Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Marvel Comics, Vintage Paper | Tagged: auction, barry windsor smith, cgc, heritage, marvel comics presents, weapon x, wolverine

Marvel Comics Presents #72 Weapon X CGC 9.8 To Set Records At Auction?

Published Sun, 22 Aug 2021 11:58:18 -0500

by Rich Johnston

Comments

Marvel Comics Presents was a bi-weekly basis anthology comic that lasted for 175 issues, each one having four 8-page stories, of which generally two were episodes in ongoing serials and two were one-off stories. The original plan was for the lead story to feature different members of the X-Men in solo adventures but from issue #39 onwards, Wolverine was featured in the series until issue #142. And of that, the most notable run was Weapon X in issues #72–84, which revealed Wolverine's origin, with story and art by Barry Windsor-Smith. It tells the story of Wolverine as he is experimented upon by the Weapon X program, and given his adamantium bones and claws, and told from the perspective of scientists Abraham Cornelius, Carol Hines, and a man referred to within the story as only "the Professor". Considered a classic Wolverine story and published in 1991, it was the last major Marvel comic book that Barry Windsor Smith would work on. Marvel Comics is to republish the series in their oversize Gallery Edition format next year, prompting Rob Liefeld to post "So psyched for this. The Godfather of all that 90's rendering!!". Rob is gracious, Barry Windsor-Smith himself was never kind about Rob Liefeld, saying "Rob Liefeld has nothing to offer. It's as plain as bacon on your plate. He has nothing to offer. He cannot draw. He can't write. He is a young boy almost, I would expect, whose culture is bubble gum wrappers, Saturday morning cartoons, Marvel comics; that's his culture."

But that first issue of Weapon X, which would be reprised in many X-Men comic books, as well as first referenced in X-Men 2 and shown in X-Men Origins: Wolverine and in X-Men Apocalypse. And that first issue is up for auction from Heritage Auctions and going under the hammer today in a CGC 9.8 slabbed condition. With Wolverine expected to return to the movies from Disney, might this be the time to go back to where it all began?

Marvel Comics Presents #72 (Marvel, 1991) CGC NM/MT 9.8 White pages. Origin of Wolverine. Shanna, Daredevil, and Redwolf stories. Wraparound cover and art by Barry Smith. Overstreet 2021 NM- 9.2 value = $30. CGC census 8/21: 565 in 9.8, none higher.