Staten Island in DC Comics (It goes way back): Collector’s Confessions Column

Staten Island in DC Comics (It goes way back)

By Chad Farley

 

Recently, we wrote about the first appearance of Staten Island in Marvel Comics. To be fair, we decided to look at DC Comics and track down when Staten Island made its debut there.

The distinction between the two publishers is important. Marvel Comics has traditionally been set in the real world—New York City is New York City. In DC Comics, however, reality is often reimagined. New York City can stand in for Metropolis or Gotham, depending on the story. That difference makes pinpointing Staten Island’s first appearance a bit more complicated.

At first, we were unsure whether Staten Island would appear as itself. Fortunately, it does. Staten Island’s official first appearance in DC-related comics dates back to 1940. At the time, the publisher was Quality Comics, and the title was National Comics. In issue #3, Staten Island makes its debut.

National Comics was an anthology series, meaning each issue featured multiple stories. Staten Island appears in a story titled “New York Championship Bout.” In it, boxing promoter Jim Slick arranges a fight on Staten Island for his prized fighter, Danny “Kid” Dixon. The purse is just $10, not much, but enough to keep things going.

Kid Dixon wins the bout and soon befriends legendary boxer Jack Dempsey. With Dempsey’s help, Dixon lands a shot at the championship at Madison Square Garden. He wins the fight and becomes the new champion, turning his life around, along with his manager, B. Galsworthy “Bottle” Topps, and his promoter, Jim Slick.

The story was illustrated by artist George Tuska, working under the pen name Bob Reynolds. Tuska would later be inducted into the Will Eisner Hall of Fame, which honors significant contributors to the comic book industry.

As for collectors, National Comics #3 remains relatively accessible. A high-grade copy has sold for $3,120, while a low-grade copy recently fetched $432. Ungraded copies typically sell for around $300. So, if you’re in the market for Staten Island’s first appearance in DC comics, the price may be manageable but the real challenge is finding a copy.

Good luck, and happy reading. Until next time: love what you collect, and collect what you love.

 

Banner Image: National Comics cover. Image Credit – Wikipedia