Key Collector Comics

Obtained By Mail

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The Lone Ranger #1

Lone Ranger Comics Inc ⋅ 1939

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The Lone Ranger #1
 
Low
$620
Mid
$2.5k
High
$6.8k

Key Facts

1st appearance of the Lone Ranger in a standard Golden Age-sized comic

1st western comic book featuring a single character

Promotional mail-in offer for an ice cream cone company

Stories adapted from Lone Ranger and His Horse Silver, published by Big Little Books

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Street Collector’s Edition #1

ANJ ⋅ 1988

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Street Collector’s Edition #1
 
Low
$8
Mid
$20
High
$80

Key Facts

8-page black and white comic book included in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Fan Club Membership Kit

Obtained by mail after sending in an order form that was included with TMNT Playmates action figures plus a $15.00 fee

Included in the TMNT branded kit was the comic book (shown in image), a sticker, a numbered membership card, an orange and white bandana, a 12-month membership to the Chaos Chronicle newsletter and a letter from the president of the marketing company that produced the kit

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures

Promo ⋅ Archie ⋅ 1988

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures
 
Low
$50
Mid
$150
High
$515

Key Facts

Promotional 3-pack of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1988) #1 - #3

Obtained by mail after sending in proof of purchase of Nespray brand milk powder

Promotion ran in Malaysia

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure #1

DC ⋅ 1989

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Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure #1
 
Low
$2
Mid
$8
High
$20

Key Facts

Adaptation of the film Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure

Published by DC in 1989, two years later Marvel began publishing the comic book series, Bill & Ted's Excellent Comic Book

Cheerios mail-away promotion

Mortal Kombat Collector's Edition #1

Midway ⋅ 1992

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Mortal Kombat Collector's Edition #1
 
Low
$30
Mid
$90
High
$300

Key Facts

Comic book inspired by the 1992 Midway arcade game

1st appearance of Kung Lao, Shang Tsung and Goro

1st appearance of Sonya

1st appearance of Kano

1st appearance of Liu Kang

1st appearance of Johnny Cage

1st appearance of Raiden

1st appearance of Sub-Zero and Scorpion

Prequel story related to the first game, written and illustrated by Mortal Kombat co-creator, John Tobias

“Collector's Edition" with $3.00 printed on the cover, distributed by mail

Magnus Robot Fighter #0

Valiant ⋅ 1992

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Magnus Robot Fighter #0
 
Low
$3
Mid
$9
High
$35

Key Facts

Origin of Magnus Robot Fighter

Issue redeemed by mailing-in coupons from Magnus Robot Fighter #1-8

Contains a bound-in Magnus trading card by Barry Windsor-Smith

Spider-Man Special Edition #1

Marvel ⋅ 1992

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Spider-Man Special Edition #1
 
Low
$2
Mid
$8
High
$20

Key Facts

Battle of Spider-man and Daredevil vs Venom

Issue exclusively obtained through a UNICEF mail-in charity drive

Interior pin-up poster included

Batman / Grendel #1

Platinum ⋅ DC ⋅ 1993

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Batman / Grendel #1
 
Low
$45
Mid
$120
High
$450

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Matt Wagner, creator of Grendel

'Silver Moon' Platinum Foil Edition, limited to 25 copies

Obtained by winning a contest facilitated by Hero Illustrated Magazine

The gold stamp is part of the proprietary Hero Illustrated protective slipcase and not on the actual comic

This much anticipated publisher crossover was written in 1991 but was delayed due to Comico going through bankruptcy proceedings. DC eventually published the story in 1993

Harbinger #0

Promo ⋅ Valiant ⋅ 1993

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Harbinger #0
 
Low
$5
Mid
$18
High
$75

Key Facts

Variant pink cover available to fans who sent in coupons from Harbinger issues #1-#6

Origin of Sting, Peter Stanchek

Incredible Hulk vs. Venom #1

Marvel ⋅ 1994

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Incredible Hulk vs. Venom #1
 
Low
$2
Mid
$8
High
$25

Key Facts

Battle of The Incredible Hulk against Venom

Issue exclusively obtained through a UNICEF mail-in charity drive

Foil, embossed cover

X-O Manowar #1/2

Wizard Exclusive ⋅ Valiant ⋅ 1994

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X-O Manowar #1/2
 
Low
$5
Mid
$15
High
$50

Key Facts

Variant gold logo edition

Mail-in offer by Valiant and Wizard with Certificate of Authenticity

Star Wars: X-Wing - Rogue Squadron

Promo ⋅ Dark Horse ⋅ 1995

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Star Wars: X-Wing - Rogue Squadron
 
Low
$1
Mid
$2
High
$10

Key Facts

One-shot promotional giveaway included in the Hero Illustrated Magazine

13-page story called 'Wedge's Story'

Wolverine #102.5

Marvel ⋅ 1996

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Wolverine #102.5
 
Low
$10
Mid
$30
High
$100

Key Facts

Fleer trading card mail-away issue that falls in-continuity between Wolverine #102 and #103

Milk and Cheese: The Special Edition #1

SLG ⋅ 1997

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Milk and Cheese: The Special Edition #1
 
Low
$20
Mid
$80
High
$200

Key Facts

16-page one-shot distributed at conventions and obtained by mail

Measures 5.5 in. x 8.5 in.

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace #1/2

Dark Horse ⋅ 1999

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Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace #1/2
 
Low
$3
Mid
$9
High
$35

Key Facts

Obtained by mailing in a coupon found in Wizard Magazine #94

Original 15-page story with four pages of character sketches

Preview sketch of Darth Maul

1st appearance of Anakin Skywalker, later becomes Darth Vader

1st appearance of Jar Jar Binks

1st appearance of Qui-Gon Jinn

1st appearance of Padme

Wolverine #145

Variant ⋅ Marvel ⋅ 1999

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Wolverine #145
 
Low
$65
Mid
$190
High
$650

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Bill Sienkiewicz

Proof-of-purchase, mail-away offer from Nabisco snack foods

Thought to be scarce due to its distribution, the Nabisco exclusive registers approximately 600 graded copies

Incredible Hulk #181

Wizard Exclusive ⋅ Marvel ⋅ 2001

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Incredible Hulk #181
 
Low
$3
Mid
$9
High
$30

Key Facts

Wizard Ace Edition reprinting Incredible Hulk #181, mail-away offer

Acetate cover overlay

Ultimate Spider-Man #12

Promo ⋅ Marvel ⋅ 2001

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Ultimate Spider-Man #12
 
Low
$15
Mid
$50
High
$150

Key Facts

Promotional giveaway obtained by submitting specially-marked Chef Boyardee labels via USPS

Identified by the absence of the words 'Direct Edition'

Hellboy Premiere Edition

Dark Horse ⋅ 2004

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Hellboy Premiere Edition
 
Low
$1
Mid
$3
High
$12

Key Facts

Wizard Magazine mail-away offer featuring a Mike Mignola story titled 'The Penanggalan'

Wizard: Ghost Rider #1/2

Wizard ⋅ 2017

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Wizard: Ghost Rider #1/2
 
Low
$1
Mid
$3
High
$12

Key Facts

Obtained as a mailaway offer from Wizard

Story: Ghost Rider pursues the CEO of a company that produces defective motorcycles which burn their owners to death

Harbinger Wars 2 #0

Variant ⋅ Valiant ⋅ 2017

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Harbinger Wars 2 #0
 
Low
$5
Mid
$12
High
$45

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Clayton Crain

Obtained by redeeming four coupons found in Harbinger Renegade #1-#4

Hero Trade: A Brief Case #1

Bad Idea ⋅ 2021

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Hero Trade: A Brief Case #1
 
Low
$50
Mid
$150
High
$550

Key Facts

Standalone reprint of a story originally printed as a back-up feature in Eniac #1, limited to 154 copies

The first wave of 50 shipped randomly to collectors who redeemed a ‘final five’ sticker that was obtained by pre-ordering Bad Idea’s final solicited titles

Each copy has a word balloon, printed by hand on page 7 that reads "DO NOT CGC ME!"

Interior features a mock advertisement for The Hero Trade, inspired by the TMNT #1 ad from Gobbledygook

Teaser image of The Lot

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