Marvel Comics #1

Low $62k
Mid $470k
High $1.9M
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  • 1st appearance of the Human Torch, Jim Hammond
  • 2nd appearance of Namor the Sub-Mariner - 8 pages of the 12-page story reprinted from Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1
  • 1st appearance of Dorma, Namor's cousin
  • 1st appearance of Ka-Zar, David Rand
  • 1st appearance of Angel, Thomas Halloway, a private detective and vigilante
  • 1st appearance of the Masked Raider, Jim Gardley
  • 1st comic book published by Timely, later becomes Marvel
  • Retitled Marvel Mystery Comics after this issue
  • 80,000 copies were produced of the first printing with an October 1939 date on the cover
  • The second printing could be identified by the October 1939 date blacked out, replaced with November 1939
  • The first printing sold out within a week and was quickly reprinted at a quantity of 800,000, the same as Superman #1
  • Although published in October, the cover date was changed to have a longer on-sale period at newsstands
  • 💰 In March 2022, a 9.2 known as the Pay Copy due to publisher notations that tracked creator payouts sold for $2.42 million
  • 📣 Auction Results: New High [Previous High]
  • 3.0 sold for $223,200 [$77,675 in 2016] +187%
  • 1st appearance of the Human Torch, Jim Hammond
  • 2nd appearance of Namor the Sub-Mariner - 8 pages of the 12-page story reprinted from Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1
  • 1st appearance of Dorma, Namor's cousin
  • 1st appearance of Ka-Zar, David Rand
  • 1st appearance of Angel, Thomas Halloway, a private detective and vigilante
  • 1st appearance of the Masked Raider, Jim Gardley
  • 1st comic book published by Timely, later becomes Marvel
  • Retitled Marvel Mystery Comics after this issue
  • 80,000 copies were produced of the first printing with an October 1939 date on the cover
  • The second printing could be identified by the October 1939 date blacked out, replaced with November 1939
  • The first printing sold out within a week and was quickly reprinted at a quantity of 800,000, the same as Superman #1
  • Although published in October, the cover date was changed to have a longer on-sale period at newsstands
  • 💰 In March 2022, a 9.2 known as the Pay Copy due to publisher notations that tracked creator payouts sold for $2.42 million
  • 📣 Auction Results: New High [Previous High]
  • 3.0 sold for $223,200 [$77,675 in 2016] +187%

Issue Details

Publisher Timely
Artist Frank Paul
Writer Ray Gill
Published November 1939