Thor Soars to a New #1 Issue with New Creative Team!

Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection Episode 224, 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 224…

Cool Comics News!

We’re going to try something new here at Cool Comics by adding a section called Cool Comics Creations! Any of you are welcome to send me an electronic file in an email featuring one of your drawings, whether you’re a professional or amateur, (it can be just pencils, or inks too…and even colored if you want) or a picture of a craft or sculpture that you’ve done, and as long as it’s family friendly (and not controversial…let’s try to keep this fun), you’ll be a part of an upcoming Cool Comics episode. We also want your name and any other background information you want to tell us about, and if you have a website or a way you can be contacted about your art (who knows, maybe someone might make you an offer for the original!), so please supply this all in an email to me at edgosney62@gmail.com, and I’ll do a write-up along with your creation!

Cool Comics Battle of the Week!

Your Cool Comics Battle of the Week is Blue Beetle versus Power Man! 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

#1137 — Thor #1, Marvel, March 2020.

Thor #1 hit the comic shops…again. It used to be that when a new creative team took over, the issue numbering didn’t change. And sometimes it still doesn’t (Batman #86, for example, has changed writers, and they didn’t start all over with new numbering), but it seems these days that’s the norm. It can get a little confusing at times, but right now it seems that there’s no turning back. I mean, at least Marvel is using the legacy numbering, too. Anyway, Jason Aaron, after spending many years with the God of Thunder, has moved on, and Donny Cates is now providing the writing chores, with Nick Klein on pencils. And Cates came on like gangbusters, literally throwing Galactus into the mix. Good stuff, as an old friend of mine used to say. I think the story he is setting up is going to be an epic Thor adventure, and I’m excited for the next issue! Oh, one more thing…if you get this issue, don’t skip reading the one-page letter from Donny Cates at the end. I found it so encouraging that I took the time to send a fan letter to Marvel. The cover price of Thor #1 is $4.99, while the current value is $5. The Key Collector Comics value is $5.

Cool Comics from the Quarter Bin

#1138 — Blue Beetle #11, DC, April 1987.

I’m not a big fan of the Blue Beetle. It’s not that I dislike him, but I just haven’t read enough comics featuring Ted Kord (or any iteration of the Blue Beetle, as far as that goes) to have much of an appreciation of him. So when I came across this issue while doing my duty of furiously flipping through comics in the quarter bin at Kenmore Komics, I decided that I needed it for my collection so that I could learn more about this hero. And I must admit that it was a good read, so if I come across other Blue Beetle comics at wickedly discounted prices, I’ll make sure to get them. This issue was written by Len Wein, a very familiar name to Bronze Age comic fans, with art by Paris Cullins. By the way, for those who like to keep track, the Blue Beetle was first published by Fox Comics in 1939, followed by Holyoke Publishing a few years later, then on to Charlton Comics, before being purchased by DC. There’s even more to the history, including AC Comics, so if you want to know the rest of the story, click HERE. The cover price of Blue Beetle #11 is 75¢, while the current values are $3.50 on CBR and $3 on ZKC.

FCBD the Cool Comics Way (Week 36)

#1139 — Little Lulu, Drawn & Quarterly, May 2019.

Little Lulu looks pretty good for a kid who’s turning 85 in February. That’s right, the creation of Marjorie Henderson Buell debuted in 1935 in The Saturday Evening Post, making her older than all your favorite superheroes. And she apparently hasn’t aged a day…which makes me wonder if she’s any relation to baby Yoda (not by a mile, but it was fun to say it!). At any rate, this offering on Free Comic Book Day came to you from Drawn & Quarterly. Anyone else get a copy? This is actually a fun read, and it’s definitely safe for the kids (although keep in mind that this character had her beginnings in a different day and age, so it may be a bit unusual from what you’re used to). We get five comic stories (some are as short as one page) and a two-page narrative, so there’s some variety to the comic. I’m not sure how easy it is to find some of these non-superhero freebies after FCBD, but if you have a sense of history and would like to find a copy of this, best wishes on your hunt! The cover price of Little Lulu is free, while the current value is $1.

Cool Comics Kids

#1140 — Donald Duck #103, Gold Key, September 1965.

Duck comics usually bring a smile to my face, and this comic is no exception. Donald and his nephews always seem to get caught up in crazy adventures, and in the opening story, they end up traveling all the way to fictional “Aztec-Land,” no thanks to those evil Beagle Boys. Following this, we get a neat ad for Trix cereal comic book form, and the same with Cheerios, as we learn that they are Bullwinkle’s favorite cereal. Next up is Goofy in a fun story with a witch, then we end with another duck adventure with Donald, his three nephews, and Uncle Scrooge. And on the last page, we get another comic ad for Cocoa Puffs, because they knew decades ago that kids love cereal. I was fortunate enough to find this in a quarter bin, hard as it is to believe that you can find comics from the Sixties so cheap. Granted, the condition isn’t the best, but the price is certainly right, and if you’re looking for kid classics for your children, make sure to check out the discount boxes. The cover price of Donald Duck #103 is 12¢, while the current value is $48.

Cool Comics Classics

#1141 — Power Man #26, Marvel, August 1975.

If you liked Marvel’s monsters in the Seventies, this issue sort of gave you a vampire you may not be familiar with: The Night Shocker! Then again, you need to read this comic if you want to know the whole truth of the matter. The best part comes when said vampire tries to sink his teeth into our hero for hire, as you can imagine the result! Though I located this Cool Comics Classic in a quarter bin, I knew in my heart that it deserved to be categorized right here. This issue is written by Steve Englehart (Bill Mantlo took over the writing chores after this), while George Tuska handled the art (the next issue was penciled by George Pérez). Reading this transported me to my youth for the time it took me to read it. I’m sure most of you know that feeling when you read a comic from a meaningful period in your life. The cover price of Power Man #26 is 25¢, while the current value is $15.

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/

Never Miss an Episode of Cool Comics!

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