That Time When I Plucked Shadowman #1 From the Quarter Bin!

Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection Episode 243, 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

If you have any comments, please scroll to the bottom of the page to where it says, “Leave a Reply.” And now, Episode 243…

Cool Comics News!

Last week I received an email from Adam Lawson, the writer/director of the YouTube Original series “Escape The Night,” and the gaming shows “Tabletop” and “Spellslingers.” It turns out he’s also a comic book creator and currently has a campaign running on Indiegogo for The Eighth, which, straight from his email, “is the epic and painful story of teenagers, David Wells and Emma Adachi, who unlock a piece of ancient Sumerian armor, but mismanage its power and end up committing murder. Before they know it, they find themselves on a terrifying journey to change or destroy the world with no going back.” There are several different levels of perks and stretch goals available if you decide to support The Eighth, including the entire 200-page comic, or individual digital issues, along with a cool shirt! Adam allowed me to read the first issue, which is well-written, the art captures the intensity and emotion of the plot, and the overall story does a great job of moving forward and leaves you wanting to know what comes next in issue 2! But take note that this is a title meant for a mature audience, so you’ve been cautioned! If you want to see more of what The Eighth is about, click the Indiegogo link above, watch the video near the top, and scroll through the rest of the page. Adam and Jorin Evers, the artist, appreciate your support of the campaign!

Cool Comics Battle of the Week!

Your Cool Comics Battle of the Week is Shadowman versus Moon Knight! 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 week our artistic creation comes to us from…me…when I was a bit younger! We’ve been having some fantastic drawings here from some awesome artists, and it makes me wonder if some of you want to participate but are perhaps a little intimidated, considering the high quality of work that’s been showcased. So, fear no longer, fellow fans, as I’m exposing my lack of talent with this rendition of the Hulk, casually backhanding a tree. Did the tree make Hulk angry, or was it something General Ross said? We may never know the truth of it, but here it is, captured for your viewing pleasure (or displeasure!). I’m betting most of you out there can do better than me, and you can prove me right by submitting some of your awesome art to Cool Comics! See the paragraph below for details on just how you can do that.

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

#1236 — Action Comics #6, DC, April 2012.

I’ve mentioned on here a few times that I wasn’t actively buying or reading comics when DC’s New 52 initiative launched. Which is probably good, because I’m sure I would have spent lots of money on many of the titles! Yet now that I’m collecting full force once again, I’ve continued to whet my curiosity from time to time by grabbing some of these when I find them in discount boxes. And to be honest, it really isn’t hard to find them. Therefore, I need to be a bit selective, or home and hearth will once more be threatened by the incredible multiplying white boxes! Action Comics is the granddaddy of comic book titles, in my opinion, regardless of how good or bad sales happen to be during different periods. My father once owned an Action Comics #1, and though it ended up getting a watery death (his comic collection was sent to a cousin who was serving on a ship that ended up getting sunk during WW2…the cousin was able to survive, but my dad’s collection didn’t make it), Superman and Action Comics give me great memories of my late father, and for me, that’s part of what this hobby is about. This creators on this issue are Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert, names familiar to most fans. The cover price of Action Comics #6 is $3.99, while the current value is $4.

Cool Comics from the Quarter Bin

#1237 — Shadowman #1, Valiant, May 1992.

Not many Valiant comic books have joined the ranks of Cool Comics, but you’ll certainly see more as time goes by (in other words, if you’re a fan, keep a watchful eye out by continuing to read Cool Comic In My Collection each week…and if you want to be sure not to miss an episode, subscribe to the newsletter!). As I’ve mentioned here before, during my third phase of comic collecting (1993-2003) I got interested in Valiant but didn’t buy issues when they were new at the comic shops. Instead, I searched discount boxes in several stores in the Atlanta, GA, area where I was living at the time. And I was able to get quite a few (most certainly over 100, but I don’t have an exact count) on the cheap! But one weekend, sometime around 2010-2011, I had a mighty garage sale because I had TOO many comic books, and I made the decision to sell all my unread Valiant issues. Now that I’m collecting again, I’ve caught Valiant fever once more, and I’ve found lots of great stuff from the original run for just a quarter each! I never thought I’d be able to find this particular issue in a quarter bin, but hard work paid off and now I own a beautiful copy of the first issue from the original run, without even breaking the bank! The cover price of Shadowman #1 is $2.50, while the current value is $25. The Key Collector Comics value is $20.

Halloween ComicFest Cool Comics

#1238 — Star Wars: Boba Fett #1, Marvel, December 2019.

During my current collecting phase (phase IV…but not to be confused with the 1974 movie about creepy, intelligent ants!), I’ve picked up a few free Halloween ComicFest issues from my local comic shop, yet haven’t taken the time to read them. So, with Free Comic Book Day 2020 postponed, this seems like the perfect time to check them out and fill a void in Cool Comics! Our first look is this special Star Wars issue, which was originally published as Star Wars: Age of Rebellion – Boba Fett #1, with a cover date of July 2019. Which means that it had been out just a few months before reissuing it for the special October celebration. Since I didn’t buy it previously and knew that I wanted to read some of the new Star Wars comics from Marvel, it made perfect sense to select this as one of my free choices (like FCBD, most comic shops will limit you on how many you can take for free). The story, written by Greg Pak, was fairly solid, and Marc Laming’s pencils look great. And I also want to give credit to Neeraj Monon because the colors are fantastic and really bring this issue to life. The cover price of Star Wars: Boba Fett #1 is free, while the current value is $1.

Cool Comics Kids

#1239 — Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures #13, Archie, August 1990.

Kids love the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (as do many adults!), so I decided to pull another one out of my Cool Comics Kids box, give it a read, and grant it Cool Comics immortality! Okay, you can stop laughing now…we all know Cool Comics will neither last that long nor be remembered forever, but sometimes I like to pretend! If you’re looking to get some older TMNT comics for the little ones in your life, I strongly suggest checking out the ones published by Archie Comics, like this one. They will make you think of the Playmates action figures and the cartoons, because they aim for a younger crowd. I can’t really claim to be knowledgeable when it comes to these “heroes in a half-shell,” but this comic is good clean turtle fun! The cover price of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures #13 is $1, while the current values are $5 on CBR and $3 on ZKC.

Cool Comics Classics

#1240 — Moon Knight #8, Marvel, June 1981.

While Moon Knight was born into the world of comic books in an issue of Werewolf By Night (#32), smack dab in the middle of my favorite four color period (yes, you got that right, people playing at home, the answer is 1975!), I don’t recall having any knowledge of the character until my second phase of comics, which lasted about nine months in 1982. At some point in 1978…or maybe even early 1979…I’d kicked the habit because I was in high school and didn’t want to appear uncool (now look how “Cool Comics” are today!), and until a college roommate got me interested again in 1982, I had no idea what was going on between the pages of our favorite hobby. Moon Knight did have a few other appearances in the Seventies, but 1980 saw this very different kind of hero get his first solo series. Did I read it in 1982? No. But now I wish I had. Still, the discount bins have been good to me, and I found this one, along with several others from his first series, in a quarter box a little over a year ago. Some people don’t care much for the character, and I can understand why, but if you read a few of his comics he tends to grow on you. This issue was penned by Doug Moench and illustrated by Bill Sienkiewicz. The cover price of Moon Knight #8 is 50¢, while the current values are $5 on CBR and $10 on ZKC. The Key Collector Comics value is $20.

Cool Collected Editions with Dr. Omnibus

Umbrella Academy Volume 2: Dallas (Dark Horse Comics)

Dr. Omnibus score: 7.5 out of 10

Umbrella Academy Volume 1: Apocalypse Suite was not really my cup of tea. To quote myself, “The story was interesting, but not great.” Yet it was good enough that I kept going and read Volume 2, which is titled Dallas. I figure I had to at least read Volume 2 since it will, in theory, be the source material for the second season of the show, which airs on Netflix later this year. Between reading Volume 1 and 2 of this book, I learned that Gerard Way is the lead singer of the band My Chemical Romance (just a random little fact for you in case, like me, you didn’t know that).

The Book Itself

It’s just your run of the mill, standard sized trade paperback with glossy thin paper and no bells or whistles. Nothing of note here.

The Words
By Gerard Way

The story in this volume was a little more my speed. It was considerably darker, had a strong time travel element, and is centered around a real conspiracy theory that everyone in America is familiar with. I’m a sucker for a good conspiracy theory. While many of the relationships have changed due to the events of the first volume, the character and relationship building is maintained as one of the stronger points of Gerard’s writing. All the cast make several appearances in the book, but it is heavily focused on one or two of the seven main characters. This, coupled with an increased familiarity with the characters, really helped the story be more palatable. Overall, I would say this volume is much improved over the last.

The Art
By Gabreil Bá

There is not a significant change in the artwork from Volume 1 to Volume 2. The only really noteworthy difference is that Dallas features WAY more blood and gore than Apocalypse Suite did. It also introduced some very creepy looking characters, despite the fact they’re unremarkably unique designs.

The Gist

Dallas provided more of the same but done slightly better than its predecessor. If you have a sick and/or twisted sense of humor like me, then you are likely to enjoy this. If senseless violence is not something you desire to read about, you may want to skip this one. Now that I think of it, I wonder if Gerard Way took some inspiration from Jhonen Vasquez’s cult classic Johnny the Homicidal Maniac? Also, this incorporates time travel into a conspiracy theory, so how bad could it be?

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!

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!

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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