Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection episode 324, 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 324…
Cool Comics Stuff!
Last week saw another major milestone in comics, as the 750th issue (when accounting for Legacy Numbering) of Avengers arrived. This extra thick issue (92 pages for $9.99) contains several different stories, such as Ka-Zar tumbling through time, Kid Thanos causing trouble, Robbie Reyes looking out for his brother, Howard Stark strange stuff, and more. It’s a real mixed bag, and I’ve seen real mixed reviews. But I mostly enjoyed it, especially the last story, which features Thor and…well, no spoilers here! Did you read it? What are your thoughts? If you want a look at all the creators and characters, check out the page on League of Comic Geeks.
Cool Comics Battle of the Week!
The Cool Comics Battle of the Week is Archie versus Man-Thing! 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!
Cool Comics Readers, we’ve reached our 100th episode of Cool Comics Creations! And in honor of this momentous occasion, we’re going back to our very first creator, none other than my wife, Melissa Gosney, of the world renown Melissa’s Craft Corner! Fans of the classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer will immediately recognize Dolly from The Island of Misfit Toys, which is sure to bring a smile to your face. Melissa’s a genius wreath maker, and as you can see in the image, this welcoming door decoration is very timely, because Christmas is fast approaching. If you’re interested in this or other wreaths from Melissa’s Craft Corner, email me at edgosney62@gmail.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
#1636 — Batman: Fear State: Omega #1, DC, January 2022.
Is Batman popular? Just how many comics featuring Batman, or Batman-related characters, such as Nightwing and Harley Quinn, could DC sell in a month? I could probably feature a Bat-Title each episode in the Modern-Day Cool Comics subheading and not repeat myself for quite a while. I’m not putting down Batman or DC’s efforts to bank on his popularity, but in the newest issue of DC Connect, I counted 22 Batman-related titles coming out in February. If you love all things Batman and you keep to a budget when it comes to your comic book buying, how can you afford to enjoy other superheroes? Anyway, no self-respecting Bat-Fan can afford to skip this issue if you’ve been reading all the other Fear State comics. I liked it, even though I don’t read every Bat-Book in existence. While James Tynion IV handled the writing chores for this big wrap-up to the Fear State storyline, several people handled the art, including Riccardo Federici, Christian Duce, Ryan Benjamin, Guillem March, and Trevor Hairsine. Other contributors are Chris Sotomayor (colors), Clayton Cowles (letters), and Ben Abernathy (editor). The cover price of Batman: Fear State: Omega #1 is $4.99, while the current value is $5.
Dynamically Discounted Cool Comics
#1637 — Archie #252, Archie, April 1976.
When Archie tells his father that he wants dear old dad to be in a state of “weekend” retirement, because America’s favorite teenager is going to take care of all the things Mr. Andrews does on Saturdays and Sundays, you just know that this nice gesture is going to go south. It was during the Seventies that I started reading Archie titles, and this issue, which features a several complete stories, doesn’t disappoint. If you’ve never given that gang of kids over in Riverdale a try, you might want to find some discounted oldies, like this one, that I rescued from a quarter box. Dan DeCarlo did the cover pencils, while the interior stories were brought to us by many creators including Frank Doyle, Harry Lucey, Chic Stone, Barry Grossman, Bill Yoshida, Joe Edwards, Bob Montana, Jon D’Agostino, and Dick Malmgren. The cover price of Archie #252 is 30¢, while the current value is $14.
Cool Comics Celebrates FCBD (Week 17 of 2021)
#1638 — Critical Role/The Witcher, Dark Horse Comics, August 2021.
I know absolutely nothing about the Critical Role story in the first half of this Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) issue from Dark Horse Comics, but it kept my attention and as a newcomer, I enjoyed it. The second story is from The Witcher universe, and I’ve seen a few episodes of the streaming series (it’s been a while…I should probably take some time to catch up), so I’m somewhat familiar with it and liked this story better because of that. The cover of this comic states that it’s Rated Mature, but I don’t really know why. There is a little violence, but nothing like some comics have in them. But I read it last week, and perhaps I forgot about some language issues or something. Still, I did a quick flip through it, and it seemed fine to me. But if you plan on passing it to younger eyes, I suggest reading it yourself before doing so. Creators for Critical Role: The Mighty Nein Origins: Home include Jody Houser (script), Tyler Walpole (cover and interior art), and Ariana Maher (lettering). The Witcher: Once Upon a Time in the Woods comes to us from Bartosz Sztybor (script), Nil Vendrell (art), Miquel Muerto (colors), and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (lettering). The cover price of Critical Role/The Witcher is free, while the current value is $1.
Cool Comics for the Young at Heart
#1639 — Mickey Mouse Adventures #5, Disney Comics, October 1990.
While I have an affinity for Disney’s ducks (Donald, his nephews, and Uncle Scrooge McDuck), their stories are usually quite different from Disney’s flagship character, Mickey Mouse. Regardless of which comic book company publishes them, or what era they were created in, Mickey’s stories usually center on intense (well, intense enough to still let kids read them) adventures that may even keep adults turning the pages. The first story was a lot of fun, but it continues, so I’ll have to see if I have issue 6 hiding in a box somewhere! The headline adventure, The Case of the Foxy Felon, is brought to us by Marv Wolfman (script), Hector Saavedra (pencils), Ruben Torreiro (inks), Gail Bailey (colors), and Deni Loubert (colors). The Coconut Caper creators include Deni Loubert (script), Antonio Bancells Pujadas (pencils and inks), Carl Gafford (colors), and Bobbi JG Weiss (letters). Carlos Valenti did the cover pencils. The cover price of Mickey Mouse Adventures #5 is $1.50, while the current value is $3.
Twentieth Century Cool Comics
#1640 — Marvel Team-Up #68, Marvel, April 1978.
The Seventies Marvel comics were often misleading when it came to the actual story title. And this issue of Marvel Team-Up #68 is a perfect example. If you look at the bottom right corner of the cover, you’d think the title would be DARK SWAMP, DEEP FEAR! But when we flip to the first page, we see this story is named THE MEASURE OF A MAN! Oh well, just a fun little observation from my favorite period of comics. Besides getting a great adventure with Spider-Man and Man-Thing, this issue also sees the first appearance of D’Spayre…who proves to be a formidable foe. If you love Spidey and burn at the touch of Man-Thing, I strongly suggest adding this one to your collection if it’s not already there. Marvel Team-Up #68 has a couple creator names quite familiar to many comic book fans: Chris Claremont (script) and John Byrne (pencils). Others who contributed to this fantastically fun Seventies story include Bob Wiacek (inks), Phil Rachelson (colors), and Bruce Patterson (letters). John Byrne (pencils) and Joe Rubenstein (inks) brought us the cover. The cover price of Marvel Team-Up #68 is 35¢, while the current values are $9 on CBR and $30 on ZKC. The Key Collector Comics value is $18.
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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