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A 15% BUYER'S PREMIUM WILL BE ADDED TO THIS ITEM AT CONCLUSION OF THE AUCTION
ow/white pages
Lou Fine cover! 1st apps. of Red Bee, Hercules, Neon the Unknown.
Ruben Blades Copy


Hit Comics #1 might have been dismissed as just another comics anthology if it wasn't for Lou Fine's legendary cover that's caught collectors' eyes over the years. Golden Age fans were soon regularly citing the Red Bee as a perfect example of the wild mystery men quickly created for comics to take on WWII enemies. (It wasn't even terribly unique that the Red Bee's alter-ego was Superior City's crusading Assistant District Attorney Rick Raleigh.)

Armed with a "stinger" gun and a few pet bees (with his favorite, Michael, kept in his belt buckle), the Red Bee was adored as an insanely creative hero as he bounded through comics in his pirate shirt and striped pants. Creators couldn't resist bringing the Red Bee back over the years. (DC was the lucky company that bought out the Quality Comics line.) The character's Earth-Two death even got a mention on The CW's Supergirl series. Then the Red Bee returned to modern comic shops when Rick Raleigh showed up as a troubled superhero's parole officer in 2023's Peacemaker Tries Hard.

This book also contains the first sightings of Secret Agent X-5, Jack and Jill, Neon the Unknown, Casey Jones, and even more! It's all original content with many contributions from the fabled Eisner/Iger Studio, further ensuring that Hit Comics #1 remains a top collectible of the Golden Age.

This 6.0 copy of Hit Comics #1 is one of only 43 listed on the CGC Census, making it a typically rare artifact from the Ruben Blades Collection — and would be an important investment simply for preserving the colorfully outrageous cover by Golden Age great Lou Fine. As noted, the book also contains the first appearances of several of the more esoteric heroes of the period: Hercules, Neon the Unknown, and, of course, The Red Bee.

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