Great Quarter Bin Grabs with Mr. Monster & a Seventies Iron Man!

Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection Episode 230, 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 230…

Cool Comics News!

Comic book fans and lovers of fandom magazines from days gone by, I have some exciting Collectorzine news straight from the publisher!

“We finished the first 28-page issue of our new fanzine. And we’re already working on our second (due out in June).

 “Issues will be available in comic shops in Northeast Ohio, and through RAK Graphics at conventions throughout the year. You can also order directly from us at Collectorzine@gmail.com. Each issue costs $3 plus shipping.

 “Please note: We are in the final stages of our marketing campaign for the first issue of our quarterly fanzine. If you’re a dealer in the Northeast Ohio area and you’re just learning about us, we just haven’t contacted you yet. Please feel free to contact us at Collectorzine@gmail.com. Otherwise, you’ll be hearing from us in the next few weeks!”

Friends, this fanzine has it all, including a new Chakan story, an interview with writer Mike W. Barr, collecting tips, thrilling fiction, and even exclusive Cool Comics. Don’t miss this exciting first issue, available now for pre-order and in Northeast Ohio comic shops the last week of March!

Cool Comics Battle of the Week!

Your Cool Comics Battle of the Week is Superman versus Iron 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 Creations!

This episode’s creation comes to us from Robert A. Kraus (aka RAK), creator of Chakan and many other fantastic works of art, along with cool games he’s developed. This X-Men SUPERFREAKS image is awesome! To learn more about RAK, be sure to visit his website at http://www.rakgraphics.com/.

You can have a piece of your art featured right here in Cool Comics Creations! Just send 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…or full color if you prefer) 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 provide, such as a website or a way you can be contacted about your art (who knows, maybe someone will make you an offer for the original!). And then email it to edgosney62@gmail.com.

Cool Comics In My Collection

Contemporary Cool Comics

#1167 — Superman: Heroes #1, DC, April 2020.

If you haven’t heard the news by now, you must have been stuck on a deserted island: Clark Kent (mild-mannered reporter of your favorite rag, The Daily Planet) is Superman. Yes, you read that correctly, Kent, former Smallville farm boy, is the Man of Steel! Actually, Cool Comics broke the news back in December (in all honesty, we weren’t the first to discuss this important announcement, but we took off the glasses and cape in a pretty timely fashion), but now, in Superman: Heroes #1, we get a look at how some of the other DC heroes reacted to his colossal announcement. This larger-than-usual comic needed three writers and five artists to show us the responses, both positive and negative, that Superman’s revelation had on his (and yes, I have to say it!) Super Friends! This is a fun one to read if you don’t mind forking over a couple extra dollars. The cover price of Superman: Heroes #1 is $5.99, while the current value is $6.

Cool Comics from the Quarter Bin

#1168 — Mr. Monster, Dark Horse Comics, February 1988.

A couple weeks ago, while digging through one of my boxes filled with comics that I picked up for just a quarter each, I was flabbergasted to discover that I had a copy of Mr. Monster #1 (basically, I’d just forgotten I had this, but why not use a great word like flabbergasted when opportunity presents itself?)! It’s not from the original run, but I was still excited, because the creator (he’s also the artist and writer), Michael T. Gilbert, is now attending the same monthly comic book gathering that I go to. Which certainly gives a lot more meaning to this comic for me. Maybe you’re familiar with Mr. Monster, but this was my first time reading any comics with him, and I had a blast digesting this issue in all its black and white glory! The cover price of Mr. Monster #1 is $1.75, while the current value is $3.

FCBD the Cool Comics Way (Week 42)

#1169 — Starburns Presents #2, SBI Press, May 2019.

This is the second annual Starburns Presents Free Comic Book Day offering, and if you’re a fan of crazy anthologies, both issues might just be your cup of tea. This one starts off with Nasquatch, a play on both NASCAR and those big, hairy guys who tend to hide in the woods. And if you noticed the cover (just don’t be disappointed that Sasquatch is not in the wrestling story), yes, it does have a wrestling tale for fans of Boston Crabs and Figure Four Leg-Locks. This free anthology comes with six tales that continue in digital versions at comiXology, so if you find something you like, you can read more. Just be aware that this comic is rated M for Mature, as it contains some language you probably don’t want your kids to see. The cover price of Starburns Presents #2 is free, while the current value is $1.

Cool Comics Kids

#1170 — Richie Rich #182, Harvey Comics, September 1979.

I’m not sure if many children today are familiar with “The Poor Little Rich Boy,” but when I was young, lots of kids collected these Harvey Comics while dreaming of what it must be like to have this kind of wealth. Not only could you enjoy Richie Rich in comic books, but in the Eighties, there was a cartoon, and later a movie (and other TV shows and movies that can be found on IMDB). My memories come from the comic books of the Seventies. I didn’t buy many myself, but other kids did, and I remember seeing them at the little shop on the corner where I spent my quarters on superheroes (mostly). These days, I tend towards the nostalgic, and when I can find them in quarter bins, I scoop them up. This issue, from 1979, has an exciting—yet disturbing—adventure with Richie Rich and Little Dot, as Richie’s father sends them off alone in a boat that gets blown up! The kids start to abandon ship when they are warned over the radio by some nefarious baddies, and spot a torpedo heading for the boat just as they try to get in the life raft…and they are hurled into the water by the explosion. Crazy stuff. But it was the Seventies, right? These stories are fun and don’t pull punches, so just make sure your kids can handle the zaniness of this kid with deep pockets! The cover price of Richie Rich #182 is 40¢, while the current values are $8 on CBR and $5 on ZKC.

Cool Comics Classics

#1171 — Iron Man #85, Marvel, April 1976.

I enjoy comic books from various decades, but my sweet spot is the Seventies…especially the years of my first phase of comic book collecting, from 1973 to 1978. So obviously, this Iron Man issue from 1976 has more sentimental value to me than an Iron Man issue from any other time period. And I’m betting that most of you reading this probably know just what I mean. Of course, your preferred decade or favorite time period of comic books is perhaps earlier or later than the mid-70’s, but if you’re a collector, I’m pretty sure you get it. In all honesty I wasn’t much of an Iron Man purchaser back then. While Tony Stark had some cool adventures, I seemed to prefer him in team books, rather than as a solo hero. Today though, I do like finding these Bronze Age exploits of Iron Man, and I was fortunate enough to spot this older one in a quarter bin. And how can you not buy it when it’s that cheap? This is a fun story featuring Happy Hogan as a “Living Bomb,” and as if that isn’t enough to start your jet boots firing, Iron Man gets new armor! You might just want to keep your eye out for this one, if it’s not already stored away in one of your white boxes. The cover price of Iron Man #85 is 25¢, while the current value is $18. The Key Collector Comics value is $5.

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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