Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: golden age, MLJ

Not from Riverdale: The Hidden Gems of the MLJ Superhero Line

MLJ heroes like Black Hood, Shield, and Hangman have been living in Archie's shadow in recent years, but that may be changing for collectors.

Published Thu, 04 May 2023 14:54:11 -0500

by Mark Seifert

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It seems almost inconceivable to consider the Golden Age comic book output of MLJ as a whole without discussing Archie and his pals, and that's probably why researching the comic books in this auction surprised me as much as it did. There's been so much focus on collecting Archie in recent decades, and deservedly so, that even the famous MLJ superheroes have largely flown under the radars of people who are out there collecting Fox, Standard/Better/Nedor, Centaur, and other Golden Age material. As I write this today, the highest price ever paid for the debut of the Shield in Pep Comics #1 is less than one percent of the highest price paid for a copy of Captain America Comics #1, a comic book it very clearly influenced. Not to mention the ridiculous historical importance of the Pep Comics title in the scheme of comic book history. Obviously, Pep Comics #1 doesn't deserve parity with Cap #1, but 3-5% is certainly within the realm of the possible. In another example, the top price for the first Black Terror in Exciting Comics #9 is currently 3x the top price for the first Black Hood in Top-Notch Comics #9, and there probably is a reasonable case for something close to parity to be made there. Similarly, some of these MLJ "superhero horror" style covers from Charles Biro, Irv Novick, and some others would be going bonkers on the market if they were Timely or even Fox covers, I think.

MLJ Magazines renamed themselves after Archie in 1946, and subtracting the humor titles from before that, you still end up with a little over 200 issues which include superhero content. Of these, 60 issues or roughly 30% have single-digit census numbers. Those are pretty compelling numbers for the collectability of MLJ overall, which, combined with the mainstream recognition that the MLJ heroes continue to enjoy today, suggests that Golden Age Shield, Black Hood, Hangman and their pals are deserving of a wider interest from collectors. As is usual with this series of auction posts, I've asked a few serious collectors to chime in on the most interesting comics in this auction, and here's what they had to say:

: Black Hood #11 (MLJ, 1944)

: Blue Ribbon Comics #1 (MLJ, 1939)

: Blue Ribbon Comics #17 (MLJ, 1941)

The Hidden Gems of the MLJ Superhero Auction

Black Hood #11 – This title has only started to get some appreciation. Not common, and so many have dark covers like this issue that make anything VG or better challenging.
Blue Ribbon #1 – Such an overlooked book. The first MLJ comic from 1939, and this grade is lovely. Hard to understand why this comic hasn't broken out.
Blue Ribbon #17 – This cover sums up why later Blue Ribbon Comics are some of the hottest Golden Age comics right now. Very cool, very tough!
Hangman #2 – Everyone loves this series, but #2 is often overlooked. Much more challenging to find a copy over VG than one might expect.
Jackpot #7 – A dynamite cover that has it all!
Pep #2 – Early Pep Comics issues are less common than people expect, and #2 is very undervalued. The colors on this copy are very nice.
Pep #16 – This is one of the classic covers that hasn't broken out big yet. Given the prices for beasts like Pep #20, this solid #16 feels cheap.
Pep #19 – A tough issue in nice condition that looks to be a value.
Pep #20 – This book is as hot as they come. Everyone wants a copy, and shockingly, only ten copies in the CGC census are better than this solid 2.5 available here.
Shield Wizard #7 – A fantastic cover, this is a solid copy, and a very fun run that gets overlooked.
Shield Wizard #12 – One of the rarest MLJ hero books out there.
Shield Wizard #13 – Late issues of this title are quite challenging and have some great covers.
Special Comics #1 – This is really Hangman #1 (I spent a while discussing this mystery –ed) they changed the title with #2. It really lags behind Hangman issues in pricing and just has not been appreciated yet. This is a lovely copy that might go under-the-radar of many buyers.
Top Notch #9 – The first appearance of Black Hood. Given how crazy Exciting Comics #9 (first Black Terror) prices have gotten, this book feels SUPER cheap. As big of an MLJ key as they come.
Top Notch #13 – There are some very nice raw books here that might be overlooked, like this beauty.
Top Notch #14 – One of the best covers in the run, a nice solid grade, and a tough issue.
Zip #1 – The early Zip Comics have long lagged behind the hot later issues. It might be time to jump on a very nice copy of #1
Zip #8 – I mean… that cover… just a perfect example of why Zip is one of the most desirable titles. A very pretty copy as well.
Zip #29 – An awesome war cover with everything going for it!
Zip #34 – Very tough issue and this cover is so freaking awesome! Not much more to say than you might never see a nice-looking copy of one of the very best covers in the run.