Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection Episode 267, 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), along with the 50th Edition of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide (OPG) using their 9.2 NM scale. 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 267…
Cool Comics News!
What comics are you really enjoying right now, and what are you looking forward to? I’m invested in a few Kickstarter projects that are currently active, such as our own Damian Starr’s The Smallest Stone and Ted Sikora’s Punchline & The Vaude-Villains. And let’s not forget that Robert A. Kraus (RAK) is still working on his upcoming Chakan Kickstarter. What about you? Feel free to share in the comment section below!
Cool Comics Battle of the Week!
Your Cool Comics Battle of the Week is Black Widow versus Captain Cold! 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 piece is by Jason Christner, who’s from Alliance, Ohio. Jason is mostly known for semi-realistic sketches of all kinds of pop culture characters from movies and comics.
Recently he’s had worked published for Singularity Studios “Along a Burning River,” as well as being a sketch card artist for Cryptozoic Entertainment. Look out for his work in the upcoming sets for “Crisis on Infinite Earths” and “Middle Earth: Lord of the Rings.”
If you’d like to see more of Jason’s art, be sure to visit his sites at both Facebook and Instagram.
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, an optional picture of yourself to go here, 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
#1351 — Dune: House Atreides #1, BOOM! Studios, October 2020.
As a big fan of the Duniverse, I read the novel Dune: House Atreides when it came out way back in 1999, so I was excited to get my hands on the first issue of this promised 12-issue series, especially since I’ve read many other books and comics over the last 20 years and can’t remember a lot of what happened in this Dune prequel. But as I turned the cover and began reading, some of it started coming back to me, and once more I became enmeshed in the world of Arrakis, spice, worms, and that darn Baron Harkonnen! This comic is well-constructed, with a sturdy cover, along with the writing and art to match. Written by the same team that gave us the additional books in the Dune series (Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson), you can have confidence that they know the source material! Additionally, the art by Dev Pramanik is so good you may forget you’re reading and instead feel like you’re watching a movie. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t give some praise to colorist Alex Guimarães, who helps complete that almost movie-like feeling. If you’re a fan of Dune, grab this one as soon as you find it (if you still can)! The cover price of Dune: House Atreides #1 is $4.99, while the current value is $5.
#1352 — Black Widow: Widow’s Sting #1, Marvel, December 2020.
The Black Widow movie isn’t coming out until (insert date, because your guess is as good as mine at this point!), but that doesn’t have to stop fans from enjoying her exploits on the printed four-color page. While there’s another series going on currently featuring Natasha Romanoff, I opted for this one-shot because…I admittedly buy too many comic books and have to find ways to draw the line. And there’s another reason for buying this one: it’s written by longtime comic book scribe Ralph Macchio. And no, he’s not the actor who starred as the Karate Kid, but it would have been kind of neat if he’d written a story or two for DC’s Karate Kid series…okay, enough of that nonsense. Simone Buonfantino did the pencils for this story, for those who like to know. The villain in this one-shot is Silvermane, a familiar name to many of you, I’m sure. If you’re a fan of the Black Widow, I recommend adding it to your collection. The cover price of Black Widow: Widow’s Sting #1 is $3.99, while the current value is $4.
FCBD the Cool Comics Way (Week 16)
#1353 — Horizon Zero Dawn #0, Titan Comics, May 2020.
More often then not, I find surprisingly interesting comics out of my Free Comic Book Day box, and Horizon Zero Dawn ended up being a perfect example of this. Have you ever played the PS4 game? I haven’t, as I don’t own a game system, and truth be told I never knew this was a game until I finished reading it and saw an ad on the back cover. But if I were a gamer, I might want to play this one, as I enjoyed the story, along with the detailed descriptions of a couple characters, tribes, and machines in the back of the comic. At the end of this story it tells us it’s to be continued, and Titan Comics wasn’t kidding around, as issue 1 had something like 22 different variant covers (not to mention a second printing), and several variant covers for issues 2, 3, and 4. The plot is that age-old story of man versus machine, but I’m sure some gamers could give a lot more details about what’s going on here…I just know it was fun to read. The cover price of Horizon Zero Dawn #0 is free, while the current value is $1. The Key Collector Comics value is $3.
Cool Comics Kids
#1354 — Toyetica #2, Action Lab, September 2017.
A few weeks ago, I braved the pandemic and went to my local Ollie’s Bargain Outlet and came home with a few 10-packs of comics. I think they were around $5.99 a pack, and you could easily see the first comic in each cellophane bag. I grabbed some that had Disney comics, thinking it would be nice to get a few modern issues for our Cool Comics Kids section, but when you do that, you never know what’s going to be in the stack. And that’s how I ended up with an issue of Toyetica. I was certainly in no rush to read it, but finally decided to select it for this week, because sometimes I’m surprised at just how entertaining kid comics can sometimes be, and this one is no exception. These little students, who are about six inches tall, attend Dollington Academy in order to gain fame so that their action figures achieve top sales…or something like that. Some students are friends, some are enemies, and when their parents send them their accessories (every action figure has to have accessories, right?), there is both jubilation and disappointment. This isn’t a comic I would go searching for, but I can imagine younger readers really enjoying it. The cover price of Toyetica #2 is $3.99, while the current value is $4.
Cool Comics Classics
#1355 — The Adventures of Jerry Lewis #112, DC, June 1969.
After the zaniness of the elections this year (not to mention that we’re still experiencing a worldwide pandemic), I think we all need a little levity, and Jerry Lewis and his goofy four-color adventures seem like the right medicine for Cool Comics. A couple of years ago, I found out that Jerry Lewis had his own comic book (although it used to be a team-up with former partner Dean Martin), and I decided I had to add a few to my collection. After a short trip to my local comic shop, I was home with three issues (two of which appeared in previous episodes of Cool Comics). I specifically picked this one up because I liked the idea of the crossover with both the Flash and Captain Cold, and when I read it, I also discovered a few other villains in the mix. For the most part, I don’t care much for Renfrew, Jerry’s obnoxious nephew, yet he stole the show in this adventure in which Jerry suddenly finds himself running a dry-cleaning business for bad guys. The cover price of The Adventures of Jerry Lewis #112 is 12¢, while the current values are $105 on CBR and $65 on ZKC. The OPG value is $105.
Cool Moments in Graphic Lit with Dr. Omnibus
Remember, Remember, The Fifth of November…V for Vendetta
Today being November 5th, it seems only fitting that I highlight V for Vendetta, which is certainly one of my top 5 favorite graphic novels of all-time. V for Vendetta was also adapted as a major film, which I also love.
One note before we get into the story: I own and read the Absolute edition of this. Despite stretching the spine a few times before reading, this book is falling apart. I do not recommend that anyone buy the Absolute. The binding is among the worst I have ever seen. There are deluxe formats available for which this is not a problem.
What it’s about…
In the wake of a nuclear war in the 1980’s, the British government has come to be led by a tyrant who has stripped many liberties from the people of Britain. Not only that, but in this government’s adolescence, it engaged in some not so ethical medical testing that had a particularly significant impact on one person in particular. This individual, henceforth known as V, went on to try to enlighten and liberate the people from the oppressive heel of the government, which was not treating its people very well.
The film is criticized by some for taking some liberty with this adaptation and Americanizing it. As an American born after the graphic novel was written, I appreciate these changes because I know nothing of 1980’s British politics. But one of the great things about the story is that in many regards, it is timeless. I don’t need to be familiar with Margaret Thatcher and her policies to understand the loss of liberty, distrust of the government, and a desire for true freedom.
Without getting into all the specifics and spoiling every aspect of this story, I will simply say that regardless of whether you read the graphic novel or watch the film, you will be hard pressed not to see some of the stunning allegories between this fictional work and reality.
Aside from its political implications, there is also a story of personal growth with which I identify.
Evey, the main female lead in this story, is taken prisoner by V. During her time with V, she begins to grow emotionally and spiritually. Some may argue that this is the result of a combination of manipulation and something along the lines of Stockholm syndrome, but regardless of the cause, the effect is beautiful. I have my own personal belief of what God is, and those beliefs have changed a lot over the years. I remember vividly when my current conception of God began to form and the feelings I had in those moments. I don’t know that I will ever see a more apt representation of that moment in my life than I did at the formative climax of Evey’s character. I personally feel this scene was done far better in the film; that level of emotion deserves to be viewed in video as opposed to being relegated to a few panels, but both are powerful, nonetheless.
To close, I would like to say that I do realize V’s methods were rather extreme and unorthodox, and I am no anarchist, but he is a man who stood for what he believed in and fought for what he thought was right. I think the world could use more of that type of behavior, perhaps without the murder and kidnapping, though. Coincidently, the Kickstarter campaign for my latest comic project, The Smallest Stone, went live yesterday. The three stories told in The Smallest Stone address different situations in which the characters question “what is the right thing to do” in certain situations. They make their choices and live with the consequences. Do things work out for them like they did for the characters in V for Vendetta? There’s only one way to find out! You can back the project here.
Damian Starr is a graphic literature enthusiast and comic author. His current project can be previewed here.
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 your review, along with a cover image of the comic. Additionally, you may provide a picture of yourself and any other biographical information you want published in Cool Comics. Send all this 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/
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Views: 525
Lots of good stuff in this one!
BOOM! Studios is one of my favorite publishers, and well worth checking out. I’m not surprised that they’re putting out the best comic version of Dune! If you want to check out something else they’ve elevated above and beyond, their Planet of The Apes comics are top-notch!
I’ve played the Horizon: Zero Dawn game and it’s a fantastic, sprawling post-apocalyptic tale of primitive humans living in the ruins of the world they formerly ruled and fighting for survival against hostile sentient machines that their ancestors created. It’s one of the best games I’ve played in a long time!
I’ll commit comic heresy here and say I’ve never read V For Vendetta, even though it’s on just about every “Best comics ever!” list out there. I have seen and enjoyed the movie, but never got around to the source material. Thanks to Doctor Omnibus for a peek under the cover that makes me want to check it out!
Thanks for a great post and for keeping comics fun!
Atom, I’ve known for a while that Dr. Omnibus was planning for our Nov. 5 episode to focus on V for Vendetta, and lo and behold, last week while I was looking around in sale bins at my LCS, I found a trade of the Alan Moore classic for 70 percent off…you read that right, I bought it for just $6, because like you, I’ve never read it…nor have I seen the movie – yet!
I’ll probably tackle this sometime in December and really look forward to it.
And yes, that Dune comic by BOOM! Studios is fantastic. I’ve gotten some of the Planet of the Apes stuff, and totally agree with you.
Thanks for being an important part of Cool Comics!
I am super excited to dip my toe into the Duniverse.
I have the original comic adaptation from that marvel made in the 80’s. I bought them for my wife after she read the book/s. She enjoyed the novel, but never got around to the comic. I imagine I will read the issue mini-series in the days leading up to the movie coming out.
I own the piece of art featured in Cool Creations this week. Over the past couple of years I have commissioned a fair amount of art work from a pretty diverse assortment of artists. While I enjoy them all, this one is certainly one of my favorites. Most I keep in a portfolio that I flip through every time I add a piece to it, but I wasted no time in getting this one framed and up on the wall.
Dr. Omnibus, thanks for sharing the piece of art you own, as it adds many dimensions to this episode!
Also, beware when you read the original Dune comic adaptation, as the first movie is very different from the novel. The SFY did a mini-series that was much closer, and I’m hoping the new movie, when it’s finally released, has a closer relationship to the book. I’m a big Dune fan and still have several of the newer novels left to read.
Thanks for being an important part of Cool Comics!
No offense to Captain Cold and Black Widow, but I’d like to see who would come out on top in an encounter between V and Jerry Lewis.
Action Ace, that might be a fight worth watching, lol.