Incredible Hulk #181

Title:  Incredible Hulk [Wikipedia]
Series:  1st Series
Issue:  #181
Publisher:  Marvel Comics
Date:  11/1974
Price:  $0.25
Editor:  Roy Thomas
Story:  Len Wein
Penciller:  Herb Trimpe
Inker:  Jack Abel
Colorist:  Glynis Wein
Letterer:  Artie Simek
Cover:  Herb Trimpe (Slightly modified by John Romita)
Significance:  1st full appearance of Wolverine.  Wendigo appearance.


My first experience I can remember with this book was not very fun.

On January 7, 2018.  I was bidding on eBay for an "Incredible Hulk #181 Vol 1 Near Perfect High Grade 1st Wolverine w/ Marvel Stamp".  I knew I couldn't afford it and probably shouldn't have been bidding, but I wanted to see what it was like.  In the last seconds of the auction, I accidentally bid $13,000.00 instead of $1,300.00 I was intending, and I won!  Final cost was $1,731.00 and I didn't have that kind of money, so I cancelled my winning bid and had to apologize to the seller and get a black mark on my eBay account.  I learned to not fool around with bidding on Hulk 181!

In retrospect, that was a steal considering the prices now.  This was a complete, near perfect, high grade issue with the Marvel Stamp that everyone cut out of the book to send in.

I could have resold it soon after for more than I paid, and these days for about ten times the amount.

Later, I ended up purchasing 2 copies...  I wanted to get Roy Thomas and John Romita to sign it.  Nobody else was still alive.  Herb Trimpe passed in 2015.  Len Wein passed in 2017.  Stan Lee passed in 2018.  And, in May of 2022, I was told John Romita wouldn't be doing signing any longer...

On January 14, 2021, I purchased this issue graded:

CGC 7.5 Universal
OFF-WHITE TO WHITE Pages
Purchase Price:  $4,100.00




I sent it in to get it signed by Roy Thomas and get it cleaned and pressed.  It came back graded:

CGC 7.5 Signature Series
OFF-WHITE TO WHITE Pages
Signed by Roy Thomas on 04/09/2021



On January 15, 2021, I purchased this issue graded:

CGC 8.0 Restored
Purchase Price:  $3,500.00

This was $600 less than the CGC 7.5 without restoration!  I sent it in to get it cleaned, pressed, and signed by Roy Thomas.  It came back graded:

CGC 8.5 Signature Series Restored
Slight (C-1)
WHITE Pages
Restoration includes:  small amount of color touch on cover
Signed by Roy Thomas on 04/09/2021:

I later sent it back to CGC to have the restoration removed and it came back graded:

CGC 8.0 Signature Series
WHITE Pages
Signed by Roy Thomas on 04/09/2021:

I also requested CGC to scan it this time around for an additional $5.00:


I still have them and figure I need to part with them to someone else who will enjoy them now.

Stephen






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