A great comic book cover matching each day of the year, 1 through 365. Please chime in with your favourite corresponding cover, from any era.
Day 3 – Suspense Comics #3, Artist – Alex Schomburg.
I remember as a kid my local AM radio station 1150 CKOC would have their annual countdown of the top 500 songs of all time. Stairway to Heaven would win every year. Would Suspense Comics #3 win every year?
Walt! I don’t think you can find a better number 3 out there. Suspense comics #3 has such an amazing cover that you can’t possibly beat it for the cover alone. So I decided to go with significance for a cover. My choice is All Star Comics #3. First appearance of the Justice Society of America, and arguably, the first time a team of heroes came together, albeit at a dinner party… but still… first… time. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justice_Society_of_America
It’s kind of heretical for me to say, but I think Suspense #3 is overrated. This is not to say that it isn’t a great cover, not to say that it isn’t a _really_ great cover, but just to say that it isn’t Stairway to Heaven. Let’s say it is more Ramble On. My sense is that it stands out (aside from being a really great cover) because a) the book is rare, and b) there is no superhero and no link to continuity. I think Schomburg’s Timely covers are far more comic booky, while Suspense #3 looks more like a pulp cover. Aside from the rarity = desirability factor (please propagate this notion as it will help my pocketbook), I think the lack of superhero/any continuity frees people from being immediately forced into comparisons – e.g. is the Super Plane (MM #44) better than the Zeppelin (MM #40) (tying it back to CKOC)? And while I am not going to argue that the cover is better, not taking cash value into account I would rather own Green Lantern #3 than Suspense #3 (if we are looking for a #3).
My five minutes of looking for #4s led me to these suggestions, but my current patented search method isn’t too good. If you have a way of asking for all #Xs and seeing covers in a browser, do tell.
All-Star Western #4
DC 100 Page Super Spectacular #4
Mystery in Space #4
Phantom Stranger #4
Superman #4
A Brave and Bold statement Chris, thanks for sticking your neck out. If Stairway to Heaven doesn’t work then how about the Mona Lisa?
To the uninitiated the Mona Lisa is a nice portrait but it holds this weight way above and beyond what it actually delivers. Suspense #3 is like this in a way, it has filtered out as one of the few “chosen covers” and this status/momentum/inertia will probably continue to grow?
Love your #4 picks, Mystery in Space #4 was a close second for my #4 cover.
Interesting comparison choices. I have always felt Stairway To Heaven and The Mona Lisa are far overrated. At the Louvre I couldn’t get close to the Mona Lisa as crowds pressed close to get a photo with their cellphones. Someone told them it’s an important painting so they feel the need to check it off their list. This cover, for me, is the same as the Mona Lisa.
My point exactly Scott.