Secrets of Haunted House #31 (1980)

A late Bronze Age book I want to spotlight today is Secrets of Haunted House #31, for the simple reason it is a cheap book featuring a cover-featured first appearance of a 35-year old DC character with much potential.

Quick history: Mister E was the star of standard vampire-hunting stories in Secrets of Haunted House #31-41, then 10 years later was used by Neil Gaiman in Books of Magic as one of the "Trenchcoat Brigade," an informal "team" who taught Timothy Hunter about magic.  He's in pretty good company there, as Dr. Occult is a Seigel & Shuster creation predating Superman, Phantom Stranger's first appearance from 1952 is a thousand-dollar book in CGC 4.0, and Constantine's first appearance in CGC 9.8 peaked at close to $700 due to anticipation of his TV show (before coming down to around $425 currently).

Mister E was in a couple of Vertigo mini-series, then after being absent for 10 years was reintroduced in the New 52 with an altered appearance and a different explanation for his blindness.  His bibliography totals only around 50 appearances in the four decades he's been around (compared to 300 for Madame Xanadu).  I really have no idea why he has not been used more.  It is just a matter of time before a writer or film producer taps this character for bigger and better things, but for now his first appearance is very affordable.

The Overstreet guide lists this at $16 in NM-, $2 above surrounding issues.  Currently there are zero 9.8s of the mere 7 that have been graded) which is kind of odd, and it would make a fun quest to find the first certified 9.8.  I have found a few nice 9.0 - 9.4 range copies discounted from guide, in the $10-$12 range.  This is definitely a book to memorize and try to find high-grade copies at your LCS or at shows.

Mister E in the "Trenchcoat Brigade":

Mister E's debut in the SOHH #31 backup story:

SOHH # 35 sports an eye-catching Mister E/Frankenstein monster cover by Rich Buckler:

Books to Watch: Vampire Tales #2 (1973)

Part 3 of 3 covering Marvel's dark princesses (part 1 and part 2).  I planned on doing this one a few weeks ago, but after moving on to other books decided to cover them all in a three-parter, along with Topaz and Jennifer Kale.  This book will set you back the most out of the three.

Since writing about Fear #11, I saw a copy on eBay in VG sell for $1.04 with only 2 bids, so you can see how cheap it is.

The final member of the 'Witches' is Satana, first appearing in Vampire Tales #2 from 1973, a 72-page newsprint magazine.  Of all the costumed characters who have yet to appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I place a high probability that Satana is in the cards.  

You can read the 4-page Satana story below.

I see this book fairly often in nice grade, both online and at conventions (VF+ copies for $60 or so).  A few CGC 9.8 copies were on the market last year in the $350-$400 range, which is about 1/7th of what Marvel Preview 7 brings (1st Rocket Raccoon, which coincidentally features Satana on the cover).  Marvel Preview 7 and 4 (1st Starlord) have proven that "magazine format" Marvel comics are no longer the second class of collecting.

Being the daughter of a demon, Satana seems at first glance like she might be a villainess, but in fact she is torn between good and evil, making her an interesting character.  She once sacrificed herself to save Dr. Strange from a curse (she was resurrected).

First comic book appearance

The first comic book appearances of Rocket Raccoon and Star-lord are also considered keys.  What about Satana's?

There was a 4-month gap between Vampire Tales #2 and #3, which gave Satana enough time to squeeze an appearance in between, in January 1974's Marvel Spotlight #13, where she appears only in a flashback, as a baby and young girl, in four panels:

After Vampire Tales #3, she makes three more magazine appearances (Haunt of Horror 2, 4 and 5 - the latter of which is her first cover appearance) before returning to comics in Marvel Spotlight #22 (2nd comic book appearance; 1st comic book appearance in costume (?).  Having read MS #22, I'm still confused because she changes form from an old lady and tries to kiss her brother, so it may be an illusion cast by the hag.

One of her next appearances (Marvel Spotlight #24, Marvel Premiere #27) might be considered her first full appearance in costume as an adult as a non-illusion - but as you can see we are already in a bit of a quagmire and I'm not sure which of these books would excite collectors, if any.


At this point though, she's fully out of the magazines and into the comics.


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Happy hunting!

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Here's a 2012 article by CBR about the 'Witches' (Jennifer Kale, Topaz and Satana).

Vampire Tales #2 Satana story

 

1st cover appearance (Jan. 1975)

Werewolf By Night #13 (1974)

Did anyone catch any interesting news from the weekend's Disney conference?  Here is something I gleaned, and it's quite relevant to last week's post.  Maybe I'm just on a one-track mind.

(Dr. Strange in next year's film of the same name) Benedict Cumberbatch wasn't there, but he pre-recorded a video for the attendees of the Marvel Studios presentation.  Many news sources have quoted him as saying in the video that the film is going to deliver "girls, cars, explosions, and a bit of astral projecting into multiple dimensions."

Girls.

Could he be referring to these girls?

I don't know and I don't care, because I like these characters.  I think they are insanely marketable and their first appearances look very cheap with a lot of upside.  

Marvel's Princesses?

Topaz debuted in Werewolf By Night #13 in 1974.  She has some strange daughterly/submissive relationship with a sorcerer named Taboo (also first appearance) who found her in India as a child.  The two capture Werewolf by Night in an attempt to discover the whereabouts of some magic books.

We already know that in Phase 3 we're getting the darkforce (intro'd in Agents of SHIELD next season, I believe), other dimensions and magic - in other words, we're getting the whole kit-and-kaboodle.

Topaz was portrayed in the series "Witches" with her looks having reverted back to their original (Asian) Indian appearance.  "Witches" united three little-used magic-users into a team inspired by TV shows that were popular at the time such as "Charmed."  Dr. Strange was envisioned as a mentor - a Charlie to their Angels.  I think the Marvel film brain trust hasn't forgotten it and will give it a second chance.  With the Edward Norton Hulk reboot, they showed they aren't afraid to take second chances on failed concepts.  With Guardians of the Galaxy, they demonstrated their success in bringing good storylines from second-tier characters to a bigger stage.

What about Clea?



I think Clea will be around too.  It will be a foursome.  You can't ground a movie around a girl who looks human but lived her whole life in the "Dark Dimension".  She'll get rescued or wrapped up in the adventure at some point, but the other girls will be the early focus.

Finally, just to point out that for Topaz WBN 13 book is a nice "key trifecta":

First appearance

First cover appearance

Origin

This means no doubt, no hemming and hawing and no debates when these characters inevitably hit the big screen.  Collectors will want this book and want it hard.

Guide values for this book in FN / VF / VFNM / NM- are $6 / $18 / $28 / $38.  I don't see much deviation from that in the market.

I'm going to close out this post with the original pen & ink artwork for the splash page , which some lucky soul picked up last year from Heritage.

Two down, one to go...

http://www.heronext.com

Books to Watch: Fear #11 (1972)

Dr. Strange begins filming in November, and will be in theaters twelve months after that.

I have a feeling Rachel McAdams will be cast not as Clea as most people suspect, but as Jennifer Kale.

Regardless, this character is bound to make her movie debut sooner or later.

Fear #11 is the first appearance.  She's on the cover and features prominently throughout the story.  I think this is a book and a character that is poised to take off.

The 6-page back-up story is reprinted from 1952's Marvel Tales #105.

VF and up copies can be had for around $15.

FUNNY STORY: My friend just met Tilda Swinton on the plane back from London!  Tilda spent the whole flight playing with her toddler and invited her to her home in Scotland!  If I'm right about this casting, maybe there is some magic in the air?

Please add your plus to this article and share this blog!  +25 means we post another article!


We've also added a new cover gallery to the site, "Marvel Fantastic Firsts."  It's a dream collection of 20 Marvel Silver Age keys, be sure to check it out -

http://www.heronext.com/collection/Marvel%20Fantastic%20Firsts 

If you see anything you desire beyond words, sign up and add it to your Want List!  

We just connected two members on this copy of Action Comics #252.  The seller has cash to go big game hunting and the happy buyer has a nice hot key at a decent price!

Peace & Thanks for reading!

- Heronext.com