Key Collector Comics

Hidden Messages

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Sleepwalker #5
Non-Key
Marvel ⋅ 1991
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Sleepwalker #5
 
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Key Facts

The words “I Give Up” are playfully incorporated into the webbing after the artist reached his limit of webs that he wished to draw for this cover

Ka-Zar #1
Marvel ⋅ 1970
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Ka-Zar #1
 
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$12
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$40
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$120

Key Facts

Curse word visible on the cover, above the backside of Zabu and to the right of the tree trunk

First standalone back-up story featuring Hercules, first solo story in Avengers #47

First reprint of Ka-Zar's first appearance from X-Men #10 (1965)

Captain America #602
Marvel ⋅ 2010
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Captain America #602
 
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$5

Key Facts

Interior panel depicting protestors with one sign that reads: Tea Bag The Libs Before They Tea Bag YOU!

Ed Brubaker has stated this text was not written into the issued

This issue is often listed on eBay as recalled but this is false

Marvel Team-Up #95
Marvel ⋅ 1980
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Marvel Team-Up #95
 
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$10
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$100

Key Facts

1st appearance of Bobbi Morse as Mockingbird

Hidden Message: interior panel of a vehicle in an airport parking lot with a vanity plate that reads FUQ

Amazing Spider-Man #311
Marvel ⋅ 1989
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Amazing Spider-Man #311
 
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$12

Key Facts

Cover art by Todd McFarlane featuring Mysterio

The circled number after McFarlane's signature denotes how many spiders are illustrated into the design, hidden on the cover

📖 Inferno Crossover: next, read Daredevil #262

Spider-Man #1
Marvel ⋅ 1990
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Spider-Man #1
 
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$2
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$8
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$18

Key Facts

Polybagged with a silver cover

Todd McFarlane begins including images of Felix the Cat in the interior art of many issues after meeting someone suffering from post-traumatic stress who carried around a Felix the Cat doll

The man told McFarlane that he was not a fan of superhero books, therefore he didn't purchase Spider-Man comics, McFarlane asked if he would start reading them if Felix the Cat was drawn into them and the man said, "yes"

Brute #1
Atlas (Paramount) ⋅ 1975
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Brute #1
 
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Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of Brute, a Neanderthal thawed from ice in the modern day

Former owner of Marvel Comics, Martin Goodman, wanted to get back into publishing and established Atlas Comics with characters like The Brute to replicate the success Marvel had with the Hulk

Veteran artist Mike Sekowsky did not respect the unoriginality of Atlas's creative direction and expressed his feelings on the page with the word 'SHIT' vaguely hidden in the letters/numbers 5H17 on the side of an airplane

Iron Man #127
Marvel ⋅ 1979
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Iron Man #127
 
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Key Facts

"Demon in a Bottle" part 8

In the final panels of this issue, the Avengers' butler Jarvis quits after witnessing a drunken outburst from Tony Stark

In real life, prior to the publication of this issue, veteran writer Dave Cockrum had tendered his resignation in a scathing letter to upper management that is printed as if the words were penned by Jarvis

Cockrum's grievances aren't fully aligned with Jarvis's which confused readers and was later explained in the fan mail column of Iron Man #130

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See additional images by tapping the cover image and swiping

New X-Men #118
Marvel ⋅ 2001
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New X-Men #118
 
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$10

Key Facts

1st team appearance of the Stepford Cuckoos, a product of Weapon XIV, created from Emma Frost's DNA

1st appearance of Angel Salvadore

1st appearance of Cerebella, a disembodied mutant brain

Artist Ethan Van Sciver hid the word 'sex' in multiple panels throughout the book, many of which were caught by editors but one slipped past which is evident in a protest scene

Uncanny X-Men #325
Marvel ⋅ 1995
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Uncanny X-Men #325
 
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Key Facts

Interior panel depicts a man with a newspaper with a headline that reads 'Cruz Swipes Again'

Joe Madureira intentionally added these words to express frustration toward fledgling artist, Roger Cruz for swiping panel compositions from other artists for his own

Wolverine: Origins #3
Secret Variant ⋅ Marvel ⋅ 2006
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Wolverine: Origins #3
 
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Key Facts

Variant cover art by Simone Bianchi

Hidden message variant with Bianchi's name written into the tiles of the background wall

Another name hidden in the tiles is Loeb and above Wolverine's knee is W 50

The message was a hint of the yet unannounced news that beginning with Wolverine #50 of the main series, Loeb and Bianchi would take over writing and illustrating the title

Terminator: The Burning Earth #5
Non-Key
Now ⋅ 1990
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Terminator: The Burning Earth #5
 
Low
$1
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$4

Key Facts

Early cover art by Alex Ross

Universe X: Spidey #1
Recalled ⋅ Marvel ⋅ 2001
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Universe X: Spidey #1
 
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$15
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$60
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$150

Key Facts

Recalled issue due to a hidden message drawn by Al Milgrom onto the spines of a stack of books about Marvel Editor-In-Chief that reads: Bob Harras Ha ha He's Gone Good Riddance To Bad Rubbish He Was A Nasty S.O.B.

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