I was the guy who bought the Iron Man 128 from James and I love the book Best cover ever in my opinion

I sold my entire childhood comic book collection ( 1970-86 ish ) to pay for my wife's wedding ring and part of the cost of our honeymoon. I only regret selling Giant Size X-men #1. NOW years later, I only buy books whose cover's bring back that original feeling I had as a collector.

You need a second part to this. I would love to see your picks for George Perez, The Kuberts, Art Adams. So many that you probably didn't have the time to get too. Great video.

Man, we need a second and third part of this. So many great artists with AWESOME covers!

Marie Severin is an EXTREMELY underrated artist. Her run on the Silver Age Submariner was insane. Glad to see her getting some attention.

When you mentioned the wonder woman cover, it brings something to mind. Have you ever noticed that the 1990s Wonder woman looks like the late Julie Strain?

Silver Surfer #4 without any doubt, one of THE most iconic covers ever.

I love Silver Surfer #4. Thor fighting silver surfer on the rainbow Bridge. Beautiful cover!!!!

The creators of Futurama have admitted Bender 's inspiration is from that Startling Comics cover.

Keep these coming - next video: Alex Ross Bill Sienkiewicz George Perez (plenty of non-keys out there) Dave Sim Mark Bagley Dave McKean John Cassaday Howard Chaykin David Mack Tim Sale Michael Golden Art Adams Walt Simonson Jim Starlin Gary Frank Dave Cockrum Adam & Andy Kubert Bob Layton Dave Gibbons

Suspense 3, Punch 12, Famous Funnies 213, and pretty much any valuable non-superhero golden age comic book.

I think you need a sequel for this video: Battlefield 11 or or War Comics 11 by Russ Heath, among many; Punch Comics 12 by Ricca; Famous Funnies 213 by Frazetta; National Comics 39 by Kotzky; National Comics 16 by Lou Fine; Blue Beetle 52 by Kamen; Blackhawk 20 by Crandall; and my favorite Falling in Love 99 by Estrada

Mike Zeck doesn't get enough props. Love his Punisher mini series covers. Another great cover artist was Johnny Craig... love the one on Crime Suspenstories issue 3.

Jim lee 268, Artherm Batgirl 12 are two that spring to mind. I mean you should include hot artists. Love this idea for a list I hope you continue it.

I think the Adi Granov cover of Doom #1 is going to be on that list soon. It's a beautiful piece of artwork, especially the virgin variant.

Wow.. I might be in love with that Warren Louw Wonder Woman cover. Never heard of the artist until this video

Perfect timing, I've been going through and pricing my collection and came across Detective Comics 880 and couldn't believe the price. Wasn't sure why it was so valuable, but now I know!

Can't argue with you on that Incredible Hulk #340 for McFarlane.. but Batman #423 is neck and neck with it

Amazing job on this video. Do more of this.

The Middleton Batgirl....I got for 4.6¢ in a massive bulk buy. Funny part is when I was in a really big pinch? Someone,out of the blue, called me asking about this book as I had a ton of the Batgirl variants. $60 bucks for it, and after seeing the rest my pinch became a thing of the past. Actually gifted the guy a cpl other AH! books he needed as a thank you. When he asked why I was giving them to him,I explained my situation and his completely random phone call. Now he calls weekly,though theft cost me the biggest part of that collection. Gotta love the universes sense of humor!!

I can’t even imagine trying to chose just ONE Neal Adams 😂 I’d have been sweatin!

Classic X-Men number 1 for that masterful Art Adams cover.

I think Michael Turner and Ivan Tao are super underrated and not talked about enough

Gotta jump back in....big ? To James and everyone else. Is it just me,or is Bob Layton like THE DEFINITIVE IRON MAN artist??? Maybe it's because his Iron Man was my first exposure to the character...but I don't ever see anything else that's NEAR his work!! Just SPECTACULAR!;;

I have orbited in and out of the hobby, but lately as I have tried to follow the content and learned more, I realized my small collection is not that much because I always bought because of the cover or character. Still happy and just focus on displaying my great covers for my enjoyment!

For McFarlane - I kno 340 is big but I actually wud have thought Batman 423 is far far more famous and iconic a cover and is actually part of popular culture even outside of comics (statues, movies, toys etc)

If I’m not mistaken, Hulk Annual 1 is a Steranko but the face was redrawn by Marie Severin because marvel thought Steranko drew Hulk too ugly lol

lee elias has to have chamber of chill 19

I like Scott McDaniel’s cover for Nightwing #30 from 1999. Iconic Superman’s image right there.

6:49 credit to Marie Severin for redrawing the Hulk’s face on this (Steranko’s version looked wrong to the editors)

I was literally looking at Swamp Thing 9 last night thinking I don't see enough homages of that cover; it's amazing.

One of my favorites was Nick Fury Shield #7 with the Steranko cover inspired by Salvador Dali. Steranko covers were so different for that period. Wrightson had great covers also. Good to see you covering many periods.

Feels like I'm on the path to a good investment collection when it's small yet has five of the books on your list

Jim Lee's X-men 11 was a hot comic for a while solely for its cover

Arguably the best video you’ve ever done! (And I dare anyone to argue it with me!). ❤

Supergirl and the Legion of Superheroes #23 Adam Hughes, J Scott Campbell "Le Chat Noir" or Marvel Comics Presents : Black Cat #1.

HI James. Excellent video! I appreciate your throwing in some great golden age artists. As you mention, Schomburg's Startling 49 is a beast. Regarding Matt Baker, the three books that usually pop up for his best cover are Phantom Lady 16 (which you highlighted), Cinderella 25 (glad you picked it), and Seven Seas 4. All are incredible. If you do create another video, here are a few other artists to consider from the golden age: Ricca, Flessel, Baily, Lou Fine. I appreciate the time and research you put into this one.

Hey James, the Batman holding Robin is Michelangelo's La Pieta. the comicstrope guy did a bit on it. I like Jim Starlin's Death of Captain Marvel version.

Thank you I did not realize that the value of some of these books had solely to do with the cover and nothing to do with the interior of the book. The one cover that might be added to this list is Hulk number one. It is the first cover of the red Hulk, but there is nothing to do with him on the interior of the book

Oh man great topic hope we get a sequel video!

So many fantastic overs.

I have most of these in my collection. I still need the Mask. The Thrilling 49 was the inspiration for Bender. I confirmed this in an interview I did with Bill Morrison. Really great list of covers.

Dirty pair 'run from the future' #1 Adam Hughes is my favourite cover.

DC Showcase 79 “dolphin” is sought after pretty much only for the great cover. I don’t really think of dolphin, besides that issue. Also that Wally Wood love at the ending 👍🏼

Does X Men 50 for Steranko not count due to being a second appearance because that is my pick for him that cover is just gorgeous

No way that Hulk 340 is more famous for its cover than Batman 423

Batman #423 is a great example with that McFarlane cover.

Nice to have most of the Silver Age Marvels in my collection! And that Jock too! No Jim Lee on the list? Nods his head in the direction of UXM 268.

This was a great list I would’ve taken so long researching and picking out only one book. All very awesome covers and I definitely think there could be a part 2 to this with even more great and iconic artists.

Love thoughtful and novel content like this, awesome watch

I like your picks, but I'm not sure how the choice for Adams wasn't Batman 251 hands down.

Can you do a video on where to start reading DC comics? It's very overwhelming because of pre crisis, new 52, and rebirth.

Another comic that sells only for the cover is Star Wars 68. People think its Boba Fett but its actually just some Irish dude named Fenn Shysa

My favorite Steranko Cover is Nick Fury # 7 Omage to Salvador Dali

James, have you ever done a video of the most homaged covers?

great video, James. But what about Perez, Simonson, Cockrum, Sinkevitch....we need a part 2!

Daredevil #16 my favorite for John Romita Snr. Fantastic Four #74 or Daredevil # 43 for Jack Kirby. Michael Golden also did some beautiful covers for Rom: Spaceknight. Especially #7, 9 and 12.

Brian Bolland - JLA #189 + #190... Starro dominating the same way he did in the suicide squad movie John Byrne - X-men #140... wendigo tossing wolverine like a rag doll

It's criminal that you didn't include just. Scott Campbell or artgerm on here. So many other artists too that you missed on. Momoko, Adam's, perez I think you didn't mention. You definitely need to do a part 2. But overall awesome video. I really liked this one. But seriously, part 2. I'm waiting lol

Spectacular Spider-man 101 is my pick for Byrne.

Not disagreeing with you about Daredevil #53 - I'm just amused you say it isn't a key... I imagine myself as a crotchety old man waving my overstreet price guide and screaming "but it retells his ORIGIN!!!!!"

This is a terrific concept, though I would argue that to be excruciatingly focused, you should have chosen only comics where the cover artist did no interior work - because if the cover artist did illustrate a story, that provides more buying incentive and muddies the waters. But it’s your vid, I enjoyed it, and I encourage you to make a follow-up. A few miscellaneous thoughts… The Infantino Batman and Robin image appears on the dust jacket of the 1971 hardcover reprint collection, Batman with Robin the Boy Wonder - From the ‘30s to the ‘70s. Though I have no proof, I believe Steranko’s composition for the Hulk Annual 1 cover was inspired by the image of the boy holding the drum on the cover of MAD issue 51. Next time around, please consider Frank Frazetta. I’d vote for Famous Funnies 214, but he’s got a bunch of strong candidates, especially if you include the black-and-white Warren mags.

Batman 423 for Todd is my pick. I got 2 9.8 1st prints back from the last signing. Love that cover.

Let's be honest. Once a book is graded and encased, it's really about the cover and recognizeability. Then it's resell value. I think that's why you see so many modern books being graded and slabbed. Fans seem to slab books that will probably never make their cost back, ( hence $20-$35 asking prices) but the artist and "cool looking" factor keeps the grading trend moving forward. If a book happens to be a quick, high demand item that commands a ridiculously high price, if you don't already have it graded and in your possession for a quick sale, it's too late to cash in on the wave. As you say James, collect what you love first.

Great list. For Brian Bolland I think you have to go with Zatanna #5 the 1:25 variant. It's not a key but everyone wants it. The value never goes down. I think it's the best cover he's ever done. For Matt Baker, I'm partial to All Top Comics #16. That Cinderella cover gets a lot of love but the All Top has to be the most underappreciated book that he's done.

Kind of surprised with the Neal Adams choice, I would think Batman #227 would be the pic as the cover is the only thing driving up the price.

I'm a big fan of Spectacular Spider-Man 101, which has the b&w cover

i agree w the second part idea,...

Unique content as always, I appreciate it!

Great topic. Lots of great comics. Thanks. Keep up the good work. 😎

Awesome content! Well done!

For Byrne, I would go with Spectacular Spider-Man 101 (B/W cover) - iconic

I have that Spidey #33 in a 9.6, one of my fave covers ever! 🤘

One I got slabbed because of the cover was the Variant cover of Swap Dogs #1 by John Gallagher.

I feel like you need another one with different rules, because it just seems wrong to exclude 99% of Jack's great covers, because every new first thing that he and Stan did became, by definition, "a key". Maybe a "covers that launched a phenomenon" or some such thing. Characters that become iconic and it was from that very first cover that it became so. Marvel Spotlight 5, FF 49, X-Men 266, Secret Wars 8, Daredevil 167, New Mutants 87 are all examples.

Dope video! I would like more vids on iconic covers

Batman 227 & 423, Superman 233, most all the classic PCH

That Zatanna status is BEAUTIFUL!!! For McFarlane, what about Batman 423. How do the sales numbers match up to Incredible Hulk 340?

Cool subject/vid! I missed that Jungle Action Byrne somehow. I used to try and collect everything Byrne back in the day when I was collecting as a kid.

Zatanna cover u showed in the beginning by Brian Bolland is 🔥

I noticed your Batman trades behind you in this video and I don't know if you've already done it but you should do a video on expensive trades! A couple of the Batmans on the shelf behind you I got 80 and 100 for and I think there's a lot of confusion as to which ones are valuable and which ones aren't etc. anyway love your content keep up the good work!

So much goodness!

The invincible Ironman 126

I bought Catwoman 51 new off the shelf because of the LOST reference. I looked the show at the time, and still do, including the ending.

Awesome video!

Definitely Silver Surfer #4

excellent

those are some really nice covers, bro. #IWANTCAPTAINCARROTPLEASE

Awesome video

I think Adam Hughes is the number 1 artist whose books have value for no reason other than he did the cover. J. Scott Campbell might be a close second.

I'm surprised you didn't pick Batman #251 for Neal Adams. I know it's a key. But I believe it's a key just because of the cover.

Prefer Buscema's Silver Surfer #4, Love your Ditko choice but can't leave out Steve Ditko Strange Tales #146 (the only ST cover that Ditko had entire cover for Dr Strange).

Top 10 most expensive no-cover comics!

Id say for Alex Ross JSA Kingdom Come Special: Superman or Superman 680 his Krypto cover. I don’t think they are keys of some sort. But im just a Superman fan lol

Love the video. But I think your choice for Marie Severin cover was lacking although I do love that Captain America run. Tales to astonish 93 is highly valued for the cover and her best work in my opinion.

Detective Comics 443 by Jim Aparo!!!

Which Green Lantern pedigree is that in the background?

Funny enough you got a jungle action 23 from me for just a dollar.

No Barry Smith? My personal favorite of his is Conan the Barbarian #7 (or 5, or.. :)

UXM #266 Jim Lee CXM #1 Art Adams