With the smashing success of DC’s Superman in 1938, Fawcett Comics was in a mad race against competing publishers to push their own caped creation onto the crowded newsstands. Staff artist C.C. Beck and writer Bill Parker threw together ashcans of Thrill Comics #1, featuring the origin of the clean-visaged, barrel-chested crimefighter, Captain Thunder, only to discover that both the title and the character name were already in use.
Undaunted, Fawcett snapped up the copyright for Whiz Comics and rechristened their new character, Captain Marvelous – quickly shortened to Captain Marvel, which fit more neatly into the spaces left by the discarded original name in this story. Since ashcans were meant to hold copyright and promote material in-house, an extremely small print run was created, in black and white and on cheap stock.
“This comic is, hands down, the single rarest Golden Age key,” ComicConnect’s COO Vincent Zurzolo said. “The winning bidder will have a genuine bragging rights book for their investment collection.”
Thrill Comics #1 ends Friday, March 24 at 7:51 PM ET.
Boasting a cover more pulpy and gritty than would eventually become the house style for the Fawcett hero stable, the story within was expanded and reworked for the eventual Whiz #1, essentially making this the first appearance of the Big Red Cheese.
“Ashcans and extreme rarities have become high demand objects in recent auctions, as serious collectors slowly graduate from the standard Big Five keys,” Zurzolo continued.
The auction end-dates are as follows:
Session 1 (original art, Abbott & Costello - Amazing Spider-Man #44) March 20, 2017 at 7 PM ET
Session 2 (Amazing Spider-Man #45 - Daredevil #30) March 21 at 7 PM ET
Session 3 (Daredevil #31 - Incredible Hulk #181) March 22 at 7 PM ET
Session 4 (Incredible Hulk #271 - Strange Tales #77) March 23 at 7 PM ET
Session 5 (Strange Tales #81 - Zip Comics #38) March 24 at 7 PM ET
ComicConnect is the only major auction house that does not charge buyer's premiums. Simply pay the winning bid plus shipping (sales tax NY residents only). Contact them at support@comicconnect.com or call (toll free) (888) 779-7377 to consign to their next auction.