What Makes a Good First Appearance? 0

[comicinvestor-migration]

These are the factors that I see influencing how popular a character's first appearance is, while only looking at those characters that debuted outside of their own books.

 

1) Cover Appearance: This is a biggie, and is growing with the advent of CGC. Having the character on the cover makes a CGC first appearance that much more attractive. Cover art quality also enters into it, as does whether the comic cover is recognized as a classic pose or cover shot.

 

2) Must Be Part of the Main Story: The character must take an active role in the story, or better yet, be the focal point to that particular issue.

 

3) Popular Book/Character: Characters that debuted in Amazing Spider-man benefits from ASM collectors as well as 1st app. collectors vying for their books, as opposed to some long-dead series with little or no demand.

 

4) Fight, Fight, Fight: The best first appearances are where the character takes on another popular character, and the more powerful the better. This not only gives you some action and great panel shots, but tests the mettle of the new guy on the block and makes the issue that much more memorable.

 

Naturally, Hulk 181 and ASM 129 fit the above criteria perfectly, while Iron Man 55 is on the other end of the spectrum. These are all are highly collectible, but I do feel that the attractiveness of ASM 129 and Hulk 181 add quite a bit on the bottom dollar. Dr. Strange's first app is another poor one, and it has long languished behind the other mainstream Marvel heroes.

 

One book that I feel bears this out is Werewolf 32, which is the first appearance of Moon Knight. He's basically a 3rd-rate Marvel character (is he still dead or did Marvel revive him?) of limited importance, but his first appearance has been hot since the 80's.

 

Classic cover shot with Moon Knight taking on Werewolf, the actual issue is almost entirely devoted to an all-out brawl between Moon Knight and Werewolf and is a great action read, and the popularity of Bronze horror books like WW is on the rise.

 

Any other thoughts or examples?

[Guest]

how about Sabretooth's first appearance? Iron Fist #14 is a totally hot cover. It shares the same basic 'formula' as all the other key Bronze first appearances, featuring the debut of the character taking a 'swing' at the title character.

 

Another cool debut cover is Marvel Spotlight #32 featuring Spider-Woman's debut (i know, i know...Spiderwoman is a total 4th tier character...but hey it was a kewl cover nonetheless)

[supapimp]

tomb of dracula 10, 1st appearence of balde the vampire slayer, on front cover, fighting, and focal point of the story....all of the above. oops, i almost left out ASM 238 1st appearence of the hobgoblin.

[comicinvestor-migration]

Dracula 10 is a great example, but Hobby doesn't take a poke at Spidey until #239, and is even noted as such in the OS Guide.

 

Actually on that note, I find the overall cover/story appeal of ASM 239 to be higher than 238. That "ripping the straw dummy" cover never did it for me.

[blowout]

.........but #238 has that great cover of the hobgoblin ripping spidey's costume in half................

 

.....one of the best new villain debut covers ever..............

[blowout]

...much better than the lameo mcfarlane cover on ASM #300.............

[comicinvestor-migration]

The cover to ASM 239 is what 238 should have been. Just by looking at it, you get a pretty good idea what the Hobby is all about, his powers, his glider, and that he's gunning for Spidey that issue.

[Rickdogg]

300 is plane jane with all of the "300's," but McFarlane ROCKS! He just draws Spidey in those kick positions.

[PovertyRow]

FF 48, 49 and 50 are an intriquing group. While Galactus and Silver Surfer were introduced in 48, there is no sign of them on a farily pedestrian cover. Then with 49 Galactus is VERY intesely done and in 50, Surfer is in a classic pose.

[comicinvestor-migration]

Isn't FF 49 the first full appearance of Galactus? I've always felt that was a far more important book than 48, at least from my personal view of the Marvel Universe.

[blowout]

"While Galactus and Silver Surfer were introduced in 48, there is no sign of them on a farily pedestrian cover...."

 

...are you serious?....ff #48 a pedestrian cover?...........

 

.....i think it is one of kirby's great covers, the watcher and the ff looking up to the heavens.....at what?...........the suspense and tension is right there in the cover and it makes you open it up to see what is happening...........

 

...its a cover that draws the reader into the book..............sometimes less is more...............

[PovertyRow]

>>...are you serious?....ff #48 a pedestrian cover?........... <<

 

FAIRLY pedestrian cover!

 

Sorry but it just never did a lot for me, especially in comparison to 49 and 50. Just my opinion, as is all art appreciation.

[aardvark88]

Of that trilogy, I would vote for FF 50 as best cvr w/ a large central figure of S Surfer against a charcoal dark brown cover & spine.

[blowout]

...i agree that 49 & 50 are great covers, but so in my humble opinion is 48...........three of the all-time classics of the kirby ff era...........

[greggy]

FF 50 is the best of the three. The Surfer always looked better than the stupid Watcher.

[supapimp]

easy fan boy, without the watcher, galactus would have burped and flatuated the earth out.

[greggy]

Well if he paid attention to his oath to only watch and not meddle, Galactus would have won!

[murph0]

You forgot the artwork and story..or were those supposed to just be assumed? :\

 

Brian

[comicinvestor-migration]

I find that the art and story mean very little in these CGC-days. I find the Trimpe are in Hulk 181 hard to look at, while Andru's ASM 129 work is pretty darn good.

 

On another note, ASM 50 is an interesting case of a character intro (Kingpin) not having any of the basic requirements of a prime first app., but the Classic Cover definitely helps its cause.

[fantastic_four]

I agree with most of those ideas, especially the one about the new character appearing on the cover. Which leads me to point out that Marvel for some reason RARELY seems to put anything on the cover with their new releases that gives you much of an idea who or what the story is about.

 

I think that the art style of most modern Marvels such as Ultimate Spider-Man is fantastic. But almost EVERY cover of USM has NOTHING to do with the interior! Every once and a while, they'll stick the villain on the cover, but most often, the covers feature a drawing that is designed to be unique and separate from the story within.

 

Look at Amazing Spider-Man #30. I think that Ezekiel has great potential...so what's up with the cover of that one? It has Spidey crawling around on a web. Yes, the style is unique and compelling, and I like the cover, but what does it have to do with the story inside? These covers that are separate from the story almost assume that the person buying the book doesn't even CARE about what's inside...the cooler-looking the cover, the better it sells. That may be true, but still, I think great action covers are FAR superior to the subjects of most current Marvels. The new art style and coloring is better, but the subject and action often sucks or is nonexistent.

 

I get the feeling that the new artists are just trying to do something new. Marvel had those covers that directly sold the interior story for decades, and Quesada and the boys are just trying to break their own new ground. But come ON, give us some action covers!!! I'm sick of Ultimate Spidey just having a beautiful but uninteresting static character pose every month.