Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection episode 320, 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 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). Not all my comics meet that grade. Some are probably better, and many are certainly worse. But to simplify it, that’s the scale I use. 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 320…
Cool Comics Stuff!
The last couple of years have been far from normal, and one of the things I keep neglecting to do is take pictures at events. I didn’t take any during my daughter’s graduation party in the summer (and as it turns out, it seems that no one did – everyone was so happy to get together in our backyard and spend time catching up that nobody even thought of taking pictures), and except for this one photo of a couple great creators from Bardstone Publishing (Scott Zambelli and Brett Pinson…I’ll be including a couple of their comics in future episodes of Cool Comics), I didn’t take any others at Akron Comicon this past Sunday. Maybe it was because I was joined by some family members, along with having such a great time seeing so many of my creator friends, but now that it’s all over, I wish I would have captured some additional moments. Live and learn. But my lack of photos in no way diminishes just how great Akron Comicon was this year.
And happy Veterans Day to all who served!
Cool Comics Battle of the Week!
The Cool Comics Battle of the Week is Owen Johnson (Fire Power) versus Paul Atreides (Dune)! 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, Cool Comics is excited to show Ed Griffie’s supremely spectacular Superman! Ed is a lifelong comic book fan who started drawing Kawaii and Chibi style versions of pop culture icons and superheroes about five years ago. Through Facebook, his work came to the attention of Daniel Hare, the owner of vintage toy and comic bookstore The Toys Time Forgot, who offered him a guest spot at Free Comic Book Day. Since then, Ed has been a regular at local conventions and comic bookstores, where he offers bookmarks, coloring pages, trading cards, and color prints featuring his unique artwork. You can check out his full catalog of work at toonist27.deviantart.com or contact him at edgriffiejr@gmail.com to commission an original piece of your very own.
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
#1616 — Fire Power #17, Image, November 2021.
The only kudos I’ve given to the series Fire Power comes from the Free Comic Book Day edition in 2020, which I wrote about in episode 252, back in July 2020. And considering how much I now love this title, I felt it was time to bring it up once again in Cool Comics. To me, this is a great family adventure, full of fun, terror, intrigue, and…fire power! If you decide you want to see what Fire Power is about, start with the trade paperback original graphic novel introduction to Owen Johnson and this magical—yet frightening—journey he finds himself on. After you finish it and move on to issue 1, the time change feels a little jolting, but that’s when the real fun starts. The creators for this issue of Fire Power include Robert Kirkman (creator, writer), Chris Samnee (creator, artist, cover artist), Matt Wilson (colorist), Rus Wooton (letterer), and Amanda Lafranco (editor). The cover price of Fire Power #17 is $3.99, while the current price is $4.
Dynamically Discounted Cool Comics
#1617 — DC Comics Presents #60, DC, August 1983.
No offense to all of you Guardian fans out there, but I’ve never cared much about these strange blue aliens. I guess they remind me too much of the great and powerful Oz, bringing back childhood fears. Yet I can’t deny the importance of them when it comes to the DC Universe. This early Eighties adventure involving Superman turned out to be more enjoyable than I thought it would be, as a foe is stealing energy from the Great Battery of Power! Can the Man of Steel and a single Guardian save the universe? I found out the answer, and all it cost me was a quarter since I pulled this issue from a discount bin. The team who put together this adventure for us includes Cary Burkett (writer), Irv Novick (penciller), Tony DeZuniga (inker), Phil Felix (letterer), Gene D’Angelo (colorist), and Julius Schwartz (editor). The cover price of DC Comics Presents #60 is 60¢, while the current value is $4.
Cool Comics Celebrates FCBD (Week 13 of 2021)
#1618 — Blade Runner, Titan Comics, August 2021.
Beyond the original Blade Runner movie and the novel that inspired it (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick), I don’t know much else that has come out of this world (aside from last year’s Free Comic Book Day edition), but both of the stories are fascinating looks at a future I’m willing to learn more about…someday (meaning that maybe I’ll pick up a trade edition of either of these at some future time…to be determined). I like the idea of Origins and going back to the earlier days of the Tyrell Corporation, while with 2029 we get to see what came a decade after Rick Deckard. If you’re a Blade Runner fan, you may want to see if you can still find a copy of this FCBD issue. The Origins story is written by K. Perkins and Mellow Brown, with art by Fernando Dagnino; for 2029, Mike Johnson did the writing, while Andres Guinaldo handled the art. Other creators, for both stories, include colors by Marco Lesko, letters by Jim Campbell, and edits by David Leach. The cover price of Blade Runner is free, while the current value is $1.
Cool Comics for the Young at Heart
#1619 — Richie Rich Bank Books #42, Harvey Comics, September 1979.
I really like the way you get so many complete stories between the covers in many of these older Harvey Comic titles, and with this issue of Richie Rich Bank Books #42, there are five complete stories. This is ideal for younger readers who don’t have long attention spans, allowing them to finish one story, go outside and play in the fresh air for a while, then come back inside, eat lunch, read another story, then gather once more with neighborhood pals. Later on, perhaps after dinner, or maybe just before going to sleep that night, they can read yet another short adventure of the poor little rich boy. As you can probably tell, I often read comics for the Young at Heart! Unfortunately, as with so many of these older Harvey titles, no creator credits are available. The cover price of Richie Rich Bank Books #42 is 35¢, while the current value is $6.
Twentieth Century Cool Comics
#1620 — Dune #1, Marvel, April 1985.
Did you get a chance to see the new Dune movie? Though it’s just the first half of the story, there are many differences from the first movie, which came out in 1984 (not to mention the Syfy Channel’s version). I could go on and on about my feelings when it comes to the different film versions, and even longer by extoling the virtues of the Frank Herbert’s novel, but we’re here to talk about the first issue of the three-issue limited series, which, from what I can remember, does a pretty good job of capturing the movie in four-color fun. I found this number one issue in a quarter bin, and while I have yet to stumble upon issues 2 and 3, I did grab up a second copy of this first in the series. The 1984 movie, while not as accurate (some may call it, in a nod to the character Alia, an abomination), has a certain charm (such as the TV version that explains—via cool art—about the Butlerian Jihad and other things that help the non-initiated get prepared for this look at our world many centuries from now). And because of said certain charm, the comic was worth reading. This issue is brought to us by Ralph Macchio (scripter), Bill Sienkiewicz (artist), Joe Rosen (letterer), Michael Higgins (colorist), and Bob Budiansky (editor). The cover price of Dune #1 is 75¢, while the current values are $4 on CBR and $30 on ZKC. The Key Collector Comics value is $25.
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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Atom says
The new Blade Runner comics are fantastic and I highly recommend them for anyone who is a fan of the movie or just a fan of hard-edged dystopian science fiction! Besides the two series spotlighted in that FCBD issue, there’s ALSO Blade Runner 2019. Titan Comics isn’t very well known as a publisher, as far as I can tell, but they’ve done a GREAT job with the Blade Runner license. As a Blade Runner fan, I’ll sing their praises every chance I get!
And then MORE great science fiction Dune! That mini-series is a great piece of Longbox Junk! It really captures the dark tone of the 1984 movie with that awesome Bill Sienkiewicz artwork. It’s not often that the artist manages to capture the likenesses of actors in movie tie-ins, but Sienkiewicz does a very nice job of it. I’ve always really liked this cool little series, so it’s great that you’ve shined the Cool Comics spotlight on it!
Thanks for another great entry, and thanks for keeping comics fun!
Ed Gosney says
Atom, thanks for giving us more on Titan Comics! Both Blade Runner and Dune are fun franchises. And thanks for the kind, encouraging words!