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A 15% BUYER'S PREMIUM WILL BE ADDED TO THIS ITEM AT CONCLUSION OF THE AUCTION
cream/ow pages; Slight (P): spine split sealed, tear seal, cvr & centerfold reinforced
Jack Kirby cvr/art; 1st appearance of Red Raven w/ origin; retconned story features 1st app. of The Eternals (w/ Makkari as Mercury)


Red Raven Comics #1 has spent decades becoming increasingly more important as a comics cornerstone. The book was always a vital collectible as Jack Kirby's earliest known work for Timely Comics, starting with that outstanding cover from Kirby, Joe Simon and Howard Ferguson. The comic itself is just the fourth title from Timely, and only the 17th comic ever published by the future Marvel Comics. (This would technically be the only copy of Red Raven, with Issue #2 being released as Human Torch Comics, ditching Red Raven while the flaming android took on double-duties between Marvel Mystery Comics and his own title.)

But there's more! In addition to revealing "The Origin of the Red Raven" and "The Origin of the Human Top," Red Raven #1 has Jack Kirby continuing his Timely debut with his pencils for "Mercury In the 20th Century." This story predates Wonder Woman as the tale of a Greek god sent to Earth to stop Pluto, who's causing havoc as the warmongering dictator of Prussland. As a tribute to Eternals creator Kirby, it was later revealed in Marvel Universe #7 that the hero and villain in this story were, respectively, the Eternal speedster Makkari and the Deviant shapeshifter Kro, making this the earliest-recorded appearance (so far) of the Eternals!

Things turned out okay for the Red Raven, as well. This comic was likely an experiment in the wake of publishing Marvel Comics #1, with Timely quickly choosing to exploit the popularity of the Human Torch. Red Raven (as a boy raised by a race of Bird People who gave him mechanical wings) would return to Marvel as a sympathetic antagonist in 1968's X-Men #44, and maintain a steady presence into the 21st century as a misguided hero going up against the Defenders and the Inhumans. His short-lived title remains one of the rarest Marvel keys, and a true holy grail for Timely collectors.
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This striking 7.0 Red Raven Comics #1 has been slightly restored to maintain this rare book's original look and feel, carefully preserving all the impact of Jack Kirby's colorful cover. This pioneering title remains a true Golden Age grail, with only 47 copies in the CGC Census!

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