Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection Episode 301, 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 301…
Cool Comics Stuff!
With Independence Day just around the corner, Cool Comics is bringing you some all-American heroes in this episode, such as Superman, Captain America, Beetle Bailey, and the legendary Davy Crockett!
Some of the neat pieces of comic book history I own are a few Marvel calendars, and since it’s nearly the 4th of July, I decided to show you a couple pictures of my 1976 Bicentennial calendar. Each month comes with a stunning image of a Marvel hero, suitable for framing, but there’s no way I’m going to damage this beauty. The days of the month are chalk full of awesome Marvel factoids, birthdays of creators, and American history. Obviously, I selected July as the month to show you here, and you may have already noticed that in 1976, July 1 fell on a Thursday, just like today! If you’re having trouble seeing any of the details, click directly on the image for a better view, but be sure to hit your browser’s back button so you can read the rest of this episode of Cool Comics!
Cool Comics Battle of the Week!
The Cool Comics Battle of the Week is Spawn versus Superman! 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. Are you a G.I. Joe fan? The next movie in the franchise, Snake Eyes, opens in a few weeks, and this great piece by RAK may be enough to convince you to head to the theater! 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
Modern-Day Cool Comics
#1521 — Spawn’s Universe #1, Image, June 2021.
When I started my third phase of comic book collecting in 1993 (which ran through 2003), it didn’t take long for me to discover several comic book companies that didn’t exist during phase 2 (several months in 1982), such as Image. I knew nothing about them at first but did some reading up and decided that I wanted to sample several of their titles, and Spawn was certainly one of them. It didn’t take me long to find all the issues I’d already missed, and I faithfully followed the exploits of the late Al Simmons up through issue 34. Though I was a fan for a while, I eventually decided that the comic really wasn’t for me…although I did buy issue 301 not all that long ago. Now Todd McFarlane, Spawn’s creator, is branching off and creating a bigger universe for all the Spawns to play in, and this special one-shot is the starting point. Coming in future months will be King Spawn, Gunslinger Spawn, and The Scorched, and perhaps more if these go well. I’m not sure if I’ll be sampling any of them, but it could be fun just to try an issue of each. The creators for this interesting anthology introducing the future of Spawn include Todd McFarlane (script/plot); art by Jim Cheung, Brett Booth, and Stephen Segovia; inks by Adelso Corona and Todd McFarlane; and the cover artists (there are several variants) include J. Scott Campbell, Brett Booth, and Todd McFarlane. The cover price of Spawn’s Universe #1 is $5.99, while the current value is $6. The Key Collector Comics value is also $6.
Dynamically Discounted Cool Comics
#1522 — Captain America Annual #5, Marvel, October 1981.
With Independence Day just around the corner, this cover certainly fits the bill, doesn’t it? This Captain America Annual was waiting for me in a quarter box a few months back and insisted on coming home with me. The issue originally hit comic book racks a few months before I started my second (and shortest) phase of comic book collecting, but it’s close enough to that period to remind me of those college days spent reading comics when I should have been putting in more hours studying. This issue introduces us to everyone’s favorite villain, Samson Scythe, the terrifying Deathwatcher! Upon reading this morbid tale, the crucial answer as to why he’s called Deathwatcher came to light: he likes to watch people die! Wait a minute…I know what some of you are thinking…you don’t recall ever reading any comics, except perhaps this one, that feature Deathwatcher. Let me jog your memory. Remember that time in Daredevil…or maybe it was Ghost Rider…uh, didn’t Spider-Man web him up to a telephone pole once? Okay, so Deathwatcher is a one-hit wonder. Want to know why? Pick up this issue, written by David Michelinie, penciled by Gene Colon, inked by Dave Simons, lettered by Joe Rosen, and edited by David Anthony Kraft, and you’ll get your answer! The cover price of Captain America Annual #5 is 75¢, while the current value is $5. The OPG value is also $5.
#1523 — Action Comics #463, DC, September 1976.
When I found this issue of Action Comics in a quarter bin a few weeks ago, I nearly passed on it due to the rough condition it’s in. But on closer inspection, I noticed Clark Kent in colonial clothing, and “1976 to 1776” screaming at me from the bottom of the cover and at that moment I knew I had to plunk down my hard-earned 25 cents so that I could experience this wacky adventure from the year of our Bicentennial! The story, “Die Now, Live Later!” comes to us from the imagination Cary Bates, with art by Curt Swan and Tex Blaisdell, and was edited by Julius Schwartz. It starts off with Clark Kent and Ben Franklin, and Ben wants Clark to “chronicle the event” at Independence Hall later that afternoon, which just so happens to be the vote on the Declaration of Independence. If you appreciate history and the founding of the United States, you’ll get a kick out of seeing that Superman saved the day, but accuracy is lacking a little when the story tells us that John Hancock signed it on July 4, 1776. Click the link and see some fun facts about Independence Day. The cover price of Action Comics #463 is 30¢, while the current values are $7 on CBR and $10 on ZKC. The OPG value is $7.
Cool Comics for the Young at Heart
#1524 — Beetle Bailey #1, Harvey Comics, September 1992.
Mort Walker’s Beetle Bailey depicts Army life during peacetime, showing us things like Beetle and his buddies performing the kinds of duties you may not think about when you walk in the door of your local recruiting station and eventually make the pledge to defend our country. Do you think any of the goofy foolishness in Beetle Bailey ever really happens? Having served five years in the regular Army, I can tell you that sometimes it does come close to real life. But no matter what you think of these cartoon soldiers, they are patriots, and they deserve to be in Cool Comics so close to Independence Day. Beetle has a long history in print and was recently profiled in Back Issue! #127 (If you love the Bronze Age of comics and aren’t a reader of Back Issue!, I recommend you give it a try), and I was fortunate to get this Harvey issue free from an acquaintance. It’s a reprint from the Charlton Comics line, issue #71 from October 1969, but it’s still enjoyable today. Not much is known on the creator end for the multiple short pieces in this issue, but Bob Gustafson is listed as the penciler for most of what’s in it. The cover price of Beetle Bailey #1 is $1.25, while the current value is $5. The OPG value is also $5.
Twentieth Century Cool Comics
#1525 — Four Color #631, Dell, May 1955.
Dell’s Four Color series can be a little confusing to today’s comic book audience, considering that the cover gives us a different title. When I decided to start exploring older comic books and bought a few Dell back issues, I was surprised to discover this when entering them into my collection at ComicBookRealm.com. It’s rare that I find any in quarter boxes, but I did snag this one, dating back to 1955 (although my issue may be missing some pages, because the comic ended just as Davy was going to have a tomahawk fight)! Davy Crockett, the famous frontiersman, is often considered a controversial figure by some, and a folk hero by others. After reading this issue, I did a little research on the Internet and found some interesting articles, but the one HERE may be the better one to read, considering all the rich detail the author gives us. The cover image of this issue is of Fess Parker, who starred as Davy Crockett in seven episodes (1954-1956) of The Magical World of Disney. Like so many of these older comics, it can be difficult to find and properly credit the creators. The Grand Comics Database lists John Ushler as doing both pencils and inks in this issue. The cover price of Four Color #631 is 10¢, while the current value is $325. The OPG value is $335.
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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