X-Men #1, page 17 (Jack Kirby and Paul Reinman)

(Jaw drop) Kirby, iconic book, comic history. Brilliant. Congrats and thanks for sharing CAB!

Many thanks, Jason.  It is very humbling indeed.  I have always maintained that we should be grateful for what we have and not lament what we cannot have.  This piece of artwork reminds me of that - in spades.

Congrats on not missing this opportunity. Still kicking myself for letting it pass. All these years later, it seems incredible that this book got broken up, with every page available, during our collecting lifetimes...

Many thanks, Felix.  Most think that prices are so high that they won't go up much further - which, with the benefit of hindsight, is a mistake.  I learnt very early on that if you liked something and could (even if only very barely, as was the case here) afford it, you should just go for it.  Even if prices didn't go up, given that it is a one-of-a-kind item, someone else might get it - and it might go into what is effectively a black hole.

Spectacular and historical. Congrats!

Many thanks, Amir.  When I first read X-Men #1 in a reprint, I was blown away.  So glad that I could get this page.  OT, but many congrats on your ASM cover taking the top prize - well-deserved indeed.

Well...you don't see something like this every day!  Wow...wow! 

Many thanks, James.  I have had this for such a long time that I had taken it for granted.  I was just reminded how very wrong I was.

I'm just happy you decided to share it for the CAF community to enjoy.

Dear James, you are most welcome.  And although I must have said this before, congrats on a truly awesome collection yourself.

I would argue that there is no such thing as a lesser page- when it comes from X-Men #1. ha ha. They are all historical and this is just perfect!!

Many thanks, Duke.  I am just so blessed to obtain a page from this iconic issue - even if it is with Cylops on it!

Well there you go!!!!!

Just amazing!!!

Simply amazing...and such a memorable page from that magical time in comics history. Congratulations CAB...well done!

Many thanks, John.  Yes, "magical" is a very apt descriptor.  Even leaving nostalgia aside, that was, objectively speaking, a watershed period in the history of comics that will never be replicated.

WOW!!!  The history couldn't get bigger for the start of these X characters, this is where things are started and the lore is written in stone.  Huge congrats, this has to be so X-citing to have a page like this in your collection; history, lore and art all in one page and happened here first.  

Many thanks, James.  Absolutely, it was the historical significance of this book that made me determined - as far as it was financially viable - to obtain a piece of artwork from this pathbreaking book.

Iconic Page From Immortal Kirby!! ( Thank you For Sharing)

Many thanks, Shelton.  Yes, there will only ever be one Jack King Kirby!

Hard to believe you can own an original page from X-Men 1! Congrats on the amazing page! 

Many thanks, Rob.  I can hardly believe it myself and, now more than ever, consider myself to be so very blessed.

A great page from a landmark issue.  Congrats!!

Many thanks, Steve.  Now looking back, it is indeed a landmark issue par excellence.

Thank you for sharing this piece of Marvel royalty!

Many thanks, Rick.  It is indeed royal work from the King of Comics.

Wow. You've freaking done it again. Amazing!

Many thanks, Fisch.  As mentioned, I am grateful that it was done some time ago and I am so glad to share it with the community now.

Very beautiful page, congratulations

Many thanks, Claudio.  It is a beautiful page indeed - and really historic.

Amazing page from a MONSTER book!

Many thanks, Dinesh.  You have some MONSTER pieces yourself.  Many congrats!

Bless you for sharing this and keeping it safe for future generations to enjoy.  While there was monetary value involved in obtaining it, its value as an artistic treasure is priceless.

Many thanks, Eric.  I totally agree - its historic value is, as you have so perceptively pointed out, priceless.

Historic issue of X-Men and for Marvel!  Kirby should be considered in the top five most influential and best X-Men artists if people knew their history.  A herculean task by building this from the ground up while everyone just copies and goes does variations of something so ground breaking.  It's so naive of Cyclops to think a teenager can tell the military what to do.  I can like him here too, this is early before other writers ruined him.

Many thanks, Marcus.  In terms of sheer output and influence, there is a very, very strong argument that Kirby is top (even though artists such as Ditko, Wood and Colan produced such excellent artwork in their own right as well).  And thanks for putting in a good word for Cyclops!

It is a joke?????

THAT SHOULD BE SHOWN IN THE SUPERBOWL HALFTIME SHOW!

Oh man! You did it again!!!! Huge congrats! Happy to see that gem still exists!

Many thanks, Toni.  There are collectors with better pieces from this issue!  But I am so glad to be the present steward of this particular piece.

A little bit of history.  Congratulations, Andrew!

Many thanks, Mark.  Yes, it is just so humbling to be actually a steward of such a historical page.

Holy X-Men!  This is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

Congrats CAB!

Many thanks, Nick. You have also constantly emphasized how we should treasure what we already have (and, of course, most importantly, our families).  As mentioned, I am reminded about how blessed I am in both these respects.

Ka-Zowie!!!

Many thanks, Aaron.  Now, that's an expression we don't get to hear enough of nowadays!

Uncanny, Amazing! Congrats, Andrew!

Many thanks, Gene.  Now, looking back, it has been quite a ride for most of us in this hobby and we have much to be grateful for.

XMEN. Issue 1. Jack. This is just an incredible piece of history. Congrats on this C/A/B. And for the record. Cyclops is a pretty damn cool character. Period.

Many thanks, Eric.  And it is so nice to finally find someone who likes Cylops as well!

Thank you so much for sharing this, I got such a buzz. It's so amazingly clean, none of the later margin scrawl. The lovely early naive style.

Many thanks, Nils.  And, yes, you are absolutely spot-on about this early, very clean, style - which contrasts with the very heavy, cluttered, artwork that is the trademark of much modern-day comic artwork.

Wow!  Not many collectors can say they own a page from the first issue of any of the key Silver Age Marvel series.  This is an excellent example--the three panels at the top are a classic Kirby getting-into-character sequence; and the composition of the panels at the bottom are very reminiscent of his war comics work and would be at home in the pages of Sgt. Fury.  P.S. the edge in the inks has always looked like Reinman to me.

Many thanks, Jeremy.  Yes, this was Jack doing his war comics artwork as well.  And I totally agree with your views on the nature of the inking looking very much like Reinman's work.

Just awesome!!

Many thanks, Ron.  I have said this before, but it bears saying again: your own collection is so awesome!

Most of the characters are mentioned on this page - and you have the X-toys also - congrats on stretching for this piece of history!

Many thanks, Mark, for your very kind words.  At least one could stretch then - it's impossible now.

The nice thing about thinking that prices were astronomical even back then, is that you were prescient enough to know that those prices would only continue to go higher, even though you may not ever have imagined back then just HOW high. Let me also thank you for taking the time to go through your collection to look at what pieces you may never have shared previously. Knowing you, you will be pulling out more Kirby ,Ditko, Romita, Buscema art that you'd long since forgotten you even owned! Kudos, my friend!

Many thanks, Rubén.  Unfortunately, I am not all that flush with vintage pieces, although I may have one or two more pleasant surprises.  Yes, nobody would have foreseen just how high prices would go, although, in truth, I was always confident that, if I could swing it (which, fortunately, I did), this was one piece that would not go down in value - simply because of its pedigree.

Indeed truly hisrtorical, but also nice storytelling by Kirby and two great shots of two of the original X-Men. This page would stand proud in any collection.

Many thanks, Carlo.  Yes, it was a real bonus to get two X-Men on the page.  It is a real privilege indeed to be the current steward of this historic page.

Woah. OG X-Doozy!

Many thanks, Derek.  It is really OG!  And the artwork really appears different from its modern counterparts.

Wow, wow, wow! This is like a Grail of Grails, really! With that page on your wall, how does it feel living in a museum? 

Many thanks, Al.  You are far too kind; many thanks for your words of encouragement.  I was reminded, though, of how fortunate I have been and how I should appreciate that privilege much more.

Excellent piece and excellent story! I definitely appreciate the sentiment of grabbing the page if you are able. If only I could every time!

Many thanks, Dirk.  Much in this hobby - because it relates to one-of-a-kind artwork - is quite often a matter of timing.  However, in today's market, a piece like this would be out of reach for collectors such as us from the get-go - which is rather unfortunate because being well-heeled does not necessarily mean that one is a "superior" collector.

Also love cyclops amazing piece thank you for sharing!

Many thanks, Stan.  It's nice to find collectors who love cyclops as well.  And many congrats on a very nice collection of comic art.

Simply amazing! Thanks for sharing! 

Many thanks, Mikail, for your warm wishes and encouragement, as always.

Understatement alert! Understatement alert!...I might just give it wall space.

Many thanks, Peter - and for your usual wit and humor!

Wow, that's a gem to dig up in between your couch cushions.  I remember seeing some of these pages show up and wishing I could have even pretended to bid for them.  Congrats on owning a piece of comic book history!

Many thanks, Kin.  As mentioned, it was a real, real financial stretch then, but, as you've correctly pointed out, it is really nice being presently a steward of a piece of comic book history.

Wow, that is just awesome, so historic, I'm still amazed anything from the first issue even exists, so much congrats!!

Many thanks, Joe.  And many congrats on an amazing collection of original comic art.

Damn! Thanks for sharing. I scrolled past this listing subconsciously thinking it couldn't possibly be a Jack Kirby from issue 1. Then doubled back to be pleasantly surprised. Very cool.

Many thanks, Byron.  As an avid X-Men fan and collector yourself, you will - like me - truly appreciate this foundational issue.  For a while, I could not myself believe that I was the (present) steward of this page.

Amazing page. I love Kirby's style, and such an iconic issue.

Many thanks, Michael.  You would have noticed that the lines were much simpler and cleaner then, albeit no less effective.

absolutely insane - well done for getting it when you did. amazing sir!!

Many thanks, Kavi.  Hope that you are recovering well.  Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Wow!! Speechless. An amazing piece from an iconic issue. Can only imagine getting my hands on something like this. A hearty congratulations to you sir. Thanks for sharing

Many thanks, Ernest.  And many congrats on a great CAF gallery.

Any page from this issue is iconic! Great "transformation" sequence of the Angel, great view of Cyclops. Early Marvel was blessed with the imagination of Kirby who brought these great concepts to life! Glad you are having fun on this crazy collecting journey!!

Many thanks, Andrew, for taking the time and trouble to give such detailed comments on a piece that is clearly part of comic art history.  And I am so glad that you mentioned having fun because there is a sense in which, especially in recent years, collectors have become too focused on prices (which is nevertheless understandable in light of the present reality) as opposed to the content and context that made our hobby such a wonderful one in the first place. Some call it having lost the "sense of wonder".  Many thanks once again.

Probably the single most humble art description I've read here on CAF. Congrats on not only buying and holding a historic page like this, but seeing the reality that many of the prices of these pieces is far beyond the reach of an average individual, even if you've already purchased some in the past! A museum piece, this is!

Many thanks for such kind words of encouragement. They are deeply appreciated indeed.