The Toughest G.I. Joe Comic?

When talking about the action figures you may have heard me talk about a lack of truly ‘rare’ domestic figures, making collecting them fun, easy, and yes, slightly boring. The comics are no different. Sure, you have your first issue, which I think still goes for higher prices than it should (ample supply, no current foothold in the market outside of what looks to be a mediocre film franchise, and a toyline that’s too close the line of being made for ‘collectors’). You have the a fan favorite G.I. Joe#21, which is perhaps my favorite comic ever, the infamous silent issue and the first appearance of Storm Shadow, but it was exposed as being not nearly as rare in high grade that most people wanted others to believe just 16-18 months ago. What G.I. Joe book would any collector be happy to find in better than VF (“very fine” condition)? Even those that balk at any modern in below Near Mint +? Even Tomio?

Issue #21 still goes for a  premium, but it’s not a “tough” book and you can get  multiples graded in 9.6 at anytime.  There is also the final issue and the Special#1 (the McFarlane/Spidey#1 homage w/McFarlane’s – formerly unwanted – pencils that reprint issue#61)  that while certainly always garner interest, again the degree of separation in just about anybody acquiring one or several copies in grade is rarely more than one phone call or visit to ebay away.  No, the true ‘grail’ final copy to complete a set that’s legitimately tough is actually G.I.Joe#63 of the Marvel run. Why? Well, as I ruminated on before, we know that it’s unlikely due to a first appearance.. It is actually a variant. The term now has a stigma attached to it due to variants being rarely more than transparent manufactured collectibles, but some of the most sought after and pricey  Bronze and Copper age books are actually variants or variants (most desirables are price variants). G.I. Joe#63 is not a price variant, but rather what collectors call the So Much Fun! variant, from So Much Fun, Inc.  These don’t get the crazy prices you”ll see on books like the Star Wars#1 and/or Iron Fist#14 ($.35) price variants, but they do live up to their name.

It’s not that the So Much Fun! copy goes for a ton of money, and most certainly there are probably some con releases printed in smaller numbers (5000 So Much Funs were printed for each issue adorned with the emblem), but for the G.I. Joe collector who was brought up during the decade when the franchise was THE franchise, this is something not only attached to that era, it is of that era. They are also easily distinguishable (“Classic” in bold, as well as  no friendly neighborhood Spidey head in the corner!) .  Twelve books in all from Marvel, DC, and Archie were given the treatment (STLcomics has a gallery--from which I pulled the image in this post). While I’d imagine there probably aren’t 5000 die-hard compeltist Joe collectors out there, you can’t be one of the several hundred unless you’re rocking the So Much Fun!

This comic came to mind recently because I was making another  purchase (which I’ll talk about here in the next few days–it’s also attached to my “Best of 2009″ posts that will begin at BSC soon), and the seller asked me if  I was looking for anything else. The one book that came to mind was this one, because I’ve never seen one in high grade. He told me he just got rid of a copy in ‘Fine’ (which is comparable to my own copies). There’s a copy on ebay now, so finding these aren’t unheard of, but I’ll be damned if grabbing one at NM- or better isn’t a damn chore.

Related posts:

1. Variety, Trade, or Death (or No Hooks, Chum)
2. No Love For G.I. Joe 1st Appearances
3. Pedigree Warlock & the God of Thunder