Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection Episode 183, 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 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 scale 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. For any questions or to submit your completed blog, write to edgosney62@gmail.com.
The Cool Comics In My Collection Facebook Group is a place where you can discuss the comics you love, your favorite titles, and the characters that keep you coming back for more. Also, creators are welcome to share news about what you are working on, including Kickstarter campaigns. And don’t forget the prizes. Yes, Cool Comics gives away cool prizes. Be sure and join today!
If you have any comments, please scroll to the bottom of the page to where it says, “Leave a Reply.” And now, Episode 183…
Cool Comics News!
Since I started this fourth phase of comic book reading and collecting in 2017 (phase one ran from 1973 to 1978, phase two lasted about 10 months in 1982, and phase three saw a decade of reading and collecting, from 1993 to 2003), I’ve become more interested in the history of the hobby. And not just the history of the characters, but also from the perspective of the creators, companies, periods, and fandom. I’ve read a few books that helped fill the void of knowledge in my head and heart, but what I look forward to most is reading another issue of Back Issue magazine. If I had more time, I’d also be a regular reader of Alter Ego magazine, but I was fortunate to get a decent amount of back issues of Alter Ego at a sale, so I need to catch up on them before making new purchases. I say all this because their publishing arm, TwoMorrows, recently came out with a Kickstarter campaign for a book celebrating their 25 years in the business, “The World of TwoMorrows.” They publish other magazines besides the ones I’ve named, along with a number of great books. Click HERE, watch their video, read up on it, and consider backing their Kickstarter!
Cool Comics Battle of the Week!
Your Cool Comics Battle of the Week is Cyclops versus Hawkman! 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
Contemporary Cool Comics
#889 — Avengers No Road Home #6, Marvel, May 2019.
Although Avengers No Road Home is a weekly series, and most of the time I tend to feature the first issue of a limited series, I wanted to wait until #6 came out. Those of you who have been reading it know why. Just look at that cover…yes, it’s Conan the Barbarian…with the Scarlet Witch! While I think it’s lots of fun to see the Cimmerian together with the heroes of the Marvel Universe, others, I’m sure, aren’t too pleased with it (sort of like Doomsday Clock and the meshing of the DCU with the Watchmen). And that’s okay, because we all like what we like, and don’t like what we don’t like. If you don’t want to see it, don’t buy it, and if you do, plunk your money down on the counter at your local comic shop and enjoy. From my perspective, the writers (Jim Zub, Mark Waid, & Al Ewing) and artists (Sean Izaakse: pencils; Jay David Ramos with Marcia Menyz: color) did a fantastic job with this issue. It didn’t feel forced, either, as the weavings of the plot made perfect sense. I often realized I had a big grin on my face as I read this issue, and that’s what it’s all about, right? I had fun. Lots of fun. And now I can’t wait to read the remaining four issues. The cover price of Avengers No Road Home #6 is $4.99, while the current value is $5.
#890 — Batman #67, DC, May 2019.
If you’ve been reading Batman, then you know it’s been an emotionally rough year for him. But with the publication of Detective Comics #1000 (it came out yesterday, so jump in your Batmobile and drive to your local comic shop and get it before it’s gone!), things can’t be all bad. Batman comic books have been around for a very long time, making me wonder just how many words total have been printed in comics the character has been featured in. It would take a long time to count them all…except for this one, Batman #67. If you like to read your comics quickly, this one fits the bill. But considering there are just a handful of panels that feature any dialogue, and not until we’re over halfway through the story, I suggest you slow it down just a little and enjoy the story that’s being told without words. Admire the art, get caught up in the chase, and prepare for the unveiling at the end. Typically, I like a decent amount of words in my comic books, but I truly enjoyed this issue, and if you’re a Batman fan, you will, too. The cover price of Batman #67 is $3.99, while the current value is $4.
Cool Comics Done Dirt Cheap
#891 — X-Men: The Early Years #3, Marvel, July 1994.
During the Nineties, it certainly seemed like “more” meant “better.” The more comics on the shelf, the better the sales. So, for those who missed out on the early issues of the X-Men, Marvel decided to do some reprints, because they understood that the Sixties issues were too expensive for most people…plus, the company doesn’t make any money on back issue sales. To be fair, reprint titles were nothing new. I can remember a number of them from the Seventies, and to a new, younger collector like I was, it made continuity a little wonky because I didn’t realize the reprint titles were reprints. X-Men: The Early Years started publishing when I was just getting back into comic books for the third time in my life, but I was buying too many “current” titles to even think about getting this comic. The only reason I have this one is because it “issued forth” from my legendary longbox…you know, the box of 419 comics that I bought, sight unseen, for just $20 over a year ago. Reprints aren’t hard to come by today, and if you don’t mind reading digital comics, you can get some really old stuff really cheap. Yet until now, I’d never read the first appearance of the Blob. Plus, it was written by Stan Lee and illustrated by Jack Kirby, so those are reasons enough to enjoy this reprint from days gone by. The cover price of X-Men: The Early Years #3 is $1.50, while the current value is $3.
FCBD the Cool Comics Way (Week 46)
#892 — A Brief History of Tank Girl, Titan Comics, June 2018.
When this Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) edition came out last May, some astute readers may have realized that Tank Girl had now been in existence for 30 years. Yes, it’s been around for a while. I remember seeing a couple Tank Girl mini-series solicited by Dark Horse Comics back in the Nineties, and then there was a movie in 1995 (some characters wait decades before a movie is made, but Tank Girl waited just seven years). Yet despite its longevity, I’d never read one of the comic books until this one, last week (and I still haven’t seen the movie). Did it make me a fan? Not really, but FCBD is a great opportunity to see what else is out there, because you never know what new favorites you might discover. As you can probably tell from the cover, this is one you won’t want to pass on to the younger comic book readers in your life. The cover price of A Brief History of Tank Girl is free, while the current value is $1.
Cool Comics Kids
#893 — Wacky Adventures of Cracky #10, Gold Key, March 1975.
Parents, no need to panic! Cool Comics is not steering you wrong, despite the title of this comic book. Cracky, a parrot, is the title character and he has some crazy (I guess I should say “wacky”) adventures with his buddy, a crow named Mr. Caws. From what I can gather, Cracky is a Gold Key original, and was the mascot for the company’s jokes and puzzle books. Was he deserving of his own comic? Well, only 12 issues were published, but let’s not judge based on numbers, because I’m a big fan of the original Omega the Unknown comic from Marvel, and it lasted a mere 10 issues (although Wacky Adventures of Cracky came out quarterly, so it lasted from 1972 to 1975, which seems more respectable). Still, some 21st Century kids may appreciate the goofy Cracky, and his comics are plenty safe for young readers. His adventures in this issue include, “The Perils of Sheerluck,” “The Great Jailbreak,” “The Big Thinker,” “A Hopeless Kaws,” and “Jokes by Cracky.” The cover price of Wacky Adventures of Cracky #10 is 25¢, while the current value is $12.
Cool Comics Classics
#894 — Four Star Spectacular #4, DC, October 1976.
Four Star Spectacular was a short-lived (just 6 issues) reprint comic that gave readers a chance to enjoy classic stories from the past, making them affordable and accessible. Today’s newer collectors can often find older comics at their local comic shop, eBay, and other online venues such as Facebook. But for some of us, it was seemingly a short time ago that the search for back issues wasn’t as simple as the click of a mouse. There was a certain appreciation for reprint comics (although, as I already stated, this one didn’t last long at all), giving readers a chance to “catch up” on the adventures of some of their favorite heroes. While the Seventies seemed to be chalk full of reprint titles, even the Nineties had X-Men: The Early Years, as seen above. I enjoyed the variety of tales in this issue, featuring Wonder Woman (story from 1943), Superboy (story from 1957), and Hawkman and Hawkgirl (story from 1965). Today, older comics can be attained more easily in paperback collections, via digital comics, and originals (often for a high price) through channels I already mentioned. In the end, it doesn’t really matter what form you read it in, as long as it brings you joy. The cover price of Four Star Spectacular #4 is 50¢, while the current value is $12.
ComicBooks For Kids!
ComicBooks For Kids! (CB4K) is a charity that Cool Comics In My Collection is honored to be working with. CB4K provides comic books to kids in hospitals and cancer centers all across the Unites States. You can check their website and see if your local hospital is included and if not, you can work with them to get them included! If you like what you see, please help them out and follow/like their Facebook page. Their link is https://www.facebook.com/comicbooksforkids/
Never Miss an Episode of Cool Comics!
Now you can get Cool Comics in My Collection delivered directly to your email! Just click “Join My Newsletter” on my 
website (or click on the image of my No-Prize!), sign up, and that’s it. Pretty easy, right? Just be sure to follow the instructions on the confirmation email so that you start receiving my newsletter. If you don’t see it, you may want to check your Spam or Junk Mail folders.
Views: 339
Ok, first off, the battle this week with Cyclops and Hawkman. I don’t have enough info to go on with Hawkman, but am familiar with his character. (One of the drawbacks of not collecting many DC books, but am trying to get better lol).
If Cyclops can keep his distance, which he most likely would be able to, he is a shoo-in. Hawkman would fly and avoid Scott’s optic beams as long as he could, but eventually he would get zapped and lose the battle.
I haven’t picked up any of the Avengers No Road Home books. Not quite sure how I feel about Conan being in the current timeline. Maybe I am a little old school, and enjoy his adventures in his own time and world. But, looking at your run down, maybe I could give it a chance.
Totally cool on the Four Star Spectacular review. I peeked a few of these (and other Bronze age DC books) not long ago. Not long ago I was strictly a Silver Age collector. It didn’t take long before some new titles made there way into my world. Lately I have been purchasing more and more Bronze age books and have really enjoyed them.
Spector,
I knew Conan mixing with current Marvel characters would displease some, but since I didn’t read Conan as a kid, and just over the last year really started picking up quarter-bin Dark Horse Comics Conans and Marvel old school Conans, it didn’t really bother me. Actually, I find it fun and well-done. But to each his own, and if you don’t like it and decide not to try it, I can understand and appreciate that.
Whereas you’ve been mostly a Silver Age collector who is dipping a toe into Bronze Age comics, I’m sort of the opposite, picking up some decent Silver Age from time-to-time, but the Seventies is definitely my decade. The great thing about comics is the wide variety and longevity of the hobby. Happy reading!
I’m definitely one of those “iffy” about Conan being in current continuity. I just feel that there are certain characters that belong in a specific place and time. . .such as The Shadow, The Spirit, Lone Ranger, Jonah Hex, Zorro, and Conan (among others).
That said. . .the cover on that issue is fantastic! And I’ve come to trust your opinion of what’s “Fun” in newer comics that I might otherwise pass on by. So on your good go-ahead, I’m picking up that issue. If I don’t like it, at least I’ll still have a great cover to hang on the wall at some point.
As far as your comment to Spector above, I’m there with you on the Bronze Age being MY personal favorite paper time machine. I pick up Silver Age comics when I find them. . .but I usually find them hardly worth reading, even if they ARE more “valuable”. Give me a “worthless” Longbox Junk 70’s Master of Kung Fu, Incredible Hulk or Werewolf By Night comic ANY day!
Atom, I know this Conan meld with Marvel is controversial, but I did have fun reading it. Sort of like a “What If?” issue, but actually part of continuity. Conan still has his other ongoing titles that separate him from the heroes, and they can be read in the spirit of Robert E. Howard’s creation. But I had fun seeing him paired with the Scarlet Witch. Things really heated up in the next issue, and I’m just sitting back and enjoying it.
You named some of the comics I collect from the Seventies, also (when I can find them at a great price). It’s certainly a fun hobby that provides such a variety of reading and collecting fun throughout the decades.