First Appearance of Spider-Man Almost Thrown Away!

In what could have been a devastating loss for comic book history, a copy of Amazing Fantasy #15 - the 1962 issue that marked the first appearance of Spider-Man - was nearly tossed in the rubbish during a routine house clearance. But thanks to one eagle-eyed worker and a chance connection, this piece of pop culture gold has been rescued and is now on its way to professional grading.

The discovery came when a team clearing out a home stumbled upon an old military-style ammo box filled with vintage comic books. At first glance, it looked like just another dusty relic headed for the landfill. But one of the clearance workers remembered that a friend of theirs, Lee Francis, was a comic book enthusiast and reached out to him before tossing it out.

That call made all the difference.

Inside the box was a veritable treasure trove of Marvel’s Silver Age history:

• Amazing Fantasy #15 - First appearance of Spider-Man (Peter Parker)

• Tales of Suspense #39 - First appearance of Iron Man

• Iron Man #1 - First issue of Iron Man’s solo series

• Journey Into Mystery #83 - First appearance of Thor

• Journey Into Mystery #85 - First appearance of Loki

• Amazing Spider-Man #1–4 - Including the first solo Spidey title and first appearances of the Vulture, Doctor Octopus, and Sandman

This remarkable find has since made its way to Bear Maximum, and is their biggest CGC grading submission to date.

Before being shipped off for grading, the comics received some much-needed care from cleaning and pressing partners Comic Press, ensuring they’re in the best possible condition to receive a high CGC grade.

We see a lot of great books come through the doors but finding an Amazing Fantasy #15 in the wild - ungraded and untouched - is almost unheard of. The fact it was nearly thrown away just adds to the story.

As the Collector Cartel™ and collectors eagerly await the CGC results, the excitement continues to build. Whether you're a lifelong Marvel fan or just someone who loves a good real-life rescue story, this accidental find is a reminder: sometimes the biggest treasures come in the most unexpected boxes.

Check out the interview with Lee here.