Expert: Chris Brown - 6/18/2009

Question
Hi,
I'm interested in buying a Captain America Volume 1 No.2 and Marvel Comics No.4.  I'm not sure if I identified them enough for you to know which ones I'm talking about.  I can't see the dates on them because it's just a picture online, and I don't see any date on the site.  The Marvel Comic has a nazi flag on a ship along with 3 men in blue fighting 1 man, and a woman in a red dress on the floor.  The Captain America has Hitler on it with Captain America coming after him, and a man in blue tied up in front. They both have a 9.4 NM, white pages, and it says NO RESERVE (i'm not sure what that means).  Also, they both are labeled as 10cents on the cover, so it seems to be genuine.  The white pages threw me off though, because I figured that with it's age, the pages would be yellow.  I know you probably can't tell me for sure, but do they sound like they might be originals, or reprints, or fakes?  

About how much might they be worth?

Also, I wanted to get an autograph by Stan Lee, and I found that I can send any item in to POW! Entertainment in Beverly, Hills to get his autograph.  Do you know anything about this, or if it's truly genuine?  I really wanted to get his signature on both comic books if it sounds legit.

Thanks!

Answer
Hi Em

Here is a scan for the April, 1941 issue of Captain America #2:

http://www.comics.org/details.lasso?id=1361

And here is a scan for the February, 1940 issue of Marvel Mystery Comics #4:

http://www.comics.org/details.lasso?id=665

Without knowing what site you are referring to, it's impossible for me to tell you if you are looking at original editions or something else.  

I did look at the website of CGC, which is the main company that professionally grades comics.  The highest grade they have given to any original copy of Marvel Mystery #4 is 9.0.  The highest grade they have given to a Captain America #2 is 9.2.  So these would have to be previously ungraded copies, and the highest of each respective issue in existence.

They would each have a price guide value of over $20,000 but could sell for much more as the highest known copy.  Still, I'm somewhat skeptical that they really are the original comics in this "like new" condition but have not been professionally graded.

NO RESERVE, by the way, suggests that you are on an auction site and the seller has not set a "reserve price"--which is an undisclosed amount well above the minimum bid that is actually the minimum the item will be sold for.  In this case, since there is no reserve, the comics will sell for whatever the final auction price is without also having to meet any reserve price.

It does seem from looking online that you can get an item autographed by Stan Lee by sending it to POW Entertainment.  However, there is a lengthy wait.  If these really are the original 40s comics mentioned, I'm not sure why you would want Lee's signature on them as they are from before Lee's time at Marvel anyway--or at least before he was writing stories.

Chris