Hey Stranger Comics family!
When I say key issues, I’m not talking about key issues in life or the world we face today. I know in past weeks we have talked about certain topics that are hard to navigate, but here I am talking about key issues in comics! I’ve had a lot of questions about what Asunda issues are key and why, so here’s a list to get started.
For the uninitiated, a big deal in comic collecting is key and significant issues! These usually revolve around first appearances and dramatic events. So today I have your introduction to key issues for you to grab! (Bear in mind we still have a 15% discount code JULY21 on our website store www.strangercomics.com!)
Stay safe and healthy!
Love Seb
SONG OF THE WEEK: "EVERYDAY PEOPLE" by Sly and the Family Stone!
Key issues
THE UNTAMED: A Sinner’s Prayer #1 (2009 printing, both Bergting and Hyoung cover)
First appearance of Niobe and the Stranger (and the wizard Salem as a Raven)
*NOTE: There are some subsequent variants of THE UNTAMED: A Sinner’s Prayer #1 – including foils and metals – check the Stranger Reserve. All are low print numbers.
THE UNTAMED: A Sinner’s Prayer #2 (2009 printing, Bergting cover only)
First appearance of Phylax and Lariel, first cameo of Buxton
Buxton is the star of the Erathune book. Phylax and Lariel are two of the main antagonists of this series.
THE UNTAMED: A Sinner’s Prayer #3 (Limited to 100, Bergting cover only)
First cameo of Skarlok
Skarlok is main enemy of Niobe in She is Death and is a hero in Erathune. He is a big deal in Asunda.
THE UNTAMED: A Sinner’s Prayer #7 (Limited to 100, Bergting cover only)
First cameo of Essessa
Essessa has her own title and is nemesis to Niobe. A vampire Darth Vader type villain.
*NOTE: THE UNTAMED: A Sinner’s Prayer 3 – 7 are a set limited to 100 (based on fans demand). They are rarely sold online, only at events. Like StrangerCon!
THE UNTAMED: Killing Floor #1
First app of Ilenia (mother to Stranger’s only surviving kid – Lani)
THE UNTAMED: Killing Floor #2
First app of Lani (Stranger's daughter)
THE UNTAMED: Killing Floor #3
First app of Salem as a man
NIOBE: She is Life #1 (first printing was 2015 as heads up)
First appearance of Essessa, Bragnar, Temshen
Bragnar is an ancient king of dwarves. Temshen will become a big deal later in our series.
Also the first nationally distributed comic book with a black female writer, artist, and hero in history.
NIOBE: She is Life #2
First app of Charan, first cameo of Morka Moa
Charan is the wizard who teaches Niobe.
Morka Moa is like the Doomsday of the world. Big bad news.
NIOBE: She is Life #3
There is a cover with Charan on it
NIOBE: She is Life #4
First appearance of Morka Moa and Yink, as well as T’Shiri and Mashae (and other Niobe’s disciples)
DUSU #1
First appearance of Dusu, Waso, Dura and more
Waso is about to be revealed as Niobe’s brother in The Untamed: Still a Fool #2 which will be on the next Kickstarter. More tales are being worked on with Waso and Dusu.
Dura is a big deal. She is a creator of the world! She’s about to have her own comic series NIOBE & DURA: Wrath of the Ancient and she factors significantly into Still a Fool as well.
DUSU #2
First appearance of Delgoth (villainous ancient of the wolf)
DUSU #4
First cameo of the Crocodile (villainous ancient of the crocodile)
First cameo of Kilandrum (ancient of the dragon, head of all ancients)
ERATHUNE #2
First appearance of Moog the Ogre Queen
TALES OF ASUNDA #0 (first printing was 2010)
First appearance of Skarlok
NIOBE She is Death #1
First appearance of Arukas the Untamed (AKA the Devil) and Yorik
ESSESSA #1
First appearance of Junn, Attuan and Kilandrum (Legendary heroes from Asunda’s past)
Also first appearance of Salem in his original identity as the wizard Hanariel
MORKA MOA #1
First appearance of Nunka and Chief Eskanu
First time we see Niobe as a baby.
THE UNTAMED Still a Fool #1
First appearance of the Gods Questor (Trickster) and Idrazhor (Justice)
*Note Dura has 2 covers featuring her first cover appearances!
OTHER KEY COLLECTOR ISSUES
- Best thing to do is look in the collector comic section AND the Stranger Reserve for things like Connecting sets, virgin and trade sets, especially from cover artists like Hyoung (The Last of Us) and Jae Lee.
- Hip Hop variants
- Video Game variants
- Geek and Sundry Niobe variants
- Erathune #4 (2 versions honoring FF#52)
- Metal editions very limited to 10, 25
- FOILS limited to either 25 or 50 or 100 depending
- ERROR foils
- Sketch variants by Rahiem Milton are very scarce
- Stranger Reserve has early Untamed printings and foils and metals etc
Some books to look out for that are not sold on our site include:
- CBSI variants of Niobe She is Life #1 and The Untamed A Sinner’s Prayer #1 connecting set
- CBSI variant of Dusu #1
- Markus Prime covers
- As mentioned - THE UNTAMED A Sinner’s Prayer issues 3 – 7 entire run was limited to just 100 copies, after the initial 2009 printing for issues #1, LE #1, and #2. Now and again we pop one or two on the store. But rarely.