Kingpin First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #50 and How to Identify It
Kingpin first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #50 (July 1967). 2 checks to confirm an original, the reprints and facsimiles to rule out, with sources.
At a glance
- Character: Kingpin
- Publisher: Marvel
- First appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #50
- Cover date: July 1967
- On sale: 1967
Where Kingpin first appeared
Kingpin first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #50 (cover date July 1967), published by Marvel. The source puts it this way: "Amazing Spider-Man #50 graded CGC 9.4 with the first appearance of Kingpin.".
How to tell you have Amazing Spider-Man #50
- Confirmed as the first-appearance issue: CGC's registry lists an Amazing Spider-Man #50 copy graded CGC 9.4 as containing the first appearance of Kingpin.
- CGC certified-comic record confirms cover date: CGC's certified-comic database record independently confirms the issue date as 7/67.
Checks that apply to any key issue
- 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.
How to photograph it for identification
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.
FAQ
What comic is Kingpin's first appearance?
Amazing Spider-Man #50, cover-dated July 1967, from Marvel.
How do I know if my Amazing Spider-Man #50 is an original?
Confirmed as the first-appearance issue: CGC's registry lists an Amazing Spider-Man #50 copy graded CGC 9.4 as containing the first appearance of Kingpin.
Should I get it graded?
If it is genuinely this issue and in decent shape, a grading service authenticates it and detects restoration. Read the comic grading guide first so you know what the grade will mean.
Related
Sources
- https://www.cgccomics.com/news/article/12040/marvel-silver-age-first-appearance-registry/
- https://www.cgccomics.com/gallery-comics/details.aspx?comic=3397
Updated 2026-09-11.