First appearance

Wolverine's first appearance: The Incredible Hulk #181

Wolverine first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #181, cover dated November 1974, published by Marvel and created by Roy Thomas, Len Wein and John Romita Sr., with art by Herb Trimpe.

Why it matters

Wolverine's first full appearance, fighting both the Hulk and the Wendigo. He went on to become one of Marvel's most popular characters, and this issue is one of the most collected Bronze Age keys.

Related key issues

• The Incredible Hulk #180 (October 1974), his cameo on the final page.
• Giant-Size X-Men #1 (1975), his first appearance with the X-Men.

Before you buy or sell, check

• Facsimile and reprint editions exist. An original has a 25-cent cover price.
• Check for missing pages or clipped coupons, which lower the grade.

Then look up what copies in similar condition actually sold for. Prices for keys like this move with grade and with news about the character, so a recent sale tells you far more than a printed guide. Our guides on the grading scale and spotting reprints help you compare like with like.

More first appearances

• The Hulk: The Incredible Hulk #1 (May 1962)
• Gambit: The Uncanny X-Men #266 (August 1990)
• Deadpool: The New Mutants #98 (February 1991)
• Spider-Man: Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962)
• Venom: The Amazing Spider-Man #300 (May 1988)

Questions