Comic Book Philosophy: First Appearance or Issue of Primary Significance?

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I think the 1st story for example Ultimate Fallout 4 is the book to get because usually 1st appearances flesh out the character a bit and serve as an introduction. People go crazy for Marvel Previews but if I had never heard of Miles Morales and saw marvel previews why would I care about him if its only a pic of him?

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To me previews are just a gimmick money grab. Does it technically count? Ehhh up for a circle of a debate. It should be for completionist who go to the extreme. But as far as just collecting the character goes, I say skip them.

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I would agree. What I’m attempting to say in the article is that Marvel Previews is a “first appearance” by literal assessment of the definition, but that’s not neccesarily the most important question to ask in that instance.

I mean, good for the seller for getting that price. I just hope the buyer is fully aware of what they are getting with that book.

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Oh for sure. I never down someone for making money when they can. If I had a copy then I would have benefited also. The market is crazy at times, makes zero sense, but buyers control it. This same argument goes with store exclusives. To me it should be what was available to every comic shop to order. But once again… buyers decide the value and appearances. Everything else is just our opinion :slightly_smiling_face:

Yeah, this article is more buyer-directed. I read an article from a website that shall not be named and it basically said “the market has spoken, $9,000 for Marvel Previews 95. Therefore, it’s first and best. Don’t argue with the market.” I don’t agree with that blind allegiance. First, yes. Significant? Properly valued? Questionable.

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Question everything. Always lol

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Call it for what it is. Characters First appearance in media format outside of a comic book story.

Calling it a “first appearance” without elaborating or further explanation is an incomplete description, and therefore not entirely factual (quite possibly misleading).

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Agreed. For those less steeped in the minutiae of comics publishing, they may be misled in purchasing.

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I mean, Harley’s true first appearance is in a cartoon. By the logic that Previews can count as a, “First appearance,” then a cel from the animated Batman cartoon is a true first. I don’t count magazines, Previews, and so forth as a first in terms of comics. The comic first appearance is what I’m after for a comic-book character.

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What about Almost Got Im? Would that count? I’m sure you wouldn’t count the Comics Scene magazine since it’s a magazine

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I understand counting comic magazines or such, but I personally don’t for myself.

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I got the comics magazine only because of a drunk purchase and it was less than $20. Even sober i would have paid $20 honestly. I do want the almost got im also, but I’m not paying the prices it’s going for

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Right. My point is that if we go by “first” at all turns, it leads to absurd results where printed material with little substance (or as @davidbitterbaum points out an animation cel) becomes the sought after book. I’m not knocking the desire to own those items, but I think the ridiculous prices are not warranted by the contents.

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I understand the desire to call them “first” in a most literal sense, but most collectors don’t care about that strictly literal application of the term. They care about content. Or at least they should.

I think they are a separate collectible. You can collect comics or magazines or action figures and each could have a first appearance of a character.

I would not count a magazine appearance as a first comic appearance just like I wouldn’t claim to have seen WandaVision because I have seen the trailer. It is an advertisement for something, but it is not that thing.

I don’t get the previews hype.

Is there some value? Sure. Look at Foom 2. But they aren’t first apps. It first has to be a comic to be a first appearance and preview books aren’t that.

Your title of first issue of primary significance though is basically just first full appearance though ;-).

Comics. We only go by “1st appearance in a comic”.

If we went by “1st appearance in printed material” that would just get absurd and out of hand.

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Everyone would be collecting Previews from Diamond, where most “firsts” occur… it would be the number one selling publication in the comic book world… :wink:

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