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Aquaman #35 (DC, October 1967, 12¢) has the first appearance of Black Manta, Aquaman\'s greatest enemy, under a Nick Cardy cover.
Key Debuts and Story Milestones
- First appearance of Black Manta, in “Between Two Dooms!”. He attacks Atlantis and captures the Sea King.
- Ocean Master, Aquaman\'s half-brother, decides nobody else gets to finish Aquaman off and turns on Manta, with Aquababy caught in the middle.
- Aqualad and Mera also appear.
Behind the Scenes and Quirky Details
- Nick Cardy drew the cover and the whole 23-page story, from a Bob Haney script. George Kashdan edited.
- The pages pictured: a Mattel Major Matt Mason “Man in Space” ad spread.
- The back cover: Aurora\'s “American Astronaut” model kit, $1.00, from two years before the Moon landing.
Condition:
FRONT
Corners — all four blunted, with general edge wear — MED impact to the grade
Flatness and colour — flat, with good colour. The wavy white lines across the cover are printed foam trails in the art, not creases. No writing — No impact on the grade.
SPINE
Wear — white flaking and colour-breaking stress lines along the full length — MED impact to the grade
Split — a short split, about ¼″, at the spine beside the top of the “Ocean Master” box — MED impact to the grade
Structure — no roll in raking light — No impact on the grade.
BACK
Edges — tanning and light soiling, and the small spine tear shows at the edge — LOW impact to the grade
INTERIOR
Page quality — cream to off-white — No impact on the grade.
Graded 4.0 (Very Good), honest range 3.5–4.5. A flat, colourful copy of a major key. The grade comes from the spine wear and the short split.
Please note: The grade above is my own opinion on a raw, uncertified comic and is offered in good faith — it is not a certified grade from CGC, CBCS or any other grading service. This copy is unsigned, with no writing, stamp or sticker. The photographs are of the actual comic you will receive: twelve views, including the corners, a raking-light shot of the spine and an interior spread. The book ships bagged and boarded in a rigid cardboard mailer.
