Marvel’s Empyre Strikes Back & Swamp Thing is Required Reading!

Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection Episode 249, 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 249…

Cool Comics News!

Frequent guest contributor—and one of the best bloggers in the world of comics—Steve “Atom” Baum often uses the phrase “Cool Comics Synergy,” and it’s happened again, as he let me know shortly after last week’s episode that he’d been working on a review of ROM #1 for our Cool Comics Reader Reviews segment. Often between here, our Cool Comics Facebook Group, and Steve’s own Longbox Junk, the same comics or themes pop up. It’s fun when it happens, and I really love Steve’s review this week, so be sure not to miss it. Oh, and one more thing. You might notice that I spelled ROM with all caps here but spelled it Rom in Episode 248. Since Steve used the all caps spelling, I followed suit for his review. But on the page I linked in Cool Comics last week, and at many other sources, just the “R” is capitalized. And there are also tons of places that use all caps. So you can spell it either way, but the most important thing of all about ROM is to find the issues and read them!

Cool Comics Battle of the Week!

Your Cool Comics Battle of the Week is Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers) versus Ultra Boy! 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 Momaw Nadon (for more about this Ithorian, click HERE), is one of the 50 plus sketch cards Dan created for the Topps Star Wars Masterworks 2019 Set. 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

#1266 — Empyre: Avengers #0, Marvel, June 2020.

While Marvel is a few months behind in their big Empyre event, we can’t put the blame on them since we’re in the middle of a worldwide pandemic (and who will be the first to do a COVID-19 limited series?). Still, pieces are starting to populate comic shops. In early April Road to Empyre: The Kree/Skrull War #1, appeared, and now, finally, Empyre: Avengers #0 gives us a taste of what’s to come when the Kree and Skrull join forces. Unfortunately, it took two-and-a-half months for this next one to come out, and Empyre #1 hasn’t even reached us yet. Nevertheless, if this issue is any indication of what we’re going to be seeing over the next few months, I think most fans are going to be pleased. I don’t want to spoil anything for those who haven’t read it yet, but I will say that this takes place on the moon, where the Avengers find it’s made up of much more than cheese! The cover price of Empyre: Avengers #0 is $4.99, while the current value is $5. The Key Collector Comics value is $5.

Cool Comics from the Quarter Bin

#1267 — Legion of Super-Heroes #268, DC, October 1980.

If you’re rather new to the world of comic book collecting, and you decide you want to collect as many issues of Legion of Super-Heroes as you can, I’m here to tell you that I’ve had fabulous good fortune finding scads of them in quarter bins. But the main problem is that they’ve had so many different runs/iterations/title variants that you practically need a spreadsheet to keep them all straight (or a good app or website to track your comics). Also, like most titles that’ve been around for a few decades, the further back you go, the harder it is to find them on the cheap. I was pleasantly surprised to find this issue, which is nearing its 40^th birthday, in a quarter bin, and while I’ve had it in my possession for over half a year now, it was time to pull it from my file cabinet of unread comics and give it a read after I’d finished with the newest edition of Back Issue #120, which had a focus on the Legion of Super-Heroes. For those who like to know such things, the all-star creative team is made up of writer J.M. DeMatteis and illustrator Steve Ditko. The cover price of Legion of Super-Heroes #268 is 50¢, while the current values are $6 on CBR and $7 on ZKC.

Halloween ComicFest Cool Comics

#1268 — John Constantine, the Hellblazer 2018 #1, DC, November 2018.

I’ve seen more of John Constantine on TV then between the pages of a comic book, so I was glad that I picked up this Halloween ComicFest (HCF) edition in 2018. If you noticed on the cover in the top right corner, this issue is written by Neil Gaiman (I got to see him give a talk at Case Western Reserve University a few years ago, and he really knows how to entertain a live audience) and illustrated by Dave McKean (and seeing his name always makes me think of that eerie Mr. Punch graphic novel from 1995, of which I own a copy). One of the somewhat strange things with many of these HCF editions is that the name given in the indicia doesn’t always match what they have splashed across the cover (so if any of you think I’m flat out wrong, now you know why there’s a discrepancy). And yes, it’s a creepy story, just what you’d expect for a Halloween special. The cover price of John Constantine, the Hellblazer 2018 #1 is free, while the current value is $1.

Cool Comics Kids

#1269 — Looney Tunes #4, DC, July 1994.

Reading a Looney Tune comic book can be fun, but when compared to the classic cartoon episodes, well…there’s no comparison. Perhaps I’d enjoy the experience even more if I had opera music playing in the background, and most of you probably know exactly what I mean. Still, Looney Tunes comic books are a nice introduction to the characters for the younger and uninitiated, and whenever I’m fortunate enough to find some issues in quarter bins, I make sure to purchase them. And like so many of the titles I feature here in Cool Comics Kids, they take me back in time to a place I’m in no hurry to depart from. Like so many of these comics aimed at younger readers, the issues typically contain several stories with some of the biggest animated stars in the business. The cover price of Looney Tunes #4 is $1.50, while the current values are $4 on CBR and $3 on ZKC.

Cool Comics Classics

#1270 — Treasure Chest Vol. 22/No. 18, George A. Pflaum, May 1967.

This is the second issue I’ve come across of this eclectic comic book out of Dayton, Ohio, and “published every two weeks during the school year…” Treasure Chest of Fun & Fact started with Vol. 1 in 1946 and ran until Vol. 27 in 1972, targeting a Catholic school-aged audience. I didn’t attend a Catholic grade school, and I’m a bit jealous that I missed out on these fun comics that told real-life stories along with exciting fiction. If anyone grew up reading these, please feel free to tell us about it in the comments section below. I love the cover with the ship HOPE and the flag, and the accompanying story is very inspiring. Also, I think it’s a nice fit with the Fourth of July just a couple days away! I found this issue in a quarter box at my local comic shop, and if the store has more in the regular back issue section, I’ve never gone searching for them. But who can pass up a treasure like this for just a quarter? The cover price of Treasure Chest Vol. 22/No. 18 is 10¢, while the current values are $24 on CBR and $12 on ZKC.

Cool Collected Editions with Dr. Omnibus

Saga of the Swamp Thing Volumes 3-6 by Alan Moore (DC)

Dr. Omnibus score: 9.25 out of 10

I loved volume 1 and 2 so much that I decided to marathon read through the rest of the series as fast as I could. So here is my take on the remainder of the series.

The Books Themselves

I have the trade paperback volumes and they all are pretty much devoid of backmatter and are just the comics, creator biographies, a foreword and a couple pieces of art here and there. Nothing special about them.

The Words
By Alan Moore (1 issue was written by Rick Vietch)

As I said, I was super excited to continue with this reading. I was not disappointed; volumes 3-5 were even better than the first two. Every single issue was so beautifully laid out that I couldn’t make myself put them down. Alan Moore has a knack for looking so deeply at the emotions of the characters that I couldn’t help but fall in love with this story. The highlights for me were a few issues in which he explored particular aspects of human psychology, sometimes aided by the use of psychedelics. Issue 56, in Volume 5 may be the best single issue of any comic I have ever read. Volume 6 is a little bit different of a story. The first couple of issues featuring Adam Strange were great, but after that things got a bit slow and weird with some odd variations from the status quo. The last book was a real slog of a read for me. Maybe I was just worn out after a couple weeks of nothing but Swamp Thing and needed a break. Hopefully, the next time I read through it I will find my opinion differs on that last book.

The Pictures
By Bissette, Woch, Veitch, and Totleben

The art throughout the whole series was nothing short of phenomenal. Before I read this series, I had never heard of any of these artists, and now I have to see what else they did in their careers. Some of the imagery in issue 43 is among the most powerful graphic literature I have ever seen. Almost every issue has some truly powerful and stunning art. Eventually Stephen Bissette was no longer doing the pencils in the issues, and the art was noticeably different at this point and not as good, but still better than most comic art I have seen.

The Gist

This is just another example of absolutely essential comic reading from the mind of Alan Moore. If you read any book/series that I have written about on Cool Comics in My Collection, it should 100 percent be this one. This is easily the best series of more than 12 issues that I have ever read.

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!

ROM #1 (Marvel 1979)

By Steve “Atom” Baum

I’m Steve “Atom” Baum and I write comic reviews that nobody ever asked for. I don’t usually write reviews of new comics or comics that would be of interest to collectors for how much they are “worth.” To me, the “value” of a comic is in the enjoyment of it.

If you like what you see here, then join me on a journey through the forgotten depths of those longboxes of dollar back issues in your local comic shop and visit my blog, LONGBOX JUNK, where you’ll discover HUNDREDS of reviews you never asked for!

And now an exclusive “Short But Sweet” Longbox Junk Retro Review for the Cool Comics Crowd!

ARRIVAL!

SCRIPT: Bill Mantlo
PENCILS: Sal Buscema
COVER: Frank Miller

THE COVER:
That’s right, this awesome Bronze Age Beauty of a comic cover is some early work by THAT Frank Miller. I absolutely love the bold, heroic figure of ROM standing tall against the light blue sky, shown from the low P.O.V. THIS is the kind of cover that makes me want to buy a comic!

THE STORY:
A mysterious robotic alien lands on Earth outside of the West Virginia town of Clairton. Panic ensues as it guns down two long-time residents with powerful weaponry.

Trying to explain his actions, the alien uses a translator device to speak to a human woman named Brandy Clark.

He reveals his name is ROM and he is a Spaceknight from the world of Galador. . .one of one thousand Galadorians who volunteered to give up most of their humanity to become powerful cyborg warriors after a hostile shape-shifting race known as Dire Wraiths attempted to destroy their home world.

After narrowly defeating the Dire Wraiths attacking Galador, ROM and the rest of the Spaceknights have spent the last two hundred years hunting the Dire Wraiths and preventing their attacks on other worlds. . .including Earth, where ROM’s mission has brought him.

As ROM and Brandy speak, they are attacked by the National Guard, with several disguised Dire Wraiths in command. ROM defends his new ally and destroys the Wraiths before leaving. In the end, we see the Dire Wraiths have become aware that there is now a Spaceknight on Earth and that the battle has just begun!

To be continued. . .

THE REVIEW:
ROM is basically the comic tie-in to a toy line that Marvel turned into a pretty long-lasting series (75 issues & 4 annuals) that is still fairly well regarded by comic fans, outlasting the failed toy line itself. But beyond that, what we have here is a fine example of how a first issue should be done!

When I read the first issue of a series, I look for two simple things: Does it introduce characters in a new reader-friendly way? Does it tell a story that makes me want to read more? I give ROM #1 a big YES to both of those questions!

As an introduction to ROM, this comic delivers in a big way. The whole second half of the book tells the story of Galador and how ROM became a Spaceknight. It’s a lot bigger chunk of background than one would expect for a comic meant to sell toys! The reader doesn’t need to know one single thing about ROM coming into this in order to come away with a fantastic science fiction origin story.

And that story brings us to the second point. . .do I want to read more? Once again, YES! This issue delivers a great origin story wrapped up in some exciting “misunderstood alien warrior” comic book action as ROM begins to eliminate the Dire Wraiths infesting Earth. Yeah, it’s a pretty well-worn path, but hats off to veteran comic writer Bill Mantlo for making a comic meant to sell toys feel EPIC!

Speaking of comic veterans, Sal Buscema stands tall among Bronze Age Marvel artists and he was the PERFECT choice to illustrate this science fiction tale of Cyborg Warriors and shape-shifting villains! Just LOOK at the splash page below and you will be looking at a master class in how to introduce a brand-new character! Buscema brings action and life to every page of this comic.

Overall, what we have in ROM #1 is a perfect storm of Bronze Age Mighty Marvel storytelling from Bill Mantlo delivering a great introduction to a new character, combined with the fantastic art of legendary Marvel artist Sal Buscema, giving the reader the kind of comic that they just don’t make anymore.

Bottom Line: If you’re a fan of Bronze Age comics, science fiction comics, or both, you NEED to read ROM! Unfortunately, because of copyright issues, ROM hasn’t been collected. This is one you’ll have to hunt down issue by issue. Worth the effort? I say yes!

Until next time, remember that comics are worth more than money.

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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