*Marvel: Among the most sought after comics of the 1970s, Hulk #180-182 featured the first appearances of Wolverine, the Canadian super-hero who, outstripping everyone’s expectations, became the break-out Marvel character of the 1970s. Created by Len Wein and Herb Trimpe (from a John Romita design), Wolvy was revived by Wein when he put together the New X-Men who debuted in Giant-Size X-Men #1, and since then, Wolverine became the star of the X-Men, and a media darling in his own right. We have acquired all three of Wolverine’s earliest appearances; Hulk #180 is technically Wolverine’s debut, though he only appears in a couple of panels to threaten Jade-Jaws and guest-monster Wendigo. This is a FN+ copy, the only significant flaws being very minor wear at cover corners and a partially erased black squiggle in the upper left cover corner, over the issue number and price. #181 is The Big One for the Little Guy: the first ‘Full Wolvy’, in which he battles both beside and with the Hulk against the menace of the Wendigo. This is VG+, sound and clean, but with one long diagonal cover crease from the mid-cover edge to the base of the cover; if you can live with the crease, this is a great chance to grab a copy of this most prized Bronze Age comic before the prices spiral even higher. Wrapping up the trilogy, we have #182, in which Wolverine says a fond farewell to the Hulk while being picked up by his handlers for his next mission. This is VG+, with only one specific localised flaw, creasing to the lower edge, underneath the boot of the implausibly-named guest-villain Anvil. All three of these key issues have the Marvel Value Stamp (that pernicious cut-out which blights collectors of 1970s Marvels) present and intact. None of them were ever distributed in the United Kingdom – thanks once again, Marvel UK – so while they’re not commonplace anywhere, they’re especially scarce in our green and pleasant land. High resolution images for #181 are available on request.
PICTURED: HULK
#180 FN+ £325 SOLD
#181 VG+ £1300 SOLD
#182 VG+ £50 SOLD