Captain America First Appearance: Captain America Comics #1 and How to Identify It

Captain America first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 (cover date March 1941), published by Marvel, by Joe Simon, Jack Kirby. The source puts it this way: "Published by Timely Comics (a precursor to Marvel) in 1941, this comic featured the first appearance of Captain America.".

• Cover date on CGC census record: CGC's census record lists the cover date as 3/41.
• Cover art: created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the cover — showing Captain America punching Adolf Hitler — became an iconic image.

• 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.