MYSTERY TALES 40, Atlas 1956. AS SEEN IN " LOST " On ABC TV / 1st STEVE DITKO
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:12529576 | Modified Item: No |
| Grade: 4.0 VG | Issue Number: 40 |
| Publication Date: 1956 | Certification: CGC |
| Publisher: Atlas Comics |
Mystery Tales #40. Atlas Comics, 1956. CGC 4.0. Used prominently as plot element in the ABC-TV show "Lost." EASTER EGGS: Stories throughout issue seem to have inspired the story arc and mythology of entire "Lost" series. First Atlas art by Steve Ditko.
Note: I am often auctioning many Golden Age comics, most with 99-cent starting bids. Shipping combined for multiple wins. Please see my other listings; thank you for your bids! ABOUT THIS COMIC: This auction is f...or a single copy of the Atlas/Marvel comic book Mystery Tales #40. This copy has been graded by CGC at 4.0 (VERY GOOD).
ABOUT MYSTERY TALES #40: Though there are many great issues of this Atlas/Marvel title, Mystery Tales #40 stands out for two key reasons: (1) It's the first work done at Atlas by legendary comic-book artist Steve Ditko (alongside Journey Into Mystery #33), who soon became instrumental in the creation and development of Spider-Man and other key Marvel superheroes. And (2), Mystery Tales #40 gained a special mystique when it was featured prominently in a scene of the acclaimed TV drama "Lost." The entire issue is loaded with Easter Eggs that seem to tie in with the "Lost" story, almost as if the show's creators (J.J. Abrams of the recent "Star Trek" and "Star Wars" reboot movies, and others) were using this one comic as their mythology starting point for the series.
HOW MYSTERY TALES #40 WAS USED IN "LOST": Mystery Tales #40 appears in "Lost" Season Four, Episode #11, which is titled “Cabin Fever” and originally ran May 8, 2008 on ABC-TV. Since then it has become highly sought-after by "Lost" fans, regularly selling for multiples of guide value.
The scene where Mystery Tales #40 appears involves a flashback: Richard Alpert visits a 5-year-old John Locke in the year 1961, showing up at his house under the pretense that he's seeking a gifted child to attend a special school. Alpert first must conduct a test (referred to as "the Dali Llama test") to find out if Locke is ready, so he places six objects on a table and asks Locke to choose one of them. The objects include a baseball glove, a knife, a leather-bound "Book of Laws, " a compass, a container of sand, and Mystery Tales #40. Locke chooses the knife, and Alpert realizes Locke is not ready (perhaps an indication of Locke's fitness as a future caretaker of the island), and abruptly exits the room.
MORE INFO:
Watch the scene on YouTube (link removed due to eBay policy)About "Cabin Fever": Lostopedia (link removed) and Wikipedia (link removed)HOW THE MYSTERY TALES #40 STORIES TIE IN WITH "LOST" MEANINGS: "Lost" fans have pored over Mystery Tales #40 and found numerous parallels between the comic's stories and the plotlines and themes of "Lost." (Soon after the comic appeared on the show, several ardent fans published a blog about their quest to track down a copy of Mystery Tales #40 and hopefully unravel clues to the TV show's mystery.) To begin with, the cover art depicts a distressed-looking man sitting in an airplane and looking at the window at a hidden city -- or as the text says, "The Hidden Land!" This scenario pretty much sums up the entire "Lost" premise of people on an airplane ending up in a mystery location.
Not only does the title story echo "Lost, " but so do each subsequent story. It's almost as if the show's creators, J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof, had used Mystery Tales #40 as part of their "Lost" bible when conceiving the storyline. Such stories as "The Warning Voice, " "The Crossroads of Destiny, " and "March has 32 Days" involve time travel, recurring incidents at airports, parallel realities and other science-fiction concepts that define the "Lost" mythos. ("March Has 32 Days" was specifically referenced in the Lost ARG Dharma Initiative Recruiting Project.) Even the story about the statue seems to echo the giant foot statue seen at a remote beach location of the "Lost" island. See the photos of Mystery Tales #40's interior pages below for examples.MORE INFO:
BuddyTV article: "Lost Easter Eggs: 'Cabin Fever' #4 - Mystery Tales"Lostopedia page: Fan theories about Mystery Tales #40 (link removed due to eBay policy change)
Chicago Tribune blog about the comic's use in "Lost" (link removed due to eBay policy)
Comic Book Movie article about the influence of comic books (including Mystery Tales #40) on "Lost" (link removed)
The comic's "Lost" notoriety has made its cover iconic enough to sell as a rubber coaster, button, or T-shirt. ("Don't make the same mistake young Locke did! He had Cabin Fever! Choose this classic Mystery Tales #40 comic book cover or retro logo now, or be Lost forever, John! It's as easy as ABC!")THIS COMIC'S VALUE: The 2018/2019 Overstreet guidebook values this issue in GD, VG, FN and VF at $$$: ((( 42 / 84 / 126 / 267 ))). This comic sells at multiples of guide due to its association with the hit TV show "Lost, " and because it is artist Steve Ditko's first work for Marvel/Atlas. In August of 2010, the comic was auctioned alongside other "Lost" props by the auction house Profiles in History, and the lot (item #682) sold for $3, 750. In recent years a low-grade raw copy sold on eBay for more than $1, 200.
CONDITION/GRADE: This comic is in CGC 4.0 (VERY GOOD) condition, with CREAM to OFF-WHITE pages. Please look over the photos and see the details below:CONDITION OVERVIEW: ORIGINAL (no restoration detected) and COMPLETE (all pages included, with no cut-outs or anything significantly missing). CGC graded this at 4.0, or VG. The CGC grader notes say: "heavy tanning interior cover; light, multiple stain cover; multiple chip out back cover; multiple tear cover." Email me with any additional questions and I'll do my best to answer them.
• Shipping and packaging policy: I WILL GLADLY COMBINE SHIPPING ON MULTIPLE ITEMS TO REDUCE COSTS FOR BUYERS. Shipping costs/methods are negotiable based on your preferences -- let me know before you pay. Please allow a few days lead time for shipping. INTERNATIONAL BIDDERS are welcome. Keep in mind that I will not declare false information on a customs form, so please do not ask.
• Packaging policy: Items will be packaged carefully. Comics or magazines are usually put in plastic with a backing, then sandwiched between thick cardboard so the spine will not be bent in transit. I haven't had complaints about packaging and I intend to keep it that way. Extra padding and protection is used for rare/expensive items. Graded 'n' slabbed comics (such as by CGC) will be thoroughly padded.
• Condition policy: When you receive your item in the mail, I want you to be able to say, "This is exactly what I thought I would get based on the description, " not "D'oh!" I aim to be a seller who can be trusted, and I try to give potential bidders all the relevant information about condition. If you have particular concerns, ask all the questions you like and I'll try to give helpful answers. For what it's worth, I've been on eBay since 1999.
• Returns policy: I don't have a strict policy, but I will allow returns for valid reasons. Please be sure to read the description carefully and do your part to make the transaction go smoothly. Naturally I prefer to avoid buyer's-remorse situations, so please make sure you're fully interested in completing the purchase before you bid or buy.
Please look over the following photos to see the item's condition,
and to enjoy some highlights of the artwork and stories.
The following photos are from the actual comic for sale -- prior to it being graded/slabbed by CGC:
02562
