Black Panther First Appearance: Fantastic Four #52 and How to Identify It

Black Panther first appeared in Fantastic Four #52 (cover date July 1966), published by Marvel, by Stan Lee. The source puts it this way: "Fantastic Four #52 graded CGC 9.4 with the first appearance of Black Panther".

• Confirmed as the first-appearance issue: CGC's registry lists a Fantastic Four #52 copy graded CGC 9.4 as containing the first appearance of Black Panther.
• Signature Series (Stan Lee-signed) copies exist: there is a Fantastic Four #52 Signature Series copy signed by Stan Lee and graded CGC 9.4.
• Cover date and writer confirmed by CGC Comic of the Month feature: CGC's own feature confirms this Stan Lee-written story is the first appearance of the Black Panther, also known as T'Challa, king of Wakanda.

• Indicia: the small print on the first page or inside cover gives the issue number, date and publisher; reprints usually say so there.
• Cover price and barcode: a price or barcode format that did not exist in the year printed means a later edition.
• Paper and staples: decades-old newsprint is tan at the edges; bright white pages on an old date are a warning sign.
• Restoration: color touch, trimmed edges and married covers are common on expensive keys; a grading service can detect them.

Shoot the front cover flat, straight on, in even light, then the indicia page and the back cover. Include the top edge and staples in one frame. The app reads the title, issue number and cover and matches it against the checks above; the indicia photo settles most reprint questions.