CGC Members Choice: Most Single Undervalued GA Comic book your opinion and mine! 7 7

[Mmehdy]

Opinion time...many years ago when fandom was just a baby everyone kept comic book knowledge to themselves until after they got the book...LOL. Anyway looking for the great boards opinion as to what is the single most undervalued GA comic book. Here is my vote:

 Human Torch #3 (which is actually The HT's second issue, the first being the outstanding Red Raven #1)....Why...

 Well....It is the true first appearance of Captain America in print form and in reality it truly is the first appearance of Captain American on page 44 of HT #3 (2). Lets say you consider house ad's of the future comic book not to count....Fair enough...I know the infamous Detective 26 etc. However while the inside  promotes Cap one coming out on Dec 20 Newstand I believe the inside front cover,that AD it a  refers to the reader to page 44...this reference is the key here, and the true first appearance of Cap and Bucky...in full page color appears, not a reproduction . You can reference this confirmation by Marvel and the outstanding omnibus edition "Timely's Greatest : The Golden Age Simon and Kirby" book. There description acknowledges as CA First Print appearance. It was the announcement of Cap's Club in full color. HT#3 (2) is clearly the must undervalued  GA comic book out there.

 Agree or Disagree if you disagree what is it?   

PS: somebody just paid $3.12 Million dollars the second apperance of Captain America....and I just love Cap #1 as one of my Favs of the GA, but HT 3(2) is a real bargain!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited October 18, 2022 by Mmehdy

[sagii]

Good candidate. I would say Blue Ribbon Comics #1. Outside of Rang a Tang, probably not a great or exciting read feature to feature,  but it is the first comic book from MLJ/Archie publications, a publishing operation still around today. 

Edited October 8, 2022 by sagii

[Pantodude]

This might seem a weird choice in light of how expensive Detective Comics #38 is already, but one could argue it remains very undervalued.  It's currently #24 on Overstreet's 2022 list of Top 100 Golden Age Comics?  Aguably, it should be low single digits, like top six? It's a huge key regardless, so could be fun noting some of the arguments. 

First, Tec38 was revolutionary.  We know that immediately after Tec38's introduction of Dickk Grayson as "Robin, the Boy Wonder," sales of Detective Comics doubled. But it's way more than that.  Robin's success ushered in an entire era of kid heroes throughout the GA publishers, not just DC.  This ties in to the OP's reference to Cap and Bucky.  A year after Tec38, Bucky appeared alongside Captain America from the get-go in Captain America Comics #1 (or HT#3, per the OP).  It was Tec38 that started that popular and enduring trend, from Boy Commandos to Young Allies.  So Tec38 was impactful, much like Action Comics 1:  AC1 started the superhero genre in the GA, while Tec38 took it to the next level by transforming the GA (like no other single book did since?)  

Second, we have the importance of Grayson's Robin, the character.  As concluded in some recent-ish threads here, he was second only to Superman in the ENTIRE Golden Age in terms of # of comic appearances (cover and/or interior?).  Grayson also remained extremely popular thereafter, during the SA, etc. Of course, he had the very popular Teen Titans and Batman TV shows.  But even later, like after 44 years in Batman's shadow, Grayson became an adult vigilante like Batman known as Nightwing, a very successful and still important character in his own right. 

Finally, we have Tec38's iconic cover.  A big deal, and not just b/c we are post-CGC.  Grayson/Robin not only appeared on the cover of his 1st appearance book (which oddly enough did NOT happen often in Tec and Batman titles until years later), this is arguably the best intro cover of all time!  It has a larger-than-life Robin literally bursting onto the scene while being proudly introduced by Batman.  You can almost hear the drum roll that must have led up to this iconic scene.  A truly great cover.  

 

Edited October 8, 2022 by Pantodude
better pic

[LDarkseid1]

Sometimes I feel like Flash comics 1 deserves more love.

[Ameri]

This one may not be super duper undervalued but I hardly hear anything about this book.

[Ameri]

On 10/7/2022 at 7:56 PM, Mmehdy said:

Opinion time...many years ago when fandom was just a baby everyone kept comic book knowledge to themselves until after they got the book...LOL. Anyway looking for the great boards opinion as to what is the single most undervalued GA comic book. Here is my vote:

 Human Torch #3 (which is actually The HT's second issue, the first being the outstanding Red Raven #1)....Why...

 Well....It is the true first appearance of Captain America in print form and in reality it truly is the first appearance of Captain American on page 44 of HT #3 (2). Lets say you consider house ad's of the future comic book not to count....Fair enough...I know the infamous Detective 26 etc. However while the inside  promotes Cap one coming out on Dec 20 Newstand I believe the inside front cover,that AD it a  refers to the reader to page 44...this reference is the key here, and the true first appearance of Cap and Bucky...in full page color appears, not a reproduction . You can reference this confirmation by Marvel and the outstanding omnibus edition "Timely's Greatest : The Golden Age Simon and Kirby" book. There description acknowledges as CA First Print appearance. It was the announcement of Cap's Club in full color. HT#3 (2) is clearly the must undervalued  GA comic book out there.

 Agree or Disagree if you disagree what is it?   

PS: somebody just paid $3.12 Million dollars the second apperance of Captain America....and I just love Cap #1 as one of my Favs of the GA, but HT 3(2) is a real bargain!!!!!!!!!!!!!

wow, I forgot about page 44! Big-time undervalued. Here's the house ad and page 44

[Ameri]

  There's something else interesting in that issue. First time Namor meets Toro!   Here's the scoop    

[FoggyNelson]

On 10/8/2022 at 7:00 AM, Ameri said:

This one may not be super duper undervalued but I hardly hear anything about this book.

Hour man movie coming out soon👍👍😁😁😁if you are lucky 🤣🤣😁

[Ameri]

On 10/8/2022 at 9:43 AM, FoggyNelson said:

Hour man movie coming out soon👍👍😁😁😁if you are lucky 🤣🤣😁

woo hoo!!! (?)

[shadroch]

I've nothing to really add, but I'm enjoying this informative thread, and as a kid really dug Hour Mans uniform.  Couldn't get enough Hour Man, Mr Terrific and costumed Sandman from their once a year crossovers.

[aardvark88]

More Fun 14, 15, 16 Superman 'prototype' in color.

[Mmehdy]

On 10/8/2022 at 8:07 AM, aardvark88 said:

More Fun 14, 15, 16 Superman 'prototype' in color.

Can anyone post pics???? Sounds like winners too like Dect #38 and Adventure# 48 both fantastic.

Edited October 8, 2022 by Mmehdy

[circumstances]

I know there are hardly any copies, but it always seemed that the sum of money Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1 went for when it changed hands was far less than how much I wanted and valued it.

[Mmehdy]

  I also remember a early GA Cap cover  which never appeared in print and was changed because Joesph Stalin was now on our side after Pearl...was that cover #1 or #2 , some early issue? Anyone know?

[Sauce Dog]

On 10/8/2022 at 7:00 AM, Ameri said:

This one may not be super duper undervalued but I hardly hear anything about this book.

This is my vote as well (though I highly agree with Human Torch #3, but that one is pretty expensive already - I do believe if page 44 was ever sold loose on its own it would be a record setting sale though). Every Golden Age first appearance is rare, but not all of them have such a GIANT and clean depiction on the cover. Every other GA first is leaps and bounds more expensive (Spectre, Fate, even Sandman in Adventure though that is technically not a 'first') so this one just sticks out as being woefully undervalued (that is if you can even find it for sale in the first place)

Edited October 8, 2022 by Sauce Dog

[Cat-Man_America]

Great thread! I'll probably make several entries to this as it progresses. There are a number of undervalued books which are respected and valued but haven't peaked or reached their actual full level of appreciation yet. The way I assess this criteria-wise is general cover appeal followed by content and scarcity. I see Mitch's point about HT #3 given the ad for Cap and it only being the 2nd quarterly issue.  It probably is a bit undervalued. 

My short list of undervalued books includes HIT Comics #18, sporting a brilliantly composed & signed Reed Crandall cover (he rarely signed his covers), the first featuring of Stormy Foster.  There have been precious few of these books in the marketplace, less than 10 graded the last time I checked. Quality Comics publisher "Busy" Arnold was known for hiring great artists and paying the best rates. This book is no exception with consistently high quality art throughout.  The Japanese saboteur cover anticipates war, ironically pre-dating Pearl Harbor (the issue having a cover date of Dec. 1941 and newsstand on sale date of October 3). I'm a fortunate owner of two graded copies of this book, the first being the Pennsylvania pedigree:

 

Edited October 19, 2022 by Cat-Man_America

[circumstances]

 

World's Fair 1939 with the first print appearance of Sandman (and the blond Superman) always seemed undervalued to me as well.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

On 10/7/2022 at 6:56 PM, Mmehdy said:

Opinion time...many years ago when fandom was just a baby everyone kept comic book knowledge to themselves until after they got the book...LOL. Anyway looking for the great boards opinion as to what is the single most undervalued GA comic book. Here is my vote:

 Human Torch #3 (which is actually The HT's second issue, the first being the outstanding Red Raven #1)....Why...

 Well....It is the true first appearance of Captain America in print form and in reality it truly is the first appearance of Captain American on page 44 of HT #3 (2). Lets say you consider house ad's of the future comic book not to count....Fair enough...I know the infamous Detective 26 etc. However while the inside  promotes Cap one coming out on Dec 20 Newstand I believe the inside front cover,that AD it a  refers to the reader to page 44...this reference is the key here, and the true first appearance of Cap and Bucky...in full page color appears, not a reproduction . You can reference this confirmation by Marvel and the outstanding omnibus edition "Timely's Greatest : The Golden Age Simon and Kirby" book. There description acknowledges as CA First Print appearance. It was the announcement of Cap's Club in full color. HT#3 (2) is clearly the must undervalued  GA comic book out there.

 Agree or Disagree if you disagree what is it?   

PS: somebody just paid $3.12 Million dollars the second apperance of Captain America....and I just love Cap #1 as one of my Favs of the GA, but HT 3(2) is a real bargain!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Every book in my personal collection is tragically undervalued 

[Badger]

On 10/8/2022 at 10:34 AM, circumstances said:

I know there are hardly any copies, but it always seemed that the sum of money Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1 went for when it changed hands was far less than how much I wanted and valued it.

Same here. Every time I saw one sell I'd be like  because, if I had the money, I'd have been willing to pay far more for it. Now, I could afford one if it sold for the mount of last sale.  Not going to happen. Last one sold in 3.5 for $27,500 in 2017! Wow. Arguably the first appearance of the first Timely superhero, 1st appearance of sub-mariner, and insanely rare. What is not to love?

Cool page showing first appearance in various media of superheroes

 

[pemart1966]

On 10/8/2022 at 12:48 PM, Badger said:

Same here. Every time I saw one sell I'd be like  because, if I had the money, I'd have been willing to pay far more for it. Now, I could afford one if it sold for the mount of last sale.  Not going to happen. Last one sold in 3.5 for $27,500 in 2017! Wow. Arguably the first appearance of the first Timely superhero, 1st appearance of sub-mariner, and insanely rare. What is not to love?

Cool page showing first appearance in various media of superheroes

 

It should be inarguably - he appears there!