Key Collector Comics

100 Golden Keys

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All-Star Comics #8

DC ⋅ 1941

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All-Star Comics #8
 
Low
$28.5k
Mid
$81k
High
$290k
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Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of Wonder Woman

1st appearance of Hippolyta

1st appearance of Steve Trevor

Starman and Dr. Mid-Nite join the JSA

💰 In June 2022, a 9.4 sold for $1,620,000

Sensation Comics #1

DC ⋅ 1942

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Sensation Comics #1
 
Low
$10.5k
Mid
$43k
High
$112k
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Key Facts

1st cover, 2nd appearance and origin of Wonder Woman

1st appearance and origin of Mr. Terrific, Terry Sloane

1st appearance of Wildcat, Ted Grant

Sensation Comics #2

DC ⋅ 1942

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Sensation Comics #2
 
Low
$1.1k
Mid
$3.1k
High
$8.8k
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Key Facts

1st appearance of Dr. Poison, Princess Maru

1st appearance of Etta Candy, Wonder Woman's best friend

Pep Comics #26

Archie ⋅ 1942

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Pep Comics #26
 
Low
$2.6k
Mid
$8.9k
High
$26k
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Key Facts

1st appearance of Veronica Lodge

Crime Does Not Pay #22

Lev Gleason ⋅ 1942

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Crime Does Not Pay #22
 
Low
$560
Mid
$1.7k
High
$7.2k
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Key Facts

First "true crime" comic book format

Our Gang Comics #1

Dell ⋅ 1942

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Our Gang Comics #1
 
Low
$420
Mid
$1.2k
High
$4.2k
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Key Facts

1st appearance of Tom & Jerry - Tom is depicted as a brown-colored cat in this comic instead of the more traditional gray

1st appearance of Barney Bear

1st team appearance of Our Gang

Police Comics #11

Quality ⋅ 1942

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Police Comics #11
 
Low
$335
Mid
$1k
High
$4.1k
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Key Facts

1st appearance of the Spirit in standard comic format

The Spirit is a crimefighter created by Will Eisner who first appeared in a 16-page newsprint comic insert distributed with the Register and Tribune Syndicate newspaper

Four Color #9

Dell ⋅ 1942

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Four Color #9
 
Low
$1.2k
Mid
$3.8k
High
$12k
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Key Facts

First artwork on Donald Duck by Carl Barks

Captain Marvel Adventures #18

Fawcett ⋅ 1942

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Captain Marvel Adventures #18
 
Low
$1.3k
Mid
$4.2k
High
$16.5k
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Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of Mary Marvel

1st appearance of the Marvel Family together in one issue: Captain Marvel, Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr.

Animal Comics #1

Dell ⋅ 1942

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Animal Comics #1
 
Low
$100
Mid
$300
High
$1.1k
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Key Facts

1st appearance of Pogo Possum

Air Fighters Comics #3

Hillman ⋅ 1942

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Air Fighters Comics #3
 
Low
$180
Mid
$800
High
$2.5k
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Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of The Heap, a German pilot that turned into a swamp monster

Origin of Skywolf

Detective Comics #73

DC ⋅ 1943

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Detective Comics #73
 
Low
$2.2k
Mid
$7.7k
High
$22k
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Key Facts

1st cover and 2nd appearance of the Scarecrow

Batman #16

DC ⋅ 1943

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Batman #16
 
Low
$1.5k
Mid
$5k
High
$15k
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Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of Alfred Pennyworth

Captain Marvel Adventures #26

Fawcett ⋅ 1943

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Captain Marvel Adventures #26
 
Low
$155
Mid
$515
High
$1.7k
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Key Facts

1st full appearance of Mr. Mind, revealed to be a tiny, alien worm

In issue Captain Marvel Adventures #22 - #25, Mr. Mind’s presence is in dialogue alone

Air Fighters Comics #2

Hillman ⋅ 1943

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Air Fighters Comics #2
 
Low
$300
Mid
$1.3k
High
$3k
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Key Facts

1st appearance of Valkyrie and the Air Maidens

Suspense Comics #3

Continental ⋅ 1944

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Suspense Comics #3
 
Low
$26k
Mid
$72k
High
$200k
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Key Facts

Cover art by Alex Schomburg

Published prior to the establishment of the Comics Code Authority

Considered to be the most valuable non-superhero comic book

All-American Comics #61

DC ⋅ 1944

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All-American Comics #61
 
Low
$5k
Mid
$15k
High
$50k
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Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of Solomon Grundy, a zombie

Jumbo Comics #69

Fiction House ⋅ 1944

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Jumbo Comics #69
 
Low
$400
Mid
$1.2k
High
$4k
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Key Facts

First published interior art in the comic book industry by Matt Baker, the first known black artist in comics

Baker is credited as having illustrated the first graphic novel, It Rhymes With Lust

Baker's name is synonymous with the term 'Good Girl Art' which referred to stimulating illustrations of women

Baker defined the classic Phantom Lady imagery which caused him to be a target of Dr. Frederic Wertham, author of "Seduction of the Innocent"

Nelvana of the Northern Lights

Bell Features ⋅ 1945

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Nelvana of the Northern Lights
 
Low
$4k
Mid
$12k
High
$40k
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Key Facts

First solo Nelvana of the Northern Lights issue

Reprint of stories from Triumph Comics

Mask Comics #1

Rural Home ⋅ 1945

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Mask Comics #1
 
Low
$4k
Mid
$12k
High
$40k
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Key Facts

Cover art by L.B. Cole

Wilbur Comics #5

Archie ⋅ 1945

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Wilbur Comics #5
 
Low
$180
Mid
$600
High
$1.8k
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Key Facts

1st appearance of Katy Keene, a fashion model

Terry-Toons Comics #38

Timely ⋅ 1945

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Terry-Toons Comics #38
 
Low
$500
Mid
$1.5k
High
$5k
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Key Facts

1st appearance of Mighty Mouse

[November 2024 - a feature film is in development at Paramount with Ryan Reynolds' production company Maximum Effort and writer Matt Lieberman (Free Guy) attached]

Marvel Family #1

Fawcett ⋅ 1945

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Marvel Family #1
 
Low
$3.3k
Mid
$9.8k
High
$33k
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Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of Black Adam, an Egyptian prince named Teth-Adam who was first granted powers by the wizard Shazam though it corrupted him

Origin of The Marvel Family: Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel Junior, Mary Marvel and Uncle Marvel

All Winners Comics #19

Timely ⋅ 1946

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All Winners Comics #19
 
Low
$800
Mid
$2.4k
High
$11k
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Key Facts

1st team appearance and origin of the All Winners Squad: Captain America, Bucky, Human Torch, Miss America, Sub-Mariner, Toro and the Whizzer

Terry-Toons Comics #50

Timely ⋅ 1946

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Terry-Toons Comics #50
 
Low
$80
Mid
$200
High
$800
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Key Facts

1st appearance of Heckle & Jeckle

Eerie #1

Avon ⋅ 1947

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Eerie #1
 
Low
$1.6k
Mid
$5.5k
High
$16k
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Key Facts

First comic book title dedicated to the horror genre

Detective Comics #122

DC ⋅ 1947

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Detective Comics #122
 
Low
$750
Mid
$1.9k
High
$7.5k
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Key Facts

1st cover appearance of Catwoman

Marvel Mystery Comics #82

Timely ⋅ 1947

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Marvel Mystery Comics #82
 
Low
$1.1k
Mid
$3.8k
High
$11.2k
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Key Facts

1st appearance of and origin of Namora

First team-up of the Sub-Mariner and Namora

Star-Spangled Comics #69

DC ⋅ 1947

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Star-Spangled Comics #69
 
Low
$130
Mid
$450
High
$1.3k
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Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of Tomahawk, a soldier who fought during the Revolutionary War

All Negro Comics #1

All Negro Comics ⋅ 1947

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All Negro Comics #1
 
Low
$2.5k
Mid
$8.5k
High
$25k
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Key Facts

First comic book produced in full by black creators including writers, artists and the publisher

As quoted by editor Orrin C. Evans "every brush stroke and pen line in the drawings on these pages are by Negro artists"

Inside back cover has an advertisement for #2 but it was never published

Flash Comics #86

DC ⋅ 1947

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Flash Comics #86
 
Low
$1.9k
Mid
$7k
High
$19k
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Key Facts

1st appearance of Black Canary

Young Romance Comics #1

Prize ⋅ 1947

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Young Romance Comics #1
 
Low
$400
Mid
$1.2k
High
$4k
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Key Facts

First comic book published in the romance genre

Four Color #178

Dell ⋅ 1947

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Four Color #178
 
Low
$420
Mid
$1.3k
High
$4.2k
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Key Facts

1st appearance of Uncle Scrooge, introduced in a story titled ‘Christmas on Bear Mountain’

Two-Gun Kid #1

Timely ⋅ 1948

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Two-Gun Kid #1
 
Low
$180
Mid
$600
High
$1.8k
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Key Facts

1st appearance of the Two-Gun Kid, Clay Harder

Phantom Lady #17

Fox ⋅ 1948

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Phantom Lady #17
 
Low
$7.5k
Mid
$24k
High
$75k
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Key Facts

Cover art by Matt Baker

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: Wertham writes of the cover art, 'sexual stimulation by combining headlights with the sadist's dream of tying up a woman' -headlights a reference to her breasts

Detective Comics #140

DC ⋅ 1948

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Detective Comics #140
 
Low
$4.5k
Mid
$12.5k
High
$45k
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Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of the Riddler

Casper the Friendly Ghost #1

St. John ⋅ 1949

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Casper the Friendly Ghost #1
 
Low
$380
Mid
$1.1k
High
$4.8k
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Key Facts

1st appearance of Casper the Friendly Ghost

1st appearance of Herman the Mouse

1st appearance of Baby Huey

War Against Crime #10

EC ⋅ 1949

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War Against Crime #10
 
Low
$730
Mid
$2.3k
High
$7.3k
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Key Facts

1st appearance of the Vault Keeper and the Vault of Horror

Crypt of Terror #17

EC ⋅ 1950

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Crypt of Terror #17
 
Low
$1k
Mid
$3k
High
$10k
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Key Facts

First EC horror comic which, along with Vault of Horror #12, changed the course of the publisher and set into motion future censorship

Detective Comics #168

DC ⋅ 1951

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Detective Comics #168
 
Low
$5.8k
Mid
$16.5k
High
$54k
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Key Facts

Origin of the Joker, formerly a crook named the Red Hood who pulled a heist that led him through a vat of chemicals that caused his clown-like appearance

Action Comics #161

DC ⋅ 1951

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Action Comics #161
 
Low
$80
Mid
$240
High
$1.2k
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Key Facts

Debut of Green Kryptonite - in Action Comics #141, Lex Luthor synthesizes Kryptonite that is green but has no effect on Superman

Thun'da King of Congo #1

Magazine Enterprises ⋅ 1952

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Thun'da King of Congo #1
 
Low
$450
Mid
$1.2k
High
$4.5k
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Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of Thun'da, a pilot forced to becomes a warrior after his plane crashed in the jungle

The only original comic book illustrated entirely by Frank Frazetta, from cover to cover

Tip Top Comics #173

St. John ⋅ 1952

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Tip Top Comics #173
 
Low
$770
Mid
$2.8k
High
$6.8k
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Key Facts

1st appearance of Charles Schulz's "Peanuts" in comic books

According to the United States Library of Congress copyright records, this issue preceded the Peanuts appearance in United Comics #21 by one week

Phantom Stranger, The #1

DC ⋅ 1952

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Phantom Stranger, The #1
 
Low
$940
Mid
$3.3k
High
$9.4k
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Key Facts

1st appearance of the Phantom Stranger, a powerful archmage

Mad #1

EC ⋅ 1952

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Mad #1
 
Low
$650
Mid
$1.8k
High
$6.6k
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Key Facts

Premiere issue of the long-running satirical magazine that ceased new content publications in 2019

Dennis the Menace #1

Pines ⋅ 1953

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Dennis the Menace #1
 
Low
$140
Mid
$425
High
$1.5k
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Key Facts

1st appearance of Dennis the Menace

Little Dot #1

Harvey ⋅ 1953

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Little Dot #1
 
Low
$1.6k
Mid
$4.9k
High
$15k
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Key Facts

1st appearance of Richie Rich

1st appearance of Little Lotta

Marvelman #25

UK Edition ⋅ L Miller Son ⋅ 1954

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Marvelman #25
 
Low
$5k
Mid
$15k
High
$50k
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Key Facts

1st appearance of Marvelman, later renamed Miracleman, a young man who transformed into a superhero by saying 'Kimota' which is Atomik spelled backwards

The development of Miracleman occurred after DC/National won a lawsuit against Fawcett that prohibited the use of Captain Marvel, later renamed Shazam, due to his likeness to Superman

The UK publisher of Captain Marvel reprints, facing a devastating financial blow, successfully renamed, redesigned and re-marketed Captain Marvel into Marvelman

Four Color #596

Dell ⋅ 1954

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Four Color #596
 
Low
$160
Mid
$525
High
$1.6k
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Key Facts

1st appearance of Turok, dinosaur hunter

Rawhide Kid #1

Atlas ⋅ 1955

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Rawhide Kid #1
 
Low
$250
Mid
$900
High
$2.5k
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Key Facts

1st appearance of the Rawhide Kid, the first version of the character

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