Undervalued Spotlight #211

imageMarvel Premiere #49, Marvel Comics, August 1979

That Marvel Premiere sure does have a lot of good books. The run features important appearances of Warlock, Doc Strange, Iron Fist, Legion of Monsters, Ant-Man, Alice Cooper, Dr. Who and more.

One of the ‘more’ books is the feature of this week’s Spotlight, it’s that cute little sleeper Marvel Premiere #49.

According to the Overstreet Price Guide the book features the Falcon’s 1st solo story.

The great cover boasts and early collaboration of Frank Miller art and Klaus Janson inks (they had just launched into their Daredevil run with #158 three months earlier, who knows if they had a sense that their work on the DD run would change comic book history).

Inside we have the mighty Sal Buscema laying down some great pencils on Mark Evanier’s 17 page Falcon story, “Sound of the Silencer”.

The  Falcon of course was the socially significant and very timely creation of writer Stan Lee and artist Gene Colan, he 1st appeared in Captain America #117 (Sept/69) becoming the 1st African American super hero in mainstream comics. The character was an instant hit.

This book is very cheap at the moment, obscured behind all those big issues the Marvel Premiere run has to offer. A good time to buy maybe?

I like Marvel Premiere #49, I think it will see a solid and sustainable increase in value as the book makes its way on to more and more want lists.

Marvel has announced plans to make Falcon alter ego Sam Wilson the new Captain America in an upcoming comic series. If nothing else this should raise Sam Wilson’s stock in the Marvel U though I’m not sure what is to come of the Falcon.

Captain America #117 has priced itself out of most of our budgets though so we should look to grabbing some quality Falcon material on the cheap.

Again Marvel Premiere #49 is just what the doctor ordered, it’s in that late Bronze Age so overlooked for years, it delivers a Frank Miller cover, it features the Falcon’s 1st solo story and it can be had for peanuts.

The 44th edition of the Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide shows $6/$8/$10 as the 8.0/9.0/9.2 price splits.

Strengths that make this comic book a good long-term investment are:

  • 1st solo Falcon story
  • From that late Bronze Age giving us so many great new books to collect
  • Frank Miller cover
  • Very very cheap

Walter Durajlija
Walter Durajlija

Walter Durajlija is an Overstreet Advisor and Shuster Award winner. He owns Big B Comics in Hamilton Ontario.

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14 Comments

  1. Yeah, I love the inks of that “Clause Janson” guy! Just ask an expert! “Clause and Frank” rule!

  2. I forgot to ask! Since Janson is only the inker to Miller’s pencils, does that just make him a “subordinate Clause?”

  3. Another great choice. I’ve just been enjoying the Falcon mini-series from the eighties – great cover to #2! I notice CGC has just made 1975 the start date of its modern tier – presumably they were not getting enough books in from the 1975 to 1979 era, those books being too low-value to go to the expense of grading in the standard tier. I wonder how this will change the situation for books like Marvel Premiere #49? It means more might get graded, but it also might be said to mark a new, earlier date for the ‘cut-off’ between collectable silver/bronze and less collectable (because more abundant) modern comics… I wonder what you think Walter?

  4. Abundance does not scare me away from investing in a comic. Look at how many Hulk #181s are out there, look at all the New Mutant #98s.

    The key is demand, and there are certain books that with a little education could see more demand. Marvel Premiere #49 could be one of those.

  5. it’s a similar choice to your first solo black panther story. jungle action 6? good choices both.

  6. The Falcon’s first solo was actually Captain America # 177 (another candidate for this honorable page?). The issue is the immediate aftermath to the Secret Empire story line. Steve quits being Cap, thus, “The Falcon Fights Alone.”

  7. Hi,
    I think that the 1st solo book is Marvel Premiere 49 because this issue is cast away from the Captain America storyline,unlike Cap # 177. It is really his 1st solo storyline away from Cap….I could be wrong,but just my opinion …thanks!

  8. This IS the first solo book. Yes. Cap 177 is his first solo spotlight. Both books are of great significance to the character. Both are undervalued.

  9. One more point – I would equate Cap # 77 to the Black Cat’s solo story in PPSSM # 90 (another undervalued gem).

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