Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction #2 for Sale - First Appearance of War Toy - Where to Buy

Identification plate

Series: Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction (Marvel, 1975 series)
Issue: #2
Publication date: March 1975
Key date: 1975-03-00
On-sale date: 1974-12-29
Indicia publisher: Magazine Management Co. Inc.
Price: $1.00
Pages: 84

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

Why this issue matters

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

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

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

First appearance of General Hamilton Arkay - 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	War Toy	cover	1	pencils: Mike Kaluta; inks: Mike Kaluta; colors: Mike Kaluta	War Toy First
1	-	illustration	1	pencils: Alex Niño; inks: Alex Niño
2	Contents	credits, title page	1	pencils: Bruce Jones; inks: Bruce Jones
3	-	letters page	1	script: Roy Thomas; pencils: Rick Bryant; inks: Rick Bryant
4	Prologue	comic story	3	script: Tony Isabella, Bob Shaw; pencils: Frank Brunner; inks: Klaus Janson; letters: Joe Rosen	Sandson Tyme; Lawrence Wilder
5	War Toy	comic story	12	script: Tony Isabella; pencils: George Pérez; inks: Rico Rival; letters: Karen Mantlo	General Hamilton Arkay First, Betsy Curtis First, Dr. Freeman First, War Toy First
6	There Are No Yesterdays!	text article	5	script: Denny O'Neil, Alfred Bester; pencils: Rick Bryant, Steve Harper, Stanley Pitt; inks: Rick Bryant, Steve Harper, Stanley Pitt	Alfred Bester (photograph); Gully Foyle
7	Adam... and No Eve	comic story	6	script: Alfred Bester, Denny O'Neil; pencils: Frank Robbins; inks: Jim Mooney; letters: Artie Simek	Stephen Krane; Hallmyer (hallucination); Umber (death)
8	The Hunter and the Hunted	comic story	4	script: Mike Kaluta; pencils: Mike Kaluta; inks: Mike Kaluta
9	Science Fiction, Fans, and the Hugo (Not Necessarily in That Order)	text article	4	script: Don Thompson	Frank Kelly Freas (photograph); Harlan Ellison (photograph)
10	Specimen	comic story	8	script: Bruce Jones; pencils: Bruce Jones; inks: Bruce Jones	Rad (also in flashback)
11	The Day of the Triffids Chapter 4	comic story	5.33	script: John Wyndham, Gerry Conway; pencils: Rico Rival; inks: Rico Rival; letters: Marcos Pelayo	Bill Masen (also in flashback); Josella (also in flashback); Mr. Coker; Benny
12	Chapter 5	comic story	14.67	script: John Wyndham, Gerry Conway; pencils: Rico Rival; inks: Rico Rival; letters: Marcos Pelayo	Bill Masen; Benny (dead); Mr. Coker; Susan; Tommy (corpse); Josella; Dennis Brent; Mary Brent; Joyce Taylor; Torrence (death)
13	Epilogue	comic story	2	script: Tony Isabella, Bob Shaw; pencils: Frank Brunner; inks: Klaus Janson; letters: Joe Rosen	Sandson Tyme; Lawrence Wilder (death); Fred
14	Next Issue:	promo (ad from the publisher)	1	pencils: Alex Niño; inks: Alex Niño

Where to read it

Collection	Year
Marvel Preview #20	1980	On eBay ›

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

Before you buy

Check the price box: Marvel ran 30-cent and 35-cent test-market price variants in 1976-77.
Canadian and Whitman editions exist for many bronze books; match the barcode area to the plate.
Look for Mark Jewelers inserts and date stamps - they affect collector preference, not authenticity.

Series context

‹ #12 of 6#3 ›

Sources

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

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