Duane Beckett
War comics were already finding their footing before America entered World War II. Some were aviation adventures, others were military anthologies. Many used biography, propaganda, and superhero-style action to capture the mood of the era.
Today, the rarest 1940s war comics can bring serious money, especially when the cover, grade, and historical value line up.
War Comics #1
War Comics #1 was Dell’s May 1940 anthology, and GoCollect states it was the first comic devoted solely to original war stories. This means it wasn’t just another adventure book with a few military pages tucked inside. It helped define the war-comics shelf before the genre really exploded.
According to GoCollect, only 19 copies were graded and in the CGC census at the time of its report. According to records, a CGC 9.0 had sold for $1,912.
Collectors look for first issue status, clean page quality, and any unrestored copy that still has strong eye appeal. The key to this comic is its rarity, so even low-graded versions should be worth a surprising amount.
Wings Comics #1
Wings Comics #1 took war stories into the air. The first issue was published in September 1940 by Fiction House. It was an aviation-heavy series that kept going through 1950, then appeared sporadically into 1954.
Heritage Auctions reported a 9.8 Mile High pedigree copy sold for $28,680 in 2018, while other strong copies have sold for far less, including several 8.5 examples in the low thousands.
As a collector, I get the appeal. It covers multiple collector interests, from comics to militaria and aviation. Collectors look for high-grade copies, first issue status, and bold cover colors.
Military Comics #1
Blackhawk made Military Comics #1 a heavy hitter. Quality Comics published the issue in August 1941, introducing Blackhawk and the Blackhawk Squadron before the United States formally entered World War II.
GoCollect reported that the only CGC 9.6 copy sold for $45,620 in March 2020, while the only 9.4 sold for $52,580 in May 2018. Heritage Auctions also states the issue features the origin and first appearance of Blackhawk.
Collectors want the best grade they can afford for 1940s war comics, but cover freshness, page quality, and unrestored status matter too.
Real Life Comics #3
Real Life Comics #3 is where biography and wartime fear collide. Published by Nedor Publications in 1942, the issue is best known for Alex Schomburg’s “Emperor of Hate” Hitler and skull cover. As Heritage Auctions put it, this was a “classic Hitler / skull cover,” with an “Adolf Hitler: Emperor of Hate” story inside.
Information from Heritage shows a CGC 8.5 copy sold in 2022 for a massive $33,600. The cover is the draw, and collectors look for vivid color, a clean front cover, and crisp pages because Schomburg’s artwork drives much of the demand.
Boy Commandos #1
Boy Commandos #1 brought kid heroes into the war-comics fight. DC published the issue in 1942, with Joe Simon and Jack Kirby tied to the classic war cover and art.
Heritage Auctions highlights that it includes the origin and first appearance of Liberty Belle, plus Sandman, Newsboy Legion, and Simon & Kirby.
PriceCharting lists guide values from about $332 ungraded to $10,157.50 in 9.4, while Heritage has recent lower-grade sales in the hundreds and stronger copies reaching into the thousands. Collectors look for complete copies of 1940s war comics in unrestored condition.