AKA: "It's Him! It's Him! It's Him!"

Well I had to do it; I had to buy another. I have no idea what compels me to do such crazy things like buying multiple copies of comics that I love; it's probably mental illness.

Since early 2013, I had been searching for another copy of Marvel Premiere #1: a key showcasing the metamorphosis of HIM into Warlock. But I wasn't searching for just any example of Marvel Premiere #1... I had to have a Suscha News pedigree graded 9.6 with white pages. Why? Because I'm obsessed! This beauty of a comic joins my two other Marvel Premiere #1's, which are also Suscha News pedigrees. So now I have a total of three MP #1's and all pedigrees.

With Adam Warlock's star power on the rise, Marvel Premiere #1, and most any Adam Warlock key has risen in value due to speculator demand. Why? Simply because Warlock is rumored to debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe... likely helping the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy battle the Mad Titan... Thanos!

Many collectors and Adam Warlock fans have debated Warlock's first appearance; Marvel Premiere #1 has gained considerable interest and support as the coveted key, but I respectfully disagree. I still hold Fantastic Four volume 1, number 67 as the magic key. However, in its favor, Marvel Premiere #1 debuts a number of tropes that have since become integral to Warlock's mythology, making this comic a historical key nearly equal to Fantastic Four 66, 67, and Thor 165.

Here's the low-down on what makes it so special:

*HIM is given the name Warlock by the High Evolutionary, and, in order to save Counter-Earth from destruction, he becomes a Messiah-like superhero.

*1st Costume Incarnation: this is the very first time HIM/Warlock dons a costume, which is a playful homage to Fawcett's Shazam incorporating Captain Marvel's jagged lightning emblem and red and yellow colors. The Magus, Warlock's evil future, wears a near identical costume except that his is a gray and white/silver mix, and has a skull embedded in the center of his belt.

*1st Appearance of the Soul Gem (green colored): this is first of the six (6) colored Soul Gems, aka Infinity Gems or Infinity Stones; the possessor of all six gems becomes master of Time, Space, Mind, Soul, Reality, and Power.

*1st Appearance of Counter-Earth: a near-perfect facsimile of Earth.

*Altered Physical Appearance: the first depiction of Warlock without eyes; no explanation is given (Note: Adam Warlock is frequently illustrated without eyes; this can be seen over the course of his appearances throughout various titles including his own, and with no explanation offered).

So a lot happens in this issue, which also features early appearances of the High Evolutionary, his evil creation, the Man-Beast, and the Fantastic Four, Thor, Hulk and The Watcher as seen in flashbacks.

Feast your eyes on my triple set... isn't it magnificent!?!

Now if only I can get a pedigree example of Spawn #9.

Thanks for reading and as always... Happy Collecting!

SW3D

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