Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection Episode 277, 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 277…
Cool Comics News!
We’re a couple weeks into 2021, and while the world around us may seem a bit crazy at times, the various universes of comic books still provide a great way to escape for a few hours each week. The hot series right now seems to be Future State from DC, and Marvel is still pouring it on with the King in Black. By the way, if you have anything you’d like to contribute to our Cool Comics News, such as an upcoming Kickstarter, etc., please let me know.
Cool Comics Battle of the Week!
Your Cool Comics Battle of the Week is Swamp Thing versus The Thing! 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 Robert A. Kraus (aka RAK), creator of Chakan and many other fantastic works of art, along with all the cool games he’s developed. This RAKified version of Captain Marvel, one of my favorite heroes from decades gone by, is pretty terrific! To learn more about RAK, be sure to visit his website at http://www.rakgraphics.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, 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
#1401 — Future State: Swamp Thing #1, DC, March 2021.
When it comes to revamping a comic book universe, DC leads the way. Whether it’s because of sales figures, the complexity of juggling too many Earths, or some sort of crisis (or New 52, Rebirth, Death Metal…well, you get what I’m saying), change happens. And now we get, for just two months (plus one issue that comes out at the end of March), Future State. I wasn’t sure what I thought of the idea, but after reading the first wave this week, I must admit that I enjoyed most of them (the other Future State titles this week include The Flash, Harley Quinn, The Next Batman, Superman of Metropolis, and Wonder Woman). So out of all these titles, why did I choose Swamp Thing for the Contemporary Cool Comic this episode? It’s dark, moody, and mysterious, and it’s also somewhat reminiscent of the novel City by Clifford D. Simak, a futuristic novel in which dogs are the dominant species (I’m going to make a brief confession that I have yet to read City; however, I own a copy and know what it’s about). Ram V is the writer and Mike Perkins the penciler, and this was my favorite comic of the week. The cover price of Future State: Swamp Thing #1 is $3.99, while the current value is $4. The Key Collector Comics value is also $4.
Cool Comics from the Quarter Bin
#1402 — Rocket Raccoon #1, Marvel, September 2014.
I’d estimate that 95 percent of the time when I’m digging through quarter boxes, I’m searching for comics that were published before 1990…the older the better. No doubt it’s a result of my age. For many of us, after we reach a certain point in our lives, we find ourselves looking backward more often than forward. Some go as far as saying that comics were far better when they were a kid, and in their minds, this is probably true. Don’t let it upset you and don’t get in an argument with them, because that’s what makes them happy. Just choose what makes you happy and let them enjoy their comic books in their way. Now, if only everything else were this easy to resolve! What does all this have to do with Rocket Raccoon? Wait, you’re smart (I knew it all along…smart people always read Cool Comics In My Collection!) and you just figured it out! This issue is from 2014, and yet I bought it fresh out of the quarter bin (along with several other issues from this series). I missed out on a lot after I quit comics halfway through 2003 and came back to new issues in the fall of 2017, and sometimes I find myself plunking down quarters to quell my curiosity. The cover price of Rocket Raccoon #1 is $3.99, while the current values are $5 on CBR and $4 on ZKC. The OPG value is $5.
FCBD the Cool Comics Way (Week 26)
#1403 — My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, IDW, May 2020.
I know next to nothing about My Little Pony. I’ve seen and heard the commercials in the past, and they probably had or have a cartoon (I’m not going to search IMDB or Google it, but I’m surmising the existence of such…if I’m wrong, you can let me know…or perhaps you don’t even care enough to let me know), and that the toys once, or still do, hang on hooks or take up shelf space at your local store where you shop for toys. There are fans of this franchise that number in the…thousands—or perhaps millions—but I can’t be counted as one of them. Yet because of my commitment to bring the readers of Cool Comics In My Collection a look at every Free Comic Book Day issue each year (and yes, we’re still on the 2020 batch), I read this for each and every one of you. All kidding aside, I’m sure there are plenty of fans of this title, from the very young to, perhaps, the very old. Because, like the title tells us, Friendship is Magic. And we all need friends, don’t we? The cover price of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is free, while the current value is $1.
Cool Comics Kids
#1404 — Donald Duck #146, Whitman/Gold Key, November 1972.
Why, oh why, didn’t I buy and read Donald Duck in the Seventies? These comics are lots of fun, even from an adult perspective. I guess it’s because most of my available money ended up being spent on superhero comics books, baseball and football cards, and trips to Dairy Queen with my friends (there was one just a block down from where I grew up). Along with an occasional Aurora monster model. Plus, most of the gang in my neighborhood felt that these were kid comics, and we were much more sophisticated, instead following the adventures of The Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man, Captain America, and sometimes even some DC comics. I found this one in a quarter bin and decided to make it part of my collection, and I don’t regret it for an instant. Inside we get two Donald Duck stories, along with a Chip ‘N’ Dale adventure. One of the Duck stories I enjoyed has Uncle Scrooge McDuck giving Donald a million dollars, just to teach him a lesson. Has that ever happened to you? Yeah, me neither. The ads are always great in these older comics, and this issue includes a fun one for Easy-Bake Oven. The cover price of Donald Duck #146 is 15¢, while the current value is $26. The OPG value is also $26.
Cool Comics Classics
#1405 — Fantastic Four #97, Marvel, April 1970.
A few weeks ago, I was a bit surprised to find Fantastic Four #97 in a quarter bin! These early issues (I understand that at this point the series is nearly nine years old but considering this one came out 51 years ago makes it an early issue!) are coveted by many collectors, and while the condition is lacking (click on the image to get a better view…torn cover, worn spine, etc.), the fun inside isn’t. The Monster from the Lost Lagoon! is written by Stan Lee, with art by Jack Kirby. And who is that baby on the cover? None other than Franklin Richards. This is my earliest issue with Franklin, and the first time I’ve seen him still in diapers. The ads inside are a lot of fun to gloss over (including one on the inside cover about gaining weight…nowadays everyone wants to lose a few pounds, but in 1970 times were different), and there is a double page spread of fan mail, which is often a great way to understand readers from decades gone by. The cover price of Fantastic Four #97 is 15¢, while the current value is $95. The OPG value is also $95.
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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