Good Afternoon Everybody! Today I am going to
showcase some CGC books. Now, I am not generally one to buy a graded book, but sometimes there is an issue I want to have protected or a price that grabs me and I pull the trigger. I am a bit impulsive after all.
It should also come as no surprise to those of you that have been following me but these books tend to lean heavy on a certain character. For me these books were a must own.
The Toddfather
The Incredible Hulk issue 340
This has now become classic look Wolverine. Rightfully so. This is Todd McFarlane’s, of Image and Spawn fame, first time working with the Wolverine! I’m pretty sure what sets this above the ranks of your common cover, other than the subject matter, is the reflection of the raging Hulk in the claws of Wolverine. This is just great! The pictured copy is a VERY FINE/NEAR MINT 9.0.
Two Cameos and a Missing Grail
The Incredible Hulk issue 180 & issue 182
Again, with these, like yesterday’s X-23 article, I am not going to go into the pricing, in the condition I have them in they aren’t bank breakers but I feel as if it diminishes what I think of as their significance.
I don’t think I have mentioned previously that I am also a huge fan of the Hulk. I am, so these books are doubly cool for me. This would be classic because of the battle with Wendigo even if it wasn’t Wolverine’s first appearance! Now, it’s not THE first appearance, that honor goes to issue 181. Issue 181 has been reprinted numerous times, most recently as part of the True Believersline, as an original copy is now out of reach for most collectors. This is listed as only a cameo but it is the first time we see The Wolverine! The copy shown is in FINE/VERY FINE 7.0.
Issue 182 finishes this Incredible Hulk arc and again rounds out Wolverine’s first action in Marvel Comics. Just as in issue 180, there is not much of him here as it is a vehicle for the Hulk. There are a couple of minor firsts here though, Hammer and Anvil. Don’t know if they ever show up again honestly. The pictured copy is a VERY FINE- 7.5.
It is is worth mentioning here that with issue 181 being as monumental as it is, there have been many tribute covers to it over the years, many of them recent years in the form of variants. Eventually, it would be nice to track all of these down, as I already have a few of them, plus a tribute or two of the first book. . . .
These two brawlers have a long history of duking it out, as shown, going back to the very first appearance of Wolverine you'll see. One of my all-time favorite battles between the two occurs during the Ultimate run Marvel did back in the early 2000s. I think I will try and feature those books along with the aforementioned tributes that I have available within the next day or two. Should be fun. We, however, are not quite done for the day. . . .
I Would Be Remiss If I Didn’t Include These
Wolverine Vol. 1 issue 1 & Wolverine Vol. 2 issue 1
The first issue pictured here is another classic look Wolverine drawn by Frank Miller. As a flagship character he really has had some top notch talent work on him, legendary even. This is also the very first self-titled Wolverine book. This mini-series only lasted 4 issues but did a lot to set the tone for the character and flesh out some history. This is where a lot of the Japanese lore to Wolverine comes into play and a lot of firsts because of it. The pictured book is a really nice NEAR MINT + 9.6!
Volume 2 starts a longer run of solo titled Wolverine adventures. This is actually the first time our hero goes by the Patch persona, which I think is super cool. But. . . I don’t really like this cover, it feels busy and dated and for a number one doesn’t really hit on Wolverine’s by this time, iconic look. Still a great book to have in any collection not every cover can be a homerun, even if I am a cover man. The pictured book is NEAR MINT- 9.2.
Recap!
And so closes another look into the comic life of Wolverine and my collection. Every time I do one of these pieces I get an idea or two for another. So until then………..
P.S. It was super hard to get good pics of these super encapsulated pieces with a camera phone.....
