Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection Episode 191, where we 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. I hope you have as much fun reading about them as I had writing about them!
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 my comics are 9.4. Some are probably better, and some are certainly 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.
Did you know that you can be a guest host for Cool Comics? It’s your chance to show off some of your favorite comics in your personal collection! 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. To submit your completed blog (or if you have any questions), 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 191…
Cool Comics News!
This week we have no “new” issues for our Contemporary Cool Comics section. Sure, one is just a few months old, but the other is more than a decade over the hill. You might be asking yourself, “Didn’t any War of the Realms comics come out last week?” Indeed, they did, but I’ve inundated you with so many lately that it’s a little…embarrassing. But just in case you’re wondering what WOTR comics were available on Wednesday, May 15 (it’s rare that I cover comics that arrive the day before each episode is published, due to timing), here’s a nice little sampling: War of the Realms #4; Giant-Man #1; Spider-Man & The League of Realms #1; and War of the Realms Strikeforce: The War Avengers #1. I figured you needed a break from WOTR, and this week, Cool Comics gave it to you…sort of.
Cool Comics Battle of the Week!
Your Cool Comics Battle of the Week is Captain Marvel versus Astro Boy! 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
#938 — Captain Marvel #1, Marvel, March 2019.
I have the entire short run of Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers) from the Seventies, but as far as the current Captain Marvel series is concerned (and those that came before it featuring Carol Danvers), I really don’t know much. I saw the movie, and I saw her in Avengers: Endgame, but aside from her appearances in Avengers, etc., I’m sort of a newbie as far as her more recent runs are concerned. And I do realize that she’s had the “Captain” in front of her name for a while now. I don’t understand the antagonistic attitude she seems to imbue, but, again, I don’t really know what’s going on in her head, so I’m a bit lost. So why do I have this issue? I saw some talk about this variant Artgerm cover, which is available only as a prepack at Walmart, and I guess it’s getting harder and harder to find, so I decided that if I saw it, I’d get it. I know people are buying it and trying to turn it on eBay for a profit, but I removed the cellophane and actually read the comic. To some, that’s a stupid move, but what’s the fun in just seeing the cover and not knowing the mystery of what’s in the actual story and what the two comics underneath might be? In my opinion, the best part of the comic is a short conversation between Thor and Iron Man. It really brought a smile to my face. I’m not looking to add more issues of this title to my collection, but I don’t regret getting this variant cover. The cover price of Captain Marvel #1 is $4.99 (and the three-pack cost just under $8), while the current value is $8.
#939 — Hunter’s Moon #1, BOOM!, April 2007.
Though Hunter’s Moon has been in existence for a dozen years, I’ve never read it, so for me, and maybe for you, it’s new. That’s part of what’s so much fun about comics: no matter when they were originally issued, if you’ve never read it, it’s brand new to you. This one caught my eye in a quarter box last fall, and once I noticed, across the top, that it’s “From the writer of the Academy Award-Winning film ‘Ray,’” (which I’ve never seen) decided I might as well take a chance. There are similarities in screen-writing and comic book writing, so I felt this was worth the 25¢ I paid for it, and I was right. The problem, though, is that this is the first of a 5-part story, and it’s the only one I’ve found so far. This isn’t a superhero comic, by the way. It’s filled with lots of tension and drama, and you’ll find yourself turning pages faster as you get caught up in the story, and just when you NEED to know what’s happening…the end. Hopefully someday I’ll find the last four issues before I forget all about the story. The cover price of Hunter’s Moon #1 is $3.99, while the current value is $4.
Cool Comics Done Dirt Cheap
#940 — Demon Knights #19, DC, June 2013.
I wasn’t buying comic books during the run of The New 52, but when I can find some issues on the cheap, or really inexpensive trade or digital editions of characters I like, I’ll buy them to learn more of the history of that period of DC comics. This issue of Demon Knights comes from my legendary longbox (I bought a longbox that was stuffed with 419 comic books for just $20 a while ago; hence, Cool Comics Done Dirt Cheap), so as an individual comic, I paid just pennies for it (which is really cool!). And even though I sorted through them a bit, checking out what I got when I first acquired the legendary longbox, I somehow didn’t notice that Demon Knights actually stars THE Demon of DC fame (good old Etrigan, aka Jason Blood). Laugh all you want, but there are lots and lots of comics in existence, while my brain has limited storage capacity and, often, faulty recall. The story takes place in 1043 A.D., so any hopes of finding Batman and his pals in this issue evaporate the moment we see the date. If you’re a fan of The Demon and you neglected this series, you may just want to check it out. The cover price of Demon Knights #19 is $2.99, while the current value is $3.
FCBD the Cool Comics Way (Week 3)
#941 — Blastosaurus Annual #1, Golden Apple Books, May 2019.
While at first glance Blastosaurus looks to be more apt to appeal to a younger audience, it’s actually quite entertaining, even for the older set. This Free Comic Book Day issue is billed as Annual #1, so the question is, were there any issues before it? Yes indeed, Blastosaurus fans, there are. A little research tells us that this was the top-selling indie comic in New Zealand, and is now published through Golden Apple Books, which is a comic book shop in Los Angeles, California. It’s pretty cool that a comic shop decided to start publishing comics, and while I have no idea how many people are aware of this, putting out a FCBD issue is a great marketing tactic. Many will tell you that Free Comic Book Day hasn’t really helped the hobby much, but for some of us, it’s an opportunity to see what else is out there. The only complaint Cool Comics has on this one is the lettering needs to be a little larger if they want seasoned readers to jump onboard. The cover price of Blastosaurus Annual #1 is free, while the current value is $0.
Cool Comics Kids
#942 — The Original Astro Boy #2, Now Comics, October 1987.
The creator of Astro Boy, Osamu Tezuka, brought much joy to my childhood, not via Astro Boy, but instead through a couple of other stories you may be familiar with: Kimba the White Lion and Alakazam the Great. My sisters and I loved the Kimba cartoon so much that we often played childhood games centered around his adventures, and the theme song easily got stuck in my head. Alakazam the Great, while not a series, was an animated film about the adventures of a monkey, voiced by Peter Fernandez (yup…Speed Racer’s voice). When Alakazam sings, it’s Frankie Avalon. But Astro Boy, though I know who he is, was a cartoon I didn’t see when I was a kid, but my wife watched it and sometimes brings him up, so when I saw this comic for just a quarter, you know it had to come home with me. The publisher, Now Comics, may not have been around long (just 20 issues of this title came out), but they produced some really cool comics based on licensed properties including Speed Racer, The Real Ghostbusters, and The Green Hornet, and also attracted some major talents like Harlan Ellison, Neal Adams, and Alex Ross. The cover price of The Original Astro Boy #2 is $1.50, while the current value is $4.
Cool Comics Classics
#943 — The Brute #1, Atlas Comics, February 1975.
A couple months back, in March, I was excited to add Morlock 2001 #1 as an official Cool Comic (it’s Cool Comic #888, for those keeping track). As I started learning a bit about the company, Atlas/Seaboard, I started feeling more and more nostalgic, considering that they originally hit the newsstands during the heyday of my first phase of comic book collecting (1973-1978). I remember seeing them, but instead of giving them a try, I always reached for some Seventies Marvel titles, monster magazines, and The Planet of the Apes magazine. In the Nineties I picked a few Atlas comics up from sale bins, but never read them, and eventually sold them when making some breathing room in my house. After reading Morlock 2001 #1, my collector mentality (along with the nostalgic Seventies feeling it brought to mind) told me that I really should try to get more of these comics. So, I did. Only a few dozen Atlas Comics were published before they folded, and I’m over halfway there in getting the entire collection. So why did I decide to read The Brute #1 now? Because out of nowhere, rights were purchased, and these somewhat obscure comics are starting to get some attention as Paramount Pictures is going to be involved in bringing some of these comics to a theater near you. I don’t have great expectations (does anyone?) that The Brute and company will be big screen sensations, but I think it’s really cool that someone is making the effort. As for the comic, I enjoyed the story and hope to find issue 2 someday. Lucky for me that I found #3 the same day I purchased #1. And believe it or not, that’s as far as it goes. The Brute lasted just three issues. The comic brings to mind some of the old horror movies from days gone by, and that’s a good thing in my mind. The cover price of The Brute #1 is 25¢, while the current value is $28.
ComicBooks For Kids!
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Views: 443
Nice Captain Marvel review, and much appreciated. A week or so ago, I picked up a Wal-mart prepack with this and am not intending to open it haha!
Even though I don’t own any Astro Boy books, I also appreciate this review and think it is really interesting. I wasn’t familiar with the character until about 3 years ago. At the library one day, I stumbled upon a video of the original B&W cartoon series, and it was really great.
Very cool on the Brute review too. Those Atlas comics are just plain cool. I only had a handful in my original collection, and this was not one of them. Now it is just the Grim Ghost #1 which was repurchased within the last 6 months. Even more oddly interesting is that the Atlas rights have been purchased. Time will tell what will become of these books/characters.
Spector is speculating on that Captain Marvel cover! Actually, there were 2 of those prepacks available, but I left the other one for someone else to enjoy.
It’s fun discovering cool things from the past, like Astro Boy, right? I’ll buy more Astro Boy comics when I can find them in discount bins, that’s for sure!
The Brute was a pretty entertaining read, and like I said, it really reminds you of a certain type of movie you might have found playing on TV late on a Friday or Saturday night, accompanied by your favorite local horror host. Though not many Atlas books were released, there is something so fun about them, and considering the fewer there are, the easier to get the entire collection makes them more appealing. I don’t know what the movie deal will do to prices, but I’m going to attempt to finish my collection with “reader” copies before the first trailer comes out! Thanks for reading.
I’ve picked up a few of the atlas comics myself. I believe I have issue 2 of brute. The only reason I picked any was I have an affection for books from the 70’s.
Ken, that’s my favorite era of comics! Which makes reading Back Issue magazine a must for me each time it comes out.
I’m not a fan of Captain Marvel, but I LOVE that Captain Marvel cover! I have it from its original publication on “The Life of Captain Marvel” #1. . .which for some reason sits at a Longbox Junk-worthy cover price while the Wal-Mart reprint is shooting up in value. Go figure. Comic collecting can be a bit strange sometimes. That said, a standing ovation for you leaving that other pack for someone else. You don’t see that kind of consideration often and it brought a smile to my face!
Demon Knights was one of my favorite New 52 titles. It flew strong and steady underneath the radar and it’s a great little hidden gem from that time period for DC. I really liked the bold move of setting it hundreds of years in the past, so there really couldn’t be any crossovers with DC’s “money” characters. If you can find more, definitely pick them up for one of the most unusual New 52 stories that came out. With the success of “Justice League Dark”, I’m REALLY hoping for some sort of a reboot of Demon Knights.
I don’t have many of the Atlas/Seaboard comics, but the ones I DO have are 70’s-Tastic in every way! I’m interested in what movies they might be able to pull out of the property since most of the series didn’t last more than 4 issues and were never finished.
Thanks for another great post, and as always, thanks for keepin’ it fun!
Atom, I’ll definitely keep my eye out for more Demon Knights! This past weekend I bought 245 quarter comics from my LCS, but not a single Demon Knight was to be found in the six longboxes of quarter boxes I searched through (It took me about an hour to go through all those boxes!).