By no means did The Tick invent the satirical superhero genre. However, he introduced the concept to an entire generation of would-be comic collectors. There’s no real way of knowing who the first superhero meant purely as satire was, though all of Wonder Woman’s BDSM references designed to slip under censors’ noses possibly puts her in the lead.
Of course, the 1966 Batman sitcom starring Adam West truly brought the idea of superheroes as tongue-in-cheek, action-comedy acts into the mainstream.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qubImwjJQ8
For all the past superheroes rooted in satire, it was The Tick that brought the genre to Gen-Xers. After the successes of Batman: The Animated Series and X-Men: The Animated Series, Fox took a chance on The Tick, a relatively unknown property to that point. First airing in 1994, the show was hilarious, though the concept was geared more toward an older audience. After a three-year run, the idea was given the live-action treatment in 2001 with Patrick Warburton being the perfect casting choice for the titular hero.
In recent years, Amazon tried its hand with a Tick live-action reboot from 2016-2019. Is it time for a Tick return? With Marvel going full-in with comedic superhero camp, this is the perfect time for it. On that note, let’s take a look at four Tick comics for the parasite-themed superhero in all of us.
NEW ENGLAND COMICS NEWSLETTER #14
Talk about humble beginnings, The Tick began his printed life in a newsletter. Of course, he would help the company rise from newspaper print to full-fledged comic publisher, but the early days saw small runs. That makes this issue with Tick’s first appearance hard to find.
The CGC census has just 18 total graded copies on record, and thus the near mints carry large price tags. There haven’t been any reported sales since 2020, and the highest grade sold that year was a 9.4 which brought $1,626.
THE TICK #1 (1988)
Two years after Tick made his print debut, he starred in his first traditional comic book. Fitting with his satire roots, he is even on the cover with his camera around his neck, making him look as much like a tourist as a superhero. Then again, when his entire world is nothing but superheroes, wearing a costume kind of makes him…normal, which is the real comedy of the whole thing.
There’s only been one graded 9.8 sold this year when a copy brought $1,499 in June. For Tick fans looking to save a few bucks, the 9.6 sold for $380 earlier this month.
THE TICK #4
“Not in the face!” Fans of the ‘94 Tick cartoon will remember those words uttered by Arthur, the accountant turned superhero. In the fourth issue of the Tick’s first series, readers were introduced to his boon companion. He was dressed as a moth, though often mistaken for a rabbit. Arthur was not quite cut out for the action part of superheroics. Of course, he was the brains of the operation while the bafoonish Tick was the brawn.
Last year, a graded 9.8 sold for $295, but there haven’t been any sales since in the past 12 months. The highest grade to trade hands online in 2022 has been the 9.6, which brought $82 in June. That’s a steep drop from the $200 that same grade earned in 2019.
SPOON!
It’s been three years since we last saw The Tick on the screen. With a BTAS continuation being shopped after HBO Max’s cuts and X-Men ‘97 on the Disney Plus slate, it is time to revive the legend of The Tick with his mighty cry of, “Spoon!”
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