADAMANTIUM showcased one recently.

Funny that you posted as I was typing and Hulk 340 figured as an example in each of our posts!  

[grendelbo]

 

Search engine can work on this site. Amazing.

Here's some past discussions of classic covers.

[Readcomix]

On 11/5/2021 at 1:37 AM, PopKulture said:

As others have alluded, many iconic books also sport iconic or classic covers. The distinction definitely becomes somewhat murky. Take Action 1 for instance: does anybody really think that is not a classic cover?? Of course it is. 

Batman 1 - simple and classic. Silver age Green Lantern 1 - not so much. Looking through the annals, many key books also sport classic covers, but many of them do not get noted as such. 

In my mind, an operational definition might be summed up thusly: a cover that makes a book dramatically stand out against others near it in a run, or an era, which is often desired more for its cover alone by collectors who otherwise might not collect that run or title. 

ASM 151 is a sound bronze age example. I'd argue it's the cover that drives the demand more on a book like Hulk 340 than the interior, especially now some thirty years later.  

I think Don has done a good job of capturing a working definition here. Sure there’s books with key content that happen to have classic covers (eg HOS 92, GL76, Hulk 181 etc) and there’s also books that are sought solely for that cover that has permeated the collective unconscious of collectors.

In the Bronze Age, the cover-alone bucket does seem a little light with Bats 227 and it’s Tec 31 homage on our short list of slab-designated ones, but we’ve identified a couple that could emerge and get labeled eventually - Supes 233, ASM 151, FF 159. I’d add Iron Man 100. (I didn’t mention FF 112 because the Hulk-Thing slugfest would drive collectability anyway.)

I feel like the Copper Age cover-only classics have actually established themselves a little sooner (ASM 306, Hulk 340, Wonder Woman 72 etc).

Sometimes, the content and cover are a bit more inseparable as far as what keeps a book on everyone’s radar. Using Tec 31 as an example, it’s easy to lump it in with Suspense 3 and Fantastic 3 as a cover-only Golden Age key, but decades later Matt Wagner got a six-issue miniseries out of a homage to the content of Tec 31 (Batman and the Mad Monk). 

[Math Teacher]

On 11/4/2021 at 11:32 PM, grendelbo said:

Well, a classic cover should be homage-worthy. If it hasn't been copied or parodied then it isn't so classic.

Based on this theory, Fantastic Four #1 and Amazing Fantasy #15 should be designated as classic covers. John Byrne alone has done multiple homages of FF #1.
https://zak-site.com/Great-American-Novel/ff-tributes.html

 

https://sidekickcomicgear.com/homage-covers/amazing-fantasy-15-homage-covers/
I also there was an issue of Deadpool that had an AF #15 homage cover, but I'm too lazy to look for it.

 

Edited November 5, 2021 by Math Teacher

[grebal]

On 11/5/2021 at 12:23 AM, PopKulture said:

On 11/4/2021 at 11:07 PM, Doctor Dositheus said:

Even Fantastic Four 159 gets no love from CGC.

My favorite bronze age cover!!  

Was 'cover' on a loose-leaf binder sold in 70s. 

I like it too but obviously biased because I once had one of those binders.

[ADAMANTIUM]

On 11/5/2021 at 12:33 AM, grendelbo said:

@ADAMANTIUM showcased one recently.

 

Here is another, and with the back cover too!  it says the front is a classic photo cover, which may be a bit different  

[chrisco37]

Spidey 122 (and 121 to a lesser extent, IMO). 

Surprised about the Supes 233.  Maybe GL76?   Or GL86 (my wards a junkie!).  

Perhaps some of the HOM/HOS books besides just HOS92.   What about HOM 174?  HOS 103?  Both of those are pretty well-known/memorable.   

[Readcomix]

On 11/5/2021 at 11:05 AM, grebal said:

Was 'cover' on a loose-leaf binder sold in 70s. 

I like it too but obviously biased because I once had one of those binders.

Yes, and Avengers #141 as well!

[PopKulture]

On 11/5/2021 at 11:55 AM, Readcomix said:

Yes, and Avengers #141 as well!

Yep, and add ASM 135, Thor 229, Hulk 189 and Cap 193 - all very strong covers, save perhaps the Hulk. The Cap, Thor and Spidey might make my classic cut-off, but bronze isn't so obvious as gold and silver (at least to me). 

[Cushing Fan]

Here is another bronze age classic cover - used to have a copy of this and will probably get another eventually. 

[Math Teacher]

I was always fond of this cover.

 

 

[Math Teacher]

On 11/4/2021 at 11:50 PM, OtherEric said:

My copy is just a reader, but I've seen pics of this with the Classic Cover designation on the slab:

I have two National Lampoon covers that I really like, but I'm afraid they're both too sexual for these boards.

If you really want to see them, search for "National Lampoon Spanking Cover" and "National Lampoon High School Yearbook." Hey, I'm old, but I'n not dead yet. Also, just because you're on a diet, it doesn't mean that you can't look at the menu.