Lot # 1861: 1974 Marvel The Incredible Hulk #181 First Full Appearance of Wolverine - CGC 6.5

A pair of iconic superheroes go toe-to-toe in this 11/74 Marvel The Incredible Hulk #181 issue. Marvel churned out a parade of classic heroes throughout a 1960s Silver Age renaissance for the superhero genre. While the well didn't run dry during the Bronze Age, only a select few new heroes matched up favorably with the 1960s roster. With all due respect to the Punisher, Star-Lord, Conan and the rest of the second generation of Marvel heroes, Wolverine was the best introduction of the 1970s.

After making a single-panel cameo appearance in The Incredible Hulk #180 (found elsewhere in this current auction), Wolverine made his first full appearance in this issue #181, taking on both the Hulk and the Wendigo. This highly sought after Wolverine first appearance is rivaled only by the debut of the Punisher in Amazing Spider-Man #129 in regards to importance of new characters introduced by Marvel during the 1970s.

Dressed for success in a CGC Universal Grade holder, this Bronze Age key has scored a satisfying 6.5, Off-White to White Pages rating from the comic book hobby's leading third party certification service. Label notes are "Len Wein story, Herb Trimpe and Jack Abel art, Herb Trimpe and John Romita cover. 1st full appearance of Wolverine (James "Logan" Howlett). Wendigo appearance."

This comic book come from a determined collector, who took many years to round up the original first six Incredible Hulk issues, every issue of Tales To Astonish featuring Hulk as a star character from #60-101, every issue of the 1968-1999 Incredible Hulk Volume 1 run from #102-474, a group of The Defenders including the first eleven issues, and a wide variety of Modern Age Hulk titles. This entire collection can be found in this current auction, including eight CGC graded issues of the Incredible Hulk Volume 1, offered on an individual basis with #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #180, and #181. The other Hulk comics are offered in runs of Incredible Hulk Volume 1, Tales To Astonish, The Defenders, and a bundle of Modern Age titles featuring an Incredible Hulk Volume 2 run, and some Red Hulk issues.