Publishers / Marvel / Tales to Astonish (1959) / #40
40February 1963
$0.12

Tales to Astonish #40

Marvel · February 1963 · on sale 1962-11-08

First appearance: HijackerFirst appearance: Howard Mitchell1 variant
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How to read this file
  • Every claim on this page traces to a public bibliographic record; the sources are listed at the bottom of the file.
  • A first-appearance badge means this is the earliest non-flashback appearance on record in this database.
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Identification plate

Series
Tales to Astonish (Marvel, 1959 series)
Issue
#40
Publication date
February 1963
Key date
1963-02-00
On-sale date
1962-11-08
Indicia publisher
Vista Publications Inc.
Price
$0.12
Pages
36
Rating
Approved by the Comics Code Authority

Match the book in your hand against this plate before paying an edition-specific price.

Why this issue matters

First appearance of Hijacker - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Howard Mitchell - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

The evidence

Claims here come from the story records for this issue, listed under Sources at the bottom of the file. Character hubs with full evidence tables are coming to this site.

Contents

SeqStoryTypePagesCreditsCharacters
0The Day the Ant-Man Failed!cover1script: Stan Lee; pencils: Jack Kirby; inks: Jack Kirby; colors: Stan Goldberg; letters: Artie SimekAnt-Man, Hank Pym
1The Day That Ant-Man Failed!comic story11script: Stan Lee, L. D. Lieber; pencils: Jack Kirby; inks: Sol Brodsky; colors: Stan Goldberg; letters: Art SimekAnt-Man, Hijacker First, Howard Mitchell First, Hank Pym
2I Was Trapped in the Mad Universe!comic story7script: Stan Lee, Larry Lieber; pencils: Don Heck; inks: Don Heck; colors: Stan Goldberg; letters: Artie SimekTommy Jordan; Phil Jordan; Ginger
3Bird Talktext story2letters: typesetTony Tipple; Skeets Mulligan; Toodles Murphy; bird census taker
4The Worst Man on Earth!comic story5script: Stan Lee; pencils: Steve Ditko; inks: Steve Ditko; colors: Stan Goldberg; letters: Artie SimekHogarr

Printings and variants

EditionHow to tell
Britishprice 9d [0-0-9 GBP]

Where to read it

CollectionYear
Marvel Tales #51966On eBay ›
Marvel's Greatest Comics #941980On eBay ›
Marvel's Greatest Comics #951980On eBay ›
Essential Ant-Man #1
ISBN 0-7851-0822-X		2002On eBay ›
Marvel Masterworks: Ant-Man / Giant-Man #1
ISBN 0-7851-2049-1		2006On eBay ›

Reading the story costs a fraction of owning the issue. Both routes are on every file.

Before you buy

  • Check spine ticks and cover gloss in the photos; silver-age Marvels chip at the edges easily.
  • Look for tanning at the page edges and transfer stains on the inside covers.
  • Confirm the cover price against the plate; higher prices can mean a later or foreign printing.

Series context

‹ #3940 of 101#41 ›

Sources

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