Posted in: Comics, Vintage Paper | Tagged: edgar rice burroughs, pulps, tarzan

Debut of Tarzan in All-Story October 1912 Goes for Record $264,000

The debut of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs in All-Story October 1912 has gone for $264,000, an all time record sale for any pulp.

Widely considered the "Action Comics #1 of the pulp world", a VG copy of All-Story October 1912 featuring the first appearance of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs has just gone for a record $264,000 at today's session of the 2024 January 11 – 14 Comics & Comic Art Signature Auction #7358 at Heritage Auctions.  The issue featured an iconic cover by artist Walter Clinton Pettee and was published by Frank Munsey, who is considered to have pioneered the pulp format beginning with The Argosy in 1896.  This pulp is likely nearly non-existent in unrestored high grade. This sale is now the highest price ever paid for an issue of any pulp, eclipsing the $156,000 paid for the first issue of The Shadow (April, 1931) in 2021.  Tarzan is one of the most influential adventure characters in pop culture history, helping to set the course for the decades of pulp and comic book heroes to follow.

All-Story – October 1912 First Appearance of Tarzan (Munsey) Condition: VG. This legendary pulp features the first appearance of Tarzan in any medium, making it the most valuable pulp magazine. While many pulp collectors have referred to this book as the "Action Comics #1 of pulps", that moniker actually does a disservice to the book's incredible influence, rarity, and value. Bookery's describes it as "RARE", noting that there are "probably fewer than 20 existing copies" and that it is "currently the single most valuable pulp magazine".
This is the highest-graded unrestored copy we've ever offered and only the eighth, with three of those being incomplete and one being a British Pence copy. With the vast majority of this issue's very few remaining copies having some degree of restoration or missing covers or pages, a complete unrestored copy is an incredible find in any condition, making this VG a miraculous opportunity for pulp and comic collectors. Our most recent complete unrestored sales of this book include a FR/GD copy ending at $48,000 in April 2022 and a Pence copy in similar condition to this copy going for $68,750 in October 2021.

This issue includes the entirety of "Tarzan of the Apes" by Edgar Rice Burroughs. This story marks not only the first appearance of Tarzan, but also Burroughs' second published story, his first story published under his own name, and his first cover story. Clinton Pettee provides the issue's classic cover featuring Tarzan, the first published image of the Lord of the Jungle. The story would later be reprinted in the McClurg book edition almost two years later, with the text varying in a number of respects.

Burroughs previously introduced John Carter in his first story, released in the July 1912 issue of All-Story. John Carter and Tarzan's successes would lead to Burroughs writing numerous sequels and his continued success for decades to come, as well as proving the viability of serialized pulp heroes. Without John Carter and Tarzan, there is no Pellucidar, Shadow, Doc Savage, Batman, or Superman. "Tarzan of the Apes" would go on to change not only the world of pulps, but pop culture internationally.

This copy has not been trimmed. It has a 2" spine split at the bottom of the front cover, a slight split at the top of the front cover, and minor fraying to the spines. There is a 0.5" piece of tape on the front cover interior, chipping, two bug chews to the exteriors leading into page margins, creasing, and staining. Still, it presents sharply for a VG copy with the grade coming from an accumulation of small defects, most of which do not affect the book's eye appeal or the remarkably sharp spine. Bookery's Guide to Pulps Second Edition GD value = $15,000; VG value = $35,000; VF value = $90,000.

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