Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection Episode 299, 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 299…
Cool Comics Stuff!
Before we had kids, my wife and I collected action figures (and sometimes a few of the accessories that went with them). But once we started stocking up on diapers and jars of baby food, toys took a backseat. Many of the older ones ended up being sold on eBay or at garage sales, but this Ultraman from 1991 survived over the years and remains on our shelves. While my wife was a fan of the TV show that was produced from 1966-1967 in Japan, watching it as a young girl, I didn’t; hence, this figure was something she wanted and had no real meaning to me. But now with Marvel publishing Ultraman comic books, I can share in the fun. And if you’re a fan of Ultraman, I’ve read that Netflix is working on a film and ongoing animated series. After reading the comics and looking once more at this action figure, I’m excited to watch new adventures when they release!
Cool Comics Battle of the Week!
The Cool Comics Battle of the Week is Archie versus Casper! 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!
Occasionally, I like to post one of my very amateurish drawings to encourage all of you budding artists out there to submit your art for inclusion in Cool Comics Creations…because whatever you’ve drawn has to look better than this! Week after week, our featured creations continue to look fantastic, but that doesn’t mean you have to be a pro to get your art in front of an audience. I drew this weird scene (from the looks of the guy throwing the spear, it seems as if I was influenced by the TV show Little House on the Prairie; the giant makes me think of the mutants in Beneath the Planet of the Apes) at some point when I was in grade school. There’s a lot wrong with it, and I’m sure many of you readers out there can produce stuff than this! And to prove it, we’d love to see some of your sketches right here (just read the italicized text below on how to submit).
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
Modern-Day Cool Comics
#1511 — Archie 80th Anniversary: Everything’s Archie #1, Archie, August 2021.
America’s favorite ageless teenager is celebrating 80 years of showing up on your local comic book rack, and this special One-Shot has a fun story in which Archie uses an app on his phone (Chor) in order to raise enough money to buy a guitar he has his eye on. Archie goes by the name “Everything’s Archie,” on the app, and local people can hire him for odd jobs around Riverdale. But little does Archie know that Reggie has been hired on the “Dark Chor,” and is looking to sabotage the industrious teen. This is a fun, modern story that illustrates how we can appreciate that many things are still the same in Riverdale, even 80 years later. Fred Van Lente is credited with the script, Dan Parent did the pencils and cover, and Victor Gorelick and Alex Segura are listed as editors. This issue also comes with a bonus short from Betty #46, originally published in February 1997. The story is titled “Betty in High School 2021 A.D.,” and just like what so many kids across the country experienced this past year, classes are conducted online via her home computer, using webcams. The prescient creative crew for this story were: script, George Gladir; pencils, Stan Goldberg; and inks, Mike Esposito. The cover price of Archie 80th Anniversary: Everything’s Archie #1 is $3.99, while the current value is $4.
Dynamically Discounted Cool Comics
#1512 — Marvel Spotlight #30, Marvel, October 1976.
I’ve always liked Thor, but when it comes to his buddies The Warriors Three, I like them in small doses. Yet in this issue of Marvel Spotlight, we get an adventure with Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg that left me wanting more! You read that correctly: this is a rip-roaring, exciting, fun tale worthy enough that the creators should be able to wield Mjolnir! And speaking of this marvelous team, the credits go to: Len Wein (writer/editor); John Buscema and Joe Sinnott (Illustrators); Gynis Wein (colorist); and Len Rosen (Letterer). “A Night on the Town!” gives us a fun look at the goings on of Thor’s buddies when he goes off to a battle and The Warriors Three are left alone on earth, getting involved in human affairs of the heart that take them and their taxi driver all around Manhattan. Yes, fans of four-color frolics, you can find terrific treasures in quarter boxes! The cover price of Marvel Spotlight #30 is 30¢, while the current value is $8. The OPG value is also $8.
Cool Comics Celebrates FCBD (Week 48 of 2020)
#1513 — The Overstreet Guide to Collecting, Gemstone Publishing, May 2020.
You know we’re getting near the end of the year’s Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) offerings when I include The Overstreet Guide to Collecting. I suppose I could just leave it out, but I feel it has its place, especially considering that new people take up the hobby each year (and possibly every day someone new joins the ranks of comic collecting…while others finally decide to cut the cord), and this free guide may just prove handy to them as they are getting started. Plus, 2020 was the 50th Anniversary celebration for Overstreet, and that’s certainly worth mentioning and celebrating. These annual FCBD guides are fun and easy to read, presented in comic book format, and provide an interesting way to educate collectors in areas like grading and growing your collection. The creators for this FCBD issue include J.C. Vaughn (writer), Brendon and Brian Fraim (illustrators), and Carrie Wood (editor). The cover price of The Overstreet Guide to Collecting is free, while the current value is $1.
Cool Comics for the Young at Heart
#1514 — Casper the Friendly Ghost #21, Harvey Comics, April 1994.
While I prefer my Harvey Comics to be a couple decades older than this one from 1994, it’s still a Harvey, and they’re still fun for those of us who are Young at Heart. The theme of the Casper stories (there are three that tie together, and an unrelated one-pager) is hobbies, and of course things go wrong with Casper’s woodland friends, but the Friendly Ghost sees something that The Hobby Master doesn’t, and our hero is able to set things right. We also get a short adventure with “the tuff little ghost Spooky.” Like so many of my kid comics, I found this one at a local comic shop in one of their quarter boxes. Unfortunately, it’s hard to find creator credits for this issue, but Ernie Colon is listed as the Casper artist, while Howie Post did the art for Spooky. The cover price of Casper the Friendly Ghost #21 is $1.50, while the current value is $3. The OPG value is also $3.
Twentieth Century Cool Comics
#1515 — Showcase #82, DC, May 1969.
If you’ve read a few episodes of Cool Comics, it won’t surprise you that I found this DC comic book in a quarter box. That’s right, I ended up paying slightly over twice the cover price of 12 cents. Scandalous! And it’s 52 years old…who wants old things? In all seriousness, it feels like a win when you’re searching through hundreds of comic books that nobody seems to want and pull out a gem like this, which is the first appearance of Nightmaster (Jim Rook, rock star). Okay, some of you have never heard of this guy, and that’s understandable, because he hasn’t appeared quite as often as Batman and Superman (well, to be honest, it’s not even close). But there’s a chance that if you explore this character on Comic Vine and take a look at some of the covers of comics in which he’s appeared, it may just ring a bell. This story was written and created by Denny O’Neil and visually interpreted by Jerry Grandenetti and Dick Giordano. I had a blast reading Nightmaster’s origin and hope to find more great old stories from Twentieth Century Cool Comics! The cover price of Showcase #82 is 12¢, while the current value is $110. The OPG value is $120. The Key Collector Comics value is $45.
Cool Comics Reader Reviews!
Would you like to write a review of a comic book or graphic novel for all the Internet to read? 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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