That’s right: MARVEL Family…
Oh, boy, I love surprises! And here’s one right here: DC in October will be releasing the Marvel Family #1 Facsimile Edition — ads and all, as usual — because it includes the first appearance of Black Adam.
Dig the solicitation info, which Bleeding Cool reported Thursday afternoon:
MARVEL FAMILY #1 FACSIMILE EDITION
(W) Otto Binder (A/CA) C.C. Beck
In advance of the hotly anticipated Black Adam film, DC offers the Marvel Family #1 Facsimile Edition—a re-creation, including the original advertisements, of Black Adam’s 1945 debut by Otto Binder and C.C. Beck!
Retail: $3.99
In-Store Date: 10/18/2020
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A few thoughts:
— Knock me over with a feather: I never thought I’d see the day when DC would put out a comic with “Marvel” in big red-and-black letters at the top of a cover, even a reprint. As we all know, DC in the ’70s was forced to call its original Captain Marvel comic Shazam! because of legalities that are too complicated to get into here. I mean, they even changed the character’s name to Shazam, as we all know. So, damn this is fab.
— This was a surprise solicitation and orders at your shop are due Sunday, Sept. 25. That’s this Sunday. So get on that! (I can only speculate why DC didn’t solicit this sooner.)
— The release date is only three days before the movie Black Adam officially hits theaters Oct. 21.
— Standard Price Comparison: Last year, a slabbed, 9.4-graded original copy — published by Fawcett, natch — sold at Heritage Auctions for $186,000, including buyer’s premium. (There’s a much lower grade copy up for auction soon.) The Facsimile Edition runs a mere four bucks.
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MORE
— SHAZAM! POWER OF HOPE by ALEX ROSS and PAUL DINI to Get 2023 Re-Release. Click here.
— DC to Re-Release JEFF SMITH’s Beloved SHAZAM! Miniseries in Hardcover. Click here.
September 22, 2022
This is MARVELOUS!!!
September 22, 2022
I wonder what the legal loophole is that allows them to use the name “Captain Marvel” on the cover of this (the ’70s series had the words “Captain Marvel” as a subhead under the “Shazam!” logo for the first few issues before Marvel presumably issued a cease and desist and the subhead was changed to “The World’s Mightiest Mortal”). The fact that it’s a reproduction of a historical artifact pre-dating Marvel’s ownership of the Captain Marvel trademark? Curious.
September 22, 2022
Perhaps DC simply asked Marvel if they could use the “Capt. Marvel” name on this one cover this one time. It is not a stylized logo. Even though the name itself is trademarked, the logo design is the larger trademark issue.
September 24, 2022
It says Capt. Marvel, not Captain Marvel.
September 22, 2022
While I have a low grade original, this is marvelous!
September 23, 2022
I can’t wait! This is exciting news!
September 23, 2022
DC goofed on the year of the release date.
September 23, 2022
It came out in Nov. 1945…
September 23, 2022
YAY!!!! Instant purchase!!!! Buying this for the Marvel Family themselves, not Black Adam! Really fun second story in this one, too!
September 23, 2022
I believe this book is public domain, so arguably couldn’t anyone put it out? (Maybe not…)
October 18, 2022
They picked an interesting week to release this. Same week that Marvel finally releases the continuation of the Miracleman Silverage storyline. Wonder that that’s just a coincidense.
October 18, 2022
I’d say coincidence. The issue has the first appearance of Black Adam, which is out this week.