Hello, and welcome back to our weekly column where we take a look at a few undervalued or overlooked comics from one of each of four comic book eras – Golden Age, Silver Age, Bronze Age, and Copper Age – all in an attempt to find value for you, the comic book investor and collector.  Whether you’re a high roller or a bargain shopper, there will be something in here for everyone.  This week we’re going to look at some of the super-heroes Alan Moore revived in the pages of Tom Strong.

SMASH

Published by Wildstorm imprint America’s Best Comics, Tom Strong was a series created by Alan Moore that would revive many of the Nedor/Better/Standard super-heroes who had fallen out of copyright protection and ended up in the public domain. Moore would introduce these characters as SMASH – Society of Major American Science Heroes – in Tom Strong #11.

Let’s take a look at the Golden Age first appearances of a few of these heroes.

Lance Lewis, Space Detective

Lance Lewis was a detective from the 22nd century who would solve all sorts of mysteries involving aliens and monsters. He was always accompanied by his girlfriend, Marna.

Lance first appeared in Mystery Comics #3, published by Nedor Comics in October 1944. There are 28 graded copies of this comic in the CGC census, with the highest grade being 8.5. The most recent copy sold was a 3.5 which went for $780 in a Heritage auction in December 2021. The highest price paid was $1,851 for the lone 8.5 graded copy in March 2015.

Considering the rarity, this is a very affordable Golden Age comic, one overlooked by many collectors despite the revival by Moore.

Miss Masque

Miss Masque was little more than masked socialite Diana Adams wearing a mask and a red miniskirt. Oh, and she was a great shot as well, rarely missing with her pair of pistols as she took on ne’er-do-wells.

Miss Masque made her first appearance in Exciting Comics #51, published by Nedor Comics in September 1946. Exciting Comics had been one of the starring vehicles for the Black Terror for many years, with covers frequently drawn by the great Alex Schomburg. However, by Exciting Comics #53, Miss Masque had, for the first time since Exciting Comics #22, taken over the cover as the main feature.

Let’s take a look at both issues.

There are only 13 copies of Exciting Comics #51 in the CGC census. The most recent sale happens to also be the second highest price ever paid for this comic, a CBCS graded 7.0 copy selling for a slashed $2,996 on April 4.

The highest price paid was $6,871 in a Heritage auction in August 2016 for the lone 9.6 graded copy. In the mid-grades, we see a 5.5 selling for $800 in March 2020, and in the low grades a 2.5 selling for $500 in June 2021.

This is a fairly affordable Golden Age comic considering the first appearance of Miss Masque and a Schomburg cover.

Regarding Miss Masque’s first cover appearance in Exciting Comics #53, there are 19 copies in the CGC census. The most recent sale is very recent indeed: a 5.0 graded copy selling in a July 26 Heritage auction for $1,440. The highest price paid was for a 9.2 copy that had been part of the Promise Collection and was auctioned by Heritage in September 2021 for $5,760. The lowest grade sold was a 4.0, which fetched $1,020 in a Heritage auction in December 2021.

These are all recent sales for a coveted Schomburg cover. With a low census count, I can’t imagine being able to get your hands on a graded copy for less than four figures.

The Ghost

The Ghost, a hero with magical abilities including levitation, invisibility, and astral projection (among others), predates the characters listed above by half a decade. His first appearance was in Thrilling Comics #3, published by Better Comics in April 1940.

There are 13 graded copies in the CGC census with the highest being a 9.4 which has never sold. The most recent sale occurred on June 13 when a 2.0 graded copy sold for $360 in a fixed-price eBay sale. The highest price paid was $2,600 for a 7.5 in a ComicConnect auction in June 2017.

This would be considered the most affordable of the three first appearances in this blog. Considering the Ghost’s status as a backup feature during his time in Thrilling Comics, he should also be considered the most overlooked.

Want more Undervalued & Overlooked spec?

Next Week: Bronze Age Undervalued & Overlooked

Well, that’s all we have time for this week. Join us next week as we take a look at some undervalued and overlooked Bronze Age comics.

Are there any Golden Age comics you think are undervalued and deserve more attention?  Let us know below.

*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoCollect.