| Slot: |
Tales of Suspense 39 |
| Item: |
Tales of Suspense 39 Apparent MP |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1056551002
|
Owner Comments
TOS #39 initiates the Iron Man run in Tales of Suspense. As a Marvel key, it has always been very expensive. We bought the pictured 9.4 in a CL auction back on 10/29/2011. Our book has undergone a moderate professional restoration, which borought the purchase price down to below $10,000.
We also had a copy of this book that we purchased on E-Bay when I first started collecting again. It was advertised as being a 9.8, but ungraded. I shelled out about $8,000 for the book in a competitive auction. It really looked great and became the first raw book I ever submitted to CGC at their booth at Dragon Con in Atlanta. I remember how devastated I was when I got the book back and it was only an 8.5. I subsequently sold it and was able to recoup my money. In hindsight, I should have just kept it, as CGC 8.5s make more than $8,000 these days.
It seems nowadays that you rarely see supposedly super high grade copies of key issues offered for sale in the raw. As one of my early mentors in the hobby told me, there is a lot more money to be made if the book is graded, why would they sell it as ungraded unless they are inflating the grade? During the early 2000s, I bought a number of ungraded books, paying in some instances several hundred to even over a thousand dollars. They were usually graded by the seller. I did submit some for grading, about half were restored, none came back as high as they had been graded by the seller. I quit buying raw books except as readers many years ago, but I still appreciate the looks of sharp books in a Mylar sleeve, rather than plastic encasements.
Through the years, I have been offered high grade unrestored copies of this issue many times. But they are always very expensive and I prefer to concentrate on completing runs rather than just key issues, which definitely makes me a dinosaur in this hobby. The real appreciation I have seen has been in the keys and continues that way. It has certainly been the way to go as an investor, but I have always just been a collector. In other words, I am not the sharpest tool in the shed LOL.
2024 Update: The single highest graded copy of this issue came to Auction on Heritage in April 2024 and sold for $800,000. A couple of things are noteworthy about that one. First, per CL, they negotiated a private sale of that same book sometime earlier for $2 million, so the owner must have taken a $1.2 million loss plus commission. Secondly, I understand the buyer was actually the owner of Heritage. I am not sure what his plans are for the book, but if I had had the liquidity to do it, I would have been a buyer at that price too.
|
| Slot: |
Tales of Suspense 40 |
| Item: |
Tales of Suspense 40 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
0096243002
|
Owner Comments
Issue #40 features the second appearance of Iron Man, the first in his short-lived all gold armour. Our WP 9.6 comes from heralded Western Penn Collection and is tied with two others for highest graded. It was also part of the Doug Schmell Collection, which was auctioned off by Heritage in July 2012. We acquired it off the CL Exchange in a package deal with the TOS #41 9.8 on 2/25/2015.
|
| Slot: |
Tales of Suspense 41 |
| Item: |
Tales of Suspense 41 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1024024005
|
Owner Comments
9.8 WP and Pacific Coast pedigree, what else could anyone want in a book? This book is one of two highest graded as of 5/2020. It was also part of the Doug Schmell Collection, which was auctioned off by Heritage in July 2012. We acquired it off the CL Exchange in a package deal with the TOS #40 9.6 on 2/25/2015. These two books are the centerpiece of this set.
2023 Update: Unfortunately, there are now three 9.8s in the census.
|
| Slot: |
Tales of Suspense 42 |
| Item: |
Tales of Suspense 42 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
2065097006
|
Owner Comments
Iron Man battles the Red Barbarian in this gorgeous 9.8, which is the single highest graded copy of this issue.*
2021 Update: Sometimes comic collecting is a very frustrating hobby, as this book held the distinction of being single highest graded copy for just weeks. As of this writing, it is now highest graded 1/2. Once again, when it comes to buying single highest graded books, paying a premium is a risky venture. One is much better off financially being the buyer of the second book in any top grade.
|
| Slot: |
Tales of Suspense 43 |
| Item: |
Tales of Suspense 43 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1039352010
|
Owner Comments
Issue #43 features the first appearance of Kala, Queen of, the Netherworld. Our copy is one of only two 9.6s in existence, with none higher.
|
| Slot: |
Tales of Suspense 44 |
| Item: |
Tales of Suspense 44 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1998439003
|
Owner Comments
Both Marvel and DC managed to work Ancient Egypt into their Super-Hero sagas. In the 6th appearance of Iron Man in TOS, he runs into the Mad Pharoah. This is probably the fourth copy of this book I have owned, going from a 9.0 to a 9.4, to a 9.6 and finally to this book, which is one of two highest graded. We acquired the book in a ComicConnect auction on 12/21/2018.
Our run between #40-44 is really special and one of the highlights of our entire collection. All five books are highest graded, and 4 of the five are 1/2 highest graded with the fifth a WP pedigree 1/3.
|
| Slot: |
Tales of Suspense 45 |
| Item: |
Tales of Suspense 45 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1968796002
|
Owner Comments
Iron Man battles Jack Frost in this seventh installment of Iron Man in TOS. Perhaps the most notable thing about this issue is the first appearance of Pepper Potts and Happy Hogan, two stalwarts of the Iron Man and Avengers movies, played cinematically by Gwyneth Paltrow and Jon Favreau.
We long struggled to find a high grade example of this comic. We were finally able to acquire this book in the 2/21/2019 Heritage auction. It is the sole 9.6 in the census as of 5/2020, bested only by the PC 9.8, which was sold in the Doug Schmell Collection.
2023 Update: Bad news again, there are now two 9.6s of this issue in the census.
|
| Slot: |
Tales of Suspense 46 |
| Item: |
Tales of Suspense 46 |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1031190005
|
Owner Comments
Issue #46 features the first appearance of the Crimson Dynamo, Professor Anton Vanco. Our copy is one of the two highest graded in the census as of 10/2020. We acquired the book from the 10/23/2012 Pedigree Comics Auction.
|
| Slot: |
Tales of Suspense 47 |
| Item: |
Tales of Suspense 47 |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1197716026
|
Owner Comments
Issue #47 features the origin and first appearance of, the Melter, Bruno Horgan. This is a strange book, as while a 1963 9.8, it is not even tied for highest graded, as there is a 9.9 in the census, which is really unheard of with this early a book. Our book was tied with one other 9.8 in the census and still is, there is just this unseen 9.9 on top of both of them.
We acquired our 9.8 from the 2/11/2014 Pedigree Comics Auction.
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| Slot: |
Tales of Suspense 48 |
| Item: |
Tales of Suspense 48 |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1198173012
|
Owner Comments
From the Don/Maggie Thompson Collection this book is a mini-key, as it introduces the new sleeker Iron Man. This book also marks the first appearance of Mister Doll, Nathan Dolly. Our book is one of three highest graded and was purchased in the November 23, 2013 Heritage auction.
2923 Update: It was a bad census year for us with respect to TOS, as now there are four 9.8s.
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| Slot: |
Tales of Suspense 49 |
| Item: |
Tales of Suspense 49 |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
0062671005
|
Owner Comments
Issue #49 is significant in that it features the first X-Men crossover. Also, "Tales of the Watcher" stories begin in Issue #49.
Our copy is second highest graded trailing a trio of 9.8s. I had the opportunity to acquire one of those 9.8s in the auction where I got my #48 9.8 and regret that I let it slip away. If you have one and would like to make a quick profit, please get in touch. We acquired our 9.6 in the 12/12/2013 CL Auction.
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| Slot: |
Tales of Suspense 50 |
| Item: |
Tales of Suspense 50 |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
0705399001
|
Owner Comments
Issue #50 is significant in that it introduced the Mandarin, played in Iron Man #3 by Ben Kingsley. This copy is one of two highest ever graded by CGC. It hails from the Pacific Coast Collection and was also part of the Doug Schmell Collection, which was auctioned off by Heritage in July 2012. We acquired the book from the 2/11/2014 Pedigree Comics Auction.
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| Slot: |
Tales of Suspense 51 |
| Item: |
Tales of Suspense 51 |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1097121003
|
Owner Comments
Issue #51 features the introduction of the Scarecrow, Ebenezer Laughton, a villain who reappears in futures issues. This book is tied with five others for highest graded. We acquired it on 3/16/2014 in a CL auction.
2023 Update: This one has a strange census, as there are now nine 9.6s, but still no 9.8s.
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| Slot: |
Tales of Suspense 52 |
| Item: |
Tales of Suspense 52 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1292485005
|
Owner Comments
Issue #52 has become a major key, since it features the first appearance of the Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff, who has been played in cinema by Scarlett Johansson.
This issue has become incredibly expensive since Scarlett assumed the role. This copy is second highest graded, trailing four 9.6s, the last of which sold for over $60,000. I am guessing that will mark the top of the market and that we will see prices recede much as we have seen with FF #52. This copy was acquired in the Heritage auction of 2/18/2016.
|
| Slot: |
Tales of Suspense 53 |
| Item: |
Tales of Suspense 53 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1197715024
|
Owner Comments
Issue #53 features the second appearance of the Black Widow. Our copy is tied for second highest graded trailing a single 9.8.
|