Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection Episode 223, 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 223…
Cool Comics News!
Welcome to 2020! To some of us, this feels more like a year out of science fiction. When I think back to what the world was like when I was buying and reading my first comic books in the Seventies, the technology we have today feels practically impossible. Although we did send men to the moon…so it wasn’t entirely the dark ages. Anyway, I hope all of you had a fun New Year’s celebration!
About 17 months ago here at Cool Comics (episode 155), I told you about a fun black and white comic titled The Führer and the Tramp in the aptly named section Recently Read Digital Comics. Since then, lots has happened, as there was a successful Kickstarter campaign for the graphic novel version, and then this zany adventure received an Eisner nomination (it got my vote!), and has since been picked up by Source Point Press for a full-color mini-series. One of the creators, Sean McArdle, was gracious enough to send me digital files of the first two issues so I could let all of you good comic fans out there know what I think…and if I liked it before, I love it now! The colors really zing, the action is exciting, and the story is a blast. Sean said there were a few updates made since the original version, but all for the better. How can you get your hands on it? It’s in the newest issue of Previews (for March orders) on page 344, so now you can’t miss your chance to read The Führer and the Tramp #1!
Cool Comics Battle of the Week!
Your Cool Comics Battle of the Week is the Devastator Decepticon versus The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! 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
#1132 — Incoming #1, Marvel, February 2020.
If you read Marvel Comics, specifically the Superhero titles, this is a fascinating dive into a mystery that encompasses just about all the current titles and characters, jam-packed into 90-something pages that has ramifications for 2020. It’s not easy on the wallet, but worth it if you are a fan. This thick read features many familiar writers and artists, including Al Ewing, Humberto Ramos, Chip Zdarsky, Kelly Thompson, Jason Aaron Matthew Rosenberg, Greg Pak, Joe Bennett, Ed Brisson, Donny Cates, Ryan Stegman, Tini Howard, Jim Cheung, Jonathan Hickman, R.B. Silva, Dan Slott…well, you get the idea. A dead body is found in a locked room, a mysterious message is found, the big brains of Marvel are needed to figure it out, and at the end…well, no spoilers here. The last few pages gives us 16 upcoming covers of affected titles and little hints about how this story will play out. The cover price of Incoming #1 is $9.99, while the current value is $10. The Key Collector Comics value is $10.
Cool Comics from the Quarter Bin
#1133 — The Transformers #10, Marvel, November 1985.
Remember how popular The Transformers were when they suddenly appeared on toy shelves, comic books, and cartoons in the Eighties? To be honest, I didn’t really notice the hype. I was in college, and my funny book days had seemingly come to an end. But later in life, blockbuster Transformer motion pictures started appearing at a theater near you, I found and sold some original Transformer toys on eBay for more money than I imagined they would go for, and I’m once again solidly entrenched in my favorite hobby. Though I’ve seen a couple of the movies, I’m far from being a Transformer expert…or even fan…part of that being where I was in life when they hit the scene. Regardless, I understand that they are a pretty big deal, so when I found this issue at Kenmore Komics and Games in the quarter bin, I decided it was time I actually experience the comic book universe of these robots in disguise from another world. And you know what? I decided this comic is pretty cool, as I enjoyed it more than I anticipated. By the way, this issue is the first appearance of Devastator and the Constructicons. The cover price of The Transformers #10 is 75¢, while the current values are $20 on CBR and $6 on ZKC. The Key Collector Comics value is $10.
FCBD the Cool Comics Way (Week 35)
#1134 — Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, IDW, May 2019.
Looks like Cool Comics is covering some of the largest franchises to go to market in the Eighties, doesn’t it? But which is bigger, Transformers (they are pretty tall, after all) or Turtles? More than likely you can find out on the Internet which property has pulled in more dollars, but what really matters is how they make you feel on a personal level, and both are quite successful when it comes to the nostalgia factor. But with all this talk of money, I have to mention that this comic book was part of Free Comic Book Day 2019, and if you made your way to a comic shop the first Saturday of May, you possibly snagged a copy without breaking the bank! Again, I can’t claim to be a big fan of the Turtles….but, I have to admit, this was a fun issue to read, and I can imagine that some people got hooked from this free issue and immediately started buying this on a regular basis…perhaps even digging around for some back issues. And IDW was very helpful by providing a three-page reading guide in the back. The cover price of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is free, while the current value is $1.
Cool Comics Kids
#1135 — The Nine Lives of Felix the Cat #1, Harvey, October 1991.
Did you know that Felix the Cat was “born” in 1919? Which makes him 101, now that we’re writing 2020 on our checks. Considering he’s that old, he’s probably surpassed his nine lives and is borrowing a few from others. Although, to be honest, I’m not sure how much traction this old cat has these days. I’m betting there are a fair number of people out there who aren’t even familiar with him. Like most of the comics we find here for Cool Comics Kids, this Harvey published classic is an anthology, with four complete adventures, perfect for younger attention spans that may not make it all the way through the comic in one sitting. Are you a Felix fan? I’ve seen a few cartoon shorts here and there, but I think this is the first comic book with this long-lived cat that I’ve ever read. While doing a little Internet searching about this comic, I saw that you can buy it on Amazon for $16.99, which is a pretty steep price considering that I found mine in a quarter bin. The cover price of The Nine Lives of Felix the Cat #1 is $1.25, while the current value is $3.
Cool Comics Classics
#1136 — The Brave and the Bold #132, DC, February 1977.
Can you believe a comic like this is now 43 years old? Was 1977 really that long ago? I guess I can’t deny it, but when you flip this one open and start reading the story featuring Richard Dragon, Kung-Fu Fighter, and Batman, you’ll be transported to a different time in your life (at least for those out there who were alive and reading comic books in the Seventies!). Written by Bob Haney, with art by Jim Aparo, this is actually my first story with Richard Dragon. I’d read about him in a copy of Back Issue magazine several months ago and was happy to discover this one in my file cabinet of unread comics. I bought this Bronze Age classic about a year-and-a-half ago for $1 at a great comic book sale in downtown Akron, and though it took me a while to finally read it, it was worth the wait. The cover price of The Brave and the Bold #132 is 30¢, while the cover price 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 United 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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Views: 237
Oof. . ten bucks for a floppy cover comic is where I draw the line I’m not gonna cross. If a company is going to charge that much for a comic book, at LEAST put a “premium” squarebound cover on it so I feel like I’m getting something special.
DC has been bringing back the “Prestige format” with their “Black Label” comics and I don’t mind paying a little more for something I can put on a shelf instead of a Longbox. It would be exactly the same story under a floppy cover, I just feel like I’m getting more for my money. I don’t know, maybe it’s just me.
The bad part about it is that from flipping through Incoming at the comic shop, it actually looks like something I’d want to read. . .
Thanks for another great post!
No doubt it’s a real commitment when it comes to the price of some of these comics. I will say that I really liked the story, and since I read a good number of Marvel titles, it was worth it for me. Still, I hated paying that much.