*Marvel: I don’t know, you wait around for ages for an Amazing Fantasy #15 to turn up, and then two come along at once! Join us as we celebrate the ultimate Spider-Mania/Mighty Marvel Firsts event — the first appearance of the Amazing Spider-Man in Amazing Fantasy #15.

In the final issue of the mystery anthology Amazing Adult Fantasy, dated September 1962 and renamed Amazing Fantasy for that one issue, Stan Lee and Steve Ditko created a character who was destined to change the then-nascent Marvel Comics’ fortunes, and the face of the comics industry. Peter Parker, the Amazing Spider-Man, became Marvel Comics’ solo super-star, wisecracking his way through all the slings and arrows a capricious fate (and the imaginative writers) could throw at him, and, decades later, following thousands of comic books and multiple multi-million media adaptations, he remains one of the most recognized characters worldwide. Copies of his first appearance, pre-dating his own series, are the most sought-after comics ever, always topping such lists of ‘hot’ comics that are compiled, so we are highly pleased (and honestly, a little staggered) to have not one, but TWO copies of this ground-breaking debut issue available.

The first is an unabashed Poor: a Pence copy, this has a long horizontal taped tear across the front cover, bisecting the logo. The spine is heavily taped, and there is a corner, approximately 2 x 3 inches, off the upper left back cover, which also has a horizontal taped tear similar to that of the front cover. The body of the book is taped to the inside front cover at the staple areas. There are minor biro markings on the advertisement on the inside front cover. There are two sets of rubber-stamped initials, one at lower splash page margin, another (with added date 1967, presumably a previous owner’s year of purchase) at the bottom of the inside back cover. All interior pages are present and complete, with no defacements or significant defects, and the interiors, if considered in isolation, would present as GD+ to GD/VG. Although there are, as detailed above, extensive drawbacks with the cover, they do not significantly impact upon the cover image, which is clean and unmarred. For this PR p copy of Amazing Fantasy #15, the price is £4,000.

The second copy is a significantly higher grade, which means, paradoxically, that there is less to actually say about it. Another Pence copy, we have graded this as GD+. There is one tiny diagonal tear on the lower cover edge, around ¼”, just below the yellow Editor’s Message box. There is moderate to significant spine wear, but the spine remains firmly intact, and staples are solid at cover and interiors. Numerous small creases and ‘scuffs’ on the cover image, but none of a cumulative magnitude to detract from the cover image. No tape or any interior markings of any kind. Interiors clean, off-white and flexible. Owing to the multiple small and light creases and spine wear, as detailed above, we have graded this copy of Amazing Fantasy #15 at GD+ p and the price is £10,000.

Front and back covers and splash page images are shown here. High resolution versions of these are available on request. Please note that viewing of either or both copies can be done at our shop, but STRICTLY by appointment only; since we do not keep these comics on the premises, we will require a minimum of 24 hours’ notice for an appointment to view. SORRY, THESE HAVE BOTH NOW SOLD