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Spider-Man and Human Torch in Strange Tales Annual #2, Up for Auction

Marvel kicked off its comic book annual tradition in July 1962 with Strange Tales Annual #1 ties with Millie the Model Annual #1. Silver Age Marvel was still taking shape at that point, and those first annuals hit the newsstands in 1962 about a week after the Human Torch took over the ongoing title itself with Strange Tales #101Fantastic Four #7, Incredible Hulk #3, Tales to Astonish #36 (second issue of the Ant-Man series in the title, and 3rd appearance of Ant-Man overall), and Journey into Mystery #84 (second appearance of Thor) were on the stands at this time.  That first Strange Tales Annual would contain no super-hero material — it was reprints of 1959-1960 pre-Hero Marvel stories.  But the next year would be different.  Strange Tales Annual #2 would feature the fourth appearance of Spider-Man (it hit newsstands at the same time as Amazing Spider-Man #4) and was also a crossover with the Human Torch.  An important early moment in the Marvel Silver Age, there's a Strange Tales Annual #2 (Marvel, 1963) CGC VG/FN 5.0 White pages up for auction in this week's 2022 February 20-21 Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122208 at Heritage Auctions.

Strange Tales Annual #2 (Marvel, 1963)
Strange Tales Annual #2 (Marvel, 1963)

In the story by Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko and Stan Lee, Spider-Man is framed for stealing a newly-discovered Da Vinci painting from a museum.  In standard superhero crossover fashion, Spider-Man and the Human Torch first come into conflict via a misunderstanding and then team up to fight the story's true villain.  Strange Tales Annual #2 was also the first Marvel annual with superhero content (Fantastic Four Annual #1 would follow the next month), helping to establish a longstanding tradition at the publisher.  A signature early moment in Marvel comics history, there's a Strange Tales Annual #2 (Marvel, 1963) CGC VG/FN 5.0 White pages up for auction in this week's 2022 February 20-21 Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122208 at Heritage Auctions.

Strange Tales Annual #2 (Marvel, 1963)
Strange Tales Annual #2 (Marvel, 1963)

Strange Tales Annual #2 (Marvel, 1963) CGC VG/FN 5.0 White pages. Fourth appearance of Spider-Man, his first crossover. Invisible Girl appearance. Spidey battles the Human Torch. Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko cover and art (cover features Spider-Man drawn without his chest logo). Contains Atlas reprints by Kirby, Ditko, Don Heck, Joe Sinnott, John Buscema, and Dick Ayers. Overstreet 2021 VG 4.0 value = $228; FN 6.0 value = $342. CGC census 2/22: 54 in 5.0, 316 higher.

View the certification for CGC Certification ID 3835139002 and purchase grader's notes if available.

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Mark SeifertAbout Mark Seifert

Co-founder and Creative director of Bleeding Cool parent company Avatar Press. Bleeding Cool Managing Editor, tech and data wrangler. Machine Learning hobbyist. Vintage paper addict.
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