Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection Episode 257, 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 257…
Cool Comics News!
Did you get the new Previews yesterday (if you aren’t familiar with it, click the title in bold)? Each month, most comic shops have this giant catalog available so that fans like us can find cool stuff we want to order (some shops offer it free if you have comics pulled for you on a regular basis). It helps the shops, and it helps us in our collecting. I always tell my wife the day before it comes out that “tomorrow is a comic book holiday,” and she knows exactly what I’m talking about. After I finish up preparing Cool Comics for its Thursday morning launch, I spend the rest of that evening going over Previews, page by page, and jotting down comics I want to put on my list. There is a separate, smaller catalog for Marvel, and for DC, it’s now entirely digital…which is limiting for some readers. Regardless, it’s always fun to look it over and discover new worlds of imagination.
Cool Comics Battle of the Week!
Your Cool Comics Battle of the Week is Maestro versus Youngblood, Black Lightning, and even Yosemite Sam! 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 we welcome back Melissa Gosney, our very first guest artist for Cool Comics Creations, which debuted in episode 225. This time around, Melissa shows off some of her sketching and coloring skills with these little birds on a fence. Since I’m a big fan of Edgar Allan Poe, maybe we can convince Melissa to draw a raven that Cool Comics can feature in October!
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
#1301 — Maestro #1, Marvel, October 2020.
After I started collecting comics again in 1993 (for new readers, I hadn’t been buying regularly since 1982 at this point, but once my dad got me a copy of Superman #75—you know, the death issue—I was back in the game), I found myself curious about what I’d missed out on, and started perusing back issue boxes…especially the sales boxes that contained issues that were really cheap. And lo and behold, I found parts one and two of Hulk: Future Imperfect for just 50 cents each. I knew nothing about them at the time, but they looked cool, so I bought them. Now, 28 years later, original writer Peter David is giving us the origin of “The Hulk’s Greatest Foe – Himself,” as the cover so boldly tells us! This is a five-part series, so if you want me to tell you if the wait was worth it, I can only base it off issue 1. But so far so good, frantic ones! The cover price of Maestro #1 is $4.99, while the current value is $5. The Key Collector Comics value is $5.
Cool Comics from the Quarter Bin
#1302 — Youngblood #1, Image, April 1992.
When I started buying comics again in 1993, and learned a little about Image Comics, I decided to also search out back issues of their titles so that I could further immerse myself in all the goings on of contemporary comics. And I ended up finding lots of issues for under a dollar. Eventually, I stopped buying comic books in 2003 and decided I had too many white storage boxes, so I had a huge garage sale and sold a big portion of my collection, including all my Image titles. And yes, you get it, I’ve returned once again (in 2017) and now do a lot of hunting in quarter bins. Youngblood #1 was the first title published by Image Comics, and now I have two copies of it, each costing just a quarter. If I wanted to frame the issue, this would work well because it comes with a cover on the front and back…or maybe it just has two fronts…along with two separate stories. This time around, I seemed to have a better feel for Rob Liefeld’s story. Part of which is probably the nostalgic factor of dipping back in the Nineties, which was a fun time for me as I was in the Army and my wife and I started adding kids to our family. I may never buy another issue from this series, but for just a quarter (well, two of them), I got to reflect on a piece of my past. The cover price of Youngblood #1 is $2.50, while the current value is $5. The Key Collector Comics value is $4.
FCBD the Cool Comics Way (Week 6)
#1303 — Dark Ark: Instinct, AfterShock Comics, May 2020.
I think just about everyone who reads this will have some knowledge about Noah, his ark, and the flood, but just in case you don’t, you can read about it here. What? Back already? You people are fast readers! So now that you have some background, imagine what things might have been like on an ark full of monsters, like vampires, strange half-human/half-spider creatures, and other odd beings that will most certainly shiver your timbers. That’s the premise of this Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) issue from AfterShock Comics. This scary voyage was imagined by writer Cullen Bunn, with art by Antonio Fuso. If you like it, you can collect more in individual issues or trades. Next up in this FCBD issue is a special preview for Sympathy For No Devils, by Brandon Thomas and Lee Ferguson. It’s also on the ghoulish side and a good pairing with the Dark Ark story. Watch for this one in your comic shops at the end of October. The cover price of Dark Ark: Instinct is free, while the current value is $1.
Cool Comics Kids
#1304 — Yosemite Sam #41, Gold Key, December 1976.
This issue of Yosemite Sam gives us four stories that were all rather enjoyable, even if you’re far removed from your Saturday morning cartoon days. Other Looney Tunes castmates who join in on the fun and hijinks with Sam include Daffy Duck in “Tugged Out,” Bugs Bunny and Porky Pig in “That’s Tough!” and Daffy again in both “Goof on the Roof” and “Lighthouse Blues.” Even if you don’t care much for the stories, the ads are always a blast to see, and the inside back cover is a full-page spread showing off the Mission Control Center for The Six Million Dollar Man. But that’s not all! If you send in 50 cents, you can become a member of The Six Million Dollar Man Bionic Action Club. How in the world did I miss out on this when I was a kid? But my favorite ad page in this issue shows off several Handy Andy Tool Sets, one of which I’m fairly sure I had as a boy. Ahh, the memories! The cover price of Yosemite Sam #41 is 30¢, while the current values are $12 on CBR and $6 on ZKC.
Cool Comics Classics
#1305 — Black Lightning #10, DC, August 1978.
In an issue called “The Other Black Lightning,” the Trickster makes a daring escape from an airplane and ends up at a circus, so if you’re a fan of the greatest show on earth, step right up, get your tickets, and enjoy the feats! Jefferson Pierce (Black Lightning) is surprised to learn that Black Lightning will be appearing at the local circus, so obviously he wants to find out who has stolen his superhero identity, and why. Of course, things get a little crazy once the show starts and the Trickster makes an appearance. And if you’re a fan of elephants you won’t want to miss out on this issue, either. This is a fun little moment in comics that had me thinking back to being young and walking to the circus with my neighborhood pals. The cover price of Black Lightning #10 is 35¢, while the current values are $8 on CBR and $10 on ZKC.
Cool Moments in Graphic Lit with Dr. Omnibus
Demon In A Bottle
I have never been shy about sharing the fact that I am a recovering alcoholic. I have been fortunate enough to celebrate 8+ years of continuous sobriety. To celebrate my 5th year sober, I decided to buy myself something of a gift to mark the occasion, a copy of Iron man 128; I also had that comic signed by Bob Layton and graded…it’s low grade, but I wanted it preserved because it is important to me.
In the issues leading up to Iron Man 128, we can see Tony Stark’s life becoming rather unmanageable. There are several scenes in which Tony is shown to be turning to the bottle as a form of escapism, and some erratic behavior, which is implied to be the result of his alcoholism, but he doesn’t realize it at the time. This was very much the issue in my story as well. I knew I drank abnormally but did not recognize it as a problem until it started impacting my relationships.
Later in the story, Tony lashes out at Jarvis, who in turn resigns. This is a great inclusion in the story. For many alcoholics, it isn’t until we are notified by our loved ones how objectionable our behavior is to them, that we begin to realize how objectionable our behavior is to ourselves. Those of us who are lucky enough come to this realization before it’s too late, and start taking measures to reverse the harms we have done. It is also worthy to mention that Jarvis’ letter of resignation is actually the letter of resignation written by Dave Cockrum, but each instance of “Marvel” was replaced with “The Avengers.”
From there, things take a bit of a disappointing turn. Tony is confronted by Beth, who tells him about her experience with an active addict and thinks that Tony may be going down that same path. Based on this conversation, Tony decides to quit drinking, and just like that, things go back to normal for him. Very little was shown of his struggle to actually quit; in that regard it was a bit hard to swallow. But all in all, I love that alcoholism was addressed in such a popular comic series and think that Tony’s alcoholism is more impressively addressed down the road, like in the Fear Itself storyline.
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!
Cult of Dracula (Second Sight Publishing)
By Chase Harrison
Evil never dies. It’s only passed down from generation to generation and reshaped a little along the way. That is the core premise of Cult of Dracula by Rich Davis. It is explored to its fullest, with a light touch, trusting the reader to understand and imagine where they are, where they’ve been, and where they are most terrified to go. Cult of Dracula drops the characters from the famed Bram Stoker novel into the meat grinder of a Jonestown-like compound. This cult is fronted by the maniacally mysterious R.M. Renfield, but something far more ancient and far more evil lurks in the darkness.
The plot shifts between two stories along two timelines. The book opens with the arrival of Special Agent Malcolm Bram as he investigates a tragedy dubbed “The Cult of Dracula Mass Suicides.” These opening panels are smooth, near silent, and serve as a wonderful overture, along with sickening landmines of grotesque detail to fill each of the earlier moments, peppered in like bloody chum in the water by artist Henry Martinez. Readers soon join journalists Mina Murray and Abraham Van Helsing, three days earlier, as they work to expose the cult’s true nature. The bulk of the quippy dialogue flows naturally in these flashback segments. This 
allows the weight of silence to be fleet in the pensive Agent Bram as he cases the scene of the crime. Davis’ words pair beautifully with Martinez’s art. The transitions are not always clear, nor are they easy to follow. This fosters a sense of disorientation and confusion for the readers, who never quite know where or when they are. It makes for real edge-of-your-seat storytelling. Each time period is well balanced, with both given the needed time to breathe and develop. The use of foreshadowing is strong, as the readers will only be able to assume the wicked fates that await each character…a smart, well-used trick that will keep the readers pining for the next issue.
The synergy on display between Martinez’s art and Trevor Richardson’s colors is incredible. The splash page that reveals cult leader Renfield is especially exquisite. It balances the gravitas the character brings to the story yet also perfectly depicts the weightlessness Renfield carries himself with. All before mentioning the easily overlooked but must be noted work that Richardson has added to the skylines of the panels. Outside the compound, Richardson’s use of rich bold reds resembles the color of fresh, flowing blood. It creates a foreboding atmosphere very well.
Each character is given a cool modern…re-Vamp (pun fully intended) that more than seamlessly moves them to the story’s present-day 
setting. From a unique take on the Count to a Final Girl-styled Mina Murray all the way to the aforementioned Manson infused Renfield, every character from the novel is more than accounted for. Though this reframing to the time period does serves some characters better than others.
Jonathan Harker is a character who has usually suffered from some unremarkable outings on screen. I’m looking at you, Keanu Reeves. Unfortunately, even here it’s a trope the character can’t quite get away from. The role can’t shake this bland sense of just being there to move things along. Though that’s an issue I’m sure further issues will resolve.
A scene where Harker is introduced to the inhabitants of the cult starts out with real power and zest, as Renfield preaches and Lucy gazes on in an allured wonder. The class system on the cult is really put on display in a solid manner, which is a theme the comic book itself really pushes hard, the battles of classes.
It’s when the scene shifts to be between Harker and a trust-fund-baby Arthur Holmwood that the plot’s pace has the breaks slammed on it. A mix of whiny, unclear motives for Arthur, and the placeholder muttering of Harker, muddies the waters for only the hottest of seconds. The issue smartly cuts back to the mystery that drives Agent Bram’s hunt, planting more seeds to germinate in future issues.
The issue’s final moment will certainly stay with readers long after the book itself has been filed away within their own collections. As it returns to the menacing blood, guts, and gore of the comic’s opening, presented in a near splash page is an image that can only be described as well…Blood Orgy is the terminology I would use.
As an avid lover of all things Horror and comic books, I can attest that the first issue of “Cult of Dracula” is a brutal and blood graphic series. Fanatics of the Horror genre will devour this title, chomping at the bit, wondering just where it will go next. The true sign of any engaging work, really. The story merges the unpolished over-the-top gore of grindhouse cinema, anchored through the lens of atmospheric gothic literature. Davis understands the tug of war between modern and classic Horror, knowing when to show his hand or when to bait the hook.
Heading into the Halloween Horrors season, readers looking for a fun and freaky fright need to keep their eyes peeled and their blood chilled for “Cult of Dracula.” Sink your teeth into it, before it sinks its teeth into you!
My rating: 9/10
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!
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Views: 496
Dark Ark sounds amazing, I messaged my lcs to see if they had a copy (fingers crossed). Cullen Bunn writes a pretty good horror story and is himself a huge horror fanatic, so i cant wait to see this.
and that house of secrets homage on Cult of Dracula looks pretty sweet.
Good luck with getting a copy of the FCBD Dark Ark comic. And yes, I also like that Cult of Dracula cover!
Great Dr. Omnibus entry this week! Thanks for being so open and sharing this with Cool Comics.
Yes I have a copy of Youngblood #1. Yes I bought it the day it came out. And yes I did not like it.I can’t part with it though, because it is the first comic in Image Comics history.
I bought several issues of Black Lightning as a kid, but not #10. If I told you in 1977 that Black Lightning would be starting his fourth season on network tv in 2021, I would have been locked up.
Maybe someday that Youngblood issue will be worth a few more dollars…one never knows…especially if it hits the big screen.
I know that Tony Isabella has been enjoying seeing his creation on the small screen! That must be a pretty neat feeling.
Thanks for being an important part of Cool Comics!
The Black Lightning TV series has treated my creation and myself with great respect. At a time when DC Comics doesn’t have a clue who Jeff Pierce is, the TV series has adhered to the character’s core values. I love the folks who work on the show and they seem to love me back. Witness my cameo appearance as Judge Isabella in the third season finale.
Tony, it’s so great that the cast and crew of The Black Lightning TV show have been treating you so well! Hopefully DC will get back on track soon with all the changes they’ve been making, and maybe we’ll get to read more cool comics written by Tony Isabella!
Thanks for being an important part of Cool Comics!
I have never read Demon in a Bottle, so i am glad to see that the late 2020 release of Marvel Masterworks Invincible Iron Man volume 13 will include that storyline
Like you, David, I’ve never read that story, but most certainly will someday, whether paper or digital. We are grateful that Dr. Omnibus was so open in telling his story. Perhaps someone read his “Cool Moments…” here and it will help them in ways we may never know.
Thanks for being an important part of Cool Comics!
More Cool Comics Synergy! I have Black Lightning #1 and was planning on doing a Reader Review on it for you sometime soon. It’s a real piece of Bronze Age gold! And speaking of Bronze Age gold, I was floored to see Tony Isabella right here at Cool Comics! It’s really cool to see some of the minds behind our favorite comics coming to visit now and then. Just another reason to love Cool Comics!
Youngblood is one of those comic series you’d THINK would be “worth” a little more. On the bright side, if you dig through enough bargain bins, it’s pretty easy to snag a full run on the cheap side. It’s a decent read if you have the whole story at hand and don’t mind some REALLY 90’s-Tastic artwork.
A big round a applause for both Dr. Omnibus and Chase Harrison for their great additions as well!
I’ve never read the “Demon in a bottle” storyline, but have always wanted to. Tony Stark’s alcoholism is barely mentioned these days, but it seems like a really interesting direction for a high-flyin’ hero to be taken in at the time the story was written.
As for “Cult of Dracula”, it seems like a really interesting re-imagining of the classic tale that Chase’s review REALLY makes me want to check out! Thanks for including that review because it’s sort of an unusual comic to be found in Cool Comics.
Thanks for another great post and thanks for keeping comics fun!
Atom, we’d love to get a reader review from you on Black Lightning #1! Your Longbox Junk review versions are always appreciated at Cool Comics.
This was a pretty special episode with Dr. Omnibus and his ties to “Demon in a Bottle,” along with Chase Harrison’s “Cult of Dracula” review, along with the two cover versions and some interior art.
Thanks for being an important part of Cool Comics!