Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection episode 352, 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 352…
Cool Comics Stuff!
It’s a new era for Captain America, as we now have ongoing titles for both Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson. Both titles had strong opening issues, so if you love the red, white, and blue, there’s now more to go around. The Marvels has been an interesting run so far, but the reason I posted it here is because I’m a fan of picture in a picture in a picture art!
Cool Comics Battle of the Week!
The Cool Comics Battle of the Week is Jughead the Burgarian versus The Green Arrow! 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!
In this episode, Cool Comics shows off the Red Tornado, 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
#1776 — The Best Archie Comic Ever #1, Archie, August 2022.
Gee whiz, all you have to do is glance at the cover and realize that this just might truly be The Best Archie Comic Ever! It has super heroics, spies, and barbarians jam-packed into this single issue of four-color fun that left me screaming for another issue. Will we get more? And if so, will issue two continue the momentum? If you don’t have history with America’s favorite teenager, then this comic book isn’t for you, but if you grew up with the Riverdale gang, you might get a big kick out of it. The fabulous team behind The Best Archie Comic Ever includes the following: Once We Were Heroes – Fred Van Lente (story), Tim Seeley (line art), and Matt Herms (coloring); Jughead the Burgarian – Aubrey Sitterson (story), Jed Dougherty (line art), and Matt Herms (coloring); and Operatives – Ruben Najera (story), Giorgia Sposito (line art), and Glenn Whitmore (coloring). Other contributors are Jack Morelli (lettering), Stephen Oswald (associate editor), Vincent Lovallo (assistant editor), and Jamie Lee Rotante (editor). The cover was done by Tim Seeley, with Matt Herms. The cover price of The Best Archie Comic Ever #1 is $3.99, while the current value is $4.
Dynamically Discounted Cool Comics
#1777 — The Amazing Spider-Man #208, DC, September 1980.
If you’re a fisher of dynamically discounted comic books, then you know that it’s not often you spot issues of The Amazing Spider-Man in these boxes. This issue came out a couple years after I foolishly thought I was too old to read comic books, so when I found it for just a quarter, I could feel my pulse quicken and I knew it had to come home with me and help fill that “amazing” void in my collection. There’s no way I’ll ever have the complete run, and while I can live with that fact, I do love the challenge. The Amazing creators for this issue include Denny O’Neil (writer), John Romita, Jr. (layouts, cover), Al Milgrom (finished art, cover inks, editor), Brett Breeding (finished art) Jean Simek (letterer), and Barry Grossman (colorist). The cover price of The Amazing Spider-Man #208 is 50¢, while the current values are $15 on CBR and $18 on ZKC.
Cool Comics Celebrates FCBD (Week 7 of 2022)
#1778 — The Rema Chronicles, Graphix (an imprint of Scholastic), May 2022.
This Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) issue gives us a brief preview of The Rema Chronicles graphic novel. And if you like it, the back cover tells us that the complete adventure is in stores now! Some of these Graphix previews that we see for FCBD are better than others, and I will not hesitate to admit that even an old curmudgeon like me (I don’t really think I’m a curmudgeon…and perhaps not as old as I sometimes feel…but I enjoyed getting to use the word twice!) enjoyed this story featuring much younger folks. If you’re looking to show a young fantasy fan the joys of comic books, this seems like a good place to start. The Rema Chronicles: Realm of the Blue Mist is brought to us by artist and writer Amy Kim Kibuishi. The cover price of The Rema Chronicles is free, while the current value is $1. The Key Collector Comics value is $0.
Cool Comics for the Young at Heart
#1779 — The Friendly Ghost Casper #245, Harvey, March 1989.
For someone who rarely bought comics for the young at heart when my heart was actually young, I’m building a pretty hefty collection. Most of them have a number of bumps and bruises, both on the covers and interiors, but I’m okay with that. These reader copies are great for going back to those days of yesteryear when the world was a simpler place to live. Taxes? Electric bills? Putting gas in my tank? These sure weren’t concerns of mine when I was growing up and reading comic books with my friends. And though it’s inevitable that I have to pay for a great many things today, grabbing a copy of Casper out of a comic book box is a great way to escape for just a little while. I’m starting to feel like a broken record, but there are no writers or artists listed for this comic book. Now that’s not always the case when it comes to Cool Comics for the Young at Heart, but, most unfortunately, it’s usually the status quo. What you can find here is a list of all the titles and characters in this issue, which is mostly reprints. The cover price of The Friendly Ghost Casper is $1, while the current value is $4.
Twentieth Century Cool Comics
#1780 — Justice League of America #200, DC, March 1982.
This 200th adventure of the Justice League of America gives readers plenty of bang for their buck-and-a-half, as it fills out 72 big pages! I didn’t buy this fresh off the shelves when it came out, instead paying double the cover price (and $3 isn’t a bad deal for so much comic book fun), and it was worth every penny. The two-page cover comes to us from George Perez (pencils, inks), Anthony Tollin (colors), and Gaspar Saladino (letters). Interior writing credits belong to Gerry Conway, while a bevy of artists helped put together this thick anniversary issue, including George Perez, Brett Breeding, Carl Gafford, Pat Broderick, Terry Austin, Jim Aparo, Dick Giordano, Gil Kane, Carmine Infantino, Joe Kubert, and more, which you can see here. The cover price of Justice League of America #200 is $1.50, while the current value is $10. The Key Collector Comics value is also $10.
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! Periodically, 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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Enjoyed this episode alot!
Thanks a bunch, John! We aim to please, and thank YOU for being an important part of Cool Comics!