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1st Appearance, or 1st Appearance on Cover

Started by Mad_Bob,

17 posts in this topic

Mad_Bob

Mad_Bob

Posted
Posted

I'm not talking about characters like Gwenpool where the character can be on the cover but not in the comic.

 

Obviously there are instances where there is a first appearance in the comic, but they don't appear on the cover until an issue or so later.

 

So ignoring whether or not their 1st appearance is an ad or actually part of the story etc, and not starting a Hulk 180/181 debate.

 

What's more desirable to you? Do you still go for the 1st appearance? Or the 1st on cover? Or both.

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Junkdrawer

Junkdrawer

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Here is the greatest example for a no argument first appearance. This (my) copy of Casper 1 is the first time we ever get to see Casper in any form of media. Yup he is actually on the cover. Til this point in time there is no TV show, Funny Pages, questionable ads, nope nada nothin'. This is clearly the undisputed lo and behold first glimpse of an iconic character. Be like Casper.

001_zpshe8dbnq4.png

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techtre2003

techtre2003

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I'd say 1st appearance. There are probably many examples of characters not appearing on a cover for several issues after their appearance. The first that comes to mind for me is Ultron. Appears in Avengers 54/55 but doesn't get a cover appearance until 67.

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Junkdrawer

Junkdrawer

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I'd say 1st appearance. There are probably many examples of characters not appearing on a cover for several issues after their appearance. The first that comes to mind for me is Ultron. Appears in Avengers 54/55 but doesn't get a cover appearance until 67.
Add Wolverine and Doomsday to this club.
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Jeffro.

Jeffro.

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I want the first appearance. Would it have been great if Our Army At War 83 featured Sgt Rock on the cover? Yeah, that would have been ideal but it didn't. Still doesn't diminish the importance of the book

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Mad_Bob

Mad_Bob

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  • Author
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With grading books being such a big part of collecting, I thought it likely that cover appearances would be more desirable, especially as that's all you can look at with a slabbed book.

 

Wolverines 1st cover is more desirable than his 1st actual appearance, but there are other variables at play with this particular case.

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Junkdrawer

Junkdrawer

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I want the first appearance. Would it have been great if Our Army At War 83 featured Sgt Rock on the cover? Yeah, that would have been ideal but it didn't. Still doesn't diminish the importance of the book
I think Ironman 55 would be 10 times better if Thanos was on the cover and likewise FF48. Two books that just don't work for me due to that simple fact, but that's just me.
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techtre2003

techtre2003

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Posted
I want the first appearance. Would it have been great if Our Army At War 83 featured Sgt Rock on the cover? Yeah, that would have been ideal but it didn't. Still doesn't diminish the importance of the book
I think Ironman 55 would be 10 times better if Thanos was on the cover and likewise FF48. Two books that just don't work for me due to that simple fact, but that's just me.

 

I can agree with IM 55, but I've always loved the cover of FF 48. "The Coming of Galactus" and everyone just staring up in awe just feels like the epic introduction Galactus deserved. Now, having the Surfer on the cover wouldn't have hurt.

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ProcessedMeatMan

ProcessedMeatMan

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I'm partial to first appearances, cameo, full, whatever. First covers don't do much for me, unless it's in a series I collect for a full run.

 

Venom is an interesting one to me. His first [full] cameo appearance (similar to Hulk 180) is in ASM 299, but everyone prefers ASM 300. He isn't on the cover of either issue, though 300 is such a classic, iconic cover, his absence doesn't make much difference.

 

Venom's first cover appearance is technically ASM 315, but it's only his head. His first full cover is ASM 316.

 

 

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SquareChaos

SquareChaos

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The Caspar example is the perfect storm.

 

Jumping more modern than anything else discussed at this point, here are New X-Men #128 - 129.

 

1iuAspu.jpg

 

Fantomex first appears in 128, but I can't tell you how many times I've heard people say they wish the first appearance came with the cover from 129. The argument even states that the book would be worth more than the current 1st appearance in 128, and that statement is probably correct.

 

Anyway, despite all of that, the answer seems pretty clear - you want the first full appearance in story / continuity.

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jcjames

jcjames

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I want the first appearance. Would it have been great if Our Army At War 83 featured Sgt Rock on the cover? Yeah, that would have been ideal but it didn't. Still doesn't diminish the importance of the book
I think Ironman 55 would be 10 times better if Thanos was on the cover and likewise FF48. Two books that just don't work for me due to that simple fact, but that's just me.

 

I can agree with IM 55, but I've always loved the cover of FF 48. "The Coming of Galactus" and everyone just staring up in awe just feels like the epic introduction Galactus deserved. Now, having the Surfer on the cover wouldn't have hurt.

 

Both > 1st Appearance > 1st Cover

 

FF48 is one of the biggest letdowns I have because Silver Surfer is my favorite character and dagg-num-it I wish his 1st appearance was also a 1st cover. For me, the expressions of 'anticipation and awe' of everyone on the cover just doesn't cut it for such a significant 1st appearance appearance.

 

 

 

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90sChild

90sChild

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There are so many examples where the hobby tends to care more about the 1st cover than the 1st appearance, here's two huge examples where prices really shot up for the first cover book and not the first appearance.

 

Avengers 195/196 Taskmaster

X-Factor 5/6 Apocalypse

 

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Aweandlorder

Aweandlorder

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Funny thing I was just mentioning this book in the modern threads (because of the new reboot)

 

Josie & the Pussycats #45 - 1st Apperance and first title change from "Josie" to "Josie & the Pussycats"

 

s_l1600.jpg

 

But the 2nd appearance is just as desirable because of the cover

 

2853444-46.jpg

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Lazyboy

Lazyboy

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There are so many examples where the hobby tends to care more about the 1st cover than the 1st appearance, here's two huge examples where prices really shot up for the first cover book and not the first appearance.

 

Avengers 195/196 Taskmaster

X-Factor 5/6 Apocalypse

 

:facepalm: No.

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