Morbius the Comic Book Vampire Takes a bite out of…Everyone!

Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection Episode 217, 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 (except for 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. And for those who enjoy the additional fun of knowing some of the more important issues in your collection, I recognize each Cool Comic that is listed in Key Collector Comics

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 217…

Cool Comics News!

Back on November 2, the first day of Akron Comicon 2019, I almost made the mistake of leaving without grabbing a copy of this poster and getting it signed by the creators, who are all local. Putting this beautiful piece of art together shows the fantastic support that Akron Comicon gives to the writers and artists living in the Akron area. So yes, as you can see from the picture (and if you can’t see it well, click on it, and the image will enlarge for you), I ended up getting all the signatures! Thanks to my wife, that is. She didn’t want us to leave without getting this signed and had plenty of patience as we hunted everyone down. The characters (and creators who signed) are Chakan (Robert Kraus), Knightglaive (Damion Kendrick), Tap Dance Killer (Ted Sikora), American Knight (Rick Lozano), and The Akron Knight (Dan Gorman…who is also the artist behind the Cool Comics logo!). This is a keeper that will remain hanging on my comic book wall of fame!

Cool Comics Battle of the Week!

Your Cool Comics Battle of the Week is Morbius versus Flash! 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

#1093 — Fallen Angels #1, Marvel, January 2020.

This is it, fans, the last, first issue of this first group of Dawn of X titles. First group? Well, I did see that there is going to be a Wolverine series added, along with Moira MacTaggert (which may end up as a mini-series rather than an ongoing title), and who knows what other mutant madness may be thrust upon us! But for all I know, they could change the catchphrase of Dawn of X to something like Mid-Morning of X, or even Lunchtime of X. Aside from all this kidding around, I think Hickman has done a nice job architecting the launch of this current run. Fallen Angels is written by Bryan Hill, with art by Szymon Kudranski, and I think the creators have put out a story that will keep readers coming back for more. The issue features Psylocke, Captain Britain, Magneto, X-23, Mister Sinister, and Cable. While a little on the dark side, if you’re an X-fan, you won’t want to miss this one. The cover price is $4.99, while the current value is $5. The Key Collector Comics value is $5.

#1094 — Morbius #1, Marvel, January 2020.

I’ve never been a huge fan of Morbius, but due to his appearance in the Spider-Man cartoon that aired in the Nineties (and is now on Disney+) when I had just entered my third phase of collecting, there is now a nostalgic factor at work when I see or hear his name. And I think just about all collectors would love to have a copy of his first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #101 (no, I don’t have it, and doubt that I ever will because it’s out of my price range…and even beaten up, low grade copies are hard to come by, at least from my experience). And here we are, a new series about The Living Vampire, and I decided to give it a try. Morbius really isn’t a bad guy, right? He’s just trying to find a cure. Yet at the same time, he’s not really a good guy either. So not a supervillain and not a superhero…at least from my perspective. He’s more of a pitiful figure who can rip your lungs out, I guess! This was a good first issue, and I’m really looking forward to seeing what comes next. The cover price of Morbius #1 is $3.99, while the current value is $4. The Key Collector Comics value is $4.

Akron Comicon Cool Comics

#1095 — Sentry Special #1, Innovation, 1991.

At the beginning of the month, while having a blast at Akron Comicon, I came upon Bob Ingersoll’s table and struck up a conversation about a certain Star Trek book I’d bought from him at the 2017 Akron Comicon. Bob has a friendly personality and is a great conversationalist, and if you ever get a chance to meet him, it’s worth your time. And my time spent with him was really worth it, because I enjoy adding Innovation comics to my collection and Bob, who wrote this issue, happened to be selling copies of Sentry Special #1 for just $1. And my copy, as you can see pictured, has a signature from Bob. So why Innovation? It was headquartered in Wheeling, West Virginia, which is right across the river from where I grew up, and even though it’s no longer in business, I’ve grown fond of this comic line that was produced from my stomping grounds. I didn’t know anything about Sentry coming into this comic, but for the uninitiated, there is a nice essay inside the cover, written by Innovation’s President and Publisher, David Campiti. The cover price of Sentry Special #1 is $2.75, while the current value is $3.

Cool Comics from the Quarter Bin

#1096 — Superman: Radio Shack Giveaways: 1980, DC, July 1980.

Anyone else out there in comicbook land get a kick out of advertising giveaways featuring big-time superheroes? I used to have a few more in my collection, but when I had a ginormous garage sale and sold thousands of comics at bargain bin prices, I cleared space by getting rid of most of them. Now, since I’ve been searching through quarter bins once more, I’ve struck advertisement giveaway gold all over again (and to prove it, I’ll have another in this same spot next episode!). Though Radio Shack is now, sadly, a thing of the past, we can remember everyone’s favorite electronics paradise through Stranger Things (you know, the hit show on Netflix), Trekkies (remember the guy who built his own Captain Pike chair and drove it to his local Radio Shack?), and this “Super” free comic that features your favorite computer from yesteryear, the TRS-80! The Man of Steel teams up with a couple youngsters and together they save the day! Do you have a favorite advertising freebie? Let us know in the comments. The cover price of Superman: Radio Shack Giveaways: 1980 is free, while the current values are $8 on CBR and $10 on ZKC.

FCBD the Cool Comics Way (Week 29)

#1097 — Malika: Fire & Frost, YouNeek Studios, May 2019.

Last year for Free Comic Book Day, YouNeek Studios gave us (yes, it was free, so they “gave us” … if you happened to grab yourself a copy) Malika: Creed & Fury, which was a pretty good story. And this year for FCBD, YouNeek Studios pulled through again with Malika: Fire & Frost, which I think I like even better. I can’t remember ever seeing copies of anything by YouNeek Studios in any of the comic book shops I’ve been in, but that doesn’t mean the company isn’t putting out a great product. These stories are fast paced, thrilling, and leave you wanting more. This is certainly a series that I’m keeping on my radar to pick up as a collection someday, whether trade paperback or digital. The cover price of Malika: Fire & Frost is free, while the current value is $1.

Cool Comics Kids

#1098 — Little Archie #148, Archie, November 1979.

Little Archie speaks to me of my childhood, with a big gang of kids, sometimes doing the right thing, and sometimes getting into trouble. But when they get in trouble, they learn their lessons, don’t they? This is a typical anthology style comic that so many of us remember growing up with, and it starts out showing us a crazy story featuring Archie, Reggie, Jughead, and…gold? Next up is a Li’l Jinx one-pager, followed by some fan art and games, and then Little Archie learns to appreciate Betty…in his own way. Wrapping it up, we get an adventure with Little Sabrina, but don’t worry about showing this one to the Cool Comics Kids in your life, because this is the friendly version of “That Cute Little Witch, Sabrina.” If you’re building a library of comics for kids, you can’t go wrong with Little Archie (and I snagged this one out of a quarter box, proving that you can find them on the cheap!). The cover price of Little Archie #148 is 40¢, while the current value is $9.

Cool Comics Classics

#1099 — The Flash #255, DC, November 1977.

While debates often rage on the Internet, inside comic shops, and sometimes across dining room tables about who has the best rogues’ gallery in all the four-color universes, I think the best part of it is that people are actually talking about comic books! More often than not, the final argument comes down to Batman’s villains versus Spider-Man’s, but it’s really a matter of personal taste. And why am I bringing this up? Because Flash has some of the greatest enemies, too! This particular issue, which I was able to attain for a mere quarter, features the Mirror Master, and it got me thinking about how many cool villains Flash has faced off against, whether it be either of the TV series or in the character’s long comic book history. And take your pick, from Jay Garrick to Barry Allen to Wally West, as each iteration provides great foils, and we can thank the many creators over the years for that. This issue was written by Cary Bates and penciled by Irving Novick and is a cool sample of the fun stuff put out during the Seventies. The cover price of The Flash #255 is 35¢, 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/

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