First Barry Allen as Flash in Showcase #4 Goes for Record $900,000

Posted in: Comics, Vintage Paper | Tagged: barry allen, flash, Silver Age

The highest grade copy of Showcase #4 (DC, 1956), the primary look of Barry Allen as Flash, has simply gone for a report $900,000.

The highest graded copy of Showcase #4, the primary look of Barry Allen as the Flash, has simply gone for a report $900,000 at in the present day’s session of the 2024 January 11 – 14 Comics & Comic Art Signature Auction #7358 at Heritage Auctions. This iconic problem is the primary look of the Silver Age model of the Flash, written by Robert Kanigher, drawn by Carmine Infantino, and inked by Joe Kubert underneath the editorship of Julius Schwartz. Long thought-about one of the crucial essential comedian books of the Silver Age.   This copy of Showcase #4 final bought in 2009 at public public sale for $179,250.  While a contact wanting the $1M mark that I believed this problem would possibly obtain, this result’s definitely a powerful displaying for this problem at public sale. It additionally turns into the very best value ever paid for a Silver Age DC Comic, narrowly beating out the shock displaying by one of the best copy of Brave and the Bold #28 CGC 9.6 in this identical public sale session.

Showcase #4 holds a fairly distinctive place in comedian e book historical past. When Showcase #4 hit the newsstands in July 1956 (with a September/October 1956 cowl date), it had been over 5 years for the reason that Golden Age model of the character, Jay Garrick, had final appeared in comics on the finish of the All-Star Comics sequence. In the meantime, different comedian e book genres, together with romance, horror, battle, western, and crime had been rising to prominence.  Still, Showcase #4 was not the primary mid-Nineteen Fifties superhero introduction or revival.  Marvel tried to reboot Captain America, the Submariner, and the Human Torch in 1953-1955.  Ajax/Farrell briefly revived the Fox superheroes the Flame, Samson, and Phantom Lady from 1954 to 1955.  Among others, Simon and Kirby’s Fighting American from writer Prize and the Avenger and Strongman from Magazine Enterprises additionally appeared throughout this era.

But none of these lasted very lengthy, and whereas they’re attention-grabbing and essential, they’re largely regarded as a footnote to what’s traditionally thought-about the final gasp of the Pre-Code comedian e book period.  The reintroduction of Flash in Showcase #4 would grow to be the beginning of one thing completely different.  To put this era in perspective, of the 176 comedian books to hit newsstands in July 1956, Showcase #4 was one in all solely 9 superhero comics — and the opposite eight had been all Superman and Batman-related.  Showcase was a “try-out” title meant to check the viability of recent characters and ideas, and three extra Flash try-out tales finally led to the resumption of the Golden Age Flash Comics title with Flash #105 — now with Barry Allen, after all.  Along the best way, different traditional DC Comics heroes had been revived,  together with some new characters, in Showcase and Brave and the Bold and the Silver Age was nicely underway at DC Comics by the tip of the last decade.  The option to reintroduce heroes like Flash and Green Lantern as new characters throughout this era was additionally maybe probably the most direct step resulting in the idea of the comedian e book multiverse as we all know it in the present day.

Showcase #4 The Flash (DC, 1956) CGC NM+ 9.6 White pages. An unbelievable copy of this Silver Age Super Key! CGC’s awarded a scant eight points with a grade as excessive as VF/NM 9.0, and no different with the grade of this magnificence! DC jump-started the Silver Age with this problem, a full 5 years earlier than rival Marvel launched its personal Marvel Age with Fantastic Four #1. The groundbreaking comedian was the primary of DC’s profitable revival of Golden Age heroes with the debut of Barry Allen as the brand new Flash for a brand new period. With his distinctive costume and dynamic artwork by Carmine Infantino, who had final rendered the superhero in the ultimate problem of the Golden Age Flash Comics in 1949, he was the right alternative for DC’s “try-out” title Showcase.

After showing in points 4, 8, 13, and 14, Editor Julius Schwartz was satisfied the Fastest Man Alive was prepared for his personal comedian e book sequence. The Flash paved the best way for comparable revivals of Green Lantern, Hawkman, and the Atom, all earlier than Marvel might get out of the beginning block with FF #1! Showcase #4 at present ranks in fourth place on Overstreet’s Top 50 Silver Age Comics record, by far DC’s loftiest entry. For sheer historic significance, it in all probability ought to rank even greater! Overstreet 2023 NM- 9.2 worth = $182,000. CGC census 12/23: 1 in 9.6, none greater.

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