Can Captain America’s Team Survive the Giants of Jotunheim?

Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection Episode 192, 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 192…

Cool Comics News!

For those who like your comic books a little less on the “comic” side and a little more on the dark side, Horror Comics #1, which just came out yesterday, may be exactly what you’re looking for. Published by Ben Dunn’s Antarctic Press, we covered this story in our Recently Read Digital Comics section back in episode 158 under the title Timmy Lala’s Ice Cream #1 (which was part of a Kickstarter campaign). Now under the new title of Horror Comics, up-and-coming writer Bradley Golden and artists Andrey Lunatik and Mickey Clausen bring this disturbing tale to us as an ongoing series, with issue 2 scheduled to come out in July. Having read the first issue, my advice is to keep it out of the hands of young readers in your home, or nightmares will ensue, and no one will get any sleep!

Cool Comics Battle of the Week!

Your Cool Comics Battle of the Week is Iron Fist versus Batman! 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 

#944 — War of the Realms Strikeforce: The Land of Giants #1, Marvel, July 2019.

Midgard is in big trouble! Malekith’s forces are taking over Earth, and the good guys need a heavy hitter like Thor to lend them a hand. Only he’s busy smashing Frost Giants at Jotunheim. So what to do? Lady Freyja recruits Captain America to take a team and bring back her stepson. Cap, Wolverine, Spider-Man, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist, with an assist from Daredevil, now the God Without Fear, end up in the Land of Giants. This War of the Realms one-shot is rated T+, so be prepared for some bloody battles along the way. Three different WOTR one-shots all have “Strikeforce” in their titles, and while none of them are required to enjoy what’s been happening during this big Marvel event, they certainly add to the fun and flare of watching the heroes we depend on try their best to defend life on planet Earth. Written by Tom Taylor with pencils by Jorge Molina, this one is a bit darker than some of the others in this ongoing epic, but also loaded with lots of comic book fun and humor. The cover price of War of the Realms Strikeforce: The Land of Giants #1 is $4.99, while the current value is $5.

Cool Comics Done Dirt Cheap

#945 — Doctor Zero #2, Epic Comics (an imprint of Marvel), June 1988.

Before the legendary longbox came into my possession (I bought a longbox that was stuffed with 419 comic books for just $20 a while ago; hence, Cool Comics Done Dirt Cheap), I’d never heard of Doctor Zero (or the Shadowline Saga, as the cover reveals). But lo and behold, 3 issues (numbers 2, 3, and 4) of this comic book title were tucked inside the longbox, and it’s my duty to show you at least one of the issues, so here it is. Did you read the series? Was it a favorite? Even if, like me, you are unfamiliar with this comic book (it came out between a couple of my collecting periods), you may recognize some members of the creative team. The writers of this issue are D.G. Chichester and Margaret Clark, pencils are done by Denys Cowan, and inks are accomplished by Bill Sienkiewicz. The series lasted just eight issues, but that could have been intentional, as far as I know. The story would have been easier to follow if I’d also had issue 1 to read, but regardless, it was fairly entertaining. The cover price of Doctor Zero #2 is $1.25, while the current value is $3.

FCBD the Cool Comics Way (Week 4)

#946 — Kino’s Journey: The Beautiful World, Vertical Comics, May 2019.

The only comic books I’ve read from back to front (although if they’re purposefully made to read that way, then they’re really being read front to back, only it’s a different “front” than I’m used to…you get the picture, right?) are a few done in manga style from Free Comic Book Day issues in past years. Occasionally they come with reading guides, which I think is a terrific idea, since for some of us, we’ve been reading for so many decades that old habits are hard to break. Regardless, I enjoyed this FCBD edition, Kino’s Journey: The Beautiful World (even if I read it a little slower, due to making sure I was staying the course and reading the panels in the correct sequence). The black and white story itself has a magical feeling to it, and when you get to the end, you find out that the journey continues in a collected edition. The cover price of Kino’s Journey: The Beautiful World is free, while the current value is $0.

Cool Comics Kids

#947 — Heathcliff #4, Star Comics (an imprint of Marvel), October 1985.

I would hazard to guess that when most people think of an orange cartoon cat, Garfield is the first to pop into their minds. Yet Heathcliff came first. So why isn’t he the more popular feline? Perhaps it’s because Heathcliff doesn’t have any thought bubbles, whereas Garfield talks in his own mind (although other animals do talk in Heathcliff’s comic universe). This allows us to associate with Garfield, almost as if he’s one of us. But Heathcliff has a charm of his own. Admittedly, this is the first Heathcliff comic book I’ve ever read, and I don’t remember anything from the comic strip, as it’s been years since I’ve seen any. And speaking of thought bubbles, Heathcliff does have an adventure in this comic in which his conscious is speaking to him, twofold: an angelic figure on one shoulder, and a devilish figure on the other…both obviously looking very much like him. As most of these comics aimed towards younger readers tend to do, there are four complete stories contained within, perfect for shorter attention spans. I was able to find this in a quarter bin, so keep in mind that you can still find some cool comics for kids without breaking the bank. The cover price of Heathcliff #4 is 65¢, while the current value is $5.

Cool Comics Classics

#948 — Justice League of America #141, DC, April 1977.

Cool Comics In My Collection episode 175 brought you the exciting story of Green Lantern Hal Jordan admitting to having committed the worst crime in the universe! And now we get the epic conclusion (well, it’s not really a conclusion, as there are still “problems” at the end of this “Giant” issue, but that’s no surprise, right?) in this story that could only be called, “No World Escapes the Manhunters!” Dramatic enough? I’m telling you, nothing beats the excitement of the Seventies when it comes to four-color fun! Written by Steve Englehart, with art by Dick Dillin, this issue is packed with DC’s big hitters, from Superman to Batman to Green Lantern to Wonder Woman, and it also includes Green Arrow, the Black Canary, Flash, and more. I was fortunate to find this on sale for just a dollar, and it’s worth all one hundred pennies! The cover price of Justice League of America #141 is 50¢, while the current value is $18.

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/

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