On June 1st the Hamilton, Ontario based International Comic Exchange, also known as ICE (icomicexchange.com) listed the best graded copy of Better Comics #1 from March 1941 (pictured).
Better Comics #1 was published by Vancouver’s Maple Leaf Publishing in response to the Canadian government’s implementation in December 1940 of the War Exchange Conservation Act (WECA). The WECA bill banned all no essential imports, included American comic books, to support the war economy.
Maple Leaf Publishing’s Better Comics #1 gave birth to a vibrant and large Canadian comic book publishing industry that flourished during the war years, by 1943 there were 4 publishers printing dozens of titles. WECA was repealed in 1946 and the Canadian Comic Book industry quickly died off.
Comics from this era are known in the collecting community as Canadian Whites (because they were printed in black and white) and are extremely rare. This copy of Better Comics #1 has been graded by CGC at 7.0 sharing the honor of best graded copy with another CGC 7.0. As of this listing less than 10 copies of Better Comics #1 are known to exist. ICE administrator Marty Birthelmer adds “we’re thrilled to list this historic 1st Canadian comic book for sale and we look forward to displaying it for all to see in Niagara Falls on June 4th”.
The Better Comics #1 listing on the ICE comic exchange is the 1st graded copy ever offered for sale and its price at $100,000 USD makes it the most expensive graded Canadian Comic ever listed for sale.
The listing is timed to coincide with 75th Anniversary of Canadian Comics celebrations planned for June 4th 2016 in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Big B Comics and Chapterhouse Publishing will host the celebrations Saturday June 4th from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at Big B’s store on 6465 Lundy’s Lane, Niagara Falls, ON. The Better Comics #1 will be on display. The Anniversary celebrations coincide with the Niagara Comic Con being held at the Scotiabank Convention Center from June 3rd to June 5th.
