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The Black Hood was created by Harry Shorten for MLJ Comics, later known as Archie Comics, and first appeared in Top-Notch Comics #9 in 1940. Black Hood is Kip Burland, a policeman who had been framed for theft and left for dead, and who wears a costume, hiding his identity to clear his name, one he maintains even after he succeeds.
In 1943, the comic book he appeared in, Hangman Comics, was renamed The Black Hood with its own #9, lasting another eleven issues before itself being retitled Laugh Comics. The character remained in Top-Notch Comics until 1944, switched to the comic that featured the Riverdale characters, Pep Comics.
In the sixties, the Black Hood was part of the Mighty Crusaders team from Archie Comics, then revived by Neal Adams in the seventies as the character’s nephew. The original was revived again in the eighties from Archie’s Red Circle imprint, then in the nineties under DC Comics’ Impact Comics imprint, before returning to Archie Comics in 2015 for a grim ‘n’ gritty revival. He also gained a greater prominence as a serial killing identity used in the Riverdale TV series.
But way back in 1943, this is when he first got his own title. And Heritage Auctions has a copy up for auction today, currently with bids totalling $210, if you wanted to push it further for a real piece of comic book history. It goes under the hammer later today.
Black Hood #9 (MLJ, 1943) Condition: GD+. Gerber rates this issue a “7” or “scarce” on its Scarcity Index. First issue. Formerly Hangman Comics., Hangman, Roy and Dusty backup stories. Bob Fujitani, Clem Weisbecker, Gil Kane and Bill Vigoda art. Tape on bottom of spine. Overstreet 2021 GD 2.0 value = $161.
Affiliates of Bleeding Cool buy from and/or consign to Heritage Auctions.
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