Aquaman First Appearance: Origin Comic and Key Issue

More Fun Comics #73 marks Arthur Curry's entry into the DC universe in the middle of the Golden Age period. Published by DC Comics (then National Publications) in November 1941, this issue features Aquaman in a short eight-page back-up story, a common format at the time for testing new characters without risking a solo title.

For French-speaking collectors, this copy represents one of the rarest Grails of the Golden Age. Its survival in high condition is extremely limited, which makes it a particularly sought-after long-term investment on the specialized auction market.

Publication context

In 1941, DC Comics increased the number of superhero creations to capitalize on the success of Superman and Batman. More Fun Comics served as an incubator for supporting characters. Aquaman appeared alongside Green Arrow (introduced in the same issue), in a context where maritime stories were benefiting from a renewed interest linked to World War II and the naval battles of the Pacific.

The creators

Prolific Golden Age illustrator Paul Norris created the visual design for Aquaman. Mort Weisinger, an influential editor at DC who would later oversee the Superman line, wrote the original script. Their collaboration gave birth to a character whose origin differs significantly from the modern version — Arthur is here the son of a human scientist who discovered the secrets of Atlantis.

The inside story

In this first eight-page adventure, Aquaman recounts his origins in voice-over: his father, an underwater explorer, taught him to breathe underwater and communicate with sea creatures. He faces pirates who threaten merchant ships. The tone is direct, the action fast, typical of Golden Age back-ups.

Description of coverage

The cover of More Fun Comics #73 doesn't feature Aquaman — it features the title's main character, the Specter. Aquaman only appears in the interior pages, making this issue less immediately identifiable to the uninitiated but just as valuable to those in the know.

Edition and variants

The estimated circulation is between 200,000 and 300,000 copies, standard for the time. There are no variants in the modern sense: no direct edition or newsstand since distribution was done exclusively on newsstands. No Canadian or British pence variants are documented for this title from this period.

CGC census data

The CGC census lists less than 80 examples graded in all conditions. The highest grade recorded is an 8.0 VF. The majority of copies are between 1.0 and 4.0, reflecting the precarious conservation conditions of the time (paper recycled during the war, intensive handling by young readers).

Value by grade

Price history (2015–2025)

Public sales of More Fun Comics #73 are rare. A CGC 6.0 copy sold for $28,000 in 2016 reached $48,000 in 2022, driven by the success of the film Aquaman (2018). The market has since stabilized, with a slight correction post-MCU/DCEU speculation. Lower grades (2.0–4.0) saw an increase of 60–80% over the decade.

Points of vigilance when purchasing

Restoration

Golden Age copies are frequently restored: recoloring the cover, reinforcing the spine, adding paper. Always demand a CGC Blue Label (Universal) grade rather than Purple (Restored). The restoration discount reaches 40–60% on this security.

Common faults

Brittleness of wartime paper, water stains, cutting of coupons on last page, rusty staples. Check the integrity of the interior pages containing the first Aquaman story—missing pages drastically reduce the value.

Dry cleaning

Pressing can improve the presentation of a Golden Age example but will not correct structural defects. On such an old paper, the results are limited. Choose a naturally preserved copy.