Planet Comics #18 for Sale - First Appearance of Gale Allen - Where to Buy

Identification plate

Series: Planet Comics (Fiction House, 1940 series)
Issue: #18
Publication date: May 1942
Key date: 1942-05-00
On-sale date: 1942-03-10
Indicia publisher: Love Romances Pub. Co. Inc.
Price: $0.10
Pages: 68

Match the book in your hand against this plate before paying an edition-specific price.

Why this issue matters

First appearance of Gale Allen - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Reef Ryan - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Vara - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of The Star Pirate - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Norge Benson - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Frosting - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

The evidence

Claims here come from the story records for this issue, listed under Sources at the bottom of the file. Character hubs with full evidence tables are coming to this site.

Seq	Story	Type	Pages	Credits	Characters
0	The Vampire-Men of Neptune	cover	1	pencils: Dan Zolnerowich; inks: Dan Zolnerowich	Reef Ryan First, Vara First
1	-	promo (ad from the publisher)	1	pencils: Dan Zolnerowich, Henry Kiefer; inks: Dan Zolnerowich, Henry Kiefer	Sheena Rivington, Sheena
2	-	comic story	10	script: Ross Gallun; pencils: Joe Doolin; inks: Joe Doolin	Marina (villain, introduction); Telma; Bruce (introduction); Mars
3	-	comic story	8	pencils: Saul Rosen; inks: Saul Rosen	Dolores Taylor; Rusty; Randi (villain, introduction); Prince Orman (introduction); King Tyrus (introduction); Red Comet; Krazene; Kerun
4	-	comic story	6	script: Olaf Bjorn; pencils: Al Walker; inks: Al Walker	Norge Benson First, Frosting First
5	-	comic story	7	pencils: Sy Reit; inks: Sy Reit	Auro, Hardwich
6	The Temple of Time	text story	2	script: Bjorn Tagens	Jeff Drake; Mort Woodruff; Blast Bragen; King Regna; Princess Lustra; Redmond
7	The Vampire-Men of Neptune	comic story	8	script: Hugh Fitzhugh	Reef Ryan First, Vara First
8	-	comic story	6	script: Douglas McKee; pencils: George Wilhelms; inks: George Wilhelms	Gale Allen First
9	Intra Space Combat Rocket	cartoon	1	pencils: Gene Fawcette; inks: Gene Fawcette
10	-	comic story	8	pencils: George Appel; inks: George Appel	The Star Pirate First
11	-	comic story	8	pencils: Art Saaf; inks: Art Saaf	Flint Baker
12	-	promo (ad from the publisher)	1	pencils: Dan Zolnerowich, Gene Fawcette; inks: Dan Zolnerowich, Gene Fawcette	Kaänga, Ann Mason, Bob Reynolds, Sheena Rivington, Reef Ryan First, Sheena, Vara First

Plus 1 page of advertisements and other matter across 1 sequence, as published.

Where to read it

Collection	Year
Men of Mystery Comics #31	2001	On eBay ›
Thrilling Science Fiction #1	1998	On eBay ›
Men of Mystery Comics #106	2017	On eBay ›
Flint Baker & Reef Ryan Space Rangers: Volume 1 ISBN 978-1976543395	2017	On eBay ›
Men of Mystery Comics #110	2018	On eBay ›
Golden-Age Science Fiction Treasury #1	2006	On eBay ›

Reading the story costs a fraction of owning the issue. Both routes are on every file.

Before you buy

Golden-age paper is brittle. Ask about page suppleness and check edges for chips in the photos.
Check for trimmed edges, married covers, and clipped coupons - all common on books this old.
Confirm the indicia matches this plate; many golden-age titles changed names mid-run.

Series context

‹ #1718 of 73#19 ›

Sources

Grand Comics Database, issue record (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Found an error in this file? corrections@comicrecord.com