Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection Episode 2, where we take a look at six cool comic books I currently own, and one that I let get 
away. Sometimes the one I let get away won’t leave me heartbroken, especially if I made a lot of money in selling it. But this week’s escaped comic does have me singing the blues a bit.
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I welcome any comments you might have, and hope you enjoy seeing these as much as I do writing about them. And now, Episode 2…
Cool comics in my collection #8: The Mighty Thor #337, November 1983.
Beta Ray Bill made his first appearance in this comic, and found that he could wield the powers of Thor! I picked this up sometime in the 90s for 50 cents, which is less than the cover price of 60 cents. And now it sells for around $40. This issue has lots of guests, besides Beta Ray Bill, that you’d recognize from the recent Marvel movies: Dum Dum Dugan, Heimdall, Lady Sif, Loki, Nick Fury, and Volstagg the Voluminous.
Cool comics in my collection #9: Captain Marvel #1, May 1968.
This is one I bought around the year 2000, at Kenmore Komics in Akron, Ohio. The cover price is 12 cents, and I paid $1. A great investment, because today this issue is listed at $380. I love the galactic Marvel characters, and Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell, who is a Kree for those unfamiliar with him) is definitely one of my favorites. If you’ve seen him before, you may not recognize this earlier costume, but you’ll see later issues from me with his more familiar blue and red spandex.
Cool comics in my collection #10: The Fury of Firestorm #1, June 1982.
There are three phases in my comic collecting history, and I bought this one during my second phase, while in college. I immediately became hooked on Firestorm, a hero containing two characters, Ronnie Raymond and Professor Martin Stein, melded into one. If you watch the TV series The Flash, then you are familiar with the character, but he is much cooler in the comics. Also, I later found out that Firestorm had his origins in 1978 and was able to buy those few back issues. The cover price is 60 cents, and while the current value is just $6, this was my introduction to a character I grew to love, so it is definitely a cool comic in my collection.
Cool comics in my collection #11: The Amazing Spider-Man #125, October 1973.
This is the very first comic book I ever bought. I was 10 years old, soon to turn 11, and Spider-Man was magical to me. There’s a lot to like about the cover, and you can imagine how attractive those reds and yellow, along with the Man-Wolf, appear to a ten-year-old. For those who may not be familiar with the Man-Wolf, this issue is key because it tells of his origins. The only thing I’ll say is that he is the son of J. Jonah Jameson. This one has a 20 cent cover price and currently goes for $100 in the right condition.
Cool comics in my collection #12: Justice League of America #111, June 1974.
I remember getting this comic at Superx Drugs in Martins Ferry, where my father was a pharmacist. It certainly caught my eye with the 100 pages splashed across the top, and the large scales containing heroes and villains. This issue contains heroes such as Aquaman, Batman, Flash, Green Lantern, Superman, Green Arrow, Speedy, Atom, and Hawkman. Some of the villains are Chronos, Mirror Master, Poison Ivy, and Scarecrow. It has a cover price of 60 cents, and currently sells for around $60.
Cool comics in my collection #13: The Infinity Gauntlet #1, July 1991.
I believe I bought this sometime in 1992 or 1993, when I was serving in the U.S. Army in Atlanta (I probably got it at Titan Comics & Games). Thanos, and a whole lot of other very cool Marvel heroes, help to kick-off this mini-series. If you’ve been watching the Marvel Universe movies, you realize this is a key issue in your collection. The cover price is $2.50, and it’s currently going for $25 (although you can pick up the trade paperback version if you don’t care about owning the original).
Cool comics in my collection #14 (One That Got Away): The Incredible Hulk #182, December 1974.
I distinctly remember buying this one secondhand at The Paradox Bookstore in Wheeling. People want it because it’s the third appearance of Wolverine, but the main story was really good. Hulk got himself a friend in Crackajack Jackson, fishing and eating beans together. But things didn’t end up so well when they visited his son in prison. I remember this issue was borrowed by neighborhood friends a few times, becoming a favorite. Why did I have to sell it to a comic store when I was in college? Ugh! The cover price is 25 cents, and the current value is $300.
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