Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection episode 333, 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 333…
Cool Comics Stuff!
Typically, Cool Comics includes just one Modern-Day Cool Comic each episode. Sometimes it’s difficult to decide which to include out of my weekly pulls, and sometimes it’s easy. I try to achieve a balance for the blog each week, usually including at least one Marvel and one DC, and often one of those two end up as a Modern-Day selection. And sometimes when another few issues come out that I really enjoy, I give them mention right here in Cool Comics Stuff!
I’d been looking forward to Geiger 80-Page Giant #1 since I saw it solicited in Previews, and though the comic was supposed to come out in November, it was worth the wait. If you’ve been reading Geiger, perhaps you are as excited as I am about this issue, including a look at things to come from this Universe, including Junkyard Joe and Redcoats! If you missed this last week, I strongly recommend picking up a copy.
Cool Comics Battle of the Week!
The Cool Comics Battle of the Week is Power Man versus Moon Knight! 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 shows off the fast-flying Falcon, thanks to Ed Griffie! 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
#1681 — Monkey Prince #1, DC, April 2022.
When I was a kid, my favorite anime movie was Alakazam the Great (ATG). And it was probably the only anime movie that I knew of at the time, although I was also fan of the cartoons Kimba, the White Lion and Speed Racer. What I didn’t know when I was young about ATG is that it’s based on Journey to the West, a 16th Century Chinese novel. As a kid, it was a big deal for me when ATG aired on TV (yup, this is before DVRs, recordable DVD players, and even VHS/Betamax video cassette recorders). My memory may be playing tricks, but it seems that I can recall a TV station showing it on Thanksgiving Day when I was quite young. There have been other versions in different media based on Journey to the West over the years, but ATG remains my favorite. All of which perfectly explains why I had to add the debut issue of Monkey Prince to my collection. If you weren’t sure whether or not to try it, you may want to add it just because the setting is Gotham City, and a few familiar capes are included. Monkey Prince is brought to us by Gene Luen Yang (writer), Bernard Chang (artist, cover), Sebastian Cheng (colorist, cover), Janice Chiang (letterer), Ben Abernathy (group editor), and Jessica Chen (editor). The cover price of Monkey Prince #1 is $3.99, while the current value is $4. The Key Collector Comics value is also $4.
Dynamically Discounted Cool Comics
#1682 — Power Man and Iron Fist #70, Marvel, June 1981.
Luke Cage (aka Power Man) is one of my favorite comic book characters, so I had to make sure to pay tribute to him during Black History Month. And for many of us well-seasoned veterans of comic book culture, Power Man and Iron Fist holds a special place in our hearts. This fun story that I plucked straight out of a quarter bin might have you wondering, at first glance through the pages, if the TV show Miami Vice had some fashion influence on the comic, but the show didn’t debut until 1984, so perhaps we need to reverse the thought…could it be? Okay, it takes place in Bayport, Florida, which is about a five-hour drive from Miami and happens to be on the west coast. Still, after reading this issue, it sort of makes you wonder. By the way, I didn’t watch Miami Vice, but I’ve seen bits and pieces. From my vantage point, Power Man and Iron Fist are far more entertaining. The creators of this issue of Power Man and Iron Fist include Mary Jo Duffy (writer), Kerry Gammill (penciler), Ricardo Villamonte and Friends (inkers), Jim Novak (letterer), Ben Sean (colorist), Dennis O’Neil (editor), and Jim Shooter (vizier). The cover price of Power Man and Iron Fist #70 is 50¢, while the current value is $6.
Cool Comics Celebrates FCBD (Week 26 of 2021)
#1683 — Gloomhaven: A Hole in the Wall, Source Point Press, August 2021.
Perhaps it would have been helpful to better understand what’s going on in this Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) issue if I’d done a little research before reading it. And this is often the case when we try new companies and comic titles. We buy it (or get it for FCBD), pull it out of our stack to see what it’s about, and then end up being a bit lost. It’s based on a game (okay, so maybe you already knew that), and just learning this helped me a bit, even after the fact. When it comes to gaming, I may be clueless when it comes to Gloomhaven, but watch out if you dare take me on in Yahtzee or Sequence! Gloomhaven was created by Isaac Childres (editor). Other credits go to Travis Mcintire (writer), Tyler Sowles (art), Justin Birch (letters), Nolan Nasser (cover art), Price Johnson (editor), Josh McDowell (logo design), Joshua Werner (color & art assistance), and Phillip Gleason & Jacob Way (assistant editing & research). The cover price of Gloomhaven: A Hole in the Wall is free, while the current value is $1.
Cool Comics for the Young at Heart
#1684 — Yosemite Sam #25, Gold Key, December 1974.
When I was younger, I wasn’t much of a fan of comic books featuring Looney Tunes characters. I pretty much started off my comic book collection with superheroes (mostly Marvel and a few DC “100-Pages for 60¢” issues), and quickly discovered that I also enjoyed Dennis the Menace and Archie Comics. But for me, Bugs Bunny and his pals were better off being viewed on Saturday mornings instead of coming at me in comic books. Yet as we grow, our tastes often change, and now when I pick up one of these old anthology editions, my mind drifts back to those simple, splendid summers of my life (a life in which I didn’t scribble across the bottom of comic book covers, but I bought it for a quarter, so no complaints here). Unfortunately, like so many of these older Gold Key comics, credits weren’t listed, and it’s been difficult to give proper due to the writers and artists. At the Grand Comics Database, only John Langton is listed for one of the stories for both pencils and inks. The cover price of Yosemite Sam #25 is 25¢, while the current values are $16 on CBR and $8 on ZKC.
Twentieth Century Cool Comics
#1685 — West Coast Avengers #21, Marvel, June 1987.
I’ve never been a big fan of West Coast Avengers…or even Avengers West Coast…but when Moon Knight is on the cover of an old issue tucked away in a quarter box, there’s no doubt that it’s coming home with me. As the cover tells us, this issue sees the West Coast Avengers add a couple heroes to their roster: Doctor Pym and Moon Knight! And with Moon Knight’s upcoming Disney+ streaming series, I’m glad I grabbed this before it disappears from shops across the globe! A couple of other personal reasons I enjoy about the addition of this to my collection is that I wasn’t actively buying comics in 1987 (and I love exploring comics periods I missed out on), and 1987 was the year I married my über-cool wife. West Coast Avengers creators consist of Steve Englehart (writer), Al Milgrom (layouts), Joe Sinnott (finishes), Tom Orzechowski (letters), Paul Becton (colors), Mark Gruenwald (editor), and Jim Shooter (chief). The cover price of West Coast Avengers #21 is 75¢, while the current value is $4. The Key Collector Comics value is $3.
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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