Sunday Salute to the Troops - Amazing Spider-Man #574

Here we are another Sunday and as we do every Sunday here at CBHG we salute our fine men and woman of the military. This week we look at a recent issue of the Amazing Spider-Man.

In Amazing Spider-Man #574, Marvel comics uses a well-known character from Spider-Man to pay homage to the soldiers fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Flash Thompson has been a supporting character since the beginning, first as Peter Parker's High School bully then as Spider-Mans biggest fan. The title of issue #574 is WHATEVER HAPPENED TO FLASH THOMPSON? It looks at Flash fighting the war in the Middle East and how Spider-Man inspired him to keep going on.

Not sure if there is a better way to salute the troops then by taking an existing character and using him as a reflection on the troubles and triumphs a soldier faces. Writer Marc Guggenheim summed up a soldiers struggles best with this line from Flash Thompson "I don't need a medal, sir. Not to remind me to do the right thing, at least. Truth is, I've been lucky to know people whose example reminds me every day"

So if your sitting around today and you have nothing else to do go out and pick up Amazing Spider-Man #574. Worth the read.

Good Luck on Your Hunt!
#jointhehunt

Amazing Fantasy #15 - Most Important Silver Age Comic

Here at Hunter and Gatherer we have looked at different copies of the most valuable comic book, Action Comics #1, the first appearance of Superman (see Stories of Action Comics #1). This comic comes from the 1930's and is considered to be the start of the Golden Age of comics. Following the Golden Age was the Silver Age. There has been no argument as to the most valuable Silver Age comic, it is Amazing Fantasy #15. This comic published in 1962 is the first appearance of Spider-Man. It is as important as Action Comics #1 in terms of comic history.

"Over the last decade it has become a rather legendary copy because it was in the hands of a collector and no one thought he would sell," Fishler said. "The owner came up with a figure that he didn't think anyone would pay, and it was paid."

 Amazing Fantasy #15 was written by Stan Lee, art by Steve Ditko, cover art was done by Jack Kirby and Ditko. Original cover price was 12 cents. The main character  Was the Amazing Spider-Man who created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. The funny part about this issue is that the title was canceled with issue #14, issue #15 was a throw away issue, much like Superman was a throw-in in Action Comics #1, Spider-Man wasn't supposed to happen. We are all glad he did.

Since Peter Parker was first but by a radioactive spider and transformed into your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, the character has become a comic book juggernaut. Various titles, movies, toys and almost anything else you could think of. By far the most popular of Marvels 

Based on Spider-Mans popularity Amazing Fantasy #15 has long been prized by collectors, it has been ranked #1 on Overstreet Comics list of Silver Age comics for many years. A mint CGC graded 9.6 recently sold for $1.1 million dollars, pretty good for a comic from 1962. Lower grades sell in the $50,000 range.

So as always get out there and start hunting for one, you never know where one might turn up. And remember with great power also comes great responsibility.

Good Luck in your Hunt!
#jointhehunt

Wednesday Whacked Comic Cover - Amazing Spider-Man # 306

If you have been reading our blog you already know that we have dedicated a bunch of posts this week to stories of Action Comics #1. Each post tells about a different copy of Action Comics #1. Obviously we are a fan of the history of comics and the important that the first apperance of Superman plays in it.
If you have been folowing us for awhile then you also know that each week on Wednesday we look at a whacked comic cover just for fun.

Well this Wednesday we combined the two, yes it's whacked comic cover, Action Comics #1 edition.

Apparently we aren't the only ones who sees the importance that Action Comics #1 holds, comic artis, writer, mega-star Todd McFarlane also does. His fondness for Action Comics #1 has given us our Wednesday Whacked comic cover- Amazing Spider-Man #306.

With this cover Todd Mcfarlane pays homage to Action Comics #1 but replacing The man of steel with your friendly neighborhood Spiderman.

Todd's ode to Action Comics #1 didn't stop there a few years later he again paid homage this time with Spawn #228. Superman is again replaced is time with Spawn. McFarlane went even further with this covers he imitated the entire look including the logo and pricing.

If you have any comic covers that also pay homage to Action Comics #1 send us an Email with a photo and description.

So if you can't afford your own copy of Action Comics #1 search around for one of these two whacked replacements.

Good Luck on Your Hunt!
#jointhehunt

Amazing Spider-Man #700 Variant, Death of Spider-Man

Variant covers have become all the rage over the last couple of years. Instead of one cover for a particular issues you get a few different cover, some more limited in distribution then others. So there are rare and there are super rare.

Amazing Spider-Man #700 featured the death of Peter Parker and was the last issue of Amazing Spider-Man. Okay he is alive again but death in comics isn't the same as the real world. This issue had 10 variant covers.

One of the variant covers was by Steve Ditko.You might be thinking, wow that is great Ditko is a legend in comics. But what makes this cover so special is that the it is axtially unused art from the first appearance of Spider-Man in Amazing Fantasy #15. This art had been reprinted previously (Marvel Tales # 137), but it has never been used for a cover and is over 50 years old. There were only about 800 of these covers sold so its rare and sells for about $500. 

The variant of AS #700 is rare but they made a rarer version. the story goes, on Stan Lee's 90th birthday (December 28, 2012) Mr. Lee signed around 99 copies of the Ditko variant cover. thesesigned issues were then graded on the Signature Series program at CGC. The things that makes these graded comics so rare is that CGC decided to give these comics special commemorative label text. If you can find one of the 99 expect to spend upwards of $1,000

So get your hunting boots on and go find yourself a copy of these rare Spidey issues. Keep an eye it for the other 9 variants as well.

Good Luck on Your Hunt!
#jointhehunt