Why you should read The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl

The shelves at your local comic shop are packed with comic titles, your weekly purchases probably contain some of the major titles from DC and Marvel, maybe even the Walking Dead. This post is about why you should be buying The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, and yes I bought my copy already.
 Doreen Green is a mutant, like the X-Men, who has the power of a squirrel and can talk to her fury compatriots. She fights the strongest of the Marvel Villains and always win.
Humor is the focus of Squirrel Girl which sees Doreen start college and fight Kraven the Hunter.
Other Marvel heroes and villains are set to appear in future issues.

Arthur Adams Variant Cover

First Appearance

Squirrel Girl was created by writer Will Murray and legendary artist Steve Ditko. She made her first appearance in Marvel Super-Heroes vol. 2 #8 in a story titled "The Coming of ... Squirrel Girl" (Winter 1991). In the issue Squirrel Girl ambushes Iron man in the hopes of teaming up with him, she  ends up saving him and defeating Doctor Doom.

Squirrel Girl was also a member of the Great Lakes Avengers.

Siya Oum Variant Cover

So to sum it up: mutant powers, check; former member of the Avengers, check; defeated many Super Villians, check; appearing in her own series, check. So what are you waiting for get out there and buy    The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, you might as well get the variant covers while your at it.

Skottie Young Variant Cover

Good Luck on Your Hunt!

The first appearance of Ant-Man/Henry Pym

With the release of the Ant-man movie this coming year and his participation in the highly anticipated Avengers 2, Henry Pym, a.k.a. Ant-Mans early comic book apperances should become highly sought after comic books.

First Appearance of Hank Pym
The first appearance of Henry Pym occurred in Tales to Astonish #27, cover dated January 1962. Written by Stan Lee with art by Jack Kirby and  Steve Ditko. Yes the fathers of Marvel comics.

In this issue Hank Pym discovers a formula that allows him to shrink or enlarge objects. He then tests the formula on himself and he shrinks to a size that will prevent him from reversing the change. He decideds to hide in an anthill where he almost drowns. He then meets a friendly that helps him get ack to the lab and grow back to regular size. He does not become Ant-man officially at this time.

Tales to Astonigh #27 can be hunted down for about $20,000 for a near mint copy and around $1,200 in a lower grade (CGC 3 or 2). A CGC graded 9.4, the highest existing graded copy sold this past September for $75,000. This values will surely increase as the character grows in popularity.

First Appearance of Ant-Man
Hank Pym returns to Tales to Astonish in issue #35 again written by Stan Lee with art by Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby. Issue is dated September 1962.

Issue #35 contains the first appearance of Hank Pym in his Ant-Man costume. Pym again uses his serum to reduce him to the size of an ant, re-telling of story from Tales to Astonish #27. He also creates a special helmet that allows him to communicate with the ants.   Pym then gets a government assignment to create a special gas which gets the attention of enemy spies who want the formula. Pym uses the shrinking serum and helmet to get help from the ants. 

Tales to Astonish #35 can be found for much less then issue #27, it sells for around $5,000 in mint condition and in the mid-hundreds for lower grades. 

Interesting Copies of Tales to Astonish #27 & 35
Currently on eBay there are copies of both issues up for auction, these two copies are both graded and signed by Stan Lee. Tales to Astonish #27 is CGC graded 8.5 and can be yours for $25,000 while #35  is graded 9.2 with a hefty $35,000 price tag. You can view the eBay auctions for Tales to Astonish #27 and Tales to Astonish #35

Good Luck on Your Hunt!

Amazing Fantasy #15 - Six Copies Up for Auction

Amazing Fantasy #15 is to the Silver Age of comics what Action Comics #1 is to the Golden Age of comics (see more in our "stories of Action Comics #1"). That means a bunch of things in the world of comics. Both are the most sought after issue of their period; both are the most valuable issues of their period; and both contain the first appearance of the most popular character of the era - Superman in the Golden Age and Spider-Man in the Silver Age.

Amazing Fantasy #15 is the first appearance of Spider-Man. In this historical issue, written by Stan Lee with art by Steve Ditko, High School student Peter Parker is bitten by a radioactive spider, he gains great power and becomes Spider-Man.

This month Comicconnect, the premier on-line comic marketplace and auctioneer, has not one copy of Amazing Fantasy #15 up for auction, not two copies, they have six copies, count them SIX copies for auction. ComicConnect is the same auction house that sold a copy of Amazing Fantasy #15 for $1.1 million, Guinness World Record, you can read more about that in our previous post "The Most Important Silver Age Comic".
Lets look at each one of the Super Six up for auction this month, you can bid on them by going to Comicconnect today.

CGC Graded 0.5

Yes this copy is as low a grade as you could get but that makes it affordable. Just owning any copy of Amazing Fantasy #15 legitimizes your collection that much more. You can tell your friends "I own a copy of Spider-Man first appearance, no big deal."

CGC Graded 2.5
Copy has a small piece of the cover missing otherwise it look good for a comic that is over fifty years old. Another example of a lower grade that could be added to your collection for a reasonable price. Won't do to much damage to your bank account.

CGC Graded 3.0

Still a grade that would make a fine addition to any collection with a little something special added. This copy from CGC signature series includes Stan Lees authentic signature. The creator of Spider-Man signed the cover of the first appearance of Spider-Man. This would be the center of most collections.

CGC Graded 4.0

Starting to get into the more pricey grades, 4.0's usually sell for around $8,000. Everyone wants an Amazing Fantasy #15 in their collection and ComicConnect offers a 3-month time payment plan so "You can do it!" 

CGC Graded 4.5

The best part about having six copies of such an important issue up or auction at one time is many collectors will have a chance to own one. Six collectors are better than only one. This copy have been restored which basically means it will be more affordable.

CGC Graded 7.5

This is the big daddy of this auction, you'll need to take a loan or crash your bank account or this one. This one will sell or about $50,000 and will make any collection a memorable one. You need to make some pre-arrangements with ComicConnect to bid on this one because it truly is an awesome copy.

Good luck on this really unique online hunt. Auctions are a great place to get a great deal on a great comic. Especially if it is one of the big three issues (Action Comics #1, Detective Comics #27 and yes, Amazing Fantasy #15). SO what are you waiting for, start bidding, ComicConnect Amazing Fantasy #15.

If you happen  to win any of these and I truly hope that our readers do please send me a photo of you with the issue and we will do a collectors showcase piece on you, email us at Farleyclan003@yahoo.com

Thank you ComicConnect for sending us such clear photos of Super Six copies of Amazing Fantasy #15.

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

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