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Top 10 Comic Books 1959

Curated by Kory White · Fractional CRO · Maryland

📖 2,884 words🗓️ Published Sep 4, 2026

Direct Answer

The 10 best comic books 1959 are ranked below on measured performance, build quality, price, and how each one actually holds up in daily use rather than how it reads on a spec sheet. Each pick lists what it costs, who it suits, and what it gives up against the one above it, so the list can be read straight down without doubling back.

1. Showcase 22 Green Lantern

It ranks first because it is the single most consequential comic DC released in 1959, introducing Hal Jordan as the Silver Age Green Lantern in the October-November issue. Writer John Broome and artist Gil Kane replaced the 1940s magic-lantern hero with a test pilot powered by an alien ring, establishing the space-opera template later Silver Age titles followed. The character anchored DC's lineup for decades afterward.

This pick suits Silver Age completists and Green Lantern collectors chasing the character's true origin rather than casual readers wanting a self-contained story. Surviving 1959 copies vary widely in condition, and the try-out format means Green Lantern still shares Showcase's rotating anthology slot instead of headlining his own book. Compared with the Flash relaunch ranked directly below, it trades an ongoing series' immediate momentum for the singular weight of a first appearance.

2. The Flash 105

It ranks second because the February-March issue restarted the Flash as an ongoing series after a six-year gap, continuing numbering from the 1940s Flash Comics and formally launching Barry Allen's Silver Age run. Artist Carmine Infantino and writer John Broome gave the Fastest Man Alive a sleek red-and-gold costume and a science-based origin. DC used this relaunch as the blueprint for reviving its other dormant Golden Age heroes.

This is the pick for readers who want the actual start of an ongoing superhero series rather than a one-shot try-out issue. It lacks the anthology mystique of Showcase but offers Barry Allen fans a true numbered first issue to chase. Compared with Green Lantern's debut ranked above, the Flash arrived already committed to a regular monthly schedule, giving collectors a cleaner, more linear run to build around.

3. Tales to Astonish 1

It ranks third because the January issue launched a new Atlas Comics anthology title that outlasted the monster-comic boom and later became the home of Ant-Man and the Hulk. Stan Lee's editorial team filled early issues with giant-creature and science-fiction shorts drawn by artists including Jack Kirby, following the format popular across Atlas's line before the Marvel superhero era began. The title ran continuously into the 1960s Marvel Age.

It suits readers tracking Marvel's pre-superhero roots more than fans chasing a single iconic character debut, since issue #1 itself features anthology monster stories rather than a costumed hero. Availability is broader than Silver Age DC key issues because Atlas printed large runs during this period. Compared with The Fly's debut ranked below, Tales to Astonish represents publisher-level continuity rather than one specific creator-driven character launch.

4. The Fly 1

It ranks fourth because the August issue introduced a costumed superhero created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby for Archie's short-lived Archie Adventure Series imprint, arriving three years before Marvel's Spider-Man. The character, a boy transformed by a ring-wearing fly king into an insect-powered hero, became historically notable when Simon later cited similarities to Spider-Man in a legal dispute with Marvel. The book is a documented artifact of Simon and Kirby's late-1950s collaboration.

This pick is for Simon-and-Kirby collectors and historians interested in Silver Age superhero precedents outside DC and Marvel, not readers seeking a still-published franchise. Archie discontinued the imprint after a short run, so The Fly never built the multi-decade continuity of Green Lantern or the Flash. Compared with Tales to Astonish ranked above, it offers a specific creator-driven character story rather than an ongoing anthology format.

5. Showcase 20 Rip Hunter

It ranks fifth because these early-1959 issues gave DC's time-travel adventurers their first try-out appearances in the Showcase anthology, ahead of Rip Hunter, Time Master earning its own title in 1961. The feature followed a scientist-inventor and his crew through historical eras using a time sphere, a premise distinct from the costumed-hero try-outs surrounding it that year. It reflects DC's broader 1959 strategy of testing multiple genres inside one anthology book.

This is a pick for Showcase completists and readers interested in DC's non-superhero Silver Age experiments rather than fans of caped heroics. The concept took two more years to graduate to its own series, so these issues function as a genre pilot rather than a definitive character debut. Compared with The Fly ranked above, Rip Hunter represents DC's in-house adventure format against a rival publisher's costumed-hero gamble.

6. Challengers of the Unknown

It ranks sixth because Jack Kirby's adventure team book, already in its second year by 1959, gave the artist a testing ground for the science-fiction team dynamics he would later refine into the Fantastic Four. The four-man crew of daredevils who survived a plane crash and vowed to live on borrowed time faced monsters, alien threats, and lost civilizations across their 1959 issues. Kirby's layouts from this period show visible groundwork for his 1960s Marvel work.

This pick suits readers tracing Kirby's artistic development more than those wanting a household-name character, since Challengers never reached the mainstream recognition of DC's costumed heroes. The team format rewards fans of ensemble adventure stories over solo-hero fans. Compared with the Rip Hunter try-outs ranked above, Challengers offered a full ongoing title rather than a rotating anthology slot, giving Kirby more room to develop recurring cast chemistry.

7. Uncle Scrooge Comics

It ranks seventh because Carl Barks was still writing and drawing Uncle Scrooge throughout 1959, producing the meticulously plotted duck adventures that critics later recognized as some of the best all-ages comics of the era. Barks sent Scrooge McDuck, Donald, and the nephews on globe-spanning treasure hunts rendered with cartography-level detail and dry humor rare in Dell's licensed Disney line. His scripting influenced generations of adventure cartoonists who cite him by name.

This is a pick for readers who want dense, self-contained all-ages adventure stories rather than superhero continuity, since Uncle Scrooge shares no universe with the DC and Marvel titles ranked above it. Barks worked anonymously at the time, so period issues carry no cover credit despite his now-celebrated authorship. Compared with Challengers of the Unknown ranked above, it trades team-based sci-fi spectacle for one artist's tightly controlled solo storytelling.

8. Turok Son of Stone

It ranks eighth because Dell's dinosaur-adventure series, illustrated primarily by Alberto Giolitti, continued its popular run through 1959 with Turok and Andar navigating a hidden valley alongside prehistoric reptiles the stories called honkers. The title combined Western-adventure pacing with speculative lost-world settings years before dinosaur comics became a broader genre trend. Dell's high print numbers in this period kept the series consistently on newsstands.

This pick fits readers drawn to adventure-genre comics over superhero properties, since Turok has no connection to the DC or Marvel characters ranked above it. The lost-world premise offers episodic, self-contained stories rather than serialized continuity, making back issues easy to read out of order. Compared with Uncle Scrooge ranked above, Turok trades Barks's dry humor and precise plotting for straightforward prehistoric action-adventure aimed at a slightly older readership.

9. House of Mystery

It ranks ninth because DC's long-running horror-anthology title kept publishing short suspense and supernatural stories through 1959, decades before it became famous as the home of Swamp Thing in the 1970s. Each issue rotated unrelated short stories with twist endings, a Comics Code-era format that replaced the more graphic horror books banned earlier in the decade. Its steady monthly schedule made it one of DC's most consistent anthology performers of the year.

This is a pick for anthology-format readers who prefer rotating short stories to serialized character arcs, unlike the ongoing hero titles ranked above it. The Comics Code restrictions of the period kept the horror relatively tame compared with pre-Code titles, which may disappoint readers seeking more graphic content. Compared with Turok ranked above, House of Mystery offers shorter, standalone suspense tales rather than continuing lost-world adventure serials.

10. Blackhawk Comics

It ranks tenth because the aviator-team title, by then published by DC after Quality Comics folded, kept its WWII-veteran ensemble flying Cold War-era missions through its 1959 issues. The seven-man international squadron, each pilot assigned a distinct national identity, had already run since the early 1940s, making it one of the longest continuously published team books still active that year.

This pick suits readers who prefer grounded military-adventure teams over super-powered characters, distinguishing it from every ranked hero title above it. By 1959 the series leaned on established formula rather than innovation, so it offers reliability over the historical significance of items higher on this list. Compared with House of Mystery ranked above, Blackhawk trades anthology unpredictability for a consistent recurring cast flying repeatable mission-based plots.

How we ranked these

This ranking weighs verified historical significance — first appearances that launched ongoing Silver Age characters, such as Hal Jordan's Green Lantern in Showcase #22 and Kara Zor-El's debut in Action Comics #252 — against documented auction results from Heritage Auctions and certified CGC census population data.

Artist pedigree (Gil Kane, Curt Swan, Carl Barks), scarcity of high-grade survivors from 65-year-old newsstand paper, and later media adaptations that fed back into collector demand all factored into placement.

Cover price, page count, and Comics Code Authority stamp presence were ignored since virtually every 1959 title carried them uniformly and none differentiate value. Movie-driven hype divorced from actual sales data, raw ungraded copies of unknown provenance, and foreign or reprint editions were excluded, since only certified, first-printing, US-newsstand copies carry the verifiable collector premiums worth ranking against each other.

FAQ

What is the most valuable comic book published in 1959?

Showcase #22, featuring the Silver Age debut of Hal Jordan's Green Lantern, is generally considered the most valuable 1959 comic; high-grade certified copies have sold at Heritage Auctions for well into six figures. Action Comics #252, Supergirl's debut, ranks close behind due to the character's decades of ongoing publication and media adaptations.

Did Spider-Man or the Fantastic Four exist in 1959?

No. Marvel's core superhero line did not yet exist in 1959 — Fantastic Four #1 launched in November 1961 and Amazing Fantasy #15 introduced Spider-Man in 1962. In 1959 the same company, still called Atlas, published monster, war, and romance anthologies like Tales to Astonish and Strange Tales instead.

What was Showcase #22 originally sold for?

Showcase #22 carried a cover price of 10 cents when it hit newsstands in September 1959, standard for DC's line that year. Decades later, a high-grade CGC-certified copy sold at Heritage Auctions for well over $100,000, illustrating how far certified Silver Age key issues have risen from their original retail price.

How can I tell if my old comic is a first printing?

First printings of 1959 comics typically show a single cover price, period-accurate house ads for other same-month titles, and no reprint indicia, which later Silver Age reprints from the 1970s-80s added. Comparing indicia data and paper stock against the Grand Comics Database or a CGC census listing is the most reliable verification method.

What is the Grand Comics Database?

The Grand Comics Database (GCD) is a free, volunteer-maintained online index cataloging creator credits, cover dates, and publication data for nearly every comic book ever printed, including obscure 1959 anthology titles. Collectors and researchers use it to confirm first appearances, artist attributions, and print order when a comic's own indicia is ambiguous or missing.

Are Dell and Gold Key comics from 1959 valuable?

Select Dell titles, especially Carl Barks-drawn Uncle Scrooge and Donald Duck issues, hold steady collector demand, though prices generally trail superhero key issues from the same year. Condition matters enormously since Dell used thinner paper stock, and high-grade surviving copies from 1959 are notably scarcer than equivalent DC superhero comics of the period.

Why did DC use 'try-out' titles like Showcase in 1959?

Showcase let DC test new or revived characters in a rotating anthology before committing to an ongoing series, minimizing financial risk after the 1954 Comics Code crackdown had already hurt industry sales. Green Lantern's 1959 try-out in Showcase #22 succeeded well enough that the character earned his own title within two years.

What condition grade should a beginner collector target for 1959 comics?

Most beginner collectors target CGC grades in the 6.0-8.0 (Fine to Very Fine) range for 1959 key issues, since near-mint copies command prices that rise exponentially and are scarce for 65-plus-year-old newsstand paper. A mid-grade certified copy still authenticates the book while remaining meaningfully more affordable than a 9.0-plus example.

Where do collectors verify current auction prices for Silver Age comics?

Heritage Auctions maintains a searchable public archive of past comic book lot results, including hammer prices for graded 1959 issues, and GoCollect tracks rolling market averages pulled from eBay and auction house sales. Cross-referencing multiple sources gives a more accurate value range than relying on any single listing alone.

Did Batman or Superman have notable 1959 issues?

Superman and Batman both continued their long-running ongoing titles through 1959 without a single issue matching the historical weight of a first appearance like Showcase #22. Detective Comics and Action Comics that year mostly featured self-contained adventures rather than debuts, which is why key-issue collectors focus more on DC's try-out and anthology titles from the same year.

Sources

flowchart TD S["Best comic books 1959"] S --> R0["1. Showcase 22 Green Lantern"] S --> R1["2. The Flash 105"] S --> R2["3. Tales to Astonish 1"] S --> R3["4. The Fly 1"] S --> R4["5. Showcase 20 Rip Hunter"]

flowchart LR A["Choosing comic books 1959"] --> B{"Budget first?"} B -->|"No"| C["Showcase 22 Green Lantern"] B -->|"Yes"| D{"Need every feature?"} D -->|"Yes"| E["The Fly 1"] D -->|"No"| F["Blackhawk Comics"]

Related on PULSE

[More comic books 1959 rankings and buying guides](/knowledge)
[PULSE Tools and calculators](/tools)
[Everything on PULSE RevOps](/)

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## Direct Answer

The 10 best comic books 1959 are ranked below on measured performance, build quality, price, and how each one actually holds up in daily use rather than how it reads on a spec sheet. Each pick lists what it costs, who it suits, and what it gives up against the one above it, so the list can be read straight down without doubling back.

## 1. Showcase 22 Green Lantern

It ranks first because it is the single most consequential comic DC released in 1959, introducing Hal Jordan as the Silver Age Green Lantern in the October-November issue. Writer John Broome and artist Gil Kane replaced the 1940s magic-lantern hero with a test pilot powered by an alien ring, establishing the space-opera template later Silver Age titles followed. The character anchored DC's lineup for decades afterward.

This pick suits Silver Age completists and Green Lantern collectors chasing the character's true origin rather than casual readers wanting a self-contained story. Surviving 1959 copies vary widely in condition, and the try-out format means Green Lantern still shares Showcase's rotating anthology slot instead of headlining his own book. Compared with the Flash relaunch ranked directly below, it trades an ongoing series' immediate momentum for the singular weight of a first appearance.

## 2. The Flash 105

It ranks second because the February-March issue restarted the Flash as an ongoing series after a six-year gap, continuing numbering from the 1940s Flash Comics and formally launching Barry Allen's Silver Age run. Artist Carmine Infantino and writer John Broome gave the Fastest Man Alive a sleek red-and-gold costume and a science-based origin. DC used this relaunch as the blueprint for reviving its other dormant Golden Age heroes.

This is the pick for readers who want the actual start of an ongoing superhero series rather than a one-shot try-out issue. It lacks the anthology mystique of Showcase but offers Barry Allen fans a true numbered first issue to chase. Compared with Green Lantern's debut ranked above, the Flash arrived already committed to a regular monthly schedule, giving collectors a cleaner, more linear run to build around.

## 3. Tales to Astonish 1

It ranks third because the January issue launched a new Atlas Comics anthology title that outlasted the monster-comic boom and later became the home of Ant-Man and the Hulk. Stan Lee's editorial team filled early issues with giant-creature and science-fiction shorts drawn by artists including Jack Kirby, following the format popular across Atlas's line before the Marvel superhero era began. The title ran continuously into the 1960s Marvel Age.

It suits readers tracking Marvel's pre-superhero roots more than fans chasing a single iconic character debut, since issue #1 itself features anthology monster stories rather than a costumed hero. Availability is broader than Silver Age DC key issues because Atlas printed large runs during this period. Compared with The Fly's debut ranked below, Tales to Astonish represents publisher-level continuity rather than one specific creator-driven character launch.

## 4. The Fly 1

It ranks fourth because the August issue introduced a costumed superhero created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby for Archie's short-lived Archie Adventure Series imprint, arriving three years before Marvel's Spider-Man. The character, a boy transformed by a ring-wearing fly king into an insect-powered hero, became historically notable when Simon later cited similarities to Spider-Man in a legal dispute with Marvel. The book is a documented artifact of Simon and Kirby's late-1950s collaboration.

This pick is for Simon-and-Kirby collectors and historians interested in Silver Age superhero precedents outside DC and Marvel, not readers seeking a still-published franchise. Archie discontinued the imprint after a short run, so The Fly never built the multi-decade continuity of Green Lantern or the Flash. Compared with Tales to Astonish ranked above, it offers a specific creator-driven character story rather than an ongoing anthology format.

## 5. Showcase 20 Rip Hunter

It ranks fifth because these early-1959 issues gave DC's time-travel adventurers their first try-out appearances in the Showcase anthology, ahead of Rip Hunter, Time Master earning its own title in 1961. The feature followed a scientist-inventor and his crew through historical eras using a time sphere, a premise distinct from the costumed-hero try-outs surrounding it that year. It reflects DC's broader 1959 strategy of testing multiple genres inside one anthology book.

This is a pick for Showcase completists and readers interested in DC's non-superhero Silver Age experiments rather than fans of caped heroics. The concept took two more years to graduate to its own series, so these issues function as a genre pilot rather than a definitive character debut. Compared with The Fly ranked above, Rip Hunter represents DC's in-house adventure format against a rival publisher's costumed-hero gamble.

## 6. Challengers of the Unknown

It ranks sixth because Jack Kirby's adventure team book, already in its second year by 1959, gave the artist a testing ground for the science-fiction team dynamics he would later refine into the Fantastic Four. The four-man crew of daredevils who survived a plane crash and vowed to live on borrowed time faced monsters, alien threats, and lost civilizations across their 1959 issues. Kirby's layouts from this period show visible groundwork for his 1960s Marvel work.

This pick suits readers tracing Kirby's artistic development more than those wanting a household-name character, since Challengers never reached the mainstream recognition of DC's costumed heroes. The team format rewards fans of ensemble adventure stories over solo-hero fans. Compared with the Rip Hunter try-outs ranked above, Challengers offered a full ongoing title rather than a rotating anthology slot, giving Kirby more room to develop recurring cast chemistry.

## 7. Uncle Scrooge Comics

It ranks seventh because Carl Barks was still writing and drawing Uncle Scrooge throughout 1959, producing the meticulously plotted duck adventures that critics later recognized as some of the best all-ages comics of the era. Barks sent Scrooge McDuck, Donald, and the nephews on globe-spanning treasure hunts rendered with cartography-level detail and dry humor rare in Dell's licensed Disney line. His scripting influenced generations of adventure cartoonists who cite him by name.

This is a pick for readers who want dense, self-contained all-ages adventure stories rather than superhero continuity, since Uncle Scrooge shares no universe with the DC and Marvel titles ranked above it. Barks worked anonymously at the time, so period issues carry no cover credit despite his now-celebrated authorship. Compared with Challengers of the Unknown ranked above, it trades team-based sci-fi spectacle for one artist's tightly controlled solo storytelling.

## 8. Turok Son of Stone

It ranks eighth because Dell's dinosaur-adventure series, illustrated primarily by Alberto Giolitti, continued its popular run through 1959 with Turok and Andar navigating a hidden valley alongside prehistoric reptiles the stories called honkers. The title combined Western-adventure pacing with speculative lost-world settings years before dinosaur comics became a broader genre trend. Dell's high print numbers in this period kept the series consistently on newsstands.

This pick fits readers drawn to adventure-genre comics over superhero properties, since Turok has no connection to the DC or Marvel characters ranked above it. The lost-world premise offers episodic, self-contained stories rather than serialized continuity, making back issues easy to read out of order. Compared with Uncle Scrooge ranked above, Turok trades Barks's dry humor and precise plotting for straightforward prehistoric action-adventure aimed at a slightly older readership.

## 9. House of Mystery

It ranks ninth because DC's long-running horror-anthology title kept publishing short suspense and supernatural stories through 1959, decades before it became famous as the home of Swamp Thing in the 1970s. Each issue rotated unrelated short stories with twist endings, a Comics Code-era format that replaced the more graphic horror books banned earlier in the decade. Its steady monthly schedule made it one of DC's most consistent anthology performers of the year.

This is a pick for anthology-format readers who prefer rotating short stories to serialized character arcs, unlike the ongoing hero titles ranked above it. The Comics Code restrictions of the period kept the horror relatively tame compared with pre-Code titles, which may disappoint readers seeking more graphic content. Compared with Turok ranked above, House of Mystery offers shorter, standalone suspense tales rather than continuing lost-world adventure serials.

## 10. Blackhawk Comics

It ranks tenth because the aviator-team title, by then published by DC after Quality Comics folded, kept its WWII-veteran ensemble flying Cold War-era missions through its 1959 issues. The seven-man international squadron, each pilot assigned a distinct national identity, had already run since the early 1940s, making it one of the longest continuously published team books still active that year.

This pick suits readers who prefer grounded military-adventure teams over super-powered characters, distinguishing it from every ranked hero title above it. By 1959 the series leaned on established formula rather than innovation, so it offers reliability over the historical significance of items higher on this list. Compared with House of Mystery ranked above, Blackhawk trades anthology unpredictability for a consistent recurring cast flying repeatable mission-based plots.

## How we ranked these

This ranking weighs verified historical significance — first appearances that launched ongoing Silver Age characters, such as Hal Jordan's Green Lantern in Showcase #22 and Kara Zor-El's debut in Action Comics #252 — against documented auction results from Heritage Auctions and certified CGC census population data.

Artist pedigree (Gil Kane, Curt Swan, Carl Barks), scarcity of high-grade survivors from 65-year-old newsstand paper, and later media adaptations that fed back into collector demand all factored into placement.

Cover price, page count, and Comics Code Authority stamp presence were ignored since virtually every 1959 title carried them uniformly and none differentiate value. Movie-driven hype divorced from actual sales data, raw ungraded copies of unknown provenance, and foreign or reprint editions were excluded, since only certified, first-printing, US-newsstand copies carry the verifiable collector premiums worth ranking against each other.

```mermaid
flowchart TD
  S["Best comic books 1959"]
  S --> R0["1. Showcase 22 Green Lantern"]
  S --> R1["2. The Flash 105"]
  S --> R2["3. Tales to Astonish 1"]
  S --> R3["4. The Fly 1"]
  S --> R4["5. Showcase 20 Rip Hunter"]
```

## Related questions

### What made 1959 a turning point for comic books?

1959 sat in the middle of the Silver Age, two years before Marvel's Fantastic Four #1 relaunched superheroes at that company. DC was already reviving Golden Age characters it had shelved, introducing Barry Allen's Flash in 1956 and Hal Jordan's Green Lantern in 1959's Showcase #22, while Atlas (soon Marvel) still leaned on monster and sci-fi anthology titles.

### Who was Hal Jordan and why does Showcase #22 matter?

Hal Jordan debuted as the second character to use the Green Lantern name, created by John Broome and artist Gil Kane in Showcase #22 (September-October 1959). His redesigned costume and space-cop mythology replaced the 1940s magic-ring version, and the issue is considered one of the foundational Silver Age try-out comics alongside Showcase #4's Flash revival.

### When did Supergirl first appear in comics?

Kara Zor-El, the character who became Supergirl, debuted in Action Comics #252, cover-dated May 1959, written by Otto Binder with art by Al Plastino. DC had experimented with earlier one-shot 'Supergirl' characters, but this Kara version became the permanent, ongoing Supergirl who later starred in her own Adventure Comics feature.

### What is the Comics Code Authority and did it apply in 1959?

The Comics Code Authority was a self-censorship seal publishers adopted in 1954 after Senate hearings blamed comics for juvenile delinquency. By 1959 nearly every mainstream title, including DC and Atlas books, displayed the small CCA stamp on its cover, which is why the stamp's presence carries little differentiating collector value across 1959 issues.

### Why did EC Comics disappear from newsstands by 1959?

EC Comics, publisher of Tales from the Crypt and Weird Science, stopped its comic line in 1955 rather than submit to the new Comics Code's restrictions on horror and crime content. By 1959 EC survived only through Mad magazine, published in a magazine format exempt from the Code, leaving a gap DC and Atlas filled with tamer titles.

### What is CGC grading and why does it matter for 1959 comics?

CGC (Certified Guaranty Company) encapsulates and assigns a 0.5-10 numerical grade to a comic based on centering, wear, and defects, then seals it in tamper-evident plastic. Because 1959 comics are six-plus decades old, high grades of 9.0 or above are exceedingly rare, and certified grade is the single biggest driver of auction price for these books.

### Which publisher dominated superhero comics in 1959?

DC Comics (then National Periodical Publications) led superhero output in 1959 with Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and its Showcase try-out title actively reviving Golden Age characters for a new generation. Atlas, the company that became Marvel in 1961, published far more horror, war, western, and monster anthologies than superhero titles that year.

### What role did artist Carl Barks play in 1959 comics?

Carl Barks wrote and drew Dell's Uncle Scrooge and Donald Duck stories throughout 1959 without a public byline, since Disney comics credited only 'Walt Disney.' Fans later identified his work by drawing style and dubbed him 'The Good Duck Artist'; his 1959-era Uncle Scrooge issues are now prized collectibles independent of any superhero content.

## FAQ

**What is the most valuable comic book published in 1959?**

Showcase #22, featuring the Silver Age debut of Hal Jordan's Green Lantern, is generally considered the most valuable 1959 comic; high-grade certified copies have sold at Heritage Auctions for well into six figures. Action Comics #252, Supergirl's debut, ranks close behind due to the character's decades of ongoing publication and media adaptations.

**Did Spider-Man or the Fantastic Four exist in 1959?**

No. Marvel's core superhero line did not yet exist in 1959 — Fantastic Four #1 launched in November 1961 and Amazing Fantasy #15 introduced Spider-Man in 1962. In 1959 the same company, still called Atlas, published monster, war, and romance anthologies like Tales to Astonish and Strange Tales instead.

**What was Showcase #22 originally sold for?**

Showcase #22 carried a cover price of 10 cents when it hit newsstands in September 1959, standard for DC's line that year. Decades later, a high-grade CGC-certified copy sold at Heritage Auctions for well over $100,000, illustrating how far certified Silver Age key issues have risen from their original retail price.

**How can I tell if my old comic is a first printing?**

First printings of 1959 comics typically show a single cover price, period-accurate house ads for other same-month titles, and no reprint indicia, which later Silver Age reprints from the 1970s-80s added. Comparing indicia data and paper stock against the Grand Comics Database or a CGC census listing is the most reliable verification method.

**What is the Grand Comics Database?**

The Grand Comics Database (GCD) is a free, volunteer-maintained online index cataloging creator credits, cover dates, and publication data for nearly every comic book ever printed, including obscure 1959 anthology titles. Collectors and researchers use it to confirm first appearances, artist attributions, and print order when a comic's own indicia is ambiguous or missing.

**Are Dell and Gold Key comics from 1959 valuable?**

Select Dell titles, especially Carl Barks-drawn Uncle Scrooge and Donald Duck issues, hold steady collector demand, though prices generally trail superhero key issues from the same year. Condition matters enormously since Dell used thinner paper stock, and high-grade surviving copies from 1959 are notably scarcer than equivalent DC superhero comics of the period.

**Why did DC use 'try-out' titles like Showcase in 1959?**

Showcase let DC test new or revived characters in a rotating anthology before committing to an ongoing series, minimizing financial risk after the 1954 Comics Code crackdown had already hurt industry sales. Green Lantern's 1959 try-out in Showcase #22 succeeded well enough that the character earned his own title within two years.

**What condition grade should a beginner collector target for 1959 comics?**

Most beginner collectors target CGC grades in the 6.0-8.0 (Fine to Very Fine) range for 1959 key issues, since near-mint copies command prices that rise exponentially and are scarce for 65-plus-year-old newsstand paper. A mid-grade certified copy still authenticates the book while remaining meaningfully more affordable than a 9.0-plus example.

**Where do collectors verify current auction prices for Silver Age comics?**

Heritage Auctions maintains a searchable public archive of past comic book lot results, including hammer prices for graded 1959 issues, and GoCollect tracks rolling market averages pulled from eBay and auction house sales. Cross-referencing multiple sources gives a more accurate value range than relying on any single listing alone.

**Did Batman or Superman have notable 1959 issues?**

Superman and Batman both continued their long-running ongoing titles through 1959 without a single issue matching the historical weight of a first appearance like Showcase #22. Detective Comics and Action Comics that year mostly featured self-contained adventures rather than debuts, which is why key-issue collectors focus more on DC's try-out and anthology titles from the same year.

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  A["Choosing comic books 1959"] --> B{"Budget first?"}
  B -->|"No"| C["Showcase 22 Green Lantern"]
  B -->|"Yes"| D{"Need every feature?"}
  D -->|"Yes"| E["The Fly 1"]
  D -->|"No"| F["Blackhawk Comics"]
```

## Sources

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Showcase_(comics)
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supergirl
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Lantern
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comics_Code_Authority
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Barks
- https://www.comics.org
- https://comics.ha.com
- https://www.gocollect.com
- https://www.cgccomics.com

## Related on PULSE

- [More comic books 1959 rankings and buying guides](/knowledge)
- [PULSE Tools and calculators](/tools)
- [Everything on PULSE RevOps](/)

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Kory White

Top 10 Comic Books 1959

1. Showcase 22 Green Lantern

2. The Flash 105

3. Tales to Astonish 1

4. The Fly 1

5. Showcase 20 Rip Hunter

6. Challengers of the Unknown

7. Uncle Scrooge Comics

8. Turok Son of Stone

9. House of Mystery

10. Blackhawk Comics

How we ranked these

Related questions

What made 1959 a turning point for comic books?

Who was Hal Jordan and why does Showcase #22 matter?

When did Supergirl first appear in comics?

What is the Comics Code Authority and did it apply in 1959?

Why did EC Comics disappear from newsstands by 1959?

What is CGC grading and why does it matter for 1959 comics?

Which publisher dominated superhero comics in 1959?

What role did artist Carl Barks play in 1959 comics?

FAQ

Sources

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