We’re back with more Undervalued and Overlooked Comics. This is where we identify comics that are either currently lower in value than they could be, aren’t as well known in the collector market, or both. So, let’s get started with a look at some fascinating Silver Age comics you just might want to add to your collection.
Early Doom Patrol
We all know the value in first appearances. They’re the comic grail for many collectors. However, they’re also out of the price range of many of them. I know more than a few people who have complete runs of series except for that elusive first issue or appearance. But they do have the next best thing – the second appearance. And there is value in second appearances. While they’re often dwarfed by the value of their predecessors, they can be strongly coveted by those who can’t afford a first appearance yet love the character(s). That’s where My Greatest Adventure #81 comes into play.
Doom Patrol was a quirky idiosyncratic offering from DC in the Silver Age that has known many iterations throughout the years. They’ve had a fervent if not always large fan base since their creation. While the team made their first appearance in My Greatest Adventure #80, it’s the subsequent issue that we’re concerned with. There are 113 graded copies of My Greatest Adventure #81 in the CGC census. Of those, sales within the past few months include an 8.5 going for $275, a 7.0 for $100, and a 6.0 for $90. Those are low, low prices. Second appearances are often overlooked by collectors. But the prices mark them as heavily undervalued and affordable issues for those looking for the next best thing.
First Captain Savage
Despite the superhero boom of the Silver Age, nearly all publishers were still putting out war comics. Marvel had quite a bit of success with Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos, so in late 1967 they decided to put together a Marine Corps version of the team beginning with Captain Savage #1. The issue marked the first appearance of both Captain Savage and his team of Leatherneck Raiders. The series lasted 19 issues but was cancelled due less to poor sales or circulation and more to shifting societal norms as the Vietnam War became less popular. There are 224 graded copies and, judging from recent sales data, you could find copies fairly inexpensively. The most recent sales include two 7.5 copies selling for $75 and $100 and an 8.5 going for $105. Surprisingly, those low prices are at the high end of this book’s value throughout the years, yet they’re still extremely affordable. While it’s an often overlooked comic, you could do far worse from a value standpoint than picking up the first appearance of Captain Savage and His Leatherneck Raiders.
First Real Appearance of Sgt. Rock
We all know about the great argument that ensues whenever anyone brings up the first appearance of Wolverine. But did you know that the same arguments surround the first appearance of Sgt. Rock? While there were a few comics with prototypes of the character prior, Sgt. Rock (or Sgt. Rocky as he was then known) made his first appearance in Our Army at War #82. Of course, he only appeared at the end of the comic, so it’s considered by many to be his first “cameo” appearance. The character’s first “full” appearance came in the next issue, Our Army at War #83. The debate over which is Sgt. Rock’s first appearance has raged for decades.
There are 101 graded copies of Our Army at War #82 in the CGC database with a singular 9.0 making the top grade. No graded copies have sold this year, but 2024 saw sales that included a 4.5 for $459, a 3.5 for $319, and a 3.0 for $400. The last mid-grade sale was a 6.5 selling for $660 in 2023. There hasn’t been a sale in the higher grades since 2011, so it’s hard to determine its worth here in the mid-2020s. The prices paid are a little high to consider this an undervalued comic, and it’s definitely gone up in value. However, in comparison to Our Army at War #83, it’s definitely an overlooked comic. There are 240 graded copies of Our Army at War #83 and sales even in the mid-grades have reached as high as five figures. If you can ignore the cameo vs. full debate, Our Army at War #82 is a very affordable and often ignored first appearance of a character who has stood the test of time.
