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HULK 181........the most undervalued, overlooked, unapreciated key ever!

Started by COI,

84 posts in this topic

shiverbones

shiverbones

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JC nailed the x-94 GSX#1 situation. GSX is WAY more important than hulk 181, and possibly more so than any other 70's book, but X-94 is much tougher. As for all the wolverine hype he didn't even merit cover appearances on x-men #94, 95, 97, 98, 99, 101, 102, 103, 105, 106, 107, 108 or 110!!!! He was on 3 covers between X94 & 110! 893whatthe.gif

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harveyfan323

harveyfan323

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Well, the current price reversal is all supply-based, as X-Men 94 was printed in far, far, far less quantity than GS X-Men 1. The dark cover exacerbates this supply imbalance even more.

 

But in terms of importance, GS X-Men #1 is by far the superior book, with the first New X-Men, the first Storm, Colossus, Nightcrawler, and the second full Wolverine.

 

You make some good points, but I don't think the price discrepancy is mostly supply based. X-Men 94 is just a more attractive book to most people because of the cover and the fact that it is not one of those unseemly squarebound books. The cover of GS X-Men 1 is just not appealing (to me, and apparently to many people). So while the supply part of the equation may account for some or a good part of the pricing difference, I think X-Men 94 gains a lot purely for aesthetic reasons.

 

Hulk 181 is a nice book, but I suppose Wolverine has always been too contrived of a character for me. He is really just the standard "Dirty Harry" type of character, the form of which appears in every type of narrative medium at some point. I guess what I'm saying is that he is "overrated" to an extent, but I must admit that he is a fun character despite the derivative nature of his character. He certainly made the Byrne X-Men issues much more fun and the X-Men film too of course. So Wolverine being overrated, makes Hulk #181 a bit overrated, but it is still a mega Bronze Age key and certainly deserves most of that designation.

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BachelorOfComix

BachelorOfComix

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X-Men 94 is just a more attractive book to most people because of the cover and the fact that it is not one of those unseemly giant-size books. The cover of GS X-Men 1 is just not appealing (to me, and apparently to many people).

Really? The complete opposite rings true for me. I find the GS cover much more appealing than the 94 cover.

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delekkerste

delekkerste

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You make some good points, but I don't think the price discrepancy is mostly supply based. X-Men 94 is just a more attractive book to most people because of the cover and the fact that it is not one of those unseemly giant-size books. The cover of GS X-Men 1 is just not appealing (to me, and apparently to many people). So while the supply part of the equation may account for some or a good part of the pricing difference, I think X-Men 94 gains a lot purely for aesthetic reasons.

 

I'm actually in your camp - the X-Men #94 cover is one of my top 2 favorites of all-time - but you are wrong if you think most collectors feel the same way. We have had several "what is your favorite Bronze/1970s/X-Men cover" type threads as well as "what is your least favorite Bronze/1970s/X-Men cover" threads in the past and mine was always the solitary vote for X-Men #94 in the former category (for which scorn was heaped on by the truckload!) and numerous people have bagged on X-Men #94 in the latter category (I recall BronzeBruce13 and others stating that they hated the colors; I think one person even called it "puke green". I think others are partial to covers without huge text balloons on the cover).

 

Personally, I love the funky dark green cover which was never used much back in the day and is never used now and, even though Wolverine didn't merit an appearance on the cover, I think the image is simply outstanding. However, most people seem to prefer the GS #1 cover and there is no doubt that it is the better-known and more often-imitated one of the two.

 

Gene

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shiverbones

shiverbones

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i actually like both cover a lot, maybe the slightest edge to GSX because of how often duplicated it has been, but where the 94 shines is when you find one that is nearly black at the top 1/3rd. It took me years, but i found the richest darkest copy of that suminaperson_without_enough_empathy available! I love the odd green covers marvel & DC threw out from time to time.

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harveyfan323

harveyfan323

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I'm actually in your camp - the X-Men #94 cover is one of my top 2 favorites of all-time - but you are wrong if you think most collectors feel the same way. ...... However, most people seem to prefer the GS #1 cover and there is no doubt that it is the better-known and more often-imitated one of the two.

 

Ok, well then I stand corrected on that point. Actually I can understand why many people don't like the #94 cover because it really isn't a great composition or well-rendered when you get down to it. I also like that dark green and I guess it was such a coveted book when I was younger that I just grew to love it. I guess I'm biased against squarebound books as well as disliking the cover of GS X-Men #1 which is why #94 is such an obvious superior choice to me (though perhaps not to others).

 

 

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blowout

blowout

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However, most people seem to prefer the GS #1 cover and there is no doubt that it is the better-known and more often-imitated one of the two.

 

Of course it is the most imitated cover as it is the book with all the first apps. Colossus, Nightcrawler, Thunderbird & Storm all took their bows in GS #1.

 

X-Men #94 has to be one of the most over-valued books of all time IMHO. Why is it worth so much? It certainly never has been to me, and I've never been able to fathom why people would lay down a similar pile of $$$ down for X-Men 94 as they would for GS X-Men 1. insane.gif

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harveyfan323

harveyfan323

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X-Men #94 has to be one of the most over-valued books of all time IMHO. Why is it worth so much? It certainly never has been to me, and I've never been able to fathom why people would lay down a similar pile of $$$ down for X-Men 94 as they would for GS X-Men 1. insane.gif

 

I guess it just comes down to a matter of personal taste. I would pay much, much more for an X-men 94 than I would a similarly graded GS X-Men 1 or a Hulk 181, not taking resale value into account. It is just a cool book and very desirable.

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joe_collector

joe_collector

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Really? The complete opposite rings true for me. I find the GS cover much more appealing than the 94 cover.

 

I totally agree, and the only real difference is that GS X-Men #1 was printed using "standard Giant-Size" print runs, while those of X-Men 94 were still based on the low-selling reprint issues.

 

And you can take the above statement to the bank!

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joe_collector

joe_collector

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Isn't #94 the first claremont issue as well? I seem to remember him not writing the GSX? But at any rate saying X-94 is overrated is like saying spidey #1 is overrated since AF15 came out before it. They both are the starts of ongoing runs of great importance.

 

I agree, but which one sells for more?

 

At this point in time, the huge supply imbalance in favor of X-Men 94 has it (ASM 1) selling for more than GS X-Men #1 (AF 15). in HG CGC condition

 

This makes no logical sense given the relative importance of these comics, but in the new CGC Census-driven world, it does.

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HarrisonJohn

HarrisonJohn

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Claremount's first X-men is #94.

I prefer the cover to GSX. Considering it is the first appearence of the team and of a few of the characters, it could only make sense this one would be of higher value. Now imagine if Wolverine first appeared in GSX, where that book would be now. Why did Marvel decide to debut him in the Hulk anyway?

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BronzeBruce13

BronzeBruce13

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Good Question...

 

I assume they introduced Wolverine a bit early to give him a little identity and credibility (fighting the Hulk and not getting killed) prior to joining the team as an unknown. They already had a few new characters being introduced in GS 1 for the first time whose abilities and powers translated better perhaps? Maybe they didn't want too many of the characters to be "brand spankin' new" in one issue?

 

If we did not see Wolverine holding his own vs. the Hulk.. the first impression of him in GS 1 might have been much different. With the Hulk appearance preceeding him, his abilities were known and he was accepted as a hero that could tangle with seemingly much more powerful opponents... not just a little guy with knives on his hands that was barely worthwhile in a super-hero battle.

 

I think they were hopeful of the Wolverine character anyway.. they were starting to promote his arrival as early as Hulk 179. The last page announced "Wendigo and a Special Guest Star" .. or something like that.

 

It would have been cool if they introduced a few more New X-Men outside of GS 1 now that I think about it. Aside from having a few more keys for us collectors to search for, they could have been cool stories.

 

Sounds like a series Marvel could still do it... "untold stories of the New X-men before GS 1"...put Byrne and Austin together and MAKE them do it.

 

Nightcrawler caught "bamfing" in to spy on Defenders while checking them out to see if he could join... only to be confronted by Dr. Strange... a 2 issue Defenders X-over

893scratchchin-thumb.gif

 

Colossus with iron Man battling the Soviet Super Soldiers...

893scratchchin-thumb.gif

 

Storm and Thor battle Akron

893scratchchin-thumb.gif

 

...now that might have been cool

confused-smiley-013.gif

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delekkerste

delekkerste

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I think they were hopeful of the Wolverine character anyway.. they were starting to promote his arrival as early as Hulk 179. The last page announced "Wendigo and a Special Guest Star" .. or something like that.

 

WHAT????????????????????????893whatthe.gif893whatthe.gif893whatthe.gif

 

There is a smidgen of a hint of a mention of Wolverine in Hulk #179??!!! I had no idea!! BUY! BUY! BUY! Hulk #179 is the next Hulk #180, if not the next Hulk #181!!! All those Hulk #180-#182 collections out there are not complete without a slabbed super high grade copy of Hulk #179!!

 

Speculat-, uh, I mean collectors...on your marks...get set...GO!!! insane.gifinsane.gifinsane.gif

 

Gene tongue.gifgrin.gif

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joe_collector

joe_collector

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Sounds like a series Marvel could still do it... "untold stories of the New X-men before GS 1"...put Byrne and Austin together and MAKE them do it.

 

Bruce once again shows us exactly what is wrong with comics today.

 

Or as Stan used to say, "Face Front, True Believer!"

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