LOT Old Heritage Auctions.  /  2006 November Signature Comic Auction #822  / 

43160

Marvel Comics #1 Larson pedigree (1939) CGC VF 8.0

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:1.00 USD Estimated At:100,000.00 - 125,000.00 USD
Marvel Comics #1 Larson pedigree (1939) CGC VF 8.0
<B>Marvel Comics #1 Larson pedigree (Timely, 1939) CGC VF 8.0 Off-white to white pages.</B></I> The combination of one of the top three comics in the hobby and one of the most famous pedigrees in comic collecting should have every comic fan's eye on this book when it comes up for auction. The only three copies graded higher all have page quality inferior to this specimen! The condition of this copy should satisfy any collector. It's a nicely centered book (many copies you'll see of this book are printed a bit askew), and what's particularly pleasing is that it's free of the foxing that plagues many a Lamont Larson comic. In fact, the back cover doesn't have discoloration of any sort, it looks fantastic! The "Nov." cover date with "Oct." blacked out is common to most copies of the issue. <B>Marvel Comics</B></I> #1 was listed as the most valuable comic book by Overstreet for years, and while it has since ceded that spot to <B>Action Comics</B></I> #1, for the Marvel fan there's no topping this issue here. Timely's very first comic book, this has the first newsstand appearances of both the Human Torch and the Sub-Mariner. The series became Timely's flagship title, called <B>Marvel Mystery Comics</B></I> from #2 on. It's the start of the Marvel Universe, a set of characters that left its mark on American popular culture, selling millions of comic books and starring in TV shows, movies, and more. Also in this issue were the first comic book appearances of Ka-Zar and the original Angel. The cover is by science fiction pulp illustrator Frank R. Paul. The interior content was produced by the artistic "shop" known as Funnies, Inc., the best-known artists of which are Bill Everett (who created the Sub-Mariner and drew the character's story in this issue) and Carl Burgos (who did the same for the Human Torch). A few notes on the pedigree: the collection of Lamont Larson, who grew up in Wausa, Nebraska, is revered for having almost all of the major key issues from the "meat" of the Golden Age (1938-41) as well as from the 1936-37 pre-Golden Age era. Most of the books are in high grade and have very nice page quality (like this specimen here!). The comics tend to be easily recognizable because they have the collector's first or last name written on the front cover. This writing was done by the drugstore employees who set comics aside for the youngster to pick up later (the handwriting varies based on which employee happened to handle which copy). By the way, the handwritten "88" which appears here is specific to this comic title, we've also seen it on the Larson copies of <B>Marvel Mystery</B></I> #9, 14, and 17. We know of no collector whom you couldn't impress by saying, "I've got the Larson <B>Marvel</B></I> #1!" CGC notes, "Very minor amount of glue on cover." Overstreet 2006 VF 8.0 value = $147,000. CGC census 10/06: 1 in 8.0, 3 higher.<BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Slabbed Comic (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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