Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection Episode 233, 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 233…
Cool Comics News!
Don’t forget that now you can submit reviews and be a part of Cool Comics! And if you feel intimidated by Steve Baum’s excellent review from last episode, keep in mind that they can be as simple as the one I did for this week (see Cool Comics Reader Reviews! below). We look forward to hearing from you soon.
On another note, I decided to go with larger images for our two reviews this episode, since we have just one of each. If you want to see larger pictures here at Cool Comics, all you have to do is click on the images, then hit the back arrow to exit. But this time I made it a little easier on you with a couple covers. Let me know if I should do this more often or just use the smaller images.
Cool Comics Battle of the Week!
Your Cool Comics Battle of the Week is Doctor Voodoo versus Bloodshot! 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 illustrator Dan Gorman, a member of the National Cartoonists Society and one of the top sketch card artists on the planet. This card featuring Boba Fett is one of the 50 plus sketch cards Dan created for the Topps Star Wars Masterworks 2019 Set, and is very timely, considering that Marvel just released Star Wars Bounty Hunters #1 yesterday! For more about Dan and his art, please visit www.dangormanart.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
#1184 — Strange Academy #1, Marvel, May 2020.
Really? Harry Potter is yesterday’s news, right? And that’s exactly what this premise feels like, gathering all these magical teens throughout the Marvel Universe to come hone their skills. I was going to pass on this one, but my wife saw it advertised somewhere, and she recognized the name Humberto Ramos because she loved the way he drew Impulse, so she talked me into giving it a try. And after all, I’ve read some stuff by Skottie Young (Middlewest and Bully Wars, for example), and he really does a great job when it comes to writing about kids. Young and Ramos, at least from my perspective, have a hit on their hands. This was so much fun that I can hardly wait until April to read the next issue! The staff at the school is awesome, and includes Zelda Stanton, Brother (and sometimes still referred to as “Doctor”) Voodoo, Hellstrom, Nico Minoru, Scarlet Witch, Magik, Shaman, and Doctor Strange…when they aren’t out saving the world! I’m ready for the next lesson. The cover price of Strange Academy #1 is $4.99, while the current value is $5. The Key Collector Comics value is $5.
#1185 — Superman: Villains #1, DC, May 2020.
In Cool Comics episode 230, I guess I kind of gushed over Superman: Heroes #1, and I was expecting to have those same kinds of warm comic book feelings over the Villains special. Not that I’m a fan of villains, mind you, but I definitely thought I’d end up liking it just as much. But I didn’t. I don’t care for some of the art in this issue, and a few of the little vignettes interspersed throughout the comic just didn’t do it for me the same way. While I sound completely negative, I’m not. There were some cool comics moments (especially the story with Mongul…and Supergirl, too!) that have me anticipating what’s going to happen next. If you’re a regular reader of Superman, you probably want to add this to your collection, but if you just occasionally read the exploits of the Man of Steel, you’re probably better off reading Superman and/or Action Comics. Although if you follow certain creators, take note of the involvement with this one, featuring the following writers: Brian Michael Bendis, Matt Fraction, and Jody Hauser, and artists: Michael Gaydos, Riley Rossmo, Scott Godlewski, Bryan Hitch, Cully Hamner, Steve Lieber, and Jim Mahfood. The cover price of Superman: Villains #1 is $5.99, while the current value is $6.
Cool Comics from the Quarter Bin
#1186 — The Flash #5, DC, March 2012.
I’ve mentioned here before that when The New 52 was ongoing, I was no longer buying new comics, and at that point in my life figured I probably never would again. But as the saying goes, never say never! Part of the fun of digging around in quarter bins is finding stuff that I missed out on during the long stretch from mid-2003 to mid-2017. One day I found several issues of The Flash and decided I’d just buy them all (remember, they cost just a quarter each!). When I collected comics from 1993 to 2003, there was a period in which I was reading the exploits of DC’s speedster monthly, and I also bought back issues when I found them cheap. But this was the Wally West Flash. I’ve never bought any Barry Allen Flash comics new off the rack. In the Nineties I found all the Crisis on Infinite Earths issues in back issue bins, and read it as soon as I completed the series, and I’ve bought back issues with Barry Allen, but that’s my experience with Barry, nothing but back issue bargains. Although, truth be told, I’ve bought a few Justice League comics (it’s been well over a year now) with Barry…but it’s not the same. I do watch The Flash TV show, but as far as comics go, it’s always been Wally for me, so it’s been fun learning more and more about the Barry Allen version. This issue takes place in the middle of some crazy stuff, so I was just a little left behind…in a cloud of dust! The cover price of The Flash #5 is $2.99, while the current value is $3.
FCBD the Cool Comics Way (Week 45)
#1187 — Valiant: Bloodshot FCBD Special, Valiant Entertainment, May 2019.
I’ve been saving this Free Comic Book Day issue ever since I found out that Bloodshot was heading to the big screen, and now that it opens tomorrow (that is, if you’re reading this on March 12, 2020…Thursday being the Cool Comics publication day each week), it’s high time I add it to our ongoing FCBD segment of Cool Comics. The buzz around the movie hasn’t been great, but with Bloodshot being played by Vin Diesel, it might be worth a try. But it opens on Friday the 13th…so if you’re superstitious (which I’m not), you might be thinking that the movie is cursed. I hope audiences like it for what it is. I’ve been collecting old Valiant Comics by scooping them out of quarter bins, with the majority of them coming from the original Nineties run. Valiant is the company that refuses to quit, and now that movies are coming on the scene (Harbinger is supposedly next, although it’s been sold to a different company), perhaps it will gain even more popularity. The story in this FCBD issue is pretty good. I like the art, and I would imagine that reading it would generate interest to learn more. The comic also contains a “Fallen World” prelude story and several creator interviews. The cover price of Valiant: Bloodshot FCBD Special is free, while the current value is $1.
Cool Comics Kids
#1188 — Popeye the Sailor #165, Whitman, November 1981.
I loved Popeye cartoons when I was a kid, and I wonder if there are any young people today who have an appreciation for this sailor…or even know who he is! So yes, it was a fun trip back in time while reading this comic I found for just a quarter. This issue has two stories in it, one of which has perhaps the longest title I’ve ever seen: Thimble Theatre Presents: Popeye “A Witch in the Spinach!” or a moon maiden, a sea hag, and a sailorman! or: A Gob, A Goon, and A Ghoul! What a mouthful! If “Thimble Theatre” doesn’t sound familiar, it was lost on me, too. At least until I looked up some information on Alice the Goon (who appears in this issue) and saw mention of it there. Alice is one of the strangest, most unique characters from any era of comics and comic strips. The second story had a much shorter title, “Popeye in Paper and Paste.” I guess they decided to give us a break with that one! If Popeye has meaning to you and you want to pass on the love, perhaps Popeye comics are a good start for the young readers in your life. The cover price of Popeye the Sailor #165 is 50¢, while the current value is $18.
Cool Comics Classics
#1189 — Marvel Team-Up #64, Marvel, December 1977.
When this issue of Marvel Team-Up hit the newsstands, I decided to skip it. I’d gotten older and wiser, spending less money on comic books and paying more attention to school activities and friends. Now, looking back, I sometimes ask myself “What was I thinking?!” My favorite Spider-Man creators during the Seventies were Gerry Conway and Ross Andru, because that’s the team that gave me the stories that made Spider-Man so important to me. And since I liked him so much, it was a natural that I also bought Marvel Team-Up. It was “spectacular” that I could get even more Spider-Man each month (along with Marvel Tales too!). So now, when I find great deals on back issues of comics from the Seventies featuring Peter Parker that I missed out on, I add them to my ever-growing collection. And when I pulled this one out of my filing cabinet of unread treasures, I was both surprised and delighted to see the names Chris Claremont and John Byrne across the top of the first page (and Dave Cockrum did the cover)! If I would have bought this issue back when it was new, I wouldn’t have been as excited…instead I would have been wishing it had been Conway and Andru. But as we learn more about creators, isn’t it fun to find an issue you didn’t realize they were involved with? The story itself wasn’t all that “amazing,” but it has Iron Fist, Misty Knight, and Colleen Wing, so it’s cool enough for me. The cover price of Marvel Team-Up #64 is 35¢, while the current value is $9. The Key Collector Comics value is $10.
Cool Collected Editions with Dr. Omnibus
Guardians of the Galaxy by Gerry Duggan Omnibus
Dr. Omnibus score: 7 out of 10
I bought this book for one reason: I wanted to read Infinity Wars and heard that Infinity Wars is a direct follow up to Duggan’s run on Guardians of the Galaxy. So here we are.
The Book Itself
This might be the smallest omnibus in my collection. If not, then it’s the second smallest. It contains 17 issues plus some material from a Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) issue. After reading it, I can hardly understand why it’s labeled as an omnibus. The Latin term “omni” means “all.” So, one would think an omnibus edition collects all of something, but this does not collect the entire story that it starts, although it does contain all the issues from the series, I think. I really think this should have been marketed as an oversized hardcover. Anyway, the book held up well and has a pretty cool graphic cover with Star-Lord’s head on it.
The Story
By Gerry Duggan
My previous experience with the Guardians of the Galaxy is their inclusion in the MCU and Dan Abnett’s run. I very much enjoyed both of those. This is more of the same. Plucky band of space pirates go around heisting and occasionally saving the galaxy while their seemingly fragile friendships are tested by deceit amongst themselves. The book is full of humor and mixes it well with intense action and deeper relationships than is let on by the surface appearance. Every few issues or so was a flashback issue focusing on one character, and these were expertly laid into the main story so that you only gain the minimum of information you need for the plot to progress without losing the reader. These flashback issues were great. The rest of it was just alright. Perhaps my perception of the story overall will be altered by seeing its actual conclusion in the pages of Infinity Wars. You’ll see my take on that in a couple weeks.
The Art
These 17.5 issues had a pretty significant smattering of a roster. Normally this would not sit well with me. However, it was done well. The flashback issues I mentioned were drawn by different creative teams, which provide a unique look and create a clear separation between the flashbacks and the main story. None of the art is amazing, but it isn’t bad by any means. It was good enough to keep me in the story and wasn’t distracting.
The Gist
It was an enjoyable read with fun characters and good relationships but wasn’t stunning. It looked good enough. Worth a read, but only start this if you plan to also read Infinity Wars.
Damian Starr is a long-time collector of comics who, in recent years, has converted his focus to reading—almost exclusively—trade paperbacks, hardcovers, and Omnibus editions. Additionally, he is a frequent contributor to the MCBCFA Play Network YouTube channel (check out his Dr. Omnibus playlists). To add one more layer to his geekery, he is an amateur comic author and co-founder of Illuminatus Comics.
Cool Comics Reader Reviews!
Fire Power Advance Edition by Robert Kirkman and Chris Samnee
Reviewed by Ed Gosney
If you’re a fan of Robert Kirkman’s storytelling (The Walking Dead, Invincible, Oblivion Song) and Chris Samnee’s art (Daredevil, Black Widow), then you should most certainly consider picking up Fire Power Volume 1: Prelude, when it hits comic book stores at the end of April. A local comic shop owner loaned the Advance Edition to me, and while you may recognize many of the tropes from what you’ve read or watched in the past (there’s a funny nod to The Karate Kid movie), the creators do a masterful job in making it seem fresh, funny, and even a little bit frightening. What I didn’t see coming is contained in the final seven pages, and how that is the actual setting for the ongoing series that starts with issue 1 on Free Comic Book Day. But the week before, on April 29, you can purchase Fire Power Vol. 1: Prelude, so make sure to read it first. Yes, they are using a graphic novel to set up the series. Before I go, I want to be sure to give some praise to the colorist, Matt Wilson, who did an outstanding job in setting the mood and bringing the panels to life, making this an even greater pleasure to read. My rating: 8 out of 10 stars.
Would you like to write a review of a comic book or graphic novel for all the Internet to see? Our Cool Comics Reader Reviews section is looking for fans just like you to submit reviews of 500 words or less (introductions about yourself don’t go against the word count), along with a cover image of the comic, to edgosney62@gmail.com. Please keep in mind that we reserve the right to decide what will and won’t go in the blog, so keep the language clean, pick out a comic that won’t cause controversy (we try to have fun here!), and start tapping away on your keyboard!
ComicBooks For Kids!
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Views: 277
Hey there,
Sorry I have been absent for a good little while, but life got in the way of things a bit. I haven’t been even buying many books over the past month or so. A few on the regular, but will even wait a week or two, rather than “having” to get it the day it comes out. Anyway, I hope that all is well with you.
I couldn’t agree with you more on the Strange Academy. That was going to be a pass for me, but I was drawn to it., As much a Potter fan as I am, I will have to say this Academy is far cooler still.
Not sure quite how I feel about Bloodshot right now. I was never a huge Valiant fan, but had a couple of Bloodshot books in my original collection. For the most part, I like the character itself. Now with the movie….Diesel? I will pass at seeing at the theater, but will check it out once it hits the movie channels/Netflix or scoop up a copy at work for a few bucks if it presents itself.
That was a fine time frame for Marvel Team-Up. Marvel Two-In One as well. I like Marvel’s whole Kung-Fu genre and all of the characters still. The Savage Fists mag by Curtis/Marvel is pretty great too.
Be well!
Spector! Glad you are fine and back to the world of comics! Right now, it seems that lots of people are hunkered down in their personal bunkers, trying to stay safe and reading comic books…and catching up on Cool Comics episodes.
I see you are in agreement with Strange Academy. Fun stuff, and I can’t wait to read issue #2.
While I have a number of Bloodshot issues, I haven’t read many of them yet. My son and I were considering going to the movie last night, as my wife was going to visit with friends, but we decided to just stay in with everything going on. We are trying to stay healthy and responsible.
Yes, Marvel Team-Up and Marvel Two-In-One had some fun stuff back in those days. It’s always a pleasure to read them in preparation for a Cool Comics episode.
Spector, you might want to consider doing a Cool Comics Reader Review sometime, so please think about it! You can review new or old comics.
Thanks for being an important part of Cool Comics!
I’m down for the FCBD issue of Fire Power, so I’ll see if it can tempt me to add the series.
My brother got that copy of Marvel Team Up in 1977. I must have read it, but it left no impression.
I thought New52 was above average, but that won’t rank you very high on the all time list of Flash Eras. Plenty to enjoy though.
Action Ace, I’m looking forward to the FCBD issue of Fire Power. It’s interesting that they are issue the trade paperback first, showing how he gets where he is when the first issue starts.
I’m hoping you’ll consider being a part of our Cool Comics Reader Reviews at some time in the future! We’d love to have all kinds of voices participate.
Thanks for being an important part of Cool Comics!
Thanks for putting me onto Strange Academy! It’s not normally something I’d take a second glance at, but with Ramos, Young, and your glowing review, I’m going to give the first issue a try.
Also, another round of applause for Cool Collected Editions! I actually did a Longbox Junk two-part review of that whole Guardians of The Galaxy series for Comic Book Realm that I haven’t put into the blog just yet, but I came to pretty much the same conclusion. . .parts were great, but mostly it was just okay. Having EIGHT artists on a 12- issue run didn’t do the series any favors either. Still worth a read, though.
Thanks for another great post, and thanks for keeping comics fun!
Atom, I’m glad you’re enjoying Damian “Dr. Omnibus” Starr’s reviews! Cool Comics continues to grow and it’s fun to have both artist and writer opportunities now, and we certainly look forward to the next Longbox Junk/Cool Comics fusion episode!
I hope you enjoy Strange Academy! It introduces new players to the Marvel Universe, so maybe it’s good to at least have that issue if any of them make it big.
Thanks for being an important part of Cool Comics!
Thanks for the high praise Atom. Not every story can be a winner. At least it wasn’t a waste of time.
Hey Ed – Love Dan Gorman’s work. Met him a couple times at my local store – Adam’s comics and collectibles in Edinburg – great guy.
I grabbed a copy of Strange Academy just because Skottie Young was invovled. Fairyland is one of my all time favorites! Will be interesting to see how his writing is on this.
If you hadn’t heard, I guess they are releasing Bloodshot next week digitally. I can see this current crisis pushing us to getting digital day and date with theaters or even being able to get the digital if you go to the theater. Interesting times.
Hi SA!
Yes, Dan does awesome work and I’m so happy that he did the Cool Comics logo!
I hope you like Strange Academy as much as I did. It looks to be a fun ride.
We are living in unprecedented times. I feel bad for so many industries and small businesses, but I can understand the measures being taken. At this point, it will be good to be able to safely watch Bloodshot in our homes.
Thanks for being an important part of Cool Comics!