Who can lay claim to being King of the Seas?
Aquaman has been subjected to more ridicule, but the values of their key issues are roughly comparable.
Both Aquaman and Namor are very similar characters. Both are half-human and half-Atlantean, have similar powers and both first appeared in the Golden Age (Namor in 1939 and Aquaman in 1941).
In spite of these similarities, they have historically been treated very differently by comic book fans. Aquaman has often been the subject of ridicule, especially since he appeared in the Super Friends cartoon in the 1970s riding a seahorse.
In contrast, Namor, one of the very first characters created by Marvel Comics (then Timely Comics), is viewed as an alpha male, has battled the Hulk, the Thing and Iron Man to a standstill, and has even won the heart of Sue Storm in different timelines.
This disrespect for Aquaman and respect for Namor hasn't resulted in disparities in terms of comic book values.
For example, there isn't a noticeable difference in the values of More Fun Comics #73 (the first appearance of Aquaman, published in 1941) and Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1 (the first appearance of Namor, published in 1939).
While there is very little sales data for these two Golden Age mega-keys, they appear to be comparable in value. For instance, a CGC 9.0 copy of Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1 sold for $43,125 back in 2005. In comparison, a CGC 9.4 copy of More Fun Comics #73 sold for $38,838 in 2009.
Considering that graded copies of Namor's first appearance are much more rare than Aquaman's first appearance, these appear to be comparable sales to me. Similarly, a 3.5 copy of More Fun Comics #73 sold for $38,838 in 2014; a few years later, a 3.5 copy of Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1 sold for $27,500.
Because it is considerably more rare, Aquaman's first solo series issue is generally worth more than Sub-Mariner's.
It wasn't until the 1960s that these two characters finally received their own title series in Aquaman #1 (1962) and Sub-Mariner #1 (1968). For the sake of comparison, let's take a look at a CGC 2.5 copy of Aquaman #1 and a CGC 4.5 copy of Sub-Mariner #1 both of which are on sale on PWCC's website:
Even though a 4.5 is a considerably higher grade than a 2.5, the market value of CGC 4.5 copy of Aquaman #1 is considerably higher than a 4.5 copy of Sub-Mariner #1 primarily because graded copies of Aquaman #1 are harder to find. Specifically, there are 304 4.5s of Sub-Mariner #1 on the CGC Census.
In contrast, there are only 57 2.5s of Aquaman #1 on the CGC Census. Not surprisingly, according to GoCollect, the FMV for a CGC 2.5 copy of Aquaman #1 is $350. The FMV for a CGC 4.5 copy of Sub-Mariner #1 is $220.
As for the two PWCC listings, the consignor for Aquaman #1 is asking for $395. The consigner for Sub-Mariner #1 is asking for $240. Both list prices already include the buyer's premium.
Who is the King of the Seas? Do you have a preference for either Namor or Aquaman? Please let our community know what your opinion is in the comments section below!
