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In the Face of Million-Dollar Comics, What’s Affordable?

o sooner had the text for this column’s January 2022 edition been With magazines, puzzle books, and other publications in its line-up,
sent to the printer than there was another million-dollar comic the company’s first comic book was Yellowjacket Comics #1 (September
Nbook sale. That means that the total number of comics that have 1944), just months before the company adopted the Charlton name.
sold for $1 million or more has more than doubled in less than 16 months. Charlton’s superhero characters were not in a coherent universe, but
What’s more, we expect there to be at least one more added to the ranks they certainly got close in the Silver Age. Perhaps the initial spark came
by the time this sees print. when Captain Atom was introduced in Space Adventures #33 (March
It seems reasonable to expect that the fallout from the current swirling 1960) by Joe Gill and Steve Ditko, co-creator of Spider-Man. Whether
geopolitical events of the day may put some kind of damper on the pop that was the case or not, the notion would take a few years to gestate.
culture boom we’ve experienced since the early days of Covid-19, but do Ted Kord, a new version of Blue Beetle, the Fox Comics character
you want to be the one to actually predict that? (Dan Garrett) that first appeared in Mystery Men Comics #1 (August 1939,
As we have witnessed prices climbing (sometimes soaring) over the published by Fox, acquired by Charlton in the ‘50s), was created by Gill
past two years, one of the things that hasn’t had much of a spotlight is and artists Bill Fraccio and Tony Tallarico for Blue Beetle #1 (June 1964).
the possibility of some longtime collectors being priced out of the The Question, another character from Ditko, was launched as a back-up
marketplace. While they all clearly can’t be seven-figure, newsworthy feature in that same issue.
transactions, in a wide variety of comic books and original comic art, we’ve In 1965, editor Dick Giordano (later VP of DC Comics) introduced
seen key pieces boom. Charlton’s “Action Heroes” line. While still not a universe in the
The good news is that there are still many affordable continuity sense, there was definitely something of a
niches within the comic book collecting world. As sensibility building in their superhero comics.
dramatic as some of the prices are, there are still reserves Son of Vulcan, created by writer Pat Masulli and
of fertile ground for the average experienced collector Fraccio, debuted in Mysteries of Unexplored Worlds #46
and newcomers as well. (May 1965). Beginning with Strange Suspense Stories
The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide To Lost #75 (June 1965), Charlton reprinted the earlier
Universes, which was released February 16, 2022, Gill/Ditko Captain Atom stories. The series was retitled
delves into the realm of comic book publishers or their Captain Atom with #78. Ditko returned to illustrate new
imprints that have come and gone (and in some cases adventures. Judomaster was introduced by Gill and artist
come again). Many of these universes were brimming Frank McLaughlin in Special War Series #4 (November
with ideas from creators who went on to be major 1965). Peacemaker first appeared in Fightin’ 5 #40
forces in the industry, but for whatever reason, they (November 1966) by Gill and artist Pat Boyette.
came to an end. Writer-artist Pete Morisi introduced the title charac-
In comic book terms, a universe is a common ter in Peter Cannon ... Thunderbolt #1 (January 1966),
setting and at least the suggestion of continuity which then took over the numbering of Son of Vulcan for
between titles. It’s not unique to comics, either. If #51–60 (March/April 1966 – November 1967). While
you’re of a certain age, you probably understand that the practice of changing titles and continuing numbering
The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, and Petticoat was not unusual in prior decades, Charlton made some-
Junction were all set in the same universe, even if you thing of an art of it.
didn’t think of them as one. And no, that doesn’t Captain Atom #82 (September 1966), which intro-
make Mr. Drucker their Captain America. Captain Atom #82 (September 1966) duced Nightshade, saw the only true team-up for the
Many—but not all—of the lost universes in this was the only one of Charlton’s “Action “Action Heroes” line. Between the comic’s covers, the
Heroes” line that actually teamed up
Overstreet book are very affordable. Since they’re no their characters. High-grade copies might government paired Captain Atom and Nightshade, and
longer published, they are also finite sets. While prove challenging, but they history – or at least a footnote – was made.
tracking the comics you want in the grade you want will not break the bank. Captain Atom, Blue Beetle, the Question, and Night-
can present a challenge, you’re not looking at a series shade did eventually come together as the Sentinels of
of high-end purchases for most of them. To say it a different way, these Justice, a superhero team in Americomics Special #1 (August 1983) after
lost universes might well be worth your time to track down. Charlton stopped publishing and before the characters’ trademarks were
And sometimes they’re not even universes. Here’s the story of one that acquired by DC Comics, by then Giordano’s employer, in 1985.
came close to being a universe, but in the end did not. It still makes for At DC, the original concept for Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons was to
good hunting. use the Charlton characters for the story that became Watchmen, but
instead, the altered versions familiar to readers were created. Instead, the
Charlton: The Non-Universe Charlton superheroes were introduced on Earth-4 in Crisis on Infinite
John Santangelo, Sr. and Ed Levy launched T.W.O. Charles Earths and became part of DC’s post-Crisis continuity. Captain Atom,
Company, named after the co-founders’ sons, both of whom were named Blue Beetle, and The Question would go on to
Charles, in 1940. The company became Charlton Publications in 1945, experience multiple runs at DC.
and it included the Charlton Comics imprint, which continued until
1986. During its long run, Charlton successfully embraced different J.C. Vaughn is Vice-President of Publishing
genres including war, Western, horror, crime, science fiction, and for Gemstone Publishing. Comics historian
romance comics, as well as superheroes. Scott Braden contributed to this column.

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