Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection episode 332, 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 332…
Cool Comics Stuff!
Big Bang Adventures is back with another thrilling episode featuring The Whiz Kids! Writer Pedro Angosto sent me an email the other day, letting me know about their newest issue. These four-color thrillers will remind you of the tales of yesteryear (although please take note that a couple panels make this a mature title), providing lots of fun for readers, and I really enjoyed this issue! Other cool creators include Jorge Santamaría (pencils), Juan Moreno (inks), Daniele Caramanico (colors), Adam Pruett (letterer), and Gary Carlson (editor). Big Bang Adventures #14 is available as a hardcopy via print on demand, or if you want it faster, you can go the digital route and save a few dollars. Make sure to click here if you want to experience your very own Big Bang Adventures!
Cool Comics Battle of the Week!
The Cool Comics Battle of the Week is Winter Soldier versus Batman! 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 Cool Comics Creation of the venerable Black Panther, current leader of the Avengers, comes from Sydney Walton! The art is all hand-painted with acrylic paints. Syd said he’s been painting covers for a few years now and likes to think that he was one of the first to do so. Syd is always taking commissions, so don’t hesitate to contact him for a cool cover or other fantastic creations. You can find him on Facebook at Syd’s Altruistic Art, or contact him via email at swaltoniii@aol.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
#1676 — Devil’s Reign: Winter Soldier #1, Marvel, March 2022.
The newest edition of Back Issue magazine (number 132) is a fun read that covers many of the cool Marvel limited series from the Eighties. And why am I bringing that up in our Modern-Day Cool Comics category? Because Devil’s Reign: Winter Soldier #1 is part of a larger event (Devil’s Reign) that is seeing all sorts of related series sprouting out on comic book stands like kudzu. Today, the limited (or mini) series is a common occurrence. Each week you can find them by the bunches (I guess the imagery here would be grapes!), with each series running for about five issues, and sometimes billed as an event, branching out with many siblings and cousins, not unlike a family tree. In the Eighties they were still a new phenomenon, and caught the attention of many collectors, whereas today, they seem to be the norm, and if you want to collect them all, you need to have deep pockets when it comes to your comic book budget. These days, as time shuffles forward, I’ve found I need to be more discerning when it comes to deciding what to purchase. This issue is a standalone, and I’m satisfied with having added it to my collection. Creators for this issue include Jackson Lanzing & Collin Kelly (writers), Nico Leon (artist), Felipe Sobreiro (color artist), VC’s Joe Caramagna (letterer), Felipe Massafera (cover artist), and Alanna Smith (editor). The cover price of Devil’s Reign: Winter Soldier #1 is $4.99, while the current value is $5.
Dynamically Discounted Cool Comics
#1677 — World’s Finest Comics #308, DC, October 1984.
Are you a fan of World’s Finest Comics? The classic team-up of Superman and Batman never grows old for some of us, especially when we can go back to the Bronze Age and enjoy this adventure for a mere quarter. That’s right, this one came straight out of the quarter bin! I’m very fortunate to have a local shop that constantly fills its tables with box after box of cheap, four-color crazy fun! This energizing Eighties adventure comes to us courtesy of Kurt Busiek (writer), George Tuska (penciller), Mark Alexander (inker), Cody (letterer), Mansi Hoolahan (colorist), and Janice Race (editor), with cover credits going to Ed Hannigan (penciler) and Klaus Janson (inker). The cover price of World’s Finest Comics #308 is 75¢, while the current values are $5 on CBR and $3 on ZKC.
Cool Comics Celebrates FCBD (Week 25 of 2021)
#1678 — Space Pirate Captain Harlock, Ablaze, August 2021.
No one likes pirates, do they? They plunder, destroy, capture, kill, and make you walk the plank! I don’t like pirates of the high seas, and I don’t like pirates that sneak through the cold recesses of space. However, I’ve been a fan of the Pirates that sail the three rivers in Pittsburgh, but that’s the only exception I’ll make. And yet…maybe I did like Space Pirate Captain Harlock just a bit. This Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) issue did get me a bit interested in the greater story going on here, but the odds are I’ll never read another of these comics again…unless it crops up once again as an FCBD offering. And if that’s the case, I’ll welcome back Captain Harlock with a friendly “rrrr matey.” This FCBD issue is presented by Leiji Matsumoto (story) Jérôme Alquié (story, art, cover artist), Dezi Sienty (letters), Rodolfo Muraguchi (designer), and Kevin Ketner (editor). The cover price of Space Pirate Captain Harlock is free, while the current value is $1.
Cool Comics for the Young at Heart
#1679 — Casper and… #7, Harvey Comics, December 1988.
I really like this issue of Casper and…, as it features themes from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. If you appreciate Lewis Carroll’s classic tales of mirrors, madness, and Pym particles (okay, Alice didn’t use Pym Particles to change size, but could there be a connection?), it may be worth your while to search for this back issue. I was able to grab this one out of a quarter box, but perhaps the easiest way to add it to your collection is to look through Harvey back issue boxes at your local comic shop, or perhaps your online vendor of choice. It’s unfortunate that so many of these Harvey Comics don’t have proper attribution for all the creators involved, and the best I can do for this issue is to give you the two names I was able to find: Ken Selig and Warren Kremer, who are listed for several of the stories at the Grand Comics Database. Click the link to see what stories they are associated with, along with the names of these fun adventures. The cover price of Casper and…#7 is $1, while the current value is $3.
Twentieth Century Cool Comics
#1680 — Adventure Comics #439, DC, June 1975.
It’s a bit of a rare occurrence to stumble upon an issue of Adventure Comics in a quarter bin, but that’s exactly how I scored this ultra-cool comic featuring a stellar Spectre story, along with part 3 of a tale featuring Green Arrow and Speedy from an ongoing Seven Soldiers of Victory storyline. As many of you know, the Seventies is my favorite era of comics, and because I rarely read any DC issues during this period, finding them for so cheap is always a special occasion for me. This cool cover is by Jim Aparo (pencils, inks) and Tatjana Wood (colors). Interior credits for The Voice that Doomed…the Spectre include Michael Fleisher (script) and Jim Aparo (pencils, inks, letters), while Father Time’s Inn is brought to us by Joe Samachson (script), Lee Elias (pencils, inks), and Joe Letterese (letters). Joe Orlando and Paul Levitz are listed as editors. The cover price of Adventure Comics #439 is 25¢, while the current 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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I Read That Book!
Please check out my newest blog, I Read That Book! About once a week I discuss a book I’ve read in an entertaining, positive manner. It’s not a book review site, but instead a fun way to look at many of the books that have been a part of my life (and perhaps yours, too!), through anecdotes, quotes, weblinks, fond memories, pictures, and other surprises!
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