*Marvel: While the first couple of issues of the Fantastic Four were an unqualified success, it wasn’t until the third issue that the team’s rough edges were smoothed out, and they became the familiar First Family we know and love. Issue #3, in addition to the menace of the Miracle Man (no, not that Miracle Man), had the team in costume for the first time, and the debut of their unique transportation the Fantasti-Car (aka ‘The Flying Bathtub’), as well as showing the readers in detail the team’s Baxter Building headquarters. With this issue, all the foundation for the FF’s future of high adventure and exploration were in place. The Good Doctor copy of this classic is a worn and lower-graded pence printed copy. The staples are firmly attached at the spine and centrefold; there is a tiny upper spine split and a lower spine split of about 3 cm. The page quality is okay, if a little tired, with a couple of small edge tears. There is a diagonal water stain of about 4 x 5 x 6 cm at the top of the spine, but the cover and pages are flat; a much fainter and smaller stain is at the bottom right of the cover. One long vertical crease like a subscription crease, partially breaking colour with a long horizontal crease across it also breaking colour, with a few small white spots in the base of the Fantasti-Car. Many other creases of varying intensity across the cover, some breaking colour, but only significantly along the spine. All in all, probably better than it sounds. High resolution images are available on request.
PICTURED: FANTASTIC FOUR #3 FA/GD p £560 SOLD