Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection Episode 287, 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 287…
Cool Comics Colloquialisms!
I like to read about comic book history, and while I’m not finished with it yet, I’m really enjoying Comic Book Fever, A Celebration of Comics 1976 to 1986. Written by George Khoury and published by Twomorrows Publishing (you can’t go wrong with anything from Twomorrows!), the book covers the last few years of my first phase of comic collecting and the entirety of phase two (which, sadly, only lasted a little over six months in 1982). There is lots to like about this book if you read comics during these years, from the major players (Marvel and DC) to independents to the fun ads of the time. Comic Book Fever was published in 2016, and when I first became aware of it in 2020 and had some trouble finding a copy that wouldn’t break my budget, someone in a Facebook group (and I’m thinking it may have been the author himself, but I can’t recall now) sent me a link to an online comic shop that had a used copy for sale. I quickly purchased it, and it was a wise decision, as it’s provided hours of entertainment, taking me back to times I fondly remember.
Cool Comics Battle of the Week!
Your Cool Comics Battle of the Week is Ultraman versus Hawkman! 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 cool games he’s developed. I’m a big fan of Adam Warlock and love seeing him on the page in RAK’s indomitable style! 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 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
#1451 — The Trials of Ultraman #1, Marvel, May 2021.
If you’re of a certain age, the name Ultraman might just take you back to a time and place that you think about with affectionate remembrance. As I said back in September when I featured The Rise of Ultraman #1 in our 5th Anniversary episode, I didn’t watch Ultraman on TV…but my wife did, and she has some fun memories of watching the show. So, in my reading of this second recent limited series, I’m fairly dependent on what’s happening in the story via the art and words on the pages to gain a connection to this universe from the past. And I really like the way Kyle Higgins and Mat Groom pay tribute to that meaningful past in the plot. Additionally, I’ll throw in that Francesco Manna’s art feels just right for this story that’s told on an “ultra” scale. If you’re interested in giving this series a try, I recommend that you first read the five-issue series The Rise of Ultraman before starting this one. The cover price of The Trials of Ultraman #1 is $4.99, while the current value is $5. The Key Collector Comics value is also $5.
Cool Comics from the Quarter Bin
#1452 — The Brave & the Bold #139, DC, February 1978.
While it’s sometimes fun to dig though quarter bins to find comics that came out during periods when I wasn’t collecting, there are still lots of issues I don’t have that appeared on the magazine racks of drugstores and mom and pop shops during my first phase of collecting, those long-ago years when I ventured out with a pocket full of change and a desire to be entertained by those who would defend the innocent with their very lives! If you grew up reading comics in the Seventies, you might just feel the same way. I didn’t buy much from DC back then, so when I find cool stuff now from that famed decade that can be had for just 25 cents, it’s hard to walk away from them. In this issue of The Brave & the Bold, Commissioner Gordon finds himself being targeted for death, and Batman, along with Hawkman, attempt to solve the mystery while keeping Gordon alive. Fun stuff brought to us by Bob Haney and Jim Aparo. This series always entertains. The cover price of The Brave & the Bold #139 is 35¢, while the current value is $12. The OPG value is also $12.
FCBD the Cool Comics Way (Week 36 of 2020)
#1453 — Disney Masters: Donald Duck, Fantagraphics Books, May 2020.
While I enjoy getting to sample so many different comics, creators, and companies during Free Comic Book Day (FCBD), it’s always a pleasure to read stories featuring familiar friends. Over the last couple years, I’ve become a fan of Donald, his nephews, and his rich, eccentric uncle, so the experience of reading this comic was a little more enjoyable than the usual FCBD issues. Often in his stories, Donald comes across as successful at whatever job he currently holds, then disaster strikes. This time, our favorite Disney duck is working in pest removal, and things seem to be going quite well. But when artist Roger Lotsagall hires Donald to take care of the bats in his belfry, will our heroic duck at last prove his worth? This issue comes with three fun stories, including the comic book debut of Donald’s cousin, Fethry Duck. It’s a great issue for any age! The cover price of Disney Masters: Donald Duck is free, while the current value is $1. The Key Collector Comics value is $4.
Cool Comics Kids
#1454 — The Powerpuff Girls: Bureau of Bad #1, IDW, November 2017.
If you’re a fan of the Powerpuff Girls, you possibly already have this issue (and the entire series) in your collection. And I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a fan of The Powerpuff Girls, and aside from Free Comic Book Day, this is the only issue I ever bought, which I didn’t even know I’d purchased because it was part of a 10-pack of sealed comics that I bought at an Ollie’s Bargain Outlet store for just $5.99. When I opened the package and started flipping through the comics and found this one, I could have just as easily put it in my box of comics that I’m willing to part with; you know, comics you sell at your annual garage sales. But immediately I thought it would be a nice edition for Cool Comics Kids, because obviously these are aimed towards much younger readers, and what’s wrong with me spending a few minutes reading it and putting it here in Cool Comics where someone might just see this and think to themselves, “That’s just the kind of comics I want for my kids!” As I always say, there’s something out there in the four-color world for everyone. The cover price of The Powerpuff Girls: Bureau of Bad #1 is $3.99, while the current value is $4. The OPG value is also $4.
Cool Comics Classics
#1455 — Journey into Mystery #13, Marvel, October 1974.
Don’t tell anyone, but the Cool Comics guy posted a picture of his issue of Journey into Mystery #13, and, well, I guess 13 really is bad luck in this case. I mean, no disrespect, but when you click on the picture and see it up close, you can really tell what a mess this comic is. Still, the thing is, I heard that he just paid a quarter for it. That’s right, he snatched it out of a quarter bin, and even though the condition is…well…awful (which should probably be a level when it comes to comic book grading), it’s just the cover price for a 1974 comic. Now I’ve seen lots of comic books from 1974 that look much better than this, and sometimes they sell for only a quarter, too, but this one, well, it has four fun stories, and the headliner features an ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN! I guess when all things are considered, it isn’t such a bad deal after all. It’s still a blast to read these reprints, and I heard the Cool Comics guy doesn’t plan on selling it anyway. The cover price of Journey into Mystery #13 is 25¢, while the current values are $30 on CBR and $18 on ZKC. The OPG value is $30.
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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