First appearance

In American comic books and other stories with a long history, first appearance refers to the first issue to feature a fictional character.

Monetary value of first appearance issues

First appearances of popular characters are among the most valuable comic books in existence. Of the "ten most valuable comic books" listed in the spring 2002 issue of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, seven are first appearances of popular superheroes.[1] (Another, Marvel Comics #1 (October 1939), is the first appearance of the Golden Age Human Torch but is most noteworthy as the first comic book published by industry giant Marvel Comics).

By the time a character becomes iconic, many years have passed since his or her first appearance and few copies, and fewer good-conditioned copies, remain. These comic books may be worth thousands of dollars. In 2004, a copy of Flash Comics #1 (January 1940), the first appearance of The Flash, was auctioned for $42,000[2] and a copy of Captain America Comics #1 (March 1941), the first appearance of Captain America sold for $64,400.[3] In 2010, another copy of Flash Comics #1 sold privately for $450,000.[4]

In February 2010 the first appearance of Superman was auctioned by the creator of the comic book grading system for $1,000,000.[5] It was called the holy grail of comic books as not only was it the first appearance of Superman, it was also one of only two copies known to exist in the 8.0 grade. Fewer than a hundred copies in all are known to exist. Within a few days the first appearance of Batman was sold for $1,075,000.[5] in a Heritage auction.

Several factors determine the value of a first appearance. Note: All values are according to ComicsPriceGuide.com and are for editions certified by the Certified Collectibles Group (see below):

Reader interest in first appearances

Collectors value first appearances for their rarity and historical value, while many regular readers are interested in viewing how their favorite characters were originally portrayed. Reprints of first appearances are often published, both as single comic books and in trade paperbacks, usually with other early appearances of the character. Marvel Comics' "Essential" line has become popular by giving readers an affordable glimpse into characters' early history.[9]

Historically, first appearances tell the origin story for the character, although some, such as Batman and Green Goblin, remained dubious figures for several issues. Modern writers prefer to tell a character’s origin across an entire story arc or keep a newly introduced character mysterious until a "secret origin" issue. Some fans consider this a gimmick and prefer the older method.[10]

The artistic merit of many first appearances is debatable. The events portrayed in most famous first appearances are continuously retconed, rebooted and/or expanded upon by subsequent writers. Like many golden and silver age comics, first appearances often become dated and do not fit the modern portrayal of the character.

However, some first appearances are considered classics. 1990s-era Spider-Man writer Howard Mackie said that his favorite story featuring the character was his first appearance and origin story in Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962), stating that writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko "gave us everything we needed, I wanted or could ask for in the least possible space. Every single person who retells the origin never improves on the original, they simply expand it."[11]

Ambiguity of first appearance

While a seemingly a simple concept, determining the first appearance may be complex. The following are instances in which a character’s first appearance may be difficult to determine:

First appearances of popular heroes, villains and teams

Note: All values are according to Comics Price Guide. Prices given are for the best available editions. Thus prices of Golden Age comics are for editions in "fine" condition because editions in better condition for such old comics are either extremely rare or have never been confirmed to exist. Prices for Silver Age and subsequent comics are for "very fine" editions. Priced are also for editions graded by the Certified Collectibles Group. Data is correct as of 25 January 2006.

Character(s) First Appearance Cover Date Publisher Estimated Value
Superman Action Comics #1 June 1938 DC Comics $2,100,000
Batman Detective Comics #27 May 1939 DC Comics $475,000
Sandman (Wesley Dodds) Adventure Comics #40 July 1939 DC Comics $60,000
Namor the Sub-Mariner Marvel Comics #1 October 1939 Timely Comics $400,000
Jay Garrick/Flash I; Hawkman Flash Comics #1 January 1940 All-American Pubs. $95,000
Captain Marvel Whiz Comics #2 February 1940 Fawcett Comics $90,000
Robin Detective Comics #38 May 1940 DC Comics $75,000
The Spectre More Fun Comics #52 February 1940 DC Comics $72,000
Lex Luthor Action Comics #23 May 1940 DC Comics $8,025
The Joker; Catwoman Batman #1 Spring 1940 DC Comics $160,500
Green Lantern All-American Comics #16 July 1940 All-American Pubs. $131,250
Captain America Captain America Comics #1 March 1941 Timely Comics $125,250
Aquaman; Green Arrow More Fun Comics #73 November 1941 DC Comics $10,050
Wonder Woman All Star Comics #8 December 1941 All-American Pubs. $60,000
Barry Allen/Flash II Showcase #4 October 1956 DC Comics $48,000[12]
The Justice League of America The Brave and the Bold #28 May 1960 DC Comics $8,127
The Fantastic Four The Fantastic Four #1 November 1961 Marvel Comics $28,896
The Hulk The Incredible Hulk #1 May 1962 Marvel Comics $21,672
Dr. Doom The Fantastic Four #5 June 1962 Marvel Comics $4,154
Spider-Man Amazing Fantasy #15 August 1962 Marvel Comics $45,150
Iron Man Tales of Suspense #39 March 1963 Marvel Comics $3,837
Doctor Strange Strange Tales #110 July 1963 Marvel Comics $3,500
X-Men; Magneto X-Men #1 September 1963 Marvel Comics $13,545
The Avengers The Avengers #1 September 1963 Marvel Comics $5,148
Daredevil Daredevil #1 April 1964 Marvel Comics $3,160
Teen Titans The Brave and the Bold #54 July 1964 DC Comics $415
The Punisher The Amazing Spider-Man #129 February 1974 Marvel Comics $918
Wolverine The Incredible Hulk #180 October 1974 Marvel Comics $350
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 May 1984 Mirage Studios $2,400

See also

References

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