Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection Episode 123, where we take a look at comic books I own (and in some cases ones that I let get away), both new and old, often with a nostalgic leaning for those feelings of yesteryear.
For each of the comic books I include in this blog (except for digital issues), I list the current secondary market value. This is according to the listings at the website www.comicbookrealm.com. They list out the near mint prices, which are on the comic book grading scale of 9.4. If you go to the website to look up any in your collection, you can click on the price and see the value at different grades. Not all of my comics are 9.4. Some are probably better, and some are worse. But to simplify it, that’s the grading price I use here. And remember, a comic book is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.
Have you considered being a guest host for Cool Comics? You can do a theme or just pick any of your comics for inclusion (this blog is for all ages, so please keep that in mind), with a maximum of seven issues. Repeat guest hosts are permitted and encouraged. Send your completed blog to edgosney62@gmail.com.
If you have any questions or comments, please scroll to the bottom of the page to where it says, “Leave a reply.” I hope you enjoy seeing these as much as I do writing about them. And now, Episode 123…
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Cool Comics News!
I read 100 comic books last month. Yes, that’s what I said, I read 100 individual comic books (paper, not digital) during January 2018. That’s a lot of reading, but I have a big back issue collection, and when I decided to start climbing that mountain, and I saw that 100 was feasible, I made it my mission to get there. February will most certainly see a slowdown, but I enjoyed meeting and beating my challenge.
Cool Comics Cool Battles!
This week I have both a Terminator comic and an issue of Strange Tales featuring Brother Voodoo. If they battled each other (let’s make it the Arnold version of the Terminator, for argument’s sake), who would win, and why do you think so? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below!
Cool Comics in My Collection
#585 — The Unsound #1, BOOM! Studios, June 2017.
I wasn’t familiar with this title, which appears to be just six issues in all, but the cover looked interesting, and when I saw it in a discount box at Kenmore Komics & Gaming, I decided to give it a try. Sometimes we need to stretch our imaginations; not just away from our favorite types of comic books (superhero for me), but also exploring different companies and what they bring to the table. I had no idea what the comic would be like, but the cover indicated that either magic, the supernatural, or both may be present in the story. And I think that’s the case. However, the first issue is a set-up for what’s to come, and there’s also the possibility that nothing is as it appears to be. I liked the story enough to look for other issues in the discount box when I visited last week, and I successfully found #5. But I’m not going to read it yet. I want to see if I can find issues 2-4, because I liked the direction this comic seems to be going in. The cover price of The Unsound #1 is $3.99, while the current value is $4.
#586 — Terminator 2: Infinity #1, Dynamite, August 2007.
I’ve always enjoyed the Terminator franchise, and have owned several different Terminator comic books, such as Terminator 3: Before the Rise (put out by Beckett…I must admit I didn’t remember Beckett ever did comics),T2: Nuclear Twilight (Malibu), and T2: Cybernetic Dawn. I also thought The Sarah Connor Chronicles was a quality TV show, and I read a Terminator trilogy of novels. So when I found this Terminator comic from Dynamite in a discount box (I think it was in the 25 cent box!), I immediately understood that I wasn’t leaving the store without it. The problem is, it’s issue #1, and I now need the final six to complete the series. Who wants to read a Terminator comic without knowing the ending? But is there ever an ending in the Terminator universe? When you think about it, it’s dark and depressing, with little to no hope for long-term human survival. But when humanity gains a small victory, it makes the story worth it. The cover price of Terminator 2: Infinity #1 is $3.50, while the current value is $3.50.
Cool Comics Done Dirt Cheap
#587 — Torchwood #1, Titan Comics, August 2016.
I think I watched one episode of Torchwood, and if I hadn’t watched a number of Doctor Who episodes, I’d probably have no idea what this comic was about. And to be honest, after reading it, I still have no idea what this comic was about. It’s a number 1 issue, but the second series for Torchwood, a BBC TV show that tied in directly with the Doctor. You know, Daleks and Cybermen and all that. Time traveling around the universe in a phone booth that’s bigger on the inside. I enjoy Doctor Who when I see it, but Torchwood is a different show, and obviously a different comic book. It was written by siblings John Barrowman (who starred in the show and had a number of appearances in Doctor Who, not to mention Arrow) and Carole Barrowman, but since I don’t watch, I was pretty lost as far as the plot was concerned. But like other comics from the $20 longbox I bought, when you pay just under a nickel a comic, experimenting with other comics doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg. The cover price of Torchwood #1 is $3.99, while the current value is $4.
Cool Comics Classics
#588 — Strange Tales #172, Marvel Comics, February 1974.
A few months back I bought some old comics with Cool Comics Classics in mind, and was quite pleased to pick up a couple Strange Tales featuring Brother Voodoo (known today as Doctor Voodoo). The character was one I didn’t know much about, and as a kid, maybe he was in a Marvel Team-Up issue that I read, and maybe not. It’s hard to remember them all, especially considering I read 100 comics in the month of January (112 if you count digital comics)! Anyhow, Seventies comics are always considered classics in my mind, and because I stayed away from anything horror or supernatural related in comics during those years, I get them now when the price is right. Back in Episode 103 (clear back on September 14), Strange Tales #171 was my Cool Comics Classic issue, and now that I’ve finally gotten around to reading the next issue, I’m kicking myself for not getting #173, as the story continues. Then again, they almost always continue, don’t they? The cover price of Strange Tales #172 is 20¢, while the current value is $30.
Recently Read Digital Comics
Last week I told you how much I enjoyed reading the two Valiant Entertainment Harbinger comics, so I went exploring on Amazon Prime Reading and found Must Read Valiant: Greatest Hits #1. The great thing about Amazon Prime Reading is that as long as you are a Prime member, everything included in that particular library is free. Plus, you can have up to ten items downloaded at once. What a great way for me to further explore the Valiant universe! The digital edition contains X-O Manowar #5, Quantum and Woody #1, Harbinger #1, Harbinger Wars #2, and Shadowman #0. I definitely enjoyed the two Harbinger comics the best, but I liked Quantum and Woody enough to buy the first two issues of their newest series this week at my comic shop. It’s really nice having the option of getting comics you simply want to read via digital. Free is great, but if I want to explore more Valiant comics, I’ll probably end up buying some digital collections.
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I’ve never liked Brother Voodoo at all for some reason. There’s just some characters out there that never grab hold of me. . .but I have to admit his role in the new Falcon series isn’t too bad, and I was a bit surprised to see him pop up in it. As far as Terminator goes, I grab every Terminator comic I can get my hands on! Also, I’m right there with you on The Sarah Connor Chronicles. They cancelled that one WAY too early.
Atom, I wonder what it is that attracts us so much to possible end of the world scenarios, like in Terminator? Probably because the stories are so different from our ordinary lives. When I was a kid, Planet of the Apes was my favorite movie franchise, and I loved the TV series (talk about ending too soon!). And most of the apes wanted to get rid of the humans, also!