Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection Episode 142, where we take a look at various 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 142…
Cool Comics News!
Last week, DC Comics distributed DC Nation #1, a free new monthly magazine containing previews of upcoming issues, interviews, and insider looks at creative teams and storylines. I enjoyed this first issue and hope that DC continues publishing it for free. I understand it’s all about marketing, but it’s certainly a nice way to thank loyal customers for keeping the comics rolling off the presses. While it doesn’t contain mini comics or strips at this point, as Image+ does, it’s still a nice addition to my comic book-related reading pile. If you missed out on this magazine, check with your local comic shop to see if they still have any left. Also, this week as I look over my cool comic selections, I started wondering what makes the comic collector and reader tick: cool covers, characters, or creators. Please tell us in the comments section below what makes you tick when it comes to comics!
Cool Comics Battle of the Week!
Your Cool Comics Battle of the Week is Cyborg versus Doctor Strange, the quintessential match-up of technology versus magic. What do you think would happen if they faced each other in a titanic tussle, and how do you see the winner achieving victory? Let us know in the comments section below.
Cool Comics in My Collection
#671 — Doctor Strange #1, Marvel Comics, August 2018.
Marvel’s “Fresh Start” seems to be in high gear now, and throughout the summer we’ll continue to see titles starting over again with number 1 issues (although each, so far has retained Legacy numbering underneath), but not abandoning what came before, as far as continuity is concerned. Doctor Strange #1 gives us a powerless Sorcerer Supreme, so he turns to his friend Tony Stark for advice, who eventually gets around to sending Stephen off into space to see if he can find other sources of magic and basically recharge his magic battery. Personally, I think it’s odd to see him flying around the universe, rather than traveling through mystic realms. Does it work for you? I’ll need a few issues to see where the story is going before I decide if this was a good move or not. The cover price of Doctor Strange #1 is $3.99, while the current value is $4.
#672 — Justice League #1, DC Comics, August 2018.
Every once in a while here at Cool Comics, I mention having to watch my budget, because on Wednesdays there are always so many comic books vying for my attention. I have a pull list of titles that my comic shop always holds for me, but then I look at the shelf of new titles, and it’s always so tempting to grab something I told myself I wasn’t going to buy. And that’s what happened with Justice League #1. I’d bought the last three issues of the previous volume of Justice League (issues 41-43), but now that it’s starting over with a number one issue and coming out twice a month (that’s always a budget killer), I decided to cut the strings. Not to mention that there are going to be two other related Justice League titles. But look at that cover. Superman, Batman, Flash, Wonder Woman, Cyborg, Aquaman, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, and Martian Manhunter. Sigh. Maybe the good news is that I skipped on the recent Justice League: No Justice mini-series, so I didn’t get all the references in this issue, thereby making it easier to simply say, “I won’t buy issue #2.” But look at that cover. The cover price of Justice League #1 is $3.99, while the current value is $4.
#673 — Immortal Hulk #1, Marvel Comics, August 2018.
For anyone who thinks comic books are just for kids, read this issue of Immortal Hulk #1 and tell me you still feel the same way. The level of emotion that creative team Al Ewing (writer) and Joe Bennett (penciler…and I’m going to also give props to Ruy José – Inker, and Paul Mounts – Color Artist) are able to capture in the opening third of this comic should be able to change your mind. It’s real, it’s tragic, and the comic as a whole successfully punches you in the gut, knocking the wind out of you. Maybe you’re a longtime Hulk fan and you tried this and didn’t like it, and that’s okay. Not every comic is for every comic book fan. But wow, this one packs a wallop. Bruce Banner is back, and I’m interested in seeing how the story plays out. The cover price of Immortal Hulk #1 is $4.99, while the current value is $5.
Cool Comics Done Dirt Cheap
#674 — Ivar, Timewalker #8, Valiant Entertainment, August 2015.
I decided it was time to pull another Valiant issue out of my legendary longbox. If you’ve been reading Cool Comics for a while, you know that I’m discovering that Valiant comics are cool comics, and now I try to pick up back issues at great prices whenever I can find them. Case in point, I recently raided my local comic shop’s quarter boxes and found 162 Valiant comics I didn’t have, the majority of them coming from the original runs in the Nineties. Sounds like a lot of money, but it was a great deal once you do the math. Anyway, I have Valiant on the mind, so I gave this more recent issue (which cost just $0.047…that’s right, just shy of a nickel, as the longbox cost $20, and it contained 419 comic books) a read, and it was cool. I grew up reading mostly Marvel, with a dash of DC, and the occasional Charlton, Gold Key, and Archie thrown in, but there is something fun about exploring the unknown, and Valiant is really doing it for me right now. I also have lots of old Ultraverse comics to read, and while they are fairly interesting, Valiant is my favorite company that won’t stay dead. The cover price of Ivar, Timewalker #8 is $3.99, while the current value is $4.
FCBD the Cool Comics Way (Week 6)
#675 — Barrier #1, Image Comics, May 2018.
Free Comic Book Day is a fun time to take the family out to discover the pleasures of reading comic books. I always see families, moms, dads, and kids, hoping to get some cool adventures without spending a dime (although many people help out their comic shops by making a few purchases). But sometimes moms and dads have to be discerning about the comic books their kids decide to try, and this is definitely the case with Barrier #1. In the white box on the front cover it states that this is rated M for Mature, but the message is easily lost in a sea of superhero books, so parents, make sure you take a look before your kids do. Savvy comic shop owners will make sure to tell mom and dad when the kids start grabbing mature titles, but sometimes mistakes happen. And Barrier contains a panel that kids shouldn’t see, along with some language that is definitely for mature audiences. The Image creators are certainly talented, but I wish Image hadn’t put this one out for Free Comic Book Day. The cover price of Barrier is free, while the current value is $1.
Cool Comics Classics
#676 — Steel, the Indestructible Man #1, DC Comics, March 1978.
Steel, the Indestructible Man (Hank Heywood), didn’t prove to be indestructible when it came to circulation, because this World War II hero who didn’t enter the scene until 1978 lasted just five issues. Written by Gerry Conway and penciled by Don Heck, the character might now be more well-known for his appearance on the television show Legends of Tomorrow (the grandfather of Nate Heywood). I don’t have much experience reading this character, as the last I saw of him was well over 30 years ago in some issues of All-Star Squadron from the Eighties. And let’s be honest here, I don’t recall those stories at all. But when I saw this comic in a quarter box, I knew I had to have it because 1) it’s from the Seventies, 2) the marked cover price is just 35¢ so it brings in the nostalgia factor even more, and 3) it’s a first issue. Hence, a comic book trifecta! The cover price of Steel, the Indestructible Man #1 is 35¢, while the current value is $14.
Recently Read Digital Comics
When it comes down to the Inhumans and X-Men, there is no doubt which Marvel team is the most popular. Though the Inhumans have been around since 1965 (the X-Men hit the comic book scene in 1963), outside of collector circles, they’ve been relatively unknown, although with the addition of Inhumans to the TV series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., along with the Inhumans mini-series on ABC last year, non-comic book readers (is there really such a thing as non-comic book readers?) might be able to name an Inhuman character or two. The Inhumans Vs. X-Men comic book limited series, consisting of issues #0-6, came out a few months before I started collecting again, but thanks to a great sale on digital comics, I was able to get the entire collection for just 99 cents (currently $12.99 on comiXology). It’s the story of what it means to be who you are in the face of death, and just what steps you are willing to take to survive as a species. Or something like that…along with a few lies sprinkled amongst all fighting between these two super groups. If you’re a fan of Hank McCoy, the Beast, you’ll really be feeling for him, because as a scientist he’s caught in the middle of these struggles. There are some new Inhumans on the block, and I did enjoy getting to learn about them. This wasn’t a great series, but it was entertaining for the price I paid.
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I’ve been following the major events and books in DC’s Rebirth, but got a bit tripped up over some of the big events last year (I’m still not done reading Metal). I’m really interested to see where they take JL, though, especially with that team on the cover! I’ve been missing Martian Manhunter. So glad they brought him back.
Holly, Martian Manhunter is such a great character! I just wish I had the time and money to read them all. I read more Marvel, but DC has been putting out some great comics over the last couple years, no doubt!
I’m a BIG fan of limited series. I just like having a beginning, a middle, and an end to a story. . .so that’s mostly what makes me tick as a collector. But I’m also a sucker for certain characters that I will buy anything they’re in sight unseen (the first issue, anyway). Lone Ranger, Rocketeer, The Shadow, Green Hornet, Zorro, The Spirit, Jonah Hex are my “Must buy” characters.
The best thing is that most of the time these days, my favorite characters are only in limited series anyway. . .so double win!
Atom, I agree that limited series are great for readers as you get a sense of closure. I get a lot of limited series myself.