SILVER SURFER #3 — December 1968, Marvel Comics. First appearance of MEPHISTO.

“The Power and the Prize!” — the Surfer’s first encounter with Mephisto, one of Marvel’s most enduring villains. A cosmic collaboration by Stan Lee and John Buscema, embellished by Joe Sinnott. This is the 72-page 25-cent giantformat that ran through Silver Surfer #1–7. To be clear about what that means: 72 pages instead of the usual 32, at standard comic dimensions. A thicker book, not a physically larger one.

AUTHENTICITY

Verified against the indicia, photographed in shot 11. It reads:

“THE SILVER SURFER is published by OFFICIAL MAGAZINE CORP. OFFICE OF PUBLICATION: 625 MADISON AVENUE NEW YORK, N.Y. 10022. Published bi-monthly. Copyright © 1968 by Official Magazine Corp, Marvel Comics Group… Vol. 1, No. 3, 1968 issue. Price 25¢ per copy… Printed in the U.S.A. by World Color Press Inc., Sparta, Illinois 62286.”

Official Magazine Corp is the correct period entity for this title. No barcode, as expected pre-1976. Original 1968 first printing, not a facsimile and not a reprint.

CONDITION — GD/VG 3.0. The flaws, first:

•          Spine shows color-breaking wear along its full length, with the printed spine text worn though still readable. Shots 04, 05, 06.

•          Fraying at the lower spine corner and a small notch in the spine paper near the upper end. Shots 05 and 06.

•          Multiple color-breaking creases: a long one running across the bottom-right black field, and two or three more at the bottom left through the “THE POWER AND THE PRIZE!” banner. Shots 09 and 10.

•          Gloss is largely gone. The cover reads matte. Shot 02 is lit from the side specifically to show this and the general surface wrinkling — flat light hides both.

•          Interior pages are tanned, amber throughout. Shot 12.

•          Back cover tanned with light foxing and mottling. Shot 03.

What holds up:

•          No spine split, no spine roll, and no delamination. The spine is worn but flat and whole.

•          All four corners intact and only lightly blunted. No chipping, no tears, no paper loss anywhere on the book.

•          Complete. Coupon on the back cover is uncut, no pages missing, no married cover.

•          Pages are supple — no brittleness, no foxing spots, no water staining, no writing or stamps.

An honest, complete, structurally sound copy of a major Silver Age key. It has been read and it shows, and all of it is photographed above under side lighting rather than hidden behind a flat shot. What you see is what ships.

SHIPPING

Free shipping, included in the price. Bagged and boarded in a rigid comic mailer. At 72 pages this book is thicker than a standard comic, so it ships in a mailer with room for it rather than a tight one. Ships within 3 business days of cleared payment.

30-day returns.