FROM THE PERSONAL COLLECTION OF JIM STARLIN

Jim Starlin is one of the most influential creators of the Bronze Age of comics, a writer and artist whose work helped redefine Marvel's cosmic universe and whose creations have become some of the most recognizable characters in modern popular culture. Beginning his professional career at Marvel in the early 1970s, Starlin transformed characters such as Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock while creating or co-creating legendary characters including Thanos, Drax the Destroyer, Gamora and Shang-Chi. He also wrote and illustrated The Death of Captain Marvel, Marvel's first original graphic novel. His sweeping cosmic stories, particularly those involving Thanos, ultimately laid the groundwork for Marvel's enormously influential Infinity Gauntlet saga and the larger Marvel cinematic universe itself.

Starlin's accomplishments extend far beyond Marvel, however. He created Dreadstar, one of the most acclaimed creator-owned science-fiction properties of the 1980s. At DC Comics, he wrote the landmark Batman miniseries Batman: The Cult, illustrated by the legendary Bernie Wrightson, as well as Batman: A Death in the Family, the story that forever changed the course of the Batman family of comics.

This CGC-certified collectible offers something considerably more special than an ordinary Jim Starlin signature. The comic offered here is actually from Jim Starlin's personal collection. CGC has certified the book's provenance with the notation "From the Collection of Jim Starlin," while also authenticating Starlin's signature.

That makes this a unique opportunity for collectors: you are not simply acquiring a comic created, written or illustrated by Jim Starlin and signed by him—you are acquiring a comic that actually belonged to Jim Starlin himself. The book therefore carries a direct connection to one of the most important creators in modern comic-book history, preserved and authenticated by CGC.

For fans of Jim Starlin, Marvel's cosmic era, Thanos, Dreadstar, Batman, or the history of the comic-book medium itself, this is an extraordinary piece of provenance that goes far beyond the typical signed comic.

About the item:

This copy of Thor #460 is from the Jim Starlin collection and is graded and certified by CGC as part of their special Signature Series. It received a 7.0 grade with White Pages and is the Newsstand Edition.*  

Published in March 1993, Thor #460 marks the beginning of a short but noteworthy collaboration between Jim Starlin and Ron Marz on Marvel's long-running Thor title. Following the dramatic conclusion of Thor's long period of imprisonment within the mind of Eric Masterson, the series begins a new direction as Thor returns to Asgard and struggles to come to terms with everything he has endured.

Starlin and Marz co-wrote Thor #460–462, with Bruce Zick providing the pencils. Although Starlin is closely associated with some of Marvel's greatest cosmic stories, his actual involvement with the Thor title was surprisingly brief—just three issues. The collaboration nevertheless launched a larger cosmic-oriented storyline that would continue under Marz and eventually become intertwined with the era's major Marvel cosmic events, including The Infinity Crusade (which Starlin also wrote).

Thor #460 is also notable for introducing a new version of Valkyrie, who appears to Thor following his return to Asgard and subsequently becomes a continuing supporting character. The story sends Thor away from Asgard aboard an unusual vessel provided by Odin, setting him on the cosmic journey that would define the new direction of the series.

The issue is particularly interesting from a Starlin-collector perspective because it captures the creator working in a Marvel title outside the characters with which he is most famously associated. Starlin's brief Thor run came during the same period in which he was heavily involved with Marvel's cosmic characters and the developing Infinity Crusade storyline.

This particular copy is also the Newsstand Edition, distinguished by its UPC barcode rather than the direct-market distribution markings found on the other edition. 

But what makes this particular copy especially noteworthy is its provenance. This isn't simply a Thor #460 featuring a Jim Starlin story. This is a copy that personally belonged to Jim Starlin himself. CGC has preserved and certified that provenance with its official “From the Collection of Jim Starlin” notation, while also authenticating Starlin's signature.

For collectors of Jim Starlin, Thor, Marvel's cosmic universe, or the history of Starlin's relatively rare excursions into other major Marvel titles, this CGC 7.0 Signature Series Newsstand Edition offers a unique combination of a brief Starlin Thor run, early-1990s Marvel cosmic history, creator signature, and documented provenance directly from Starlin's personal collection.

*The Direct Market was becoming dominant, while the percentage of Marvel copies distributed through newsstands was shrinking.  In fact, by 1990, estimates put Marvel's distribution at roughly 15% Newsstand / 85% Direct Market; by 1993, roughly 12% / 88%. These figures are estimates rather than Marvel-published issue-by-issue print-run splits, but they show how dramatically the balance had shifted from the 1970s and early 1980s.  Given that, there were likely only about 30,000 copies of the Newsstand version of Thor 460 printed.