First Appearance of Daredevil in Silver Streak Comics #6, at Auction

Silver Streak Comics is a rarity amongst Golden Age titles in that it was launched with a villain as the quilt function.  That villain, The Claw, was each an apparent instance of war-era propaganda and primarily based on a blatant racial stereotype.  Publisher Lev Gleason was so intent on specializing in this wartime enemies theme that The Claw was cover-featured for the primary two points of the title, with the character assembly with Adolf Hitler in subject #2 and providing to staff up with him to overcome the world and cut up it between them.  The title’s namesake, the dead-then-resurrected superhero flying speedster character Silver Streak, who himself was named after the futuristic race automobile in which he was killed, did not present up till subject #3.   But Lev Gleason launched a hero who would have a big effect on its subsequent historical past in Silver Streak Comics #6, the primary look of the Golden Age Daredevil in a narrative by Jack Binder.  Widely thought-about one of an important Golden Age superhero keys exterior of the Marvel/DC ecosystem, there is a Silver Streak Comics #6 (Lev Gleason, 1940) CGC GD- 1.8 Cream to off-white pages up for public sale in the 2022 October 27 – 28 Halloween Pre-Code Horror and Crime Comics Showcase Auction #40207 at Heritage Auctions.

The Claw’s return in Silver Streak Comics #6 options one of essentially the most notorious covers of the Golden Age, but additionally included an in depth origin for Daredevil. That origin story is a second that ought to really feel acquainted to most common comedian guide readers: “Bart’s father was an inventor. Both his parents were ruthlessly murdered by a gang of crooks out to get his father’s invention. During the attack, the thugs branded Bart’s chest with a hot iron shaped like a boomerang. The torture caused the boy to lose his voice. Because of the brand, he always played with a boomerang. He handled the weapon so well that people believed he controlled it by some magic… Bart Hill was the Daredevil, sworn to avenge the death of his parents by making all criminals pay dearly for their crimes.”

This arrange the  Daredevil vs The Claw serialized battle that came about in Silver Streak Comics #7-11.  In a traditionally fascinating transfer, Lev Gleason repeated his technique of launching a title by leveraging wartime propaganda utilizing America’s enemies by then publishing Daredevil Battles Hitler, which served because the launch of the sequence Daredevil Comics.  The Claw returned right here once more and really agreed to staff up with Hitler this time, solely to be tricked into betraying his ally by Daredevil.  Established in his personal sequence, Daredevil disappeared from the covers of Silver Streak Comics, and by the point of the debut of The Saint in Silver Streak Comics #18, Daredevil had vanished from the title’s story lineup as properly.  The sequence ended three points later, whereas Daredevil Comics went on to a really respectable 134-issue run 1941-1956.

As of this writing, there are solely 35 unrestored entries on the CGC census for this subject, which is a surprisingly small quantity for a Golden Age key that is been thought-about vital and in demand for many years.  Furthermore, solely a small handful of unrestored CGC-graded copies have traded fingers at public sale over the previous 5 years.  But you could have a uncommon shot at this vital key with Silver Streak Comics #6 (Lev Gleason, 1940) CGC GD- 1.8 Cream to off-white pages up for public sale in the 2022 October 27 – 28 Halloween Pre-Code Horror and Crime Comics Showcase Auction #40207 at Heritage Auctions. If you have by no means bid at Heritage Auctions earlier than, you will get additional data, you may try their FAQ on the bidding course of and associated issues.

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