The year is 1962. The creative forces at Marvel had already brought to life immediate classics like The Fantastic Four and The Incredible Hulk. In August another pulse-pounding tale came to life from the legendary team of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. In Journey into Mystery 83, The Mighty Thor was born. With his mystic uru hammer, he would protect both Asgard and Midgard from evil!

One of the most popular superheroes of the Silver Age, the God of Thunder has strode the panels of Marvel comic books for more than fifty years. In 2011, he was featured in his own blockbuster movie, the aptly titled Thor, followed a year later by his appearance in The Avengers, the third highest-grossing film in history. This year, Thor: The Dark World will premier, and a third Thor movie is already scheduled along with two more Avengers films. One of the tougher first appearances to find due to a lower print run, this comic book is a highly treasured piece in any collection.

Rarity is a key factor in the valuation of a comic book. This is the 1st copy to come to auction since 2005. The last 9.4 copy to sell, sold in a private sale for $222,200.00 in February of 2012. Out of all the major Marvel superhero first appearances this is the rarest in 9.4 with only three copies. The importance of this copy of Journey into Mystery 83 cannot be overstated. Out of the three 9.4 copies it is the only one with white pages. While it is the 2nd highest graded copy, it has even better pages than the 9.6, which only has off white/white pages. With the 9.6 locked in a highly coveted collection this is the highest graded copy with the best page quality available on the open market. The cover is immaculate, the inks are rich and the fire engine reds practically scream off the pale blue background. Glossy, tight, sharp, flat and a beautiful spine as well, this copy has it all!

Overstreet Guide 2012 NM- (9.2) value = $40,000

We realize many of you would like to bid on this auction lot, so for this listing, ComicConnect.com offers a 3 month, interest free, time payment plan with a 20% non-refundable deposit. Time Payments invoices can only be paid by cash, check, money order or wire transfer. LEARN MORE

If you are a new customer planning to make a first-time purchase over $25,000, please contact us at 1.888.779.7377 or 212.895.3999 or support@comicconnect.com so that we may approve your account for bidding. (This policy was instituted to protect consignors and bidders against bids from fraudulent accounts, and to ensure the integrity of the bidding process.).