TALES OF SUSPENSE #22

Visible wear consistent with a heavily handled early-60s Atlas issue: rounded and slightly blunted corners, noticeable edge wear along the top and bottom borders, and a faint diagonal crease running through the lower right cover area. There is mild overall toning/yellowing of the white cover stock and some minor soiling near the spine, with what appears to be a small spine stress line. Interior pages and back cover were not visible in this photo and were not assessed.

Published under the Atlas imprint with an October 1961 cover date, Tales of Suspense #22 belongs to the pre-superhero anthology run that filled Marvel's newsstands before the Silver Age superhero boom took hold. The title trafficked in the giant-monster and twist-ending science-fiction stories that defined the company in this period, with cover art by Jack Kirby and interior work drawn from the era's core Atlas bullpen, including Steve Ditko, under Stan Lee's editorial direction. As part of the series that would later transform into the launchpad for Iron Man, issues from this window are valued as historical context and as showcases for the Kirby monster style at its height.

Demand for the book is steady rather than speculative. The certified population is modest, concentrated in the mid grades, and thins sharply above 8.0, with only a handful of copies certified at 9.0 and above and none recorded at the top of the scale. Mid-grade sales cluster tightly, reflecting a market driven by run collectors and Atlas monster-cover enthusiasts rather than event-driven key buyers. The scarcity of high-grade survivors is the principal price lever, producing a pronounced premium as grades climb toward the census ceiling.

This is a collector's book for those assembling the pre-hero Tales of Suspense run or building a shelf of early-1960s Kirby monster covers. It trades affordably and frequently in low and mid grades, where supply is ample, while genuinely high-grade certified copies are uncommon and priced accordingly. Buyers seeking investment upside will focus on the scarce upper tier, while completists will find well-priced reading and display copies across the middle of the scale.