Marvel title with most valuable #1 and fewest valuable #2 to infinity? 1 1

[OuterboroGuy]

I was considering my DD collection and began wondering which Marvel title had the largest gap between the value of the #1 issue and the rest.  Not "the rest" as an entire group, but with the fewest number of individually valuable issues during the entire run.

Suggestions?

[theCapraAegagrus]

[Motor City Rob]

Daredevil is a great example. Arguably nothing after #1 is significant until #168. That's a whole lotta nothing for over a decade. This other example isn't exactly what you were asking but Incredible Hulk doesn't have much after issue #1 until you get to #180. Yes, issues 2-6 are still valuable, but they pale in comparison to #1.  That's 178 issues (including TTA) of blah. Your DD example is still better.

[1Cool]

Savage Sword of Conan comes to mind.  #1 is a $100 mag in high grade and the rest are not worth much at all.

Daredevil is a good example but issue #2 is still a $1,000 book in mid grade and the first 20 do pretty well in higher grades.  #1 is the key book of course but the rest of the series until 168 isn't exactly dollar books.

[Bludriver]

21 minutes ago, Motor City Rob said:

Daredevil is a great example. Arguably nothing after #1 is significant until #168.

Daredevil 131 is a key issue and is actually worth more than #168.

 

[OuterboroGuy]

Also, what would be the best counterexample?  FF?  or ASM?

[Bludriver]

Iron Man does not have many key issues after #1. #55 is a major key, and then there are more minor keys such as #54, #118, #128 & #282.

[theCapraAegagrus]

39 minutes ago, OuterboroGuy said:

Also, what would be the best counterexample?  FF?  or ASM?

ASM is the best counterexample IMO.

[Readcomix]

The original Conan run is a contender too. Yeah, yeah Red Sonja I know, but that's not necessarily more exciting than a DD#7. It's a run that's at least in the mix.

Edited April 13, 2021 by Readcomix
typo

[Bludriver]

2 hours ago, Bludriver said:

Daredevil 131 is a key issue and is actually worth more than #168.

 

I forgot to mention Daredevil #7 as well.

[InfantTerrible]

2 hours ago, OuterboroGuy said:

Also, what would be the best counterexample?  FF?  or ASM?

ASM by the fact that it's the most popular Marvel characters, plus it has so many movies made, plus many of its enemies popular enough to branch out to create their own franchise

After ASM, then FF, it has way too many iconic characters spawned out of this franchise

[Buzzetta]

Transformers 1 (Marvel Series) (Last issue has a bump but not to the level of Issue 1)

Magnus Robot Fighter (Gold Key)

Solar Man of the Atom (Gold Key) 

Action Comics comes to mind given the proportion of the gap between issue one and subsequent issues regardless of how valuable subsequent issues may be. 

[Gatsby77]

3 hours ago, Bludriver said:

Daredevil 131 is a key issue and is actually worth more than #168.

 

Thank you. Daredevil has # 7, 131 & 158 (yes - first Miller still matters).

Iron Man is arguably more keyless, despite 55 being such a monster. 2 keys out of 1-100, then a huge drop-off in value before the next 3-4 keys in 101-300 collectively.

[Chaykin Stevens]

Just now, Motor City Rob said:

This other example isn't exactly what you were asking but Incredible Hulk doesn't have much after issue #1 until you get to #180. Yes, issues 2-6 are still valuable, but they pale in comparison to #1.  That's 178 issues (including TTA) of blah.

The Hulk didn't appear in Tales To Astonish until #59.

[vheflin]

night nurse

[Gatsby77]

29 minutes ago, Buzzetta said:

Transformers 1 (Marvel Series) (Last issue has a bump but not to the level of Issue 1)

Magnus Robot Fighter (Gold Key)

Solar Man of the Atom (Gold Key) 

Action Comics comes to mind given the proportion of the gap between issue one and subsequent issues regardless of how valuable subsequent issues may be. 

Yes to all of these.

I own the top CGC Registry run of Magnus & 2-46 are virtually worthless next to # 1. The only other issue that’s remotely key is # 10 - with Walt Simonson’s first published art - & it’s a single image he submitted as a kid.

Ditto Silver / Bronze Age Action Comics - I’d argue there’s only 2 key issues total from # 301-600. That’s a *long* run.

 

Edited April 13, 2021 by Gatsby77

[Gatsby77]

Jonah Hex lasted more issues than Transformers and it’s # 1 & “nobody cares.”

ditto Warlord and Master of King Fu - long 100+ issue runs that nobody cares about outside the first issue.

[InfantTerrible]

8 minutes ago, Gatsby77 said:

Thank you. Daredevil has # 7, 131 & 158 (yes - first Miller still matters).

Iron Man is arguably more keyless, despite 55 being such a monster. 2 keys out of 1-100, then a huge drop-off in value before the next 3-4 keys in 101-300 collectively.

Tales of Suspense steals Iron-Man thunder, so many ToS keys that could've gone to IM, ToS39 (obviously), 50 (Mandarin), 52 (Black Widow), 57 (Hawkeye), 59 , 75, 97

[speedcake]

9 minutes ago, IronMan_Cave said:

Tales of Suspense steals Iron-Man thunder, so many ToS keys that could've gone to IM, ToS39 (obviously), 50 (Mandarin), 52 (Black Widow), 57 (Hawkeye), 59 , 75, 97

Might be an interesting twist to have this discussion about characters from their first appearance onward, rather than specific titles. Iron Man is a very good example of his first appearance and subsequent run in TOS being quite full of keys, but his solo title being nearly barren of them.

[Gatsby77]

How about Sgt. Fury? You've got # 1...big gap...# 13...nothing. Ran for 18 years and 167 issues.