Better Late Than Never: Discovering Infinity, Inc!

Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection Episode 286, 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 50^th 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 286…

Cool Comics Colloquialisms!

Last Wednesday (March 10) saw a number of new titles hit comic shop shelves, and out of the ones I picked up, I had to decide which I’d talk about here under the Contemporary Cool Comics section. It wasn’t an easy decision, especially when a new X title came out (Children of the Atom #1), a fan favorite villain grabbed headlines (The Joker #1), and your friendly neighborhood Wall-Crawler once more added another monthly (Non-Stop Spider-Man #1). And even though it feels like we get flooded with comics about the Caped Crusader, Batman’s new anthology title seemed like the right choice. Did you venture out to try any of these new comics, or did you stick to your tried-and-true favorites?

Cool Comics Battle of the Week!

Your Cool Comics Battle of the Week is Bucky Barnes versus Beetle Bailey! 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 Cool Comics Creation comes to you from Sydney Walton! The Joker #1 hit comic shops March 10, so the Clown Prince of Crime is probably on your mind! The art is all hand-painted with acrylic paints. Syd said he’s been painting covers for a few years now and likes to think that he was one of the first to do so. Syd is always taking commissions, so don’t hesitate to contact him for a cool cover or other fantastic creations. You can find him on Facebook at Syd’s Altruistic Art, or contact him via email at swaltoniii@aol.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 if 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

#1446 — Batman: Urban Legends #1, DC, May 2021.

As a fan of anthology titles, I was more than happy to give Batman: Urban Legends a try. And while not every story was for me, I love the idea and will continue to support it for as long as I enjoy it. Anyone who is vaguely aware of comic books knows that Batman is extremely popular and has a large supporting cast, so this comic makes perfect sense for those who want to continually explore these characters. As it is, there are already plenty of titles that take place in the greater Batverse, and new ones on the way (a few of these titles include Nightwing, Harley Quinn, Joker, and Robin), so the powers that be at DC must have figured there’s always room for more. This first issue gives us four stories, three of which will continue for several more issues, and one that leads to a new title, Harley Quinn and Batman. Yes, this issue contains more pages than your average comic book, and therefore the price is steeper. If you’re on a budget, you may want to carefully consider what you may need to give up in exchange for trying this one—a not uncommon dilemma comic book fans have faced since the Golden Age. The cover price of Batman: Urban Legends #1 is $7.99, while the current value is $8.

Cool Comics from the Quarter Bin

#1447 — All-New Invaders #4, Marvel, June 2014.

I’m not sure why I never tried to collect the Invaders run from the Seventies (I have one issue, but now it’s harder to find any from this series in bargain bins…and I’m thinking that at the time when they originally came out, I didn’t care for the setting…but my mindset is most assuredly different now than it was so long ago), yet now the nostalgia bug has directed me to keep my eye out for them. A few weeks ago, I found a few issues from this more modern run instead and decided that since I have so few comics from this period that it may be worth picking these up for a measly quarter each. And while I did enjoy this comic, it’s not set in the same years as the original Invaders. Though we get characters not often seen, like Jim Hammond (the original Human Torch), this issue takes place mostly in outer space…at the Kree homeworld. Umm, not quite the same…right, Roy Thomas? Still, I enjoyed it, and how can you complain about quarter comics? The cover price of All-New Invaders #4 is $3.99, while the current value is $4. The OPG value is also $4.

FCBD the Cool Comics Way (Week 35 of 2020)

#1448 — Owly: The Way Home, Graphix, May 2020.

If you have younger kids, this story of a lonely owl may be a good comic for them, especially considering it doesn’t have a lot of words, and the typeset is large. The publisher, Graphix, is an imprint of Scholastic, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find someone who isn’t familiar with them. This Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) issue isn’t the complete story, but the beginning of a longer tale that can be purchased as a graphic novel. Owly comics have been around for a while, but this is my first experience, and while I’m lightyears outside of the target market, it’s not a bad little story. The back of the issue tells us that creator Andy Runton won an Eisner Award for Best Publication for a Younger Audience, so this FCBD issue may sound a little more enticing after learning that news! The cover price of Owly: The Way Home is free, while the current value is $1.

Cool Comics Kids

#1449 — Beetle Bailey #117, Charlton Comics, July 1976.

There are seven complete shorts in this issue, along with a two-page written story that has a few illustrations. Judging by the length, I’m guessing that all of these (with the exception of the non-comic story) appeared in newspapers across the country before being collected in this comic book. Maybe all the Beetle Bailey issues contain nothing new, just Sunday Funny reprints, but I don’t know for sure (if you have the answer, we’d be happy to read about it in our comments section at the end of the blog). Regardless, I started reading the strips each week as a kid, so it’s fun to get these comics when I find them in quarter bins. And if you’re worried about whether Sarge catches that cake, your guess is as good as mine, because there is nothing about it inside the issue. The stories are simple and goofy, and some kids of a certain age may get a kick out of them like I did. By the way, if your name is Mark, this may be the comic your mom tossed in the garbage that you’ve been searching for (see the top of the cover image). The cover price of Beetle Bailey #117 is 30¢, while the current value is $10. The OPG value is also $10.

Cool Comics Classics

#1450 — Infinity, Inc. #8, DC, November 1984.

I’ve yet to find a comic book written by Roy Thomas (and if I remember correctly, Roy spells them as “comicbooks,” one word) that I didn’t enjoy. And now, with that out of the way, comes my shameful admission: this is the only issue of Infinity, Inc., that I’ve ever owned [UPDATE: Yesterday I was able to get the first seven issues during my Wednesday comic shop visit!]. The series ran from 1984 to 1988, a period in which I didn’t buy any comic books. And for some reason, I’d never bought any out of discount boxes until I picked up this one many months ago. Well, I finally decided to read it, and now I’m looking forward to finding more issues from this series! Most of you probably already know that this title focuses on the children, nieces, and nephews of the original Justice Society of America members, but I hadn’t a clue what Infinity, Inc., was about until I started reading this comic and doing a little poking around on the internet. With 53 issues, 2 Annuals, and a special issue, it sounds like I’ll be having fun trying to put this run together! The cover price of Infinity, Inc. #8 is $1.25, while the current value is $3. The OPG value is also $3.

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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