Sgt. Rock, G.I. Joe, & Unsung Hero Help Celebrate Our Independence!

Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection Episode 197, 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 these cool comics!

For each of the comic books I include here, I list the current secondary market pricing (with the exception of digital issues, which don’t have collectible value). This is according to the websites comicbookrealm.com (CBR) and Zap-Kapow Comics (ZKC), using the comic book grading scale of 9.4 (if both sites have the same price, you’ll find just one price for that issue). Not all my comics meet that grade. Some are probably better, and some are certainly worse. But to simplify it, that’s the 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 197…

Cool Comics News!

You’ll notice that starting in this episode, I’ve added pricing from an additional source, Zap-Kapow Comics. When secondary value is the same, the entry will look as it always does, but when there is a difference, I’m using the initials CBR and ZKC. While many of you read and collect comics just for the fun of it, it’s still interesting to know what some people are paying for our treasures, right? And with this in mind, Cool Comics now gives you two price sources (to get pricing at ZKC, you have to subscribe to one of three levels of service…it’s a really cool website, and so far, I’m having fun with it). In a later edition of Cool Comics, I’ll give you more of my impressions of Zap-Kapow Comics.

Late last week I finished reading Tony Isabella’s 1000 Comic Books You Must Read. This is a fun look at a wide variety of comics that starts with Action Comics #1 in 1938 and takes us through the years (up to the end of 2008) with snapshots of covers and snippets of information such as date, publisher, issue number, and a short comment from the author. Tony makes no claim that these are the greatest one thousand comics of all time, but they are comics he likes for one reason or another and recommends that fans should give them a try. This is a fun coffee table book that most comic fans would probably enjoy having in their collection.

Cool Comics Battle of the Week!

Your Cool Comics Battle of the Week is The Punisher versus Sgt. Rock! 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

#973 — War of the Realms #6, Marvel, August 2019.

Can you believe we went four consecutive weeks at Cool Comics without a word about War of the Realms? “So why bring it up now?” Because it’s officially over…at least until the special July Omega issue comes out. I still haven’t decided if it’s going to make an appearance here or not. And since I live in the U.S.A. and today is Independence Day, the War of the Realms is a good fit as it’s an all-out battle for freedom. All in all, I enjoyed this huge crossover event. We met some new characters in War of the Realms: Agents of Atlas, saw some awesome battles, and witnessed comic book bravery (just making sure that you know that I know that none of this is real…but it’s fun, right?). If you’ve been keeping up with at least some of the story, you really need to get this issue. If you like Thor, this comic gives you more Thor than you can shake an enchanted uru mallet at. And the end is pretty interesting, to say the least. Don’t worry, no spoilers here! The cover price of War of the Realms #6 is $5.99, while the current value is $6.

#974 — G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #175, IDW Publishing, February 2012.

How can we not include G.I. Joe in this Fourth of July edition of Cool Comics? Seriously, this fictional character is a Real American Hero (this sentence presents a bit of a conundrum, doesn’t it? Is he real or fictional? In the end, it doesn’t matter, because it’s G.I. Joe!). I know I’ve mentioned on here before that I sort of fell in between the two big G.I. Joe phases: the 12-inch figures from the Sixties and the 3.75-inch toys that appeared in 1982. I was too old and sophisticated for the toys and cartoons in the Eighties (or so I thought), which is rather unfortunate, because as an Army veteran, I now have an appreciation for this franchise. These days, when I’m digging away in quarter boxes at my favorite comic shop, I always grab G.I. Joe comics when I find them (which is how I got this issue). Chalk full of action, these comics don’t disappoint. The cover I got with this issue is a variant and brings The Terminator to mind! The cover price of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #175 is $3.99, while the current value is $4.

#975 — American Splendor: Unsung Hero #1, Dark Horse Comics, August 2001.

For those of you who are familiar with and appreciate Harvey Pekar, I’m going to apologize upfront for being unfamiliar with his work. Or at least I was, until I read American Splendor: Unsung Hero #1. Though Pekar was born, lived, and passed away just a little north of where I’ve spent most of my life, my comic book reading typically veers toward the superhero variety. Yet as life continues, I’ve found my reading habits branching out in different directions, with growing appreciation towards other genres of this fascinating hobby. This comic is the first of three issues that brings us the story of Marine Lance Corporal Robert L. McNeill and his journey from Camp Pendleton to his time served in Vietnam. The interiors are done in black and white, and the art style reminds me of Primitivism, which works well for this biographical story. Though the conflict in Vietnam is often laced with negative connotations, that doesn’t take away from the bravery and sacrifice that members of our armed forces displayed there. The cover price of American Splendor: Unsung Hero #1 is #3.99, while the current value is $4.

FCBD the Cool Comics Way (Week 9)

#976 — Stranger Things & Black Hammer, Dark Horse Comics, May 2019.

Thanks for taking a break from streaming Stranger Things Season 3 on Netflix to come read the newest episode of Cool Comics. We really appreciate it. And since you’ve made this great sacrifice, we made sure to include the Free Comic Book Day Stranger Things issue on launch day. And Black Hammer too, for all you Black Hammer fans out there who are trying to compete with those kids from Hawkins, Indiana. The Stranger Things story takes place just a few weeks after season one, giving us a picture of some of the fallout the characters went through. If you are a fan of the show and you don’t have this comic, you’ll probably want to find yourself a copy. Next week the Dark Horse/DC company crossover Black Hammer/Justice League: Hammer of Justice #1 of 5 comes out, so our timing at Cool Comics is, once more, hard to beat. I don’t know much about Black Hammer, and this half issue didn’t make me feel any better prepared to talk about it here, but fans of Jeff Lemire probably already have this FCBD issue in their collection. The cover price of Stranger Things & Black Hammer is free, while the current values are $0 at CBR and $1 at ZKC.

Cool Comics Kids

#977 — Looney Tunes #46, Whitman, March 1984.

When picking out a library of comic books that are both safe and entertaining for the little ones in your life (or even for those of us who are kids at heart), and considering that today is Independence Day, our Cool Comics Kids selection this week is that all-American favorite, Looney Tunes! Many of you readers grew up watching these great characters on TV every Saturday morning, and I’m betting that some of you out there bought some of these Looney Tunes comic books. No doubt, these stories will put a smile on your face. This particular issue was next to last in the run that started out as Gold Key and ended up under the Whitman banner at Western Publishing, and I was fortunate enough to find it while scrounging around in a quarter bin. Why was I fortunate? Because this comic came only in a pre-pack with other comics, and they are a little more difficult to find, hence the higher collectible price. Cool Comics loves those quarter boxes! The cover price of Looney Tunes #46 is 60¢, while the current value is $26.

Cool Comics Classics

#978 — Sgt. Rock #377, DC, June 1983.

As hard as this may be to believe, this is just the third issue of Sgt. Rock I’ve ever owned. He’s never much been on my radar, but I do have a lot of respect for the character, and I plan on adding more in the future. Military comics were never a priority for me, even when I was reading comics while serving in the U.S. Army. I guess I wanted to separate working life from my comic book reading. Regardless, today I have a deep appreciation for the genre, and when I saw this issue hiding out in a quarter bin, I immediately knew it was coming home with me. While we tend to want our soldiers to be brave, this is the story of “The Worry-Wart,” a kid who feels he’s never prepared enough for battle and spends his time going over checklists in his mind, not to mention the fact that he’s afraid he’ll let Sgt. Rock and Easy Company down. And he wants to be transferred to another unit. What happens when combat can’t be avoided? Read this one to find out, fellow fans! The cover price of Sgt. Rock #377 is 60¢, while the current values are $9 at CBR and $6 at ZKC.

Recently Read Digital Comics

J.C., one of the awesome members of the Cool Comics In My Collection Facebook Group, recently read All-Star Superman and posted a link to his review (another great reason to become part of the Facebook community is the quality reviews and stirring conversations that result from these gems!). Several group members who’ve also read it provided positive comments on the post, and I found myself reading the first couple issues of this Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely adventure in digital format that same night. While I understand that many people don’t like digital comics, I had access to these issues at no additional cost and didn’t have to make a special trip to a store or wait for a collection to arrive in the mail. Without giving too much away (although the story has been around for over a decade in print form), some of the things I liked about the first issue include the short origin story (we’ve seen Superman’s origin retold a lot…and it’s being retold yet again, isn’t it?) and the fact that now the Man of Steel actually has a physical problem to worry about…really worry about! Getting curious? In the second issue, I liked the bit about the key to the Fortress of Solitude, the fact that Lois is having a hard time believing something Superman told her, and the way she never stops snooping around. Will I enjoy the remaining ten issues just as much? Let’s hope so!

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!

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