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Another First Appearance Discussion (Comic Book Forums)

  • Another First Appearance Discussion

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  • Posted: November 8, 2020 11:07:35 pm
  • So earlier in this year a cool new comic book was launched, and issue #1 of Strange Academy is a HOT book right now with many first appearances. Here's the thing, though: Several months earlier eight pages of Strange Academy #1 were printed in the comic Doctor Strange: Surgeon Supreme #2. This was not an ad, not a dream or a hoax, but an actual eight page comic printed in the second half of the Dr. Strange book. I know there is plenty of grey area when it comes to first appearances, and that this is certainly not the first or last discussion that will be held on this topic but I believe that the first appearance of Strange Academy, Doyle Dormammu and several other of the characters should be properly recognized as happening in the pages of Dr. Strange, not in Strange Academy #1. It is eight pages of story (that one can argue are reprinted in SA #1), it introduces the Academy itself, it introduces several characters (at least one of whom, Doyle Dormammu, is named), several of them speak, and many of them use their powers. How can this not be their proper first appearance?
    I'd love to hear any other points of view, but I don't see how it can't be.
    Tenzil
  • Posted: November 9, 2020 7:06:06 am
  • The new Daredevil series, #17, also states that it is the 1st Strange Academy preview so maybe that is another potential 1st appearance lol
    nem·e·sis
    noun
    A righteous infliction of retribution manifested by an appropriate agent
  • Posted: November 9, 2020 7:42:35 am
  • I'm not much of an expert, but I agree, Tenzil.

    An example I can think of is how issue #60 of The Walking Dead is jacked up quite a bit in price beyond surrounding issues because it features the first appearance of "Chew" in an 8 page preview.

    If it goes for one comic, it should go for another.

    Last edited November 9, 2020 7:47:02 am
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  • Posted: November 9, 2020 10:35:51 am
  • Problem is it's the masses who decide what is and what isn't a characters 1st app. Being logical just doesn't matter Confused Wink
    Take Wolverine for an example, Hulk 181 is considered more valuable and 1st Full App but Hulk 180 is only a cameo app but Wolverine is shown on a splash page and I believe is talking. To me it makes no sense but that's how the masses think.
    We start to run into problems when like Machete says that Daredevil 17 had the same short story printed in it so now what? Which one is the the 1st? Could go by the week they were released but is that right? And how many more marvel books were promoting SA#1 that week/month?

    Last edited November 9, 2020 10:48:32 am
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  • Posted: November 9, 2020 12:51:13 pm
  • Well, there's no disputing IH 181 is worth more but calling his appearance in 180 just a cameo is downplaying the comic. It's a full shot of him talking and announcing his name on the last page. I consider that his first appearance.

    As per the OP, I don't consider a preview to be a first appearance. Most other places do not either. It's an ad for an upcoming comic.

    edit: rereading the OP, if it's an original story and not a preview then it would be the first appearance of those characters.

    Last edited November 9, 2020 12:53:31 pm
  • Posted: November 9, 2020 12:57:03 pm
  • ASM 299 vs 300 is in the same boat as Hulk 180 & 181 but obviously 300 is the book that got all the attention.
    nem·e·sis
    noun
    A righteous infliction of retribution manifested by an appropriate agent
  • Posted: November 9, 2020 1:21:50 pm
  • MacheteF7 said:
    ASM 299 vs 300 is in the same boat as Hulk 180 & 181 but obviously 300 is the book that got all the attention.
    Absolutely. In the history of comic books this is extremely common. Writers would end their book with a cliffhanger/introduction of a new character on the last page so people would want to buy the next issue. Avengers 195/196 first Taskmaster is another example.
  • Posted: November 9, 2020 3:25:41 pm
  • For the longest time I thought Wetworks’ first appearance was in Wetworks #1, but there is a short back-up story in WildC.A.T.S. #2, and that short back-up story is considered Wetworks’ first appearance. I think that is a similar situation to what you’re talking about, Tenzil.
  • Posted: November 9, 2020 5:35:39 pm
  • as weird as it sounds previews dont constitute as proper 1st appearances...probably because they are not "in story" even though they kinda are...Chew had this issue (released in 2 Walking Dead books prior to Chew release)...

    If previews were 1st apps, then those free previews they give out every month would be worth a fortune lol...

    that Strange Academy had previews in a bunch of different books not just a couple...

    Also the hulk and gambit examples dont necesarily constitute a 1st appearance, but rather 1st FULL appearance in story and not in cameo...though the gambit can be argued with that one too...popularity (value) doesnt = 1st app at times...

    Last edited November 9, 2020 5:43:57 pm
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  • Posted: November 9, 2020 6:16:00 pm
  • AmZoMBiE said:
    as weird as it sounds previews dont constitute as proper 1st appearances...probably because they are not "in story" even though they kinda are...Chew had this issue (released in 2 Walking Dead books prior to Chew release)...

    If previews were 1st apps, then those free previews they give out every month would be worth a fortune lol...

    that Strange Academy had previews in a bunch of different books not just a couple...

    Also the hulk and gambit examples dont necesarily constitute a 1st appearance, but rather 1st FULL appearance in story and not in cameo...though the gambit can be argued with that one too...popularity (value) doesnt = 1st app at times...
    What Hulk and Gambit examples are you talking about?
  • Posted: November 9, 2020 6:39:55 pm
  • for hulk the 180/181 (guess i shouldve specified wolv lol sorry) and gambit the uncanny annual 14/uncanny 266

    to clarify the gambit one...im not sure if it was full bodied or even talking, but hes on multiple panels in the story of the book in the annual (which came out first) but hes on the cover, named and fully in the story in 266.

    i havent read either in quite some time (i do own both), but i know that Gambit comes up in these discussions regularly on other sites.

    Last edited November 9, 2020 6:49:40 pm
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  • Posted: November 9, 2020 7:04:52 pm
  • Oh yeah, the Gambit one is really interesting. The annual came out first but #266 was supposed to come out before it. That's why in the annual people are talking to Gambit like they already know him (they call him by name). He's in like seven panels interacting with the X-Men so it's definitely not a cameo.

    Same thing happened with Virus in Venom. Supposed to first appear in the FCBD issue but because of Covid it got delayed so in the issue of Venom they act like they already know him.
  • Posted: November 9, 2020 7:13:49 pm
  • yeah, like i said been a loooong time since i read it, knew its always brought up, couldnt remember the whole thing lol...
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13 posts • Page 1 of 2
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