What Classic Comics Have You Purchased Lately?

[scratchie]

I never really imagined that made much of a difference. Do you really think that's a major deterrent?I don't know how major it is, but I've definitely noticed that sellers who don't take checks or don't take Paypal tend to get somewhat fewer bids. In a case like this, it could easily combine with the newbie-ness of the seller to cause a few high-rollers not to bother.

[scratchie]

Wow... $300 for Batman #10 sounds like a phenomenal bargain.Actually, that seems "about right". Last year's Overstreet lists that book at $345 in Good condition.

[Kirk G]

Y'know, some days it actually does pay to get out of bed (& come to work, since my home computer has been in the shop since last Friday, getting de-virused) ...

A few minutes ago, I idly typed in "Sea Devils" on eBay & came across an auction with 3 minutes to go for Sea Devils #13 & Amazing Spider-Man #55, along with a couple of lesser comics (Weird War Tales #54 & a Gold Key that I'd never heard of, Amazing Chan #1 ... with only 1 bid registered, for the minimum 99 cents. One bid & a few minutes later, they're mine, for a whopping total of $1.30.

Judging from the photo --

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r87/starcult/0dfc_1.jpg

-- they're rather worn -- "reading copies," I suppose -- but still probably in at least G+ condition (though as I've said before, my only expectations regarding condition are that all the pages are intact & the cover is, if not attached, at least in the proximity of the book).

Even at $7 shipping & the cost of a post office money order (I figure the seller's lack of interest in any sort of online payment kept interest down), I think that's the best bargain I've come across in a long, long time ...

... Even though, looking more closely, I'm fairly certain that the Sea Devils duplicates the only issue of that title I own. (If memory serves, the story's 3 parts -- drawn by, respectively, Joe Kubert, Gene Colan & Andru/Esposito -- feature one or more of the artists as characters themselves.)

That Spidey cover takes me back.
I was sorting through the new comics arriving in Suits News Company carrying boxes when that issue came in. I had been into comics less than a year about that time... I think the first few Spideys I flipped through on the rack were 41-42-43-44-or so.

[shaxper]

Actually, that seems "about right". Last year's Overstreet lists that book at $345 in Good condition.

Agreed that the price is appropriate (If a bit low), but what Overstreet dictates and what actually happens on ebay and at comic shops isn't always the same. I usually see books in this condition go for six to eight hundred dollars, if not higher. Believe me, I've been looking.

If you look at other Batman #10s on ebay right now, one is starting at $350 and looks far worse than this one, another has a buy it now of $650, and a few are well over a grand. Granted, conditions vary, but what I'm seeing on ebay today pretty well reflects what I've seen in over a year of searching. You just can't find this condition at this price. No matter what Overstreet says, it will always be one of the first ten issues of Batman, and that means dollar signs.

[T GUy]

Overstreet <B>undervaluing</B> a comic? :confused:

There's a first time for everything, I suppose...

[spoon_jenkins]

I just got Essential Dr. Strange vol. 1. I've got at least one volume of most of the Silver Age Essentials now.

[shaxper]

Overstreet <B>undervaluing</B> a comic? :confused:

There's a first time for everything, I suppose...

They do it all the time. Look up their price for an Albedo #2 in the 2005 edition. I believe they had it at $4 while it was selling for over $400 on ebay. It had been earning over $200 since 1989, but Overstreet's panel of experts somehow missed this.

In the particular case of Batman #10, Overstreet's price is based upon the value of higher grade copies. They then apply a simple mathematical formula to determine what the value of a copy in Good condition must be. As far as I know, they're not looking at any market research to actually determine the price of a Batman #10 in Good condition.

[Slam_Bradley]

Showcase Presents: The Legion of Super-Heroes.

Showcase Presents: Hawkman.

[DDM]

Alpha Flight #43, The Defenders #20-23 & #25-29.

[Shawn Hopkins]

How old do they have to be? I recently got a pretty good deal, buying 5 1/2 longboxes of comics from a flea market dealer for $75. There were some pretty good finds in there like a lot of Groo, New Mutants, Defenders, large runs of Conan and Warlord (including the First Issue Special with his first appearance) and some Peter Parker, among a lot of other stuff. But the one that suprised me the most was the first issue of Miracle Man, in great condition. I wish the rest of it had been in there.

At my last trip to the comic store I bought a collection of The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck by Don Rosa that I'm really looking forward to reading.

[dan bailey]

Just ordered Showcase Presents: The Flash. For some reason -- probaby early imprinting from various 80-Page Giant & DC Special reprints & the very occasional issue of the actual comic itself -- my idea(l) of the Flash is inextricably intertwined with Carmine Infantino's rendition of the strip.

[Heraclevs]

Last week while in Denver (All C's store in Aurora, NOT Mile High!), I purchased the last issue (#124) of the Weird War Tales series, published in 1983 or 1984. The lead story is a history spanning epic pitting a blonde man and a red headed woman vs. some dark haired or armored villain, and this battle is revisitied over and over again in subsequent eras (time of the Huns, medieval times, WW1, WW2, the future) until finally God starts the world over again with a new Adam and Eve.

After this story, there are a handful of one to two page stories by Giffen and such, one dealing with the cancellation of the title by an officer named Levitz, who orders the G.I. Robot and Creature Commandos shot into space.


- Romans 9

[scratchie]

I just placed my order for Fables Volume 9 and the much-delayed Fourth World Omnibus Volume 1. My little heart's all a-flutter. Threw in Superman Chronicles V1 (A.K.A. "You're not fighting a woman!") to get free shipping and I'm good to go.

This week, I'll also probably try to pick up that Marvel Team-Up with Spider-Man and Warlock to finish off my run of Starlin-era Warlock stories (recently snagged the Avengers Annual and Two-In-One Annual from Ebay). Then it's off to the book-binder!

[pmpknface]

I just placed my order for Fables Volume 9 and the much-delayed Fourth World Omnibus Volume 1. My little heart's all a-flutter. Threw in Superman Chronicles V1 (A.K.A. "You're not fighting a woman!") to get free shipping and I'm good to go.

This week, I'll also probably try to pick up that Marvel Team-Up with Spider-Man and Warlock to finish off my run of Starlin-era Warlock stories (recently snagged the Avengers Annual and Two-In-One Annual from Ebay). Then it's off to the book-binder!

I'm looking forward to BOTH of those volumes too.

So you're binding your Warlock issues? NEATO! What issues and how much does that cost? Got any pics of other vol's you've made?

[graviton]

Like many others, I have been snapping up virtually every "Showcase Presents" volume that DC publishes. I LOVE these books!

Got to share my good fortune yard-saling this past weekend. I found a box of older comics, late 1950s to about 1966 issues, Marvels, DC, Charlton, and Dells. Most were in the G to G- range. The lady was asking $0.50 each, there were 40 different comics, so I offered her $15 for the box, and she said OK and tossed in a few other comics and magazines she had lying about.

Some highlights: Tales of Suspense # 65 & 73, Showcase # 55, Flash # 161, Detective Comics # 296, Action Comics # 302, Avengers # 28, Sgt. Fury # 21, Metamorpho # 2, Sgt. Rock # 161 & 197, The Atom # 13, Journey Into Mystery # 104, Mystery In Space # 90, Doom Patrol # 118, and World's Finest # 156. Needles to say, I was quite pleased with this deal.

And it's good to be back on the boards! Hi all!

[pmpknface]

Nice score man!

[DDM]

The Defenders #2-8, #11-14, Giant Size Defenders #4, The Avengers #69-70 (1st Squadron Sinister), #249, Marvel Chillers #4 (Tigra), & Marvel Premiere #42 (Tigra story)

[pmpknface]

Tigra tastic! ;) Check this out on Bowen Design's site:

http://bowendesigns.com/images/pagecontent/HellCat%20image1.jpg

[DDM]

Tigra tastic! ;) Check this out on Bowen Design's site:

http://bowendesigns.com/images/pagecontent/HellCat%20image1.jpg

Given her red hair, I believe this is Patsy Walker as Hellcat. Great bust though.

The Cat has black hair.

[pmpknface]

Yeah, this is a HELLCAT aka Patsy. Just had to mention it. I love this $hit. :p

[scratchie]

Great bust though. The statue's nice, too.

High-yo!

[spoon_jenkins]

I got Spider-Girl #32, continuing my mission to build a complete vol. 1 collection after the fact (i.e. I didn't own an issue of Spider-Girl until vol. 1 came out).

Picked up the first issue of the Priest-penned Black Panther series out of the 50 cent box. I've never read any of it.

Bought Avengers #137, 138, 157, 158. I'm planning to pick up Essential Avengers vol. 5, the Celestial Madonna TPB, and the Serpent Crown TPB eventually. So I'm trying to get the issues in the gaps between those TPBs.

[DDM]

Bought Avengers #137, 138, 157, 158. I'm planning to pick up Essential Avengers vol. 5, the Celestial Madonna TPB, and the Serpent Crown TPB eventually. So I'm trying to get the issues in the gaps between those TPBs.

Avengers #137 is a tough comic to find. I looked literally for years before I found a copy of one.

[Jake Lockley]

Night Force volume 1, #'s 3, 7 and 12. I had the complete run before but those issues disappeared somehow.

Also Aztec Ace #4 & 5, for the same reason.

[Perry Holley]

While hitting some of the local comic book/gaming shops for Free RPG Day, I also wound up getting a metric buttload of comic books on the cheap.

First (and this is the only one I was actively looking for) I picked up a copy of Marvel Premiere #46 for $1. This was part 2 of a Man-Wolf story I was looking for.

One of the shops had recently labeled about two dozen long boxes worth of comics as 50-cent discount bins. Stuff I picked up included:

Swamp Thing (vol 1) #16
Empire Lanes: Arrival tpb
Tales of the Green Hornet #1-2
DC Comics Presents #1 (Superman/Flash team-up)
Kamandi #38, 48, 56
James Bond 007: Permission To Die #2 (by Mike Grell)

There were also a number of bagged sets in the 50-cent boxes. I asked to make sure that they were actually 50 cents per set, and the owner said yes, so I also got:

Tarzan: The Beckoning #1-7
Nexus: Alien Justice #1-3
Hammer of God: Butch #1-3
Manhunter #0-11 (Steven Grant's run)
a 3-pack of Tales of Suspense, Tales to Astonish, and Strange Tales (prestige-format one-shots from 1994)
two Paul The Samurai mini-series, one running 3 issues, the other running 6 issues.

All for a measly $9 + tax.

[Perry Holley]

Night Force volume 1What a great, great run of stories. Vertigo before there was Vertigo.

Did DC ever put out any tpb collections of Night Force?

[zilch]

At the local show today i picked up

Tomahawk #16 from an old time dealer (i used to go to his shop in the '70s) who i talked to about older comics for a bit.

Not Brand Eechhh #1 and Inferior 5 #7... suprisingly fun reads. I have nearly an entire run of each, just picking them up for a buck or two each here and there... got both for $7.20 (another dealer was having a 40% off sale... too bad his Tomahawk #1 wasn't in the box!)

Almost picked up some Showcase/Essentials for $10 each but i talked myself out of them.

[dan bailey]

Just won an eBay auction for 17 issues -- #s 1-9 & 13-20 -- of Astonishing Tales. I already owned most of 'em, but the $10.65 purchase price (including shipping) is rather less than I would've paid Lone Star or Mile High for the early ishes I was missing -- 1, 3, 5 & 7-9. Now all I lack to complete the run are #s 10, 12, 24 & 29.

[Aaron King]

Ah, Mr. Bailey, it's nice to meet a fellow IT! fan (I'm assuming). I, too, am missing Astonishing Tales #24. I was lucky to acquire #21 and #23 for a buck each, though.

[pmpknface]

Picked up an issue of the Marvel Index mag, 7B (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290129743152&ssPageName=ADME:B:WNA:US:12)on ebay over the weekend. It's cool because its the golden age one. This one has every Sub-Mariner GA and SA cover, along with every SA and Bronze-Age Subby issue and appearances listed. Nice Bill Everett cover too! :D

[dan bailey]

Ah, Mr. Bailey, it's nice to meet a fellow IT! fan (I'm assuming). I, too, am missing Astonishing Tales #24. I was lucky to acquire #21 and #23 for a buck each, though.

Definitely ... though I was sort of surprised (but certainly not disappointed!) to learn, 30-odd years after the fact, that Dick Ayers had done the art. I'd've sworn the only ish I remembered reading off the 'stands featured art by Tony DeZuniga, but obviously I'm thinking of something else entirely.

[Slam_Bradley]

Wrong thread. OY!

[dan bailey]

Found the normally somewhat-pricey (by my penny-pinching standards) Marvel Super-Heroes 18, featuring the debut Guardians of the Galaxy strip, on eBay yesterday morning for a very reasonable $3 Buy It Now, so it'll soon be mine. That title really impressed me as a kid, consituting as I'm pretty sure it did my intitial expose to Golden Age Marvel, & now I'll have all 6 ishes (#s 15-20) that I had back then. To ameliorate shipping ($3 for a single comic or $5 for a bunch of 'em), I went for the same seller's Superman Family lot -- something like 18 of 'em at $1 per. Quite a few of 'em I already had, but still ... Now all I need is #s 195 & the final 2 ishes, 221-222, to complete the run.

Won an auction this a.m. for another eBay lot, this one of various '80s DC digests -- 4 ishes of the last few Adventures (including the final 2), 8 Best of DC Blue Ribbon Digests, 4 DC Special Blue Ribbon Digests, one DC Special Series, & one plain ol' b&w pb reprinting some Superboy & LOSH stuff. Again, several of these I already owned, but at something like $1.42 per, including shipping, I couldn't pass 'em up. (I noticed that the initial bidder went by "grantmorrison" ... presumably not the actual writer.)

I love those '80s digests, & I'm sloooowwwwwly moving toward completion of the DC Special volumes (only lacking #s 2, 20, 21, 23 & 24). I've only got 41 of the 71 Best of DCs, & I think now 5 of the 13 Adventure digests, so probably those entries will remain open on my want list till I'm dead & gone.

[Aaron King]

I recently got one of those Blue Ribbon Digests featuring "The Many Identities of Superman!" What an odd collection of stories. Superman becomes Clark the K, British Radio DJ, and we also see a series of "What If" stories where Kal lands on all sorts of different planets and becomes versions of Batman, Green Arrow, Flash, and the Atom.

I got my grabs from Kirk G yesterday which include a bundle of Kirby goodies: Eternals #15 & 16 (the fake Hulk story), 2001 # 9 & 10, OMAC #8, and a Kamandi issue among other things. They're in pretty decent shape once I get past their covers.

[Kan-Man]

I love those '80s digests, & I'm sloooowwwwwly moving toward completion of the DC Special volumes (only lacking #s 2, 20, 21, 23 & 24). I've only got 41 of the 71 Best of DCs, & I think now 5 of the 13 Adventure digests, so probably those entries will remain open on my want list till I'm dead & gone.

I share your affinity for those digests. Let me know which Adventure issues you're missing. I have a stack of them still sitting at my folks house, maybe I can help you fill in some gaps.

[Jake Lockley]

What a great, great run of stories. Vertigo before there was Vertigo.

Did DC ever put out any tpb collections of Night Force?

I've never seen a trade if there has been one issued, and Lone Star doesn't list one. It would be nice to see that series on good paper though.

[LegioXIX]

Last week I bought Batman #400 in mint condition on eBay for the low, low price of $2.25!

[MWGallaher]

Definitely ... though I was sort of surprised (but certainly not disappointed!) to learn, 30-odd years after the fact, that Dick Ayers had done the art. I'd've sworn the only ish I remembered reading off the 'stands featured art by Tony DeZuniga, but obviously I'm thinking of something else entirely.

I'm a genuine IT! fan, too, gang! I was dead center target audience for that comic when it came out: 12 year old monster fan looking for fun, non-continuity-burdened (but ongoing serial format) creature features that I could get in on from the start, and IT! delivered. Some friends and I even made a "radio adaptation" of the series using my parents' new reel-to-reel tape recorder. I'm very fond of this one.
As for the comic you're thinking of, Dan, my guess is The Golem in STRANGE TALES. That ran only three issues, but I know at least one of them had heavy-handed DeZuniga inks (and maybe pencils). The Golem looked like a miniature Living Colossus, but a little purpler.

[dan bailey]

As for the comic you're thinking of, Dan, my guess is The Golem in STRANGE TALES. That ran only three issues, but I know at least one of them had heavy-handed DeZuniga inks (and maybe pencils). The Golem looked like a miniature Living Colossus, but a little purpler.

Much thanks for jogging my memory, as you're right on the money -- I'd completely forgotten that short-lived strip between Brother Voodoo & Warlock ...

[Kirk G]

I'm a genuine IT! fan, too, gang! I was dead center target audience for that comic when it came out: 12 year old monster fan looking for fun, non-continuity-burdened (but ongoing serial format) creature features that I could get in on from the start, and IT! delivered. Some friends and I even made a "radio adaptation" of the series using my parents' new reel-to-reel tape recorder. I'm very fond of this one.
As for the comic you're thinking of, Dan, my guess is The Golem in STRANGE TALES. That ran only three issues, but I know at least one of them had heavy-handed DeZuniga inks (and maybe pencils). The Golem looked like a miniature Living Colossus, but a little purpler.

May I introduce you to Tony Isabella? He has a column on CBGXtra.com and a myspace page as well...:cool: (You know he wrote most of those IT , the Living Collossus stories, right?)

[DDM]

The Avengers #85-86 (1st Squadron Supreme) & X-Men #46-47 (1963)

[dan bailey]

My first order in quite some while from Lone Star was waiting at my door yesterday when I got home from work. Mostly late-'80s indie stuff, as I filled in gaps in my runs of Zot (I now lack only #33), Nexus (missing only 67, 71, 74, 77 & 80) & Elementals (missing only the final ish, #26, of the 2nd series).

[Kirk G]

The Avengers #85-86 (1st Squadron Supreme) & X-Men #46-47 (1963)

Unless I miss my guess, that's not the first appearance of the Squadron Supreme. I think they were the contestants for the Kang/Gamemaster 3-part story back in Avengers #69-70-71 IIRC. Or is there a distinction between the two groups? (They are thinly disguised versions of DC heroes, were they not?)

[DDM]

Unless I miss my guess, that's not the first appearance of the Squadron Supreme. I think they were the contestants for the Kang/Gamemaster 3-part story back in Avengers #69-70-71 IIRC. Or is there a distinction between the two groups? (They are thinly disguised versions of DC heroes, were they not?)

You're confused. Squadron Sinister first appears in The Avengers #69-71 as pawns of the Gamesmaster; Squadron Sinister is based on Earth-616 with villains Hyperion, Nighthawk (eventually joining the Defenders), Whizzer (aka Speed Demon) & Doctor Spectrum with sentient power gem. All the Squadron Sinister group remain villains except for Nighthawk.

The Squadron Supreme exist on an alternate Earth based in Cosmopolis with their own version of Nighthawk (Batman) as the leader along with Lady Lark (Black Canary), Tom Thumb (Atom), Hawkeye (Golden Archer, Black Archer) (Green Arrow), etc al. The Avengers land on this other Earth by accident in an attempt to get back home after helping Arkon. The Squadron Supreme first appears in The Avengers #85-86. The Avengers help the Squadron Supreme save their Earth from Brainchild who wants the Earth destroyed. The Avengers call the Squadron Supreme's Earth, Other-Earth. Of course, Roy Thomas based the Squadron Supreme on DC's Justice League of America.

[John Aston]

Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 1.

I never cared for any of the New Gods stuff, but the Superman cartoon raised my eyebrow with some of the bondage elements.

[pmpknface]

Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 1.

I never cared for any of the New Gods stuff, but the Superman cartoon raised my eyebrow with some of the bondage elements.
Ok - You just interested me in this enough to take it with me on my 4th travels this weekend. ;)

[diablo7]

mr. miracle(1st series) 4,5,and 7, mr. miracle special, elemetals(vol.1) 12doompatrol archives vol.3 , next nexus tpb, and 2 nexus tpbs by darkhorse...the nexus tpbs were won on ebay for .99 ...

[Bok]

Recently picked up all 4 Miracleman trades from various online stores and ebay. I must say they were worth every single penny I spent on them, absolute masterful storytelling from both Moore and Gaiman and worthy of all the praise that has been heaped on the series over the years. Truely a crime for these books to not currently be in print and available for anyone to read.

Also picked up Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus which I haven't read yet and a few random Essential and Showcase volumes.

[Sir Tim Drake]

Recently picked up all 4 Miracleman trades from various online stores and ebay. I must say they were worth every single penny I spent on them, absolute masterful storytelling from both Moore and Gaiman and worthy of all the praise that has been heaped on the series over the years. Truely a crime for these books to not currently be in print and available for anyone to read.

Also picked up Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus which I haven't read yet and a few random Essential and Showcase volumes.

How much did you pay for Miracleman volume 3, if you don't mind my asking?

[Bok]

It came to slightly over 200 USD, shipped + insurance.

I had been looking at various online stores and ebay for around 2 months and the only copy I could find anywhere was going for over 350 dollars, when I found the copy I ended up purchasing I pounced on it at that price.

In nice shape, some slight scuffing and a few nicks here and there, but I'm a reader rather than a collector so it doesn't bother me much at all.

[scratchie]

I was pleasantly surprised to see Essential Defenders V3 on the shipping list this week. After V2 took so long to come out (I think it was originally scheduled for last May and didn't come out until December), I was afraid that Marvel was going to consider this series to be a non-starter, but now, we've finally gotten to the really good stuff (issues 31-60 plus the Annual). This covers the best of Gerber's run and the best (such as it is) of Kraft's run. Now, if they'd just get to work on Essential Man-Thing V2, I'd be one happy Gerber fan!

Needless to say, I ordered this from InStockTrades with all due haste. To fill out the order and get free shipping, I also grabbed the first two volumes in the new Love & Rockets reprints and Volume 4 of the hardcover Ultimate Spider-Man books.

[DDM]

Captain America: War & Remembrance TPB, The Avengers #289-290, #293, Captain America Annual #8 (Captain America vs Wolverine), & Tales of the New Teen Titans #1-4 (LS)

[MichikoS]

A recent purchase of a cache of 1960's Jimmy Olsen comics has been a delight. AND, I just purchased the new Amazing Transformations Of Jimmy Olsen TPB with a spectacular cover by Brian Bolland.
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i221/elbert_coalwell/amaz_transf_jo_tpb.jpg

So, it's been a week well-spent with the spunky little bow-tied ginger. I came upon a curiosity in the final panels of "Brainiac...Big Time Operator," the feature story in Jimmy Olsen #116, December 1968. It may be one of the earliest examples of product placement in a comic book:
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i221/elbert_coalwell/jo_116.jpg
Has anyone seen anything like this before? I'm curious. I wonder how much General Mills paid for that plug? (I bet they weren't thrilled about the greenish cast the colorist gave those Cheerios, either).

Michi

[diablo7]

i just got doom patrol vol.3 in yesterday....god i love the silverage..and it had a cool bolland cover

[Gabara]

Well I've splurge this last month & bought quite a lot of old comics from various places, stuff I had as a little kid, and have forever yearned for since!

It's quite an experience to read this stuff again, after 30 odd years!

I got stuff like - Unknown Worlds Of Science Fiction (issues 1 to 6), Seeker 3000 (1st issue, Marvel #41, plus the 4 later ones), Starman (issue #1), Planet of the Vampires (#1-#3 - tho' when a kid, I had this entire story in one magazine-style comic, oh well), a SHIPload of old classic "Space Family Robinsons" for dirt cheap (!!), plus various Creepies & Eeries & Vampirellas lol!

Man I love comics!

...Maybe I should try to hunt down all those Sad Sack comics I had as a kid too ha ha...

[DDM]

Astonishing Tales #2 (1st Garrok, the Petrified Man) #3 (1st Zaladane), & #5

[NCDavid]

Lately, I've been buying Jack Kirby's old "2001" comic from the 70s. Surely, this must take the cake as one of the strangest comics he ever did, and one of the oddest movie comics ever. I'm still not sure how Machine Man made it from there into the Marvel Universe. It's kind of an interesting series to read, but I don't think I could handle any more than ten issues.

[pmpknface]

I've gotta track those down, as I only have the Machine Man issues. There's even a treasury that reprints some of them! :D

[scratchie]

I've gotta track those down, as I only have the Machine Man issues. There's even a treasury that reprints some of them! :DThe treasury is actually an adaptation of the movie, not a reprint of the single issues (which came later). Definitely one of the oddest little corners of Kirby's career.

[Kirk G]

Astonishing Tales #2 (1st Garrok, the Petrified Man) #3 (1st Zaladane), & #5

You need to pick up numbers 1 and 4... if only for the classic Wally Wood artwork in the Doom half of the book. As I recall, the Faceless One arc runs through the first three, if not four!

[DDM]

X-Men #45 (1963), The Avengers #295-298 & The Avengers #301-302

[DDM]

You need to pick up numbers 1 and 4... if only for the classic Wally Wood artwork in the Doom half of the book. As I recall, the Faceless One arc runs through the first three, if not four!

After reading the issues I bought, I realized I needed to get Astonishing Tales #6. I put Astonishing Tales #1 in my folder, but my LCS does not have Astonishing Tales #4...

[benday-dot]

Lately, I've been buying Jack Kirby's old "2001" comic from the 70s. Surely, this must take the cake as one of the strangest comics he ever did, and one of the oddest movie comics ever. I'm still not sure how Machine Man made it from there into the Marvel Universe. It's kind of an interesting series to read, but I don't think I could handle any more than ten issues.

With now just one or two exceptions I have read and collected all of Kirby's post 1970 body of work, and 2001, in all it's conceptual/visual madness just represents what I really love about twilight Kirby.

[Kirk G]

...what I really love about twilight Kirby.

Now that's a nice expression....
mind if I adopt it?:D

[pmpknface]

With now just one or two exceptions I have read and collected all of Kirby's post 1970 body of work, and 2001, in all it's conceptual/visual madness just represents what I really love about twilight Kirby.
Ok, I'm putting this run on my SDCC list! I'm just about to start the 4th World stuff, just read ALL of his ETERNALS, and I have other stuff that I haven't gotten to read yet like DEVIL DINOSAUR. :)

[Slam_Bradley]

I need to learn how to read thread titles.

[DDM]

Astonishing Tales #1, #6, & The Avengers #304-305

[Slam_Bradley]

I picked up the Essential Ms. Marvel for cheap.

[DDM]

I picked up the Essential Ms. Marvel for cheap.

Marvel should have included Marvel Super-Heroes #13 (Carol Danvers' first appearance), Captain Marvel #18 (Ms. Marvel's origin), The Avengers #197-200 since the book has Avengers Annual #10 in Essential Ms. Marvel.

[Cei-U!]

My spanking-new copy of The Essential Marvel Two-in-One, Vol. 2 arrived in today's mail. A review will follow on the Reading thread but let me say this much about what I've read so far:

Marv Wolfman's tenure on the title oughtta be Exhibit A in Jim Shooter's case against writers being their own editors. Dreadful.

Cei-U!
It's clobberin' time!

[dan bailey]

Picked up a 6-ish mid-'60s Superboy lot via eBay, culminating in my main target, #s 131-132, featuring the initial 2 (of 3 ... I've already got the final one, in #136) appearances of the Space Canine Patrol Agency. (As an added bonus, ish 131 appears to include the only appearance of the Space Cat Patrol Agency.) Too bad we can't sic these guys on the likes of Michael Vick ...

[dan bailey]

Marvel should have included Marvel Super-Heroes #13 (Carol Danvers' first appearance), Captain Marvel #18 (Ms. Marvel's origin), The Avengers #197-200 since the book has Avengers Annual #10 in Essential Ms. Marvel.

And of course they should compile an Essential Captain Marvel while they're at it. (Essential Ms Marvel, for what it's worth, is on my want list, though I'm starting to see the end of the available-Essentials-I-want tunnel ... all of the horror-related ones except Man-Thing [which I've already got], a few superhero volumes from the mid-'70s, & that's it*. Whereas of course it looks like I'll be buying Showcase Presents volumes until they take my credit card from my cold, dead hands.)


*Which means, of course, that Marvel needs to get cracking with those Golden Age collections announced some while back, not to mention such wish-list-fulfillers as compilations of Sub-Mariner, the Inhumans, Ka-Zar [though I've now got all of the Bronze Age solo strips in the original ishes), etc.

[benday-dot]

Picked up a 6-ish mid-'60s Superboy lot via eBay, culminating in my main target, #s 131-132, featuring the initial 2 (of 3 ... I've already got the final one, in #136) appearances of the Space Canine Patrol Agency. (As an added bonus, ish 131 appears to include the only appearance of the Space Cat Patrol Agency.) Too bad we can't sic these guys on the likes of Michael Vick ...

Very nice ebay haul Dan. Those CPA books are priceless. Right you are, part of Vick's sentence should definitely be to read them.

[Kirk G]

Marvel should have included Marvel Super-Heroes #13 (Carol Danvers' first appearance), Captain Marvel #18 (Ms. Marvel's origin), The Avengers #197-200 since the book has Avengers Annual #10 in Essential Ms. Marvel.

Wait, I remember Carol Danvers being introduced into the Capt. Marvel saga early on, but it was about issue #14 when she was held hostage by an android that I most clearly remember. What a wus back then.

But I DO NOT remember her origin being tied into Capt. Marvel #18. WTF?:confused: What happened? Or, was it a retcon?

[Mysterio]

I just recently picked up X-Men (first series) 81, 82, 84, 90 and 92. I'm trying to work my way back and fill in my X-Men run.

I have my eye on a VG copy of Incredible Hulk 181 at my LCS. He's going by the book on it's price. Just don't know if I want to pull the trigger on it.

[pmpknface]

I'm at Comic-Con!

Just grabbed 2 LB Cole covers! Got a Great Comics #1 and Top Love Stories #4! :D

[dan bailey]

Very nice ebay haul Dan. Those CPA books are priceless. Right you are, part of Vick's sentence should definitely be to read them.

Somebody got an even *choke* nicer haul over the weekend, as a seller was offering Superboy in complete 10-ish lots from something like 110 through 200-plus. Every bid of mine got sniped at the last second by the same buyer, which is, y'know, fine (he told himself while manfully trying to hold back the tears), since I'd be having real trouble right now paying for 'em all, given the latest round of Showcase Presents' obstinate refusal to pay for themselves -- but still, the thought of what might have been ...

[Cei-U!]

Wait, I remember Carol Danvers being introduced into the Capt. Marvel saga early on, but it was about issue #14 when she was held hostage by an android that I most clearly remember. What a wus back then.

But I DO NOT remember her origin being tied into Capt. Marvel #18. WTF?:confused: What happened? Or, was it a retcon?

Carol debuted in Marvel Super-Heroes #13, the second Captain Marvel story. In CM #18, she was bathed in the radiation emitted by the Kree-designed Psychomagnitron (that may be misspelled or wrong, as I'm working from memory). Years later, in Ms. Marvel #1, its delayed effect would alter Carol's physiology, turning her into a human-Kree hybrid.

Cei-U!
I summon the answer!

[Sir Tim Drake]

I'm at Comic-Con!

Just grabbed 2 LB Cole covers! Got a Great Comics #1 and Top Love Stories #4! :D

*envious*

As a way of compensating for missing Comic-Con, I've been visiting a bunch of different comic book stores and used bookstores in the Minneapolis area. The most exciting things I found were Angel and the Ape #6 for $3, and Mister Miracle #2 for $5.

[DDM]

Wait, I remember Carol Danvers being introduced into the Capt. Marvel saga early on, but it was about issue #14 when she was held hostage by an android that I most clearly remember. What a wus back then.

But I DO NOT remember her origin being tied into Capt. Marvel #18. WTF?:confused: What happened? Or, was it a retcon?

Carol Danvers first appears in Marvel Super-Heroes #13 (Captain Marvel's second appearance) which leads into Captain Marvel #1:

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/51936260260.13.GIF

Carol Danvers remains a supporting character in Captain Marvel for the most part. Yon-Rogg kidnaps Carol Danvers & she is exposed to radiation of the taboo, Psyche-Magnitron, a device which grants the user to make his thoughts reality in Captain Marvel #18; however, Captain Marvel saves Carol Danvers. Ms. Marvel's origin is told in Ms. Marvel #1:

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/14781264402.18.GIF

As a result of being exposed to the Psyche-Magnitron, Carol slowly develops a completely distinct, separate persona, Ms. Marvel. Carol would always black out & have missing time. This is when Ms. Marvel manifested. At first Ms. Marvel's powers derived from her costume which is also the result of the Psyche-Magnitron. But a second exposure in Ms. Marvel #4 to the Psyche-Magnitron completely alters Carol's genes fusing the best elements of the Kree & human races into one being:

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/55283435382.4.GIF

Ms. Marvel's mind is fused back into Carol's primary consciousness in Ms. Marvel #19 when the Kree's Supreme Intelligence attempts to transform Ms. Marvel into a full-blooded Kree with the Millennium Bloom. However, all it does is reintergrate the Ms. Marvel persona back into Carol's mind. The story also guest stars Captain Marvel.

Ms. Marvel has some kind of psychic connection with Mar-Vell (since Mar-Vell is the template for Ms. Marvel), but all of this is torn from Carol when Rogue steals her powers & psyche permanently in Avengers Annual #10.

The irony is Ms. Marvel is a split personality within Rogue's mind afterwards, although the real Carol Danvers exists as Binary.

So there's no retcons. There's too many retcons as it is.

[zilch]

The 10 times a year comic show was today and i snagged a couple of books.

First was a Rip Hunter Time Master #20, Rip and pals chum it up with Hitler and Napoleon! The guy i bought it from is a real jerk and runs a shop i never visit, but had em for 80% off so i got a $10 book for $2.

The second one was a pure accident. As i was leaving the show, i stopped by the table of the guy who runs it (Tony) and looked through a box on his table. Turns out he was selling them for someone else, a World's Finest #95 which i had to look at to see if it had a....

Tomahawk story!!!!

$10 bucks? I'm so there!

and a Supes/Bats story and a Green Arrow vs The Red Dart! Yummy early Silver age goodness!

[benday-dot]

I'll never make it to San Diego, but digging through the bins at my LCS on the weekend I picked up Front Line Combat #14 (October, 1953) for a $1.00!

Okay so it looks like shit, but hey you can barely buy a chocolate bar for a buck. And I just love that particular Wally Wood cover... it just speaks to me of south pacific seas and 1953. And if anyone has ever read the "Albatross" story in original or reprint form they will know that it shows how magnificent Wood is at panel composition... just top drawer stuff. He is perhaps known best for his space tales and his babes or better yet his space babes, but he sure could draw war stories when called to! It's also got Joe Kubert, George Evans and a fantastic Jack Davis Civil War yarn.

This copy looks in places as though it was hauled out of the fire just in the nick of time. I can see it now in flashback... It's 1954, some poor kid's frightened mom catches on tv the hearings of the Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency, and recognizes that EC logo from some of poor Johhny's stack of funnybooks... she rushes upstairs and throws the evil rags into the fire, but just in time the bawling lad manages to salvage that one lone masterful Wally Wood book from the ash heap of history.

[pmpknface]

*envious*

As a way of compensating for missing Comic-Con, I've been visiting a bunch of different comic book stores and used bookstores in the Minneapolis area. The most exciting things I found were Angel and the Ape #6 for $3, and Mister Miracle #2 for $5.
Very cool! As it turns out, these were the only 2 "classic" books I grabbed. Got a bunch of trades and such instead.

[Slam_Bradley]

Just picked up a copy of Showcase Presents: Shazam for $9.

[dan bailey]

I've got the Showcase Presents volumes of Batman (v2), Batgirl & The Atom on order from Books-a-Million's website. I'm hoping they get here before I have to be out of town for work the first half of next week ... but probably I just *choke* jinxed that possibility with these very words.

[DDM]

The Avengers #47-48 (1st Black Knight II, Dane Whitman)

[Gemini]

Hi Everyone,

I just picked up a Fine copy of Werewolf by Night #1. You just can't beat that classic Ploog cover!

:cool:

[DDM]

Hi Everyone,

I just picked up a Fine copy of Werewolf by Night #1. You just can't beat that classic Ploog cover!

:cool:

Marvel was in a Renaissance moment with Werewolf by Night, Tomb of Dracula, The Son of Satan, & Ghost Rider plus Doctor Strange & Satana features between the early 70's & 80's.

Oh, & welcome to CBR!

[pmpknface]

WELCOME! Hope you survive the experience!

I barely missed out on meeting Ploog at ComiCon. He was supposed to be at his table at 2pm on Thursday and was over 30 minutes late, and I never saw him there again. :(

[Sir Tim Drake]

Hi Everyone,

I just picked up a Fine copy of Werewolf by Night #1. You just can't beat that classic Ploog cover!

:cool:

Welcome to CBR.

Minneapolis is a great place to be if you're a fan of classic comics. What store did you buy that comic at?

[Gemini]

I agree, Minnesota is a great place for comic book stores. This issue, however, was from e-Bay. I prefer to buy Silver and Bronze age books in person whenever feasible. There's just no scan or picture that is superior to a first hand inspection. However, in this case there was a huge over-sized scan and a seller with lots of + feedback. I made what I thought was a pretty low bid and surprisingly won the auction. Just lucky I guess. :D

If you're ever in MN, I would HIGHLY recommend Twin City Comics (Columbia Heights), Minds Eye Comics (Eagan), and Comic Book College (Minneapolis). Great stores with lots of stock and friendly, helpful staff. There are no Simpson-esque "comic guy"s in these stores. :cool:

[Sir Tim Drake]

I agree, Minnesota is a great place for comic book stores. This issue, however, was from e-Bay. I prefer to buy Silver and Bronze age books in person whenever feasible. There's just no scan or picture that is superior to a first hand inspection. However, in this case there was a huge over-sized scan and a seller with lots of + feedback. I made what I thought was a pretty low bid and surprisingly won the auction. Just lucky I guess. :D

If you're ever in MN, I would HIGHLY recommend Twin City Comics (Columbia Heights), Minds Eye Comics (Eagan), and Comic Book College (Minneapolis). Great stores with lots of stock and friendly, helpful staff. There are no Simpson-esque "comic guy"s in these stores. :cool:

I go to the Nostalgia Zone every time I'm in town. But I ought to check out Mind's Eye Comics next time I'm in the area -- this is the second time I've heard someone recommend it.

[Gemini]

Mind's Eye is where I go for my standing order each week. The store is the cleanest and best organized shop I've ever been to in 25 years of collecting comics. They even have a couple comfortable over-stuffed chairs where you can lounge and read. They've got a terrific stock of recent books, statues, action figures, supplies, and a fairly small stock of older issues. I wouldn't go there looking for classic key issues (I think they sell those on e-Bay, but I could be mistaken). But if it's knowledgable & friendly staff and great prices you're after, they're awesome.

Nostaglia Zone, huh? I've heard of them, but never been there. Do they have a lot of older books?

[DDM]

DC Super Special #17 (O: The Huntress) & Avengers Annual #18

[rick]

I was up in Denver yesterday and managed to get my hands on the first 6 issues of Harvey Kurtzman's Humbug magazine.

They are in terrible condition, but they are all complete and are just overflowing with Kurtzman, Elder, Wood, Russ Heath and all sorts of other 50's greats.

[Sir Tim Drake]

Mind's Eye is where I go for my standing order each week. The store is the cleanest and best organized shop I've ever been to in 25 years of collecting comics. They even have a couple comfortable over-stuffed chairs where you can lounge and read. They've got a terrific stock of recent books, statues, action figures, supplies, and a fairly small stock of older issues. I wouldn't go there looking for classic key issues (I think they sell those on e-Bay, but I could be mistaken). But if it's knowledgable & friendly staff and great prices you're after, they're awesome.

Nostaglia Zone, huh? I've heard of them, but never been there. Do they have a lot of older books?

It's in the exact same space as the Comic Book College. They have an enormous back issue selection -- they say it's the biggest such selection in the Upper Midwest and I don't doubt it. They also have boxes of lower-priced reading copies, and some cheap boxes which usually contain really good stuff.

[dan bailey]

From what I've seen the last few weeks, the one-&-only ishes of Kirby's Spirit World & In the Days of the Mob for DC each tend to go for $15-$20 or more, depending of course on condition, but about 3 hours ago I scored Spirit World (with the poster included) off eBay for $6.50 plus $2.47 shipping, with Eerie #142 & Scream #11 thrown in for good measure. (SW & Eerie are supposedly in VG, Scream in G.) One of these days, sellers will realize that they're cutting their own throats by listing auctions to end on a Sunday morning or in the middle of the night or whatever ... but I'm not going to tell them that.

A few days earlier, I won another cheapish '60s Superboy lot -- #s 150, 153-155, 157, 158 & 160. These were right in the prime of "my" era of Superboy as a grade-school comics fan -- going by the GCD, the earliest ish I'm positive about having read would've been #149), & my next collecting goal is probably going to be to try to amass a run of the title from roughly 120-175 ... in which case, 21 down, 35 to go.

[MDG]

I was up in Denver yesterday and managed to get my hands on the first 6 issues of Harvey Kurtzman's Humbug magazine.

They are in terrible condition, but they are all complete and are just overflowing with Kurtzman, Elder, Wood, Russ Heath and all sorts of other 50's greats.

Humbug has a real charm--not as laugh at loud funny as the early MADs, but some great ideas. Besides the people you mention, issues have great stuff by Davis, Al Jaffee and Arnold Roth as well.

MDG

[benday-dot]

From what I've seen the last few weeks, the one-&-only ishes of Kirby's Spirit World & In the Days of the Mob for DC each tend to go for $15-$20 or more, depending of course on condition, but about 3 hours ago I scored Spirit World (with the poster included) off eBay for $6.50 plus $2.47 shipping, with Eerie #142 & Scream #11 thrown in for good measure.

Way to go Dan! As it happens Spirit World remains one of I think 6 published Kirby works that I need to complete a collection of his oeuvre, post 1970 Marvel departure. I've got lots of his earlier stuff too, but do not make it a realistic (or bankruptcy inducing) goal of acquiring it all. You are right about Days of the Mob... I think I paid pre-shipping about 23.99 for mine.

[Cei-U!]

Just ordered Showcase Presents The Atom and Essential Defenders, Vol. 2. Gonna be some good reading.

Cei-U!
I summon the anticipation!

[adam_warlock_2099]

Last time I got to do some serious back issue shopping, I filled a lot of the holes in my "Gray Hulk" storyline, including Incredible Hulk #333, 334, and 336-339 and 345. The comic shop here I go to, has a quarterly 50% off sale on back issues and I scored these books.

[DDM]

The Avengers #49-50 (vs Magneto), The Avengers #53 (vs the X-Men), The Avengers #307-309, & The Avengers #348.

[Aaron King]

An old friend of mine recently came back Stateside from eleven months in China and the subcontinent. She brought me an Indian graphic novel called The Barn Owl's Wondrous Capers that started out decent but ended poorly (and which isn't, I'm pretty sure, a classic).

She also brought me a great book called Sanmao, which tranlates into "Three Hairs." It's a collection of Chinese comic strips that were published in the thirties and forties starring an urchin named Sanmao. They're silent strips so they're almost entirely readable. (A few of the gags rely on signs and newspapers, so those went over my head.) It's a really depressing, naturalistic comic... Sanmao is kicked, whipped, beaten, arrested... It makes me think of Pearl S. Buck's The Good Earth. I don't know if it's published outside of China and I really wish I could read the introduction.

[Rob Allen]

Aaron, that Sanmao comic sounds really interesting. Any chance that you could scan a few pages and post them somewhere? I'm sure we can find someone capable of translating Chinese.

[Aaron King]

As per Rob's request, here's some Sanmao. First up, we have a typically depressing week where Sanmao eats some bark because he's starving. Then he gets driven off by police for attracting a crowd.
http://a456.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/73/l_cbf8d7fd656e67332edc7acd28369f4f.jpg

I'll just link to the other two so that none of our dialer-uppers have to deal with it. Both are examples where Chinese characters are used to the point where I don't really get it, even if the gags themselves are recognizable.

Sanmao page 27 (http://a904.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/86/l_3020bcbe81c888e95877058f5a8dac87.jpg)
Sanmao page 29 (http://a196.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/74/l_d63d02516bd998bbb5d2de68c000a0eb.jpg)

As for the book itself, I really like Zhang Leping's cartooning. It's a loose style that still manages to capture a lot of the details. And if anyone's interested, Sanmao (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanmao_%28comic_book_character%29) and Zhang Leping (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhang_Leping) both have decent Wikipedia articles.

Oh, and if we do get a translation, I'd be happy to scan in the intro, too. My friend said she couldn't translate it because there are too many specialized characters relating to comic books. She said it's like that for any trade or craft; you don't really learn the jargon unless you're part of it since each Chinese character is a full word.

[Rob Allen]

Thanks, Aaron! That is an interesting comic, and a very likable cartooning style. Now we need someone who reads Chinese. Maybe this should be split off into a thread of its own, to better attract the attention of Chinese CBRians. Don't we have someone from Singapore here on the CBR boards?

[DDM]

Alpha Flight #44, The Defenders #25, Nightcrawler #1 (1985 LS), & Ms. Marvel #19-20 (1976)

[Angry_Guy]

Very rare situation Saturday - My wife and I stopped at a yard sale, and the guy had 2 longboxes. I did a quick check and he had some decent looking stuff, so when I asked what he wanted for them (expecting the inevitable 2 or 3 dollars a book), I heard him say "15 cents each! And they were all bagged and boarded! Hell, the bag and board alone cost 5 or 6 cents.

So I got a big stack of late 1970's /early 80's books in nice condition for under 10 bucks. Some gems:

Mighty Avengers 143, George Perez art, Kang the Conquerer and Hawkeye stuck in the old West! Plus Avengers #200.

Marvel Team-Up #41, Spiderman and the Scarlet Witch, who gets possessed by Cotton Mather and turns evil and.... wow, they used that plot a lot over the years!

Captain America 218 - Geez, Sal Buscema drew some crazy hair styles.

Incredible Hulk 218 from 1977, with the very unfortunately named Bi-Beast.

and a run of Marvel Conans, #122 thru 144 complete. I loved that run, John Buscema could really draw Conan.

[Chris N]

That's an amazing story, Angry Guy.

[Sir Tim Drake]

Amazing discoveries like that are always nice.

And welcome to CBR!

[Slam_Bradley]

Picked up a copy of Krazy & Ignatz: 1925-26.

[Aaron King]

I hope you enjoy it, Slam. I'm obviously a fan (see the avatar under my name).

[Christopher Cross Is God]

Very rare situation Saturday - My wife and I stopped at a yard sale, and the guy had 2 longboxes. I did a quick check and he had some decent looking stuff, so when I asked what he wanted for them (expecting the inevitable 2 or 3 dollars a book), I heard him say "15 cents each! And they were all bagged and boarded! Hell, the bag and board alone cost 5 or 6 cents.

So I got a big stack of late 1970's /early 80's books in nice condition for under 10 bucks. Some gems:

Mighty Avengers 143, George Perez art, Kang the Conquerer and Hawkeye stuck in the old West! Plus Avengers #200.

Marvel Team-Up #41, Spiderman and the Scarlet Witch, who gets possessed by Cotton Mather and turns evil and.... wow, they used that plot a lot over the years!

Captain America 218 - Geez, Sal Buscema drew some crazy hair styles.

Incredible Hulk 218 from 1977, with the very unfortunately named Bi-Beast.

and a run of Marvel Conans, #122 thru 144 complete. I loved that run, John Buscema could really draw Conan.

Did the comics originally belong to him, or did they belong to his son who had moved out or something?

I remember paying around $3 each for some Byrne/Claremont Uncanny X-Men issues at a Flea Market. They were the "Days of Future Past" issues, along with a Wendigo issue and something else.

It was some older guy who normally sold other things, but his son gave the comics to him to sell. He was irritated at his son because his son didn't give him a price listing, so he just came up with prices out of nowhere.

[Angry_Guy]

[QUOTE=Christopher Cross Is God;5300948] Did the comics originally belong to him, or did they belong to his son who had moved out or something?

The whole thing was a little odd. First, the sellers appeared to be urban hillbillys (you know, 2 months lawn growth, a car up on blocks and a three-legged dog in the back yard). The 'yard sale' was actually in the alley garage behind their house, and it was all pretty grimy. My wife refused to touch anything!

The 40ish skinny dude running it talked a little like Spicolli on Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and kept blathering on about how they were going to have hot dogs and drinks for sale there after 11:00, if we wanted to come back. He also said he 'thought he had another box somewhere upstairs', but it was all getting a little too 'Texas-Chainsaw-ish' for me to pursue it any further.

So, I guess it was either (a) he was completely oblivious to any value, and possible illiterate, or (b) the real home owners were wrapped in newspaper in the basement freezer. Either way, I did all right! :D

[Super J.]

[QUOTE=Christopher Cross Is God;5300948] Did the comics originally belong to him, or did they belong to his son who had moved out or something?

The whole thing was a little odd. First, the sellers appeared to be urban hillbillys (you know, 2 months lawn growth, a car up on blocks and a three-legged dog in the back yard). The 'yard sale' was actually in the alley garage behind their house, and it was all pretty grimy. My wife refused to touch anything!

The 40ish skinny dude running it talked a little like Spicolli on Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and kept blathering on about how they were going to have hot dogs and drinks for sale there after 11:00, if we wanted to come back. He also said he 'thought he had another box somewhere upstairs', but it was all getting a little too 'Texas-Chainsaw-ish' for me to pursue it any further.

So, I guess it was either (a) he was completely oblivious to any value, and possible illiterate, or (b) the real home owners were wrapped in newspaper in the basement freezer. Either way, I did all right! :D

Thats awesome. Wish I could find some bargains like that.

The latest stuff I got was:

McFarlane's Spider-Man 1 to 6.

Superman: The Man of Steel (1986) All 6.

X-Men #1: (1991) cover D.

Venom: Lethal Protector #1 Gold cover.

Fantastic Four #51 (1966).

[pmpknface]

[QUOTE=Christopher Cross Is God;5300948] Did the comics originally belong to him, or did they belong to his son who had moved out or something?

The whole thing was a little odd. First, the sellers appeared to be urban hillbillys (you know, 2 months lawn growth, a car up on blocks and a three-legged dog in the back yard). The 'yard sale' was actually in the alley garage behind their house, and it was all pretty grimy. My wife refused to touch anything!

The 40ish skinny dude running it talked a little like Spicolli on Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and kept blathering on about how they were going to have hot dogs and drinks for sale there after 11:00, if we wanted to come back. He also said he 'thought he had another box somewhere upstairs', but it was all getting a little too 'Texas-Chainsaw-ish' for me to pursue it any further.

So, I guess it was either (a) he was completely oblivious to any value, and possible illiterate, or (b) the real home owners were wrapped in newspaper in the basement freezer. Either way, I did all right! :D
Dude, that description is f'n hysterical!

[dan bailey]

The whole thing was a little odd. First, the sellers appeared to be urban hillbillys (you know, 2 months lawn growth, a car up on blocks and a three-legged dog in the back yard).

Well, I'll be ... "Mountains of Pennsylvania" is actually code for "Dan's old neighborhood in North Little Rock"? Who knew?

[DDM]

What If...#1 (Spider-Man joined the Fantastic Four) (1977), Alpha Flight #47-48, The Avengers #306, #312, #316-317, #349, & Incredible Hulk #364

[dan bailey]

As alluded to in another thread, during my last LCS visit 6 days ago, after paying an absolutely insane amount for my latest round of preferred new arrivals, I happened to espy a modest little stack of mid-to-late-'70s DCs sitting atop the rows of back issues.

As I glanced through them, the owner asked me if I'd pay 50 cents per ish. Then he added a proviso -- it was an all-or-nothing deal ... no cherry-picking. The stack wasn't particularly impressive, & I'd already noticed 3 or 4 comics that I already owned, but I'd also seen an ish that I'd been seeking for awhile for a low price -- Secret Society of Super-Villains #1, the only one I lacked in that too-short series (all of which is now scheduled for reprinting in a Showcase Presents, with quite a bit more besides, but what the heck ... since I've already got all the other actual comics, I wanted to complete the set).

At 26 comics plus tax, I got out with $14.30 (yeah, down here the sales tax is a criminal 10 percent, with nothing in particular to show for it except utter backwardness).

Here's the small haul --

Action 436, 453
Superman 294
Superman Family 179
Superboy & the LOSH 198, 201, 206
World's Finest 229, 236
Flash 227, 231
Phantom Stranger 19
Return of the New Gods 12
Weird Western Tales 38
Shazam 28
Tarzan 244
Kamandi 34
Black Magic 4
The Shadow 9
SSOSV 1, 4
Claw the Unconquered 12
Super Friends 3
Welcome Back Kotter 3
Strange Sports Stories 1
Hercules Unbound 3


Anyway, as I said, nothing in any way out of the more or less ordinary except maybe that first SSOSV. Conditon, which isn't anything I emphasize anyway as long as the cover & pages are all there, was mostly G-VG, with a couple of pretty ragged specimens thrown in. At 50 cents per, no big deal either way ...

... & besides, you can't go wrong with Curt Swan on Superman, Dave Cockrum & Mike Grell on the LOSH (besides, I think #201 marks the first appearance of one of my favorite characters ever, Infectious Lass), Ramona Fradon on the Super Friends (only ish of that one I've ever owned), the King on Kamandi (also the only such ish I've ever owned), Dick Dillin on Superman & Batman, Irv Novick on the Flash, Jim Aparo on the Phantom Stranger, Don Newton (inked by Dan Adkins) on the New Gods, Keith Giffen & Bob Layton on Claw, JL Garcia Lopez on Jonah Hex, Kurt Schaffenberger on Capt Marvel, Simon & Kirby doing horror, & even Bob Oksner on Gabe Kotter & company (the "even" refers not to the great Oksner but to his subject matter, of course).

Looking back, for such artistic riches to be viewed as "ordinary" is quite the commentary, but it's pretty much true for Bronze Age DC, no?

(Not, by the way, that I'm ignoring the delights of Pablo Marcos on variosu super-villains, Schaffenberger on Jimmy Olsen, Swan on strange sports & Garcia Lopez & Wally Wood on Hercules, but SSOSV 3 & the Superman Family, Hercules Unbound & Strange Sports ishes happen to duplicate comics I already own.)

[dan bailey]

Meant to mention a bit of an oddity with some of the above. Six of the comics -- both Flashes, Action 436, Superboy 201 & the Black Magic & Shadow ishes -- turn out to have been contemporaneous reprints by "National Book Store Inc" in the Philippines. No ads, slightly better cover & page stock than regular US comics of the time, blank price circles (except for the Superboy & Black Magic covers, where the issue numbers appear there). The dates (month only, of course) are omitted from all of 'em except Flash 231, even though that means leaving the appropriate boxes blank on Flash 227 & The Shadow.

Inside, each comic's regular indicia appears, except that the dates are omitted (though Flash 231 & Action 436 list the month, but not the year). Under them appears --

PUBLISHED AND REPRINTED by NATIONAL BOOK STORE, INC.
Printed by CARMELO & BAUERMANN, INC.
(E. de los Santos Ave, Makati, Rizal)

The inside front & inside & outside back covers list other titles -- nothing from DC, but what may well have been a line of Classics Illustrated reprints (the 105 "National Classics Ilustrated" titles include 6 in what I assume is Filipino, but the rest are mostly tried-&-true Western classics), as well as what must've been a number of homegrown comics, like the "Filipino Heroes Series," "Rizal Classics Illustrated," "Philippine President Series," "Philippine History Illustrated Series," "National War Classics," "Legend of the Philippines Series," "National Epic Illustrated," "World Fairy Tales Series," "National Sports Illustrated Series" (maybe Scott Shaw! needs to look into #6, "How to Play Bowling"), National Romance Illustrated," "Lives of Saints Series," "Bible Illustrated Series" & "New Testament Illustrated Series" ... all "available in English and Pilipino[sic]."

Also, the "National Children's Classics" on the back cover could well be reprints of whatever the juvenile line of Classics Illustrated was called (Classics Illustrated Junior?), except for the 4 that seem Filipino-specific ("Maria Makiling" & the "Legend ...," "Adventures ..." & "Return ...," respectively, "of Pedro Penduko").

Anyone know anything about these? For some bizarre reason probably known only to Bill Gates &/or his minions, my PC only defaults to an error report when I try use any search functions -- no Google, no Yahoo, no MSN, no nothing -- or I'd have gone browsing by now.

[glue]

wrong thread

[Lone Ranger]

World's Finest 236


Ah... one of my favourite comics of all-time.

I love this one. I've managed to track down 5 pages of original art (back when you could get a Dick Dillin page for $30 on eBay).

Atom + Fantastic Voyage = Fun.


Great haul - lots of good reading in that list.

[miraclemet]

Just picked up a $1 bin copy of Dr Strange #55.

Wow.

These are the type of comics that make me go to the LCS each Wednesday in hopes of finding something that is reminiscent of the comics I grew up on....

[Slam_Bradley]

Came across a deal where I could pick up six Showcase volumes for $58. So I got;

Adam Strange, Vol. 1
Atom, Vol. 1
Batman, Vol. 2
Challengers of the Unknown, Vol. 1
House of Mystery, Vol. 2
The War That Time Forgot, Vol. 1

Unfortunately money is a bit tight because this purchase leaves me with exactly six volumes that I don't have. I could have picked them up as well, but couldn't justify the expense.

[dan bailey]

Just paid an eBay seller $8.11, shipping included, in my continuing quest for mid-'60s Superboys ... #s 126, 133 & 135, in this case. All supposedly VG. (Not that I give a flying damn about condition, as I've frequently observed, but it does affect what I feel like paying, of course.)

Also via eBay, procured a Sub-Mariner lot (spread over 2 auctions) consisting of #s 14, 25, 33, 35, 37, 49, 63 & 69, all allegedly VG-F, for $23.01, including shipping. I needed only 2 of 'em -- 14 & 35 -- so the rest will be returning soon to an eBay auction near you, but considering how close I'm coming to completing the entire run, I'm starting to get a bit reckless. Besides, I've seen #35 (2nd appearance of the proto-Defenders) go for as much as or more than I paid for the whole shebang. (Lone Star has a VG up right now for $28.80, for instance.)

(Combined with a purchase of a Fair copy of #59 for a whopping $1.08 this week in my latest Lone Star order, I'm now left needing only #s 1, 20 & 34. Unfortunately, 1 & 34 are certain to prove forever unaffordable, but hey, the thrill is in the hunt, right?)

[InfoBroker]

Nothing I like better than ruining someone's thrill of the hunt.

*snickers nastily*

Send me a PM with a mailing address and I spoil you aim for one of those missing Subbys.

- the bad infobroker -

[DDM]

The Avengers #54-55 (the 2nd incarnation of the Masters of Evil), #319-320, & Strange Tales #158 (1st Zom)

[Cherokee Jack]

I'm now left needing only #s 1, 20 & 34. Unfortunately, 1 & 34 are certain to prove forever unaffordable, but hey, the thrill is in the hunt, right?)


Since I'm to lazy to get off my butt, and go look in the Overstreet book, what was in # 34 the makes it expensive?

[InfoBroker]

Guest stars Hulk and Silver Surfer.

Back when non-Stan Lee written Silver Surfer appearances didn't happen. Also considered to be fore-shadowing for the Defenders by some people.

-jb the not necessarily me ib -

[Angry_Guy]

Subby teamed up with the Hulk & Silver Surfer, PRE-Defenders.

You can get a decent copy for $20-$25 bucks on line.

[Kirk G]

(Combined with a purchase of a Fair copy of #59 for a whopping $1.08 this week in my latest Lone Star order, I'm now left needing only #s 1, 20 & 34. Unfortunately, 1 & 34 are certain to prove forever unaffordable, but hey, the thrill is in the hunt, right?)

What kind of condition does Subby #34 have to be in for you? I had a coverless poor copy in that mess of rotten humid comics that burned up in the comics shop. It is possible that they still survived... if you are looking for one in bad shape. And, you know that #1 was reprinted in some Tales to Astonish reprint book, right? Or are you looking for only originals?

[Matthew E]

I'm posting this here because most of the comments to this article (http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/08/25/a-friday-flea-market-mystery) have been congratulatory but unhelpful. And if anyone can help Greg Hatcher with this, it's the people on this board.

[Slam_Bradley]

I picked up a copy of Essential Marvel Horror for $7.

[DDM]

Strange Tales #157, #159, #167, The Avengers #84, & Thor Visionaries: Walter Simonson Volume 4.

[pmpknface]

Strange Tales #157, #159, #167, The Avengers #84, & Thor Visionaries: Walter Simonson Volume 4.
Nice ones! That 167 is the classic Steranko flag cover! ;)

I got in the Subby Golden Age Masterworks and the same Simonson Thor Visionaries V. 4 as well. I need to track down a copy of Vol 3 though!

I got the Classic Invaders a little while back too. I've read a few of them so far.

[DDM]

Nice ones! That 167 is the classic Steranko flag cover! ;)

I got in the Subby Golden Age Masterworks and the same Simonson Thor Visionaries V. 4 as well. I need to track down a copy of Vol 3 though!

I got the Classic Invaders a little while back too. I've read a few of them so far.

The Steranko Strange Tales #167 cover is part of the reason why I bought it; Nick Fury & S.H.I.E.L.D., draped in the American flag, run to protect America from Baron Von Strucker's HYDRA. Now, I just need Strange Tales #168...

I hope to start buying all the Walter Simonson Thor back issues soon.

[J'onn J'onzz]

I hope to start buying all the Walter Simonson Thor back issues soon.

I filled in my Simonson Thor collection yesterday.

Also bought a good 60 issue run of late 80s/early 90s Flashes.

[dan bailey]

Nabbed about 2/3rds of the Action Comics Weekly run off eBay a few days ago for a penny (very misleading, as the seller was hedging his bet by charging $13 for shipping, but still, that works out to less than 50 cents an ish), then filled in the gaps via Lone Star Comics (all except the final ish, 642, which I guess is hard to find/expensive because of low print run, or something).

I know this run was a mixed bag at best, but after learning a few years ago of its existence & general nature, I've found it pretty fascinating. I've only ever seen/owned one copy, courtesy of one of those 3-for-$2 (or whatever the actual numbers are) sealed bags at Hasting's a couple of years ago.

[dupersuper]

I finally got the 2nd part to the old JLA/JSA story that has them going to Apokolips. I've had the 1st and 3rd parts for years. Also got the issue where a possesed Jay Garrick kills Mr. Terrific.

[Shawn Hopkins]

I bought a 1948 issue of Crime Does Not Pay at the big Labor Day fleamarket in Hillsville, Va. It cost $15 and its got a little writing on the cover but I don't mind, because it's complete and because I've wanted to own one for a long time. I also paid $10 for a 12 cent Batman from 1969. Batman 210 with what I think is a Neal Adams cover featuring Catwoman. It was kind of a weird scene, this guy was showing me it from his trunk and he was saying he didn't know what it was worth and I had no idea what it was worth and am not the kind of guy to try and rip people off, so we went back and forth for a while to determine the price. It's in great shape, though, so I guess it was worth it.

I found some other great stuff, like some early Nightmaster appearances, some old Challengers, Doom Patrol and Swamp Thing and some Luke Cage and OMACS too. All in all a pretty great fleamarket, although the comics were slightly overshadowed in excitement by me finding a guy that had probably thousands of science fiction and horror paperbacks dating back to the 60s, most for $2 a piece. I even found a Manly Wade Wellman novel!

I'm pretty sure that even though I have something like 40 longboxes full of comics, $15 is the most I have ever paid for a comic book that wasn't a trade paperback or collection. I felt like splurging on quality over quantity, especially considering it was at least a mile up a hill back to my car and I wasn't willing to drag my usual dollar box poundage that far. It was pretty tough just with my one bag of comics and the two big bags of paperbacks I had.

[BouffonVert72]

Gemstone :

Archives EC Weird Science vol 1
Archives EC Tales From the Crypt vol 1 & vol 2
Archives EC Shock Suspens Stories vol 1
Archives EC Two Fisted Tales vol 1

And I have preordered the others volumes of these titles... And the Archives EC Vault of Horror which will come in october...



Marvel :

Omnibus Amazing Fantasy (Lee/Kirby/Ditko !)
Masterworks Dr Strange vol 2 & 3
Masterworks Tales to Astonish vol 1.
Thor Simonson in french version/Panini France.

Preordered and waiting :
Masterworks Tales Of Suspens vol 1
Masterworks Dr Strange 1
Masterworks Strange Tales vol 1




DC :

Showcase House of Mystery vol 2 (hard to find the vol 1...).

Preordered and waiting :
Archives Challengers of the Unknown
Archives Metal Men
Omnibus Kirby's Fourth World vol 1-2-3...
TPB The Legion of Super-Heroes (1984 Paul Levitz/Keith Giffen).
TPB HC Harley Quinn (1-7)
TPB Tales of the Multiverse : Batman-Vampire [RED RAIN/BLOODSTORM/CRIMSON MIST](Doug Moench/Kelley Jones/Malcolm Jones III/John Beatty)



AC COMICS :

Preordered and waiting :
Tpb Crypt of Horror vol 2 - 4 (sadly the vol 1 is sold out...).
Old stuff pre-code horror classics from the 1950's published by Fawcett, Charlton...



IDW :

Preodered and waiting :
TPB Complete Badger vol 1
TPB Munden Bar vol 1



Image :

Preodered and waiting :
TPB HC Kirby's Captain Victory And The Galactic Rangers

[dan bailey]

Showcase Presents Martian Manhunter, Wonder Woman & Adam Strange , respectively, are in a UPS truck wending its way Montgomery-ward even as I type. The order also includes Batman: Secrets of the Batcave -- not exactly a big surprise, since even though I don't think I've bought a new Batman comic since Nixon's presidency, the "Secrets of the Batcave" 80-Page Giant (Batman #203) is one of my favorite comics ever.

I've also got bunches & bunches of '80s, '90s & '00s gap-fillers on order from Mile High, Lone Star & various eBay sellers, with only a few What Ifs (#s 10, 15, 20, 28 & 32) extending as far back as the Bronze Age.

Alas, my eBay purchase from early August of Superboy #s 150, 153-155 157, 158 & 160 is showing signs of having *choke* gone astray in the mail ...

[scratchie]

I'm just waiting for InStockTrades to add the second volume of the Fourth World Omnibus to their site so I can jump on that. Yes, I have been hitting "reload". Throw in an Astro City volume and the second volume of Queen and Country and it's all about the free shipping, baby!

[icctrombone]

I've been selling mostly but I picked up Avengers v.1 12, 13, 21,29,57,58. I'm a big Avengers fan. Mostly lower grades .

[Cei-U!]

Just ordered The Essential Iron Fist and Showcase Presents Adam Strange. It's been twenty years since I last read the former and I've never read 90% of the latter so this should be fun.

Cei-U!
I summon the double trouble!

[Slam_Bradley]

Just ordered The Essential Iron Fist and Showcase Presents Adam Strange. It's been twenty years since I last read the former and I've never read 90% of the latter so this should be fun.


I've got Adam Strange on order.

I've had Iron Fist for quite a while and tried to read it a couple times. It is possibly the most horrifically over-written comics ever produced. I've never been able to make it through more than an issue or two before tossing it at the wall.

[Kirk G]

I've been selling mostly but I picked up Avengers v.1 12, 13, 21,29,57,58. I'm a big Avengers fan. Mostly lower grades .

Wow, that 12, 13 and 21 will be quiet a haul.
You picked up the Vision two parter in 57-58.... 29 must be the return of Giant-Man after he's stuck at 10 foot Goliath.

What were the adventures in 12 & 13? Jan injured and the alien space invaders? I think #14-15 were the Zemo/By my Hand a Villian shall Perish masters of evil two part ender. And 21 must be the road back...with PowerMan and the Enchantress, right? Or was it the Avengers break up?
Scans Please!
:eek:

[DarthAstuart]

I've been on a forced comic-buying ban for financial reasons, but a birthday gift card to Barnes & Noble will bring me the following in the next few days:

Devil Dinosaur Omnibus
Fantastic Four Vol. 1 (Waid & Ringo)
Fantastic Four Visionaries--John Byrne, Volume 1

The latter was just $8 or so with shipping from a reseller.

Of course, I already wish I'd bought X instead of Y; it took me hours to pick these titles. They'll all be great reading, regardless.

[scratchie]

I just finished the Devil Dino Omni. Great fun, and he even managed to sneak a little of the old "Kirby tech" visuals into a comic set in pre-history.

[Jamie]

I'm working my way through the Essential Marvel Two-In-One, which is great fun if nothing else. Between this and the Idol of Millions collection, I'm suddenly finding myself becoming a huge Thing fan.

I also picked up the b&w New Gods collection because it was priced well below cover. Looking at it, though, I really think I need the full colour Fourth World collection instead.

Depending on how far back you consider classics, I recently picked up a run of 1-16 of Steven Seagle's 1990s take on the House of Secrets.

[DDM]

The Avengers #16 (J: Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver)

[zilch]

Last weekend at the local comic show...

Tomahawk #31!

Closing in!

[benday-dot]

It was all about the strips for me last weekend...

I picked up issues 5,8 and 9 of the old Kitchen Sink Steve Canyon magazines to help fill out my run on that classic Milton Caniff strip. Best of all they were a dollar a piece. Well, no... best of all is Caniff's cartooning , but hey that price of a buck helps brings things back to properly set the mood for when the funnies were cheap and the funnies were... fun.

Also picked up Pure Imaginations new release of Miss Fury 1-3. These stories are reprints of (June) Tarpe Mills glorious, and I do mean glorious, golden age renderings of the cat like heroine, Miss Fury: nazi fighter. The beautifully reproduced volume collects the first three issues of Timely's obscure and short lived eponymous series that ran in the war years between the winter of 1942 and 1944. That series in turn I believe was drawn from the newspaper strips. The intro is by the fine Trina Robbins, so it is my hope she will clear all that up for me.

Not long ago Lone Ranger featured a Tarpe Mills cover in his Guess the Classic Cover contest (from Novelty IIRC), but this is the first time I've really gotten to see close up some of her wonderfully accomplished pencil work. I'm really looking forward to this one.

[Slam_Bradley]

It was all about the strips for me last weekend...

I picked up issues 5,8 and 9 of the old Kitchen Sink Steve Canyon magazines to help fill out my run on that classic Milton Caniff strip. Best of all they were a dollar a piece. Well, no... best of all is Caniff's cartooning , but hey that price of a buck helps brings things back to properly set the mood for when the funnies were cheap and the funnies were... fun.



That's a good price for those books. I've got quite a few of them. I've also got the first three Checker trades of Steve. Love me some Caniff.

[stelok]

The tabloid-size reprints of DC Comics' Shazam from the 1970's

[DDM]

The Avengers #19-20 (1st Swordsman)

[Kirk G]

The Avengers #19-20 (1st Swordsman)

That is a nice pair.
Have you read #21-22... another nice pairing.

I especially love the shocking cover of #20!

I found #19 in a ten cent bin (the early ancestor of the dollar bin at cons) with the top 3 inches of the cover sliced off. Obviously, this was one of the "returns" that featured a razor blade slice off of the title, to be returned to the distributor/printer for credit... but somehow, the book made it out the door and was sold into the public again.:rolleyes:

[Kirk G]

Marvel :

Masterworks Dr Strange vol 2 & 3
Masterworks Tales to Astonish vol 1.
Thor Simonson in french version/Panini France.

Preordered and waiting :
Masterworks Tales Of Suspens vol 1
Masterworks Dr Strange 1
Masterworks Strange Tales vol 1


How's that Tales to Astonish Masterworks? I have avoided buying any of those Atlas age book, but I am curious about it...

[dan bailey]

Alas, my eBay purchase from early August of Superboy #s 150, 153-155 157, 158 & 160 is showing signs of having *choke* gone astray in the mail ...

I'm happy to note that my despair was premature -- the post office managed to mangle & obliterate the mailing label with my name & address, but the sender's info remained intelligible, so he got the package back, then re-sent it. I received 'em yesterday.

Nice stuff, many (most?) featuring Wally Wood (&/or his studio) inking Bob Brown. At least 2 I recognized from having read 'em off the spinner racks as a kid, though I didn't specifically recall the covers. That's always a nice bonus for nostalgia-obsessed me.

[Lone Ranger]

The Avengers #19-20 (1st Swordsman)

Two of my favourites.

#19 was one of the first Silver Age books I ever bought - I was probably 8 years old. What a great cliffhanger ending.

I waited nearly 20 years before reading #20.

[DDM]

That is a nice pair.
Have you read #21-22... another nice pairing.

I especially love the shocking cover of #20!

I found #19 in a ten cent bin (the early ancestor of the dollar bin at cons) with the top 3 inches of the cover sliced off. Obviously, this was one of the "returns" that featured a razor blade slice off of the title, to be returned to the distributor/printer for credit... but somehow, the book made it out the door and was sold into the public again.:rolleyes:

My LCS does not have The Avengers #21-22; therefore, I have not read them yet.

Was Swordsman modeled after Errol Flynn? My copies are in really nice shape considering they were released in 1965, but they are not mint condition; they are G-F condition.

I just love the dynamic of Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, Captain America, & Hawkeye.

Swordsman would have made a good Avengers too, but a misunderstaning & the fact he is still a wanted criminal made him not a good choice to be on the team. I found it weird the Mandarin just got involved in The Avengers #20; this story came out of nowhere.

[earl]

I got the Amazing Spider-man Omnibus this week. I read the Ditko run last year off of the Amazing Spider-man DVD, but I love having a good copy of these issues.

I got the Daredevil and Uncanny X-Men omnibus collections in the past couple of months. It has been a lot of fun reading those issues for the first time in a couple of decades. I'm looking forward to getting the second Miller Daredevil collection with those Dave Mazzuchelli issues.

[SURFACE]

I was lucky to recently have purchased a rare, and affordable "Silver Surfer"#4 featuring in my opinion one of the greatest covers to ever adorn a comic.
This is from the original series run in the late 60's, #4 is the "Thor" issue and it involves our naive skyrider of the spaceways being tricked and manipulated into battle with the thunder God by Loki and evil incarnate...Mephisto.
The issue wasn't in the greatest shape, but then again, I really can't afford one that is in great shape, even though the color is faded somewhat with age and sunlight it still hasn't taken any of the raw power and dynamic posing away from the late, great John Buscema,s fantastic art.
I have it bagged and boarded and hanging on a wall near my drafting table for inspiration.....If you have not seen this great issue...do yourself a favor...CHECK IT OUT!
Shawn Surface
SURFACE ART STUDIOS.
www.surfaceartstudios.com

[dan bailey]

I'm very much not a Silver Surfer fan, to the point that that's the one (mostly) Silver Age Essential I haven't the slightest interest in owning or reading, but ... yeah, I've long regarded that as one of the all-time great covers.

Buscema was definitely at the top of his considerable game during that period. (See also: Sub-Mariner #8 & undoubtedly others -- probably Avengers, though for whatever reasons, it's mostly a couple of great Buscema splash pages I remember from that run -- that I'd check into if I were more awake & dial-up weren't so slow ...)

[Kirk G]

I was lucky to recently have purchased a rare, and affordable "Silver Surfer"#4 featuring in my opinion one of the greatest covers to ever adorn a comic.
This is from the original series run in the late 60's, #4 is the "Thor" issue and it involves our naive skyrider of the spaceways being tricked and manipulated into battle with the thunder God by Loki and evil incarnate...Mephisto.
The issue wasn't in the greatest shape, but then again, I really can't afford one that is in great shape, even though the color is faded somewhat with age and sunlight it still hasn't taken any of the raw power and dynamic posing away from the late, great John Buscema,s fantastic art.
I have it bagged and boarded and hanging on a wall near my drafting table for inspiration.....If you have not seen this great issue...do yourself a favor...CHECK IT OUT!
Shawn Surface
SURFACE ART STUDIOS.
www.surfaceartstudios.com

I hate to rain on your parade, after you are so thrilled to have found a low price copy of Silver Surfer #4... truely a great cover... but the entire series was reprinted as "Fantasy Masterpieces" volume 2, including a reprint of that cover in Fantasy Masterpieces #4. The price of that reprint issue should be much much lower.

However, the down side is that that issue was being reprinted just as Marvel Comics had sold a contract for a banner ad on the top fifth of the issues of the time. So, the cover has been adjusted downward to fit the "This Comic Book COULD be worth $300,000..."

On a related topic, that cover was SO iconic, that my good friend at the time commissioned a non-Marvel artist to redraw the cover as a 3 foot by 4 foot poster that he had framed and placed over his mantle for years. The artist used felt tip pens, so the blue is really blue, and the colors are vibrant. It was the most striking thing I had ever seen and I lusted after it for years, until moving away from Royal Oak, Michigan where he lived. Wonder if he's till got it?

[Mysterio]

On Friday, I picked up Incredible Hulk 181 and X-Men #12 (first appearance of the Juggernaut). I also recently scored about 50 issues of Power Man and Iron Fist. I'm a sucker for early 80's comics.

[Kirk G]

I'm very much not a Silver Surfer fan, to the point that that's the one (mostly) Silver Age Essential I haven't the slightest interest in owning or reading, but ... yeah, I've long regarded that as one of the all-time great covers.

Buscema was definitely at the top of his considerable game during that period. (See also: Sub-Mariner #8 & undoubtedly others -- probably Avengers, though for whatever reasons, it's mostly a couple of great Buscema splash pages I remember from that run -- that I'd check into if I were more awake & dial-up weren't so slow ...)

Dan, I gotta agree, that the Marvel Masterworks offering of the Silver Surfer was not one of my highest choices for reprinting. I found the series REALLY took a nose dive after the first seven issues. And I would have been more happy to have shelled out a little more for the first seven or nine issues (the Stan Lee parable stories, before Marvin Goodman insisted that the series become more mainstream superhero fare...).

As a result, when the SECOND volume came out, with ALL the rest of the 18 issues, the price tag of $44.95 seemed like a rediculous fantasy. I didn't know ANYONE who had bought it.
I didn't pick up the second volume of Silver Surfer masterworks until after I found it for $10 on ebay without a dust cover.

Plus, as I recall, the Masterworks series stalled shortly thereafter... (so, maybe the essential Surfer isn't really all that essential... and except for reference, maybe you don't really need it.)

My personal "ugh" volume is the second volume of Captain Marvel...through the rebirth issues. Personally, I would have been happy to have bought a trade paperback with the first six appearances of Capt Marvel with art by Gene Colan... from Marvel Superheroes #12 & 13, and CM issues 1-2-3-4 through the Submariner slugfest. The change of artists with 5 and beyond, IMHO, helped to kill the series and made it wander and loose focus, though the continuing thread of "who WAS Walter Lawson" was quite an interesting thread, even though the art was TERRIBLE!

(PS: for those with an insatible curiousity, you can find a fan letter reprinted in Capt. Marvel #7 from yours truely when I was a big fan at age, or 12 or 13 at the time...)
such a drooling, fanboy!

[Cei-U!]

Dan, I gotta agree, that the Marvel Masterworks offering of the Silver Surfer was not one of my highest choices for reprinting. I found the series REALLY took a nose dive after the first seven issues. And I would have been more happy to have shelled out a little more for the first seven or nine issues (the Stan Lee parable stories, before Marvin Goodman insisted that the series become more mainstream superhero fare...).

As a result, when the SECOND volume came out, with ALL the rest of the 18 issues, the price tag of $44.95 seemed like a rediculous fantasy. I didn't know ANYONE who had bought it.


I did.

Cei-U!
I summon my formerly spendthrift ways!

[Jamie]

I decided to take advantage of Lonestar's free shipping to Canada offer and picked up the following (along with a few not-so-classic comics.) Went on a bit of an Ann Nocenti kick while I was at it.

Amazing Spider-Man (1963-1998 1st Series) 295, Spectacular Spider-Man (1976 1st Series) 133, and Web of Spider-Man (1985) 33 (the Mad Dog Ward arc.)
Daredevil Marvel Legends TPB (2003) v. 4
Doctor Strange (1974 2nd Series) 64
Marvel Fanfare (1982 1st Series) 30 & 41
New Gods (1995 4th Series) 1-7 (written by the underrated Rachel Pollack)
Nightmare (1994 Marvel) 1-4
Someplace Strange (1988 Epic Graphic Novel) 1
Spider-Man (1990) 29-31 (the Return to the Mad Dog arc.)
Vision and the Scarlet Witch (1985 2nd Series) 6
Weird War Tales (1997 Vertigo) 3
Wolverine Typhoids Kiss TPB (1994)

I don't expect to see the order for a few weeks yet.

[Kirk G]

As far as classic comics, the most recent Marvel Masterworks volume that features Thor #142-151 was my most recent purchase. The odd thing is that I recall all these issues arriving on the newstand, and was put off by the Replicus fill-in one-shot, but the SuperSkrull story was good!

I also disliked intensely the 144 "This Battleground Earth" story art, because of the Bill Everett inks, I've discovered. But I started buying the series regularly with the start of the Inhuman's back up feature. I also discovered the real reason why the Tales of Asgard feature stopped without warning!

According to the introductory piece by Mark Evanier (a frequent guest here), it was inspired by a paperback on Norse Mythology that Jack thumbed through. When he reached the back of the book, the ideas stopped. So, I'm left with the question, WHAT book was it that Jack flipped through? I'd love to pick up an old copy and skim it to see just what ideas appealed to him!

Mark?

[Rob Allen]

Not a comic book, but - I just ordered a replica of the January 1937 issue of Air Adventure magazine, featuring Tailspin Tommy. It's a gift for my dad's 82nd birthday. He was eleven years old when the magazine was published and Tailspin Tommy was his favorite comic strip. It's likely that he either owned this pulp mag or wanted to.

This and eighty-some-odd other pulp magazine replicas are available from:

http://home.earthlink.net/~wtrojan/Reprints/advhouse.htm

[mrc1214]

Not a comic book, but - I just ordered a replica of the January 1937 issue of Air Adventure magazine, featuring Tailspin Tommy. It's a gift for my dad's 82nd birthday. He was eleven years old when the magazine was published and Tailspin Tommy was his favorite comic strip. It's likely that he either owned this pulp mag or wanted to.

This and eighty-some-odd other pulp magazine replicas are available from:

http://home.earthlink.net/~wtrojan/Reprints/advhouse.htm

Thats really awesome. Im sure he'll love it. Thats a really great gift.

[Huh?]

I just bought the complete set of all 9 Howard the Duck Magazines from 1979 for $22 which makes me pretty happy. I love Howard!

[JKCarrier]

I just bought the complete set of all 9 Howard the Duck Magazines from 1979 for $22 which makes me pretty happy. I love Howard!

It's too bad Gerber was gone by that point -- I'd have loved to see what he could've done in that format. But there's some nice artwork in those issues -- you can't beat Colan in B&W. Love the Jack Davis cover on the Xmas issue, too. And the Marshall Rogers-drawn Batman parody (#8) is fun.

[Jamie]

Not a comic book, but - I just ordered a replica of the January 1937 issue of Air Adventure magazine, featuring Tailspin Tommy. It's a gift for my dad's 82nd birthday. He was eleven years old when the magazine was published and Tailspin Tommy was his favorite comic strip. It's likely that he either owned this pulp mag or wanted to.


That's a great gift for your dad. I wish there was something analagous that I could get my dad, but the only thing I know about his youth is that he fell off a roof at one point.

I splurged yesterday and picked up Essential Man-Thing vol 1, and Marvel Fanfare #s 5 and 6. This isn't a splurge by itself, but combined with other things I bought and the order above, I think it counts. :)

[Kirk G]

I picked up the latest Marvel Masterworks volume of the Incredible Hulk #102-110 and immediately regretted it. The artwork is terrible, the storyline suffers because of it, and except for the additional information at the introduction and the extra pages at the rear of the volume, I consider my money wasted.

This was a low period in the Hulk's history, and IMHO Marie Severin was NOT the artist for this book. Granted, she learned and grew, but she was far more suited to humor and parody, as in Not Brand Echh and the occassional Bullpen gag strip, but not an ongoing hero series. Perhaps if she had taken over Dr. Strange, it might have been better, but as it was, she pretty much killed my interest in the Hulk (except for the notable Silver Surfer appearance). All the rest was dreck and a wreck.

The exception to this is the great cover of the first Hulk Annual, which is by Steranko, even though someone altered the hair. The image of the hulk being crushed between rock letters of The Hulk and the Inhumans was a great one. Too bad the storyline and the artwork inside was not better.

[Cei-U!]

Marie Severin was NOT the artist for this book. Perhaps if she had taken over Dr. Strange, it might have been better

No, her Dr. Strange run is far worse. It's painful to look at, and I say this as someone who liked Marie's Sub-Mariner a lot and LOVED her work on Kull the Conqueror.

Cei-U!
I summon the bad fit!

[dan bailey]

No, her Dr. Strange run is far worse. It's painful to look at, and I say this as someone who liked Marie's Sub-Mariner a lot and LOVED her work on Kull the Conqueror.

Cei-U!
I summon the bad fit!

*choke* You & Kirk G are both dead to me. Absolutely, stone cold, as-a-doornail, 6-feet-under, not-comin'-back-in-3-days dead.

[JKCarrier]

I haven't seen much of Marie Severin's Hulk, but her Doctor Strange run was terrific, and I wish she'd stayed on the book longer. Youse guys is nuts. :p

[dan bailey]

Aha. I see I have a new best friend in JKCarrier. Perhaps we'll both be attending the Cei-U!/Kirk G funerals.

[benday-dot]

I too am a fan of M. Severin's Hulk. In fact she ranks pretty high up in my favourite interpretations of Greenskin. Herb Trimpe has undergone a sort of revisionism in my eyes, and where I once dismissed his Hulk as uninteresting I now praise it.

I think Severin did a very nice Hulk (and a great Dr. Strange, though unfortunately for her, not all like Ditko's definitive version)), the only criticism I would have is it may have been too nice. I likes me Hulk kinda ugly and monstrous. M. Severin's Hulk was almost, dare I say handsome. Her brother John I think may have outdone her on the character. Steve Ditko's beast of a Hulk gets my vote for numero uno. And Kirby's Jade Jaws was extremely well done too, a nice extenstion of his pre-hero monster proficiency.

Sal Buscema (am artist I don't really care too much for) did a sort of M. Severin style Hulk. But I don't think, unless he had the right inker, he matched either of the Severins' Hulk.

[Cei-U!]

I should've noted that I rather like Marie's Hulk but, I'm sorry, her Dr. Strange work--her self-inked work, not the stuff inked by Adkins--is just plain ugly. It looks like she inked it with a 2x4. I'm sorta dumbfounded to find people who actually like it.

Cei-U!
Learns something new every day!

[scratchie]

I just bought the complete set of all 9 Howard the Duck Magazines from 1979 for $22 which makes me pretty happy. I love Howard!That sounds like about $13 too much, but I'm glad you're happy. Bill Mantlo's portrayal of Howard is one of the most embarrassingly awful pieces of comic book writing I've ever seen. I'll admit that I have a few of the HTD magazines, but only to scratch my "obsessive collector" itch (I also have the three-issue movie adaptation), and I've never paid more than a buck for one of them.

[DDM]

The Avengers #23, #26, #75-76 (1st Arkon) & The Mighty Thor #337-339 (1st Beta Ray Bill)

[Kirk G]

The Avengers #23, #26, #75-76 (1st Arkon) & The Mighty Thor #337-339 (1st Beta Ray Bill)

Those are good choices DDM. I especially liked the Avengers 23, back in the day, cause it rapped up a two parter, IIRC. Or, was that the first of the two parter Kang story? First Rowena?:rolleyes:

[Slam_Bradley]

Showcase Presents: Justice League of America, Vol. 2. For $9.50, not bad.

[DDM]

Those are good choices DDM. I especially liked the Avengers 23, back in the day, cause it rapped up a two parter, IIRC. Or, was that the first of the two parter Kang story? First Rowena?:rolleyes:

The Avengers #23 is the first part of Kang story. I think it's the first appearance of Princess Ravonna.

[Rob Allen]

Thats really awesome. Im sure he'll love it. Thats a really great gift.

It arrived yesterday, and he does love it. His email said, "Thank you for awakening happy memories of my kidhood."

If you're ever wondering what to get for somebody, find out what they liked when they were eleven years old and there's a good chance that they'll still like it.

[Kan-Man]

It arrived yesterday, and he does love it. His email said, "Thank you for awakening happy memories of my kidhood."

If you're ever wondering what to get for somebody, find out what they liked when they were eleven years old and there's a good chance that they'll still like it.

That's a great piece of advice. My dad was born in '37, so for years I've been trying to find something from his youth - golden age reprints, Johnny Weismuller Tarzan movies, Lone Ranger DVDs, etc.

What's the quality like of the reprinted pulps?

[Slam_Bradley]

Showcase Presents The Flash, Vol. 1. I had most of these stories in other formats. But for $8.50, I couldn't pass it up.

[Jamie]

I went by my dad's and picked through the remnants of my childhood comic collection. Sadly, it seems that some of the comics I was hoping to find have been given away, but I did pick up the following:

-Squadron Supreme #1-12 (which I bought for under $6.00 a few years back.)
-A passel of Firestorm, Paul Kupperberg's Doom Patrol, West Coast Avengers, the 1980s Starman and Suicide Squad issues.
-Conan the Barbarian #197.
-Marvel Super-Heroes Fall Special.
-Alpha Flight #108, which is the first of these titles to get covered in my blog.
-Justice League America #246, where the Detroit League gets evicted from their headquarters, and #173, where Black Lightning turns down membership.
-Blue Devil #21.
-Nexus Meets Madman and Superman/Madman Hullabaloo #1 & 2; sadly, #3 seems to have vanished. I also had a tonne of Madman, Atomics, and X-Force/X-Statix that I left for another trip.
-Total Eclipse #1-5, which I bought en masse for less than $1.00 each and have yet to read.
-Star Trek[/i] (the DC Original Series series) #52.
-[b]The Incredible Hulk #272, featuring Sasquatch and Wendigo. I must have read this soon after it came out, which given that I was 3 or 4 at the time probably explains a lot.
-The Avengers #101, written by Harlan Ellison. I know this was a gift, because it was unbagged and was written seven years before I was born.
-Captain Marvel #23. See above.
-The Avengers #162.
-Kamandi #15! I had no idea I even owned this. The great thing is that these four issues (the Avengers, Captain Marvel, and Kamandi) were all gifts from relatives' own collections. I have an older cousin who used to be into comics, and an uncle who runs a memorabilia business and is a cartoonist in his own right.
-What If #11 -- "What if the Original Marvel Bullpen had become the Fantastic Four?"
-Daredevil #156, #185, #187, #194, #258, #262, and #264. Frank Miller, Ann Nocenit, and a good fill-in by Fabian Nicieza.
-Starriors #1-4, one of two Marvel toy tie-ins (along with ROM, of course) featuring Bill Sinkiewicz covers.

And all this without spending one red cent. I saw a Gold Key or two, but most of the non-Big Two classics I had seem to have gone the way of the dodo.

[icctrombone]

I just scored an Avengers # 16 . It's the issue that changes the lineup for the first time.

[icctrombone]

Bought Avengers 18,19,23 low grade on ebay.

[Slam_Bradley]

Essential Spider-Woman, Vol. 2. $5.50.

[Rob Allen]

That's a great piece of advice. My dad was born in '37, so for years I've been trying to find something from his youth - golden age reprints, Johnny Weismuller Tarzan movies, Lone Ranger DVDs, etc.

What's the quality like of the reprinted pulps?

I don't know - it was shipped directly to him, so I've never actually seen one firsthand. He told me again today how much he's enjoying it, so it must look OK. Most of them are a few years too old for your dad to have seen them, though.

[DDM]

Squadron Supreme #1-3, #5-8, The Mighty Thor #341-372, #375-376, & #379-382...

[Slam_Bradley]

Essential Fantastic Four Vol. 6.

[pmpknface]

I got Essential Punisher Vol. 2. I had all the issues in Vol 1 so I passed on that but I never read anything past the 1st Punisher mini so I grabbed this.

[Jamie]

Squadron Supreme #1-3, #5-8

The original Mark Gruenwald version, yes? You're in for a treat.

[dupersuper]

Just raided a 50-cent bin...got a 1976 star trek, and old issues of Warlord, Captain Atom, Omega Men, etc.

[DDM]

The original Mark Gruenwald version, yes? You're in for a treat.

Yes, it's the Mark Gruenwald limited series.

[Superheroic]

Avengers Annual (1967) #10
Defenders (1972) #96
Ghost Rider (1973) #35
Ghost Rider (1973) #44

[Reptisaurus!]

Konga # 3! Kinda bent and torn. But five bucks and Ditko!

[Aaron King]

I just picked up an assortment of Marvel Comics Presents today. I got #10 for the Machine Man by Ditko. Then I got #13-37 for the Don McGregor/Gene Colan Black Panther.

It's a little wordy so far, but it's kind of fun to see what other features are in each issue.

[benday-dot]

Some time ago on CBR Classics there was a thread about what sort of incongruous or unlikely pairings we could come up with between creator and title. Sort of like wouldn't it be strange if Jim Steranko did Howard the Duck, or say Curt Swan did Tomb of Dracula.

I recall submitting the proposed oddity of Gene Colan doing a stint on Superman. And since the members of CBR Classics are crackerjack smart, someone more aware than myself (a huge lineup indeed) pointed out that Gene the Dean did in fact draw Supes in World's Finest.

Today I picked up (for a massive .20) a copy of World's Finest #297 and saw for myself what a Colan Superman would look like.

Now, I don't know if it's because I really dig Colan's work in general, but his vision of Superman really worked for me. No one is ever going to replace Curt Swan's iconic interpretation of the Man of Steel, but it so pleases me seeing such alternate visions of comicdom's original hero. One of the most irksome things in the history of comics was the misguided replacing in the Fourth World books of Kirby's Superman heads with the the more typical Al Plastino melons. I mean let's hear it for a diversity of visions.

Seeing Colan draw Superman just illuminates at once a whole different way of looking at a character that you had always assumed you had completely figured out.

[Polar Bear]

Marvel Tales no. 76-100 (reprinting Amazing Spider-Man from about #90 or 95 to 120 or so)

Marvel's Greatest Comics 54-95 (reprinting Fantastic Four from #73 to #110 or maybe 115)

(Note: I did have a few of these already, so the runs I purchased were intermittent.)

55 comics, $59. 55 stories, in full color, for the cost of a Marvel Masterworks volume plus lunch . . .

[Ryan K]

Krazy & Ignatz: The Kat Who Walked in Beauty. Actually I didn't purchase it, I traded for it. But a recent acquisition nonetheless.

Carl Bark's Greatest DuckTales Volume 2.

I should get around to reading both sometime this week. Plus I just ordered Walt and Skeezix Volume 3, so I need to finish those before that gets here. Cause it gets priority.

[Aaron King]

I hadn't realized that the second volume of Carl Barks's DuckTales was out. I'll have to keep an eye out for it.

As for Colan on Superman, he also did a decent job in... Phantom Zone, I think? Some bizarre mini, maybe with Steve Gerber. I liked it.

[JKCarrier]

I recall submitting the proposed oddity of Gene Colan doing a stint on Superman. And since the members of CBR Classics are crackerjack smart, someone more aware than myself (a huge lineup indeed) pointed out that Gene the Dean did in fact draw Supes in World's Finest.

As Aaron said, lots of Gene Colan Superman goodness in the 4-issue PHANTOM ZONE miniseries. Also features Supergirl, Green Lantern, and several other heroes.

[Jamie]

I got the Vertigo-labelled reprint of House of Mystery #1 for $1.00, which is a pretty good deal. It was interesting to see the credits at the end of the book, with practically every story listed as by "unknown" with the occasional artist named.

I also picked up Spider-Man's Tangled Web #18, the Ted McKeever-created "Alphabet City." I'm not sure what it is about McKeever that keeps me coming back, but I do.

[dan bailey]

Pathetically enough, a few days ago I dreamed I'd come across & bought a rather battered, cheap copy of ...

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c129/arktrav/98_4_0389.jpg

... as well as a few other equally worn DCs from around the same era (very late '60s/early '70s) in a dusty old box or bag at a comics shop. I woke up (or maybe the dream shifted) just as I was about to dig into the layer of coverless comics in the bottom of the container.

I mean, really. Some people presumably dream about coming across cheap copies of Amazing Fantasy #15 or even Action #1 in a junk shop or an attic somewhere. Me? Adventure flippin' 389 (which I think I might've bought new off the spinner racks way back when, though I certainly don't own it now ... I think the image is fixed in my brain from a Superdickery appearance awhile back). *sigh*

[dan bailey]

Meanwhile, in waking life, the mailman should soon be bringing me The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives vol 10, Showcase Presents The Metal Men, Essential Daredevil vol 4, Essential Defenders vol 2 & Essential Fantastic Four vol 6.

[benday-dot]

Pathetically enough, a few days ago I dreamed I'd come across & bought a rather battered, cheap copy of ...

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c129/arktrav/98_4_0389.jpg

... as well as a few other equally worn DCs from around the same era (very late '60s/early '70s) in a dusty old box or bag at a comics shop. I woke up (or maybe the dream shifted) just as I was about to dig into the layer of coverless comics in the bottom of the container.

I mean, really. Some people presumably dream about coming across cheap copies of Amazing Fantasy #15 or even Action #1 in a junk shop or an attic somewhere. Me? Adventure flippin' 389 (which I think I might've bought new off the spinner racks way back when, though I certainly don't own it now ... I think the image is fixed in my brain from a Superdickery appearance awhile back). *sigh*

Dan, unless the world is some Borgesian puzzle...Do comics dream us or do we dream comics? I'm pretty sure the reality is I did pick up Adventure #389 a couple weeks back.

It serves as a warning... as lovely as a Schaffenberger Supergirl is don't dwell on her overmuch. The lassie is not one to mess with. Dream on Dan...

[dan bailey]

The more I think about it, the more I recollect Supergirl (or, heck, maybe it was Lois Lane, even) as being on the left side of the cover. Clearly, my dream-self visited Earth-2, where that version of the comic exists.

[glue]

haha

Dan dreamin the good dreams.

I picked up DC Showcase Presents Metal Men 1 today. I know nothing about them, but I've found that I enjoy the titles featuring lesser known characters in the Showcase line so I figured I'd give it a try.

[spoon_jenkins]

Meanwhile, in waking life, the mailman should soon be bringing me The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives vol 10, Showcase Presents The Metal Men, Essential Daredevil vol 4, Essential Defenders vol 2 & Essential Fantastic Four vol 6.
Great minds shop alike! I also ordered Essential Daredevil vol 4 and Essential Defenders vol 2 (as well as Essential Captain America vol 3) recently. DD and Cap arrived. I'm waiting on Defenders.

[Hombre]

I also ordered Essential Daredevil vol 4 and Essential Defenders vol 2 (as well as Essential Captain America vol 3) recently. DD and Cap arrived. I'm waiting on Defenders.

Of course, I have all of them. But sometimes, when it comes to a volume like Essential Daredevil 4, I get the feeling I am one of the very few that cares. It seems there is a common understanding that Daredevil wasn't an interesting character prior to the eighties.

It is one of those not so common ones that I wish would never end, containing pretty much the entire Conway/Colan run.

It is beyond my critical abilities to say whether Gerry Conway is actually as enormously underrated as I think he is. Certainly, I believe there is no other way than for him to be underrated, considering the type of writing that is considered great today - a lot of which I have found insubstantial and often callous, but then my general appreciation for average superhero fare from the likes of De Falco/Frenz and many others undermines my credibility - and also considering how much has changed since Gerry was writing his stories, which brings me to my initial point.

The DD run is alongside the Thor and Spider Man ones the most significant he did for Marvel, in terms of lenght, but also, and consequently, in terms of character development. Of the three, I think it's the Thor story with John B. that's the greatest achievement, probably for certain peculiar characteristics of that character. But this DD, permanently on the verge of depression, always thinking, doubting, trying, and also failing, is as interesting and compelling and fascinating this character gets.

Conway makes great use of soap opera. From the (disad)vantage point of being an older reader I see that as not actually undermining the story in the least. For one, it is funny, but that's almost beside the point. It's that, as much as his sense of duty drives him to do was right, his soul is dominated by all to human feelings of longing for love. And that is reflected in his every thought, almost. Gerry brings Matt to San Francisco, with the Widow - and Ivan in tow. And right from the start the writer lets on that nothing is as easy as it seems. Romantically, for certain, but you have also to love how his relationship with the local police starts off, with the commissioner matter of factly warning them not to even think to "impersonate police officers" in that city.

In the great scheme of what makes Daredevil a great character in the early 1970s, obviously Roy Thomas and Steve Gerber deserve of as much credit as Gerry. But I've read commentators comparing Gerry to Chuck Austen while singling out only Gerber as an interesting writer in that context. Which makes me even sadder than my usual self.

I hope those who actually read Essential DD 4 will appreciate the earnestness of this then young man's writing, the way it progresses and the groundwork it lays, and not dismiss these stories as shallow and irrelevant. There's a subtle charm and a sense of unease to them that makes them special, and makes a character like Daredevil, armed only of his charisma basically and with many a weakness, special.

Happy reading, and let's hope for a new Iron Man in the next year!

[Hombre]

------------------

[Hombre]

..............

[DDM]

The Avengers King Size Special #2 (1st Scarlet Centurion), Captain America #255 (last Roger Stern-John Byrne issue), Doctor Strange #44-46 (1988), Doctor Strange #48-50 (1988), The Mighty Thor Annual #9 (vs Dormammu), #10 (O: Elder Gods), & The Mighty Thor Annual #13 (vs Mephisto)

[pmpknface]

Nice haul! ;)

[Slam_Bradley]

Essential Peter Parker, Vol. 3

Showcase Presents Superman, Vol. 3.

[Kirk G]

The Avengers King Size Special #2 (1st Scarlet Centurion), Captain America #255 (last Roger Stern-John Byrne issue), Doctor Strange #44-46 (1988), Doctor Strange #48-50 (1988), The Mighty Thor Annual #9 (vs Dormammu), #10 (O: Elder Gods), & The Mighty Thor Annual #13 (vs Mephisto)

Does Cap behead Baron Blood in that issue #255?
Or was that just a commissioned peice that I saw in the One Minute Later gallery?

[Lone Ranger]

OK - I just broke my moratorium on purchases over the lunch hour. I am trying to save money - but just couldn't pass up the following

Time Warp #1 - VF/NM $2.99
I have #3 and would like to track down the whole set. After reading a bunch of Weird Science/Weird Fantasy reprints recently, I've been in the mood for sci-fi anothologies.

Elongated Man (1992) #1 to #4 - $1.99
Two bucks for 4 issues of Parobeck - 'nuff said.

Racket Squad in Action #18 G+ - $3.99
You folks know I can't pass up a Charlton treat. I'm always trying to figure out who contributed to these books.

Giant Size Chillers #3 FN/VF - $2.99
For some good horror reading - not sure what reprints are in this one.

Golem's Mighty Swing - $6.99
I've been wanting to read this one for years. The original CDN price was $24.99 - zoinks.

Stalker #2 - NM $1.99
Ditko + Wood. I know I've got issue #1 somewhere.

Hot Wheels #6 - FN $2.99
I've been searching for this one everywhere - lost a few eBay bidding wars on it.

Darby O'Gill and the Little People - G/VG $3.99
I grab Toth whenever I see it for a decent price.

How's that for an eclectic bunch of books?

[pmpknface]

Nice haul! If you like THE GOLEM'S MIGHTY SWING, look into this one:

Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow

http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=131868

[Slam_Bradley]

Time Warp #1 - VF/NM $2.99
I have #3 and would like to track down the whole set. After reading a bunch of Weird Science/Weird Fantasy reprints recently, I've been in the mood for sci-fi anothologies.

I have one or two of these I got eons ago at a yard sale.


Elongated Man (1992) #1 to #4 - $1.99
Two bucks for 4 issues of Parobeck - 'nuff said.

Parobeck is gold. And i recall the story being pretty good.


Golem's Mighty Swing - $6.99
I've been wanting to read this one for years. The original CDN price was $24.99 - zoinks.

The unauthorized Hobbit sequel.


Stalker #2 - NM $1.99
Ditko + Wood. I know I've got issue #1 somewhere.

I love this title.


Hot Wheels #6 - FN $2.99
I've been searching for this one everywhere - lost a few eBay bidding wars on it.

Darby O'Gill and the Little People - G/VG $3.99
I grab Toth whenever I see it for a decent price.


Nice buys on those two.

[Sir Tim Drake]

Is that Hot Wheels issue the one with the famous Toth story -- "The Case of the Crooked Classic" or something like that?

If so, you got a terrific bargain.

[Lone Ranger]

Is that Hot Wheels issue the one with the famous Toth story -- "The Case of the Crooked Classic" or something like that?

If so, you got a terrific bargain.

Nope - that's ish #5.

This one has the Neal Adams drawn story and the best cover of the series. The second story is by Ric Estrada (I think after a quick glance)

[Rob Allen]

Racket Squad in Action #18 G+ - $3.99
You folks know I can't pass up a Charlton treat. I'm always trying to figure out who contributed to these books.

Do you belong to the charlton-l and CharltonBullseye groups at Yahoo?

[DDM]

Does Cap behead Baron Blood in that issue #255?
Or was that just a commissioned peice that I saw in the One Minute Later gallery?

Captain America decapitates Baron Blood in Captain America #253-254 storyline. The decapitation is not explicitly shown; however, you can tell Baron Blood in beheaded when Captain America's shadow is shown making the killing blow.

Captain America #255 is a self-contained separate story.

[dan bailey]

Legion of Superheroes Archives vol 10 arrived in the mail yesterday, neatly collecting Dave Cockrum's run on the title. Cockrum wrote the extremely engaging intro, which comes off as really bittersweet in light of his cruelly untimely death not that long ago. *sigh*

Looks like this'll be the last LOSH Archives I buy (& quite possibly the last DC Archives I buy, period, unless I come across one for a handful of bucks in an eBay lot or something, as happened with the only non-LOSH volume I own, Doom Patrol vol 1), as it appears from scanning various online sellers that the original ishes after that are quite reasonably priced in lower conditions. That gives me 8 of the first 10 volumes, omitting only 7 & 8, of which I own the constituent originals.

[benday-dot]

Taking advantage of my LCS' ten cent comic sale (yes... thats .10) I picked up:

Scorpio Rose #1... Englehart and Rogers kind of reprise their Madame Xanadu with a punkish sensibilty for Eclipse Comics (I had this one back in the day and let it go)

Ms. Mystic #1... Neal Adam's effort for Pacific Comics. I recall how much hype was given to this comic when it came out. Adams was a god back then, and this comic was to suppose to revolutionize the biz. It's pretty "new-agey", and doesn't stand the test of time that well. But the Adams art is nice.

Black Dragon#1... Here John Bolton and Chris Claremont turn in a nice medieval fantasy tale. Bolton comes of looking like Hal Foster and is very good indeed. I also had this comic way back when.

Kull#2... this was the second of two 2.00 Kull comics Marvel released in the early 80's. Bolton also did the art for this comic, and here he well reminds us of Barry Windsor Smith. Great stuff. Before my tastes in comic art switched from a more illustrative aesthetic to a purer cartonists vision of the medium I loved Bolton. This book reminds me why.

Primus #5... Charlton's Primus based on the 70's TV show is right down my alley. First its got lovely Joe Staton art, and second I have an abiding weakness for comics revelling in aquatic adventure. Be it Sub-Mariner or Frog Men or Sea Devils I love this stuff. Primus has some fine undersea adventure and cool 70's era mini-subs and harpoon guns and buried treasure and coral islands and gorgeous girls and...

Four Color #1082... This is the comic adaptation of Walt Disney's Spin and Marty. Never saw the movie but this obscurity from 1960 has some fine Sparky Moore art. I don't know too much of Sparky Moore, but he was a staple of Western Publishing and specialized in the Disney stuff. I think he did some DC mystery work in the 70's too. I just love the fact that nearly 50 years later I was able to pay cover price for this ten center. :D

Ragumuffins #1... Here is a gem from the McGregor/Colan all-star team. I think it was Rick who recently extolled the virtues of this Colan virtuosity on this board. I haven't read it yet, but the art alone looks worth the price of admission. Really looking forward to delving into it.

Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #1... lots of Keith Giffen goodness on display here. I love that era of the Legion (though the Jim Shooter days get #1 with me)

Comic Book Artist#2... A superlative look at Marvel's "Second Wave: 1970-77. Great interviews with lots of 70's legends of the bullpen, and (for me) the real prize: a great special look at Bill Everett and his outstanding 70's work for Marvel.

Alter Ego#2... A look at the Atom and his many creators and a focus on the great Jack Burnley. Also an interesting Robert Kanigher piece.

Comics Journal #197... Wally Wood: His Life and Art. 'Nuff said

So that's my haul... 11 comics and magazines at a dime each for a total of 1.10.

[Lone Ranger]

Do you belong to the charlton-l and CharltonBullseye groups at Yahoo?

You know - I think I might have signed up for the latter. I joined some Yahoo groups years and years ago, but really never got into them. Perhaps they are worth checking out again.

[Kirk G]

Wow, benday, you scored a haul!!!! I"m jealous of the Comic Book Artist #2 magazine.

[spoon_jenkins]

I'm awaiting Essential Moon Knight vol 1 and Batman: Year One in the mail, both of which I won on ebay.

[Cei-U!]

Four Color #1082... This is the comic adaptation of Walt Disney's Spin and Marty. Never saw the movie but this obscurity from 1960 has some fine Sparky Moore art. I don't know too much of Sparky Moore, but he was a staple of Western Publishing and specialized in the Disney stuff. I think he did some DC mystery work in the 70's too. I just love the fact that nearly 50 years later I was able to pay cover price for this ten center. :D


"Spin and Marty" wasn't a movie. It was a series of serials (if that makes sense) that ran on The Mickey Mouse Club, beginning in 1955. I remember watching them avidly as a wee'un.

Cei-U!
I summon Moochie!

[Aaron C]

Just picked up

Amazing Spider-man #45
Amazing Spider-man #47

Only read #45 so far, with Spidey defeating the lizard with one arm! I had one question though - Harry suggests to Peter that he should get a job with his father, and Spidey having just confronted Norman what, 5 issues previously, doesn't acknowledge anything.

I haven't read 40-43 in a while so can't recall, but at that time Spidey still knows Norman was GG?

Overall, another good issue, with some nice supporting character moments.

[Kirk G]

Just picked up

Amazing Spider-man #45
Amazing Spider-man #47

Only read #45 so far, with Spidey defeating the lizard with one arm! I had one question though - Harry suggests to Peter that he should get a job with his father, and Spidey having just confronted Norman what, 5 issues previously, doesn't acknowledge anything.

I haven't read 40-43 in a while so can't recall, but at that time Spidey still knows Norman was GG?

Overall, another good issue, with some nice supporting character moments.

Oh yes, Peter KNOWS that Normal was the green goblin by then. This is just a few issues after the penultimate Green Goblin two-parter where not only does the Green Goblin capture Peter outside his aunt's house, but he dangles him by a rope as he flies him back to his lair, where he tells him all. Peter is unmasked in the spidey costume, and Goblin unmasks as Norman in the shocker of the year cliff hanger!
Issue #40 explains the goblin's origin, and resolves the conflict with a fire, and amnesia on Norman's part. Spidey changes his clothes and tosses the costume into the fire, dropping Norman off into the arms of the firemen, telling them that Norman is a hero...that he helped to end the threat of the Green Goblin.

So, if Peter doesn't react or give away anything to Harry by issue #43, it's because he not only knows, but is protecting both Osborns from the knowledge.

Now, as for Spidey whipping the Lizard with just one arm, this is a curious turn-around from how the Lizard was created, yes? Dr. Connors was trying to regrow his missing arm, just as some lizards regrow a tail, when he turned himself into a giant lizard...and regrew his arm.
So, for Spidey to be fighting with only one arm is typical Stan Lee dramatics, although for Spidey, it would be another 67 issues before he experiments on himself and grows his extra arms. (And that was the final issue I ever bought of Lee's first 100 issues....)

[benday-dot]

"Spin and Marty" wasn't a movie. It was a series of serials (if that makes sense) that ran on The Mickey Mouse Club, beginning in 1955. I remember watching them avidly as a wee'un.

Cei-U!
I summon Moochie!

Thank you, my fact checking pal. I should have looked it up first to get the skinny on this book. Well, there aint a thing wrong with sticking a serial in a funny book is there? The art isn't bad at all, if a bit generic. I'll try and read the story this weekend.

This comic was just sitting in a box for a couple weeks at 10 cents and nobody could bother pitching out a dime for it. Too corny for today's fan I suppose. The thing with old Dell's is that they always have the potential to offer a surprise, and open a window on an obscure or forgotten corner of comicdom. Well, Cei-U... obviously not forgotten by all. Thanks again.

[Aaron C]

Oh yes, Peter KNOWS that Normal was the green goblin by then.

So, if Peter doesn't react or give away anything to Harry by issue #43, it's because he not only knows, but is protecting both Osborns from the knowledge.

Now, as for Spidey whipping the Lizard with just one arm, this is a curious turn-around from how the Lizard was created, yes? Dr. Connors was trying to regrow his missing arm, just as some lizards regrow a tail, when he turned himself into a giant lizard...and regrew his arm.
So, for Spidey to be fighting with only one arm is typical Stan Lee dramatics.

Thanks Kirk.

Well that's what I thought too, I just would've thought that Peter would have dismissed Harry's suggestion straight away, rather than contemplating it so close to the Goblin revelation (even though Norman now had selective amnesia).

I didn't really think about the link to the Lizards origin when reading, but now you brought it up, yeah that will be it. What a dag.

[dan bailey]

My first Marvel Essentials order in awhile (I've been concentrating almost exclusively on Showcase Presents, but have pretty much caught up ... in point of fact, the seller in question should be sending me the Metal Men volume shortly) -- Defenders vol 2, Daredevil vol 4, FF vol 6 -- arrived yesterday evening. Alas, I was somewhat nonplussed to see, upon checking the Defenders volume's table of contents, that it differs considerably from every description I could find (it was initially solicited as containing Defenders #s 15-39 & Giant-Size Defenders #s 1-5 but actually ends with #30 & substitutes Marvel Two-in-One 6-7 & Marvel Treasury Edition #12).

Not a big deal, though I'll now have to go out & pick up the originals of #s 31-39 (my small run starts at #40).

(Oddly, I wasn't able to confirm the actual contents online just now until 3 pages into a Google search, via a blog entry. Various online sellers never got around to updating the original solicitation [which means the Marvel Masterworks website is wrong, since it merely links to the Tales of Wonder listing] & neither has Wikipedia, which is sort of ridiculous. Makes me wonder what other commonly found contents descriptions out there are wrong.)

[dan bailey]

Also, my piecemeal process of building up a run of mid-to-late-'60s Superboys continues apace, with the purchase last night of #s 145, 146 & 149, as well as 192 & 193, via eBay for quite a bit lower than I expected -- $10.75, including shipping. The one I was really pleased to get was #149, featuring Bonnie & Clyde, since there's a good chance it was the first ish I ever bought, way back in 3rd grade.

My most recent Lone Star order includes #159, too. Like most of my recent purchases from that company & Mile High, it consists mostly of gap-fillers for various '80-'00s runs, though there are a few Silver & Bronze Age pickups, too -- Amazing Adventures 3 & 9 (I'm starting to develop a real Inhumans fetish ...), Tomahawk 122 & 125 & various later issues of Unknown Soldier. (I could've sworn I'd picked up all of John Severin's "Enemy Ace" backups in that title some time ago, but recent trawling through my collection has convinced me I've been *choke* living a lie in that respect).

[Jamie]

(it was initially solicited as containing Defenders #s 15-39 & Giant-Size Defenders #s 1-5 but actually ends with #30 & substitutes Marvel Two-in-One 6-7 & Marvel Treasury Edition #12).

If I recall correctly, this change was discussed here at one point, as people were relieved to find that the contents had been shuffled to avoid splitting a storyline between two volumes, as would have happened with the way it was originally solicited.

But that was a while ago, so I may be misremembering.

[dan bailey]

If I recall correctly, this change was discussed here at one point, as people were relieved to find that the contents had been shuffled to avoid splitting a storyline between two volumes, as would have happened with the way it was originally solicited.

But that was a while ago, so I may be misremembering.

I think you're right, though I couldn't remember whether the storyline split (involving Gerber's Headmen run, I believe) would've occurred between vols 1 & 2 or between 2 & 3.

As I implied, I'm not so much irritated by the change from the solicitation (which apparently made all sorts of good sense) as by the fact that hardly anyone ever bothered to update the online description of the book. (Heck, I would've bought it anyway.)

[LUXXXCORP]

From ebay user
m108
40 Golden Age Love/Romance Comic Books
$108.94
+ $3.95 ship
$112.89
@ $2.82 ea.

CONFESSIONS OF LOVELORN #89 (1958) PRIVATE DICK LOVER! (170156954419)
$1.99

CONFESSIONS OF THE LOVELORN #98 (1958) USED CAR ROMANCE (170156955370)
$2.84

GIRLS ROMANCES #55 (1958) EARLY DC! WILD HEART! HORSES! (170156963698)
$3.25

MODELING WITH MILLIE #52 (1966) PINUPS, PAPER DOLLS! (170156966189)
$1.99

SWEETHEART DIARY #8 (1951) BERNARD BAILEY ART! BOXING! (170156967047)
$5.24

ROMANTIC SECRETS #31 (1952) GORGEOUS MARC SWAYZE ART! (170156968081)
$3.41

SWEETHEARTS #84 (1950) WHITE PAGES! SUPER ART! (170156968870)
$2.24

LIFESTORY #38 (1952) I WAS A PRISONERS GIRLFRIEND! (170156969447)
$6.99

LOVE ROMANCES #66 (1956) MARVEL! COLLETA! ANN BREWSTER! (170156971690)
$1.99

TRUE SECRETS #39 (1956) MARVEL! HOWARD ODONNELL ART! (170156972965)
$5.50

MY PERSONAL PROBLEM #3 (1956) NURSE COVER AND ROMANCE! (170156974088)
$2.24

ALL TRUE ROMANCES #28 (1956) L.B. COLE! JAY DISBROW ART (170156974705)
$4.25

TEN STORY LOVE #206 (1956) GYPSY FORTUNE TELLER ROMANCE (170156975801)
$4.25

GLAMOROUS ROMANCES #87 (1956) JILTED!EASY PROMISES! 5.0 (170156976898)
$2.24

GLAMOROUS ROMANCES #84 (1955) MARDI GRAS LOVE! (170156977348)
$3.61

LOVE EXPERIENCES #37 (1956) NURSE ROMANCE! COWGIRL LOVE (170156977890)
$2.24

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT #40 (1956) ICE SKATING RINK ROMANCE (170156978336)
$2.24

YOUNG LOVERS #16 (1956) DICK GIORDANO COVER! (170156978896)
$3.55

I LOVE YOU #8 (1955) SECOND CHARLTON ISSUE! GREAT ART! (170156979323)
$12.99

TRUE LIFE SECRETS #28 (1955) I STOLE A MAN! CHARLTON! (170156979684)
$1.99

ALL FOR LOVE #2 (1957) NURSE ROMANCE! (170156982516)
$3.75

TRUE TALES OF LOVE #29 (1957) MARVEL! COLLETA! LEIBER! (170156983910)
$1.99

ADVENTURES OF BOB HOPE #99 (1966) SUPER HIP! MONSTERS! (170156993651)
$3.27

7 OLD ROMANCE COMICS (1958-1968) GREAT READING! CHARLTON! (170156994350)
$7.50
MY SECRET LIFE #25
MY SECRET LIFE #34
SECRETS OF LOVE AND MARRIAGE #19
LOVE DIARY #48
LOVE DIARY #53
I LOVE YOU #67
ROMANTIC SECRETS #37

10 OLD DC LOVE COMICS (1950s-1960s) GREAT READING! (170156995166)
$17.39
GIRLS LOVE STORIES #114
GIRLS LOVE STORIES #116
GIRLS ROMANCES #107
GIRLS ROMANCES #120
YOUNG LOVE #49
YOUNG LOVE #52
YOUNG LOVE #66
HEART THROBS #113
SECRET HEARTS #116
SECRET HEARTS #126

40 GA/SA Love/Romance Comic Books - $112.89 @ $2.82 ea.

[pmpknface]

WoW! Nice haul! :)

[Jamie]

Taking advantage of the recent markdown of several thousand comics to $1.00 and $2.00 at one of the shoppes in town, I picked up several comics -- including some at $0.50 each. Amongst those were Nomad #2 and #10 -- time to discover if my memories are merely tinged with nostalgia for my adolescence!

I also grabbed the first four issues of Hellshock for $3.00. Were any further issues released? I know that the series was only finished in the recently released trade collection.

Morbid curiosity prompted me to drop $2.00 on an issue of Tarot. I still feel vaguely uneasy days after having read it.

And I picked up an issue of the X-Files comic put out by Topps, because I'm checking out some of John Rozum's non-Xombi stuff. It was okay, but suffered from art that was hit-or-miss and a storyline . The art for everyone who wasn't a tv character was better, I think, than the art for the leads; I get the feeling that's common in media tie-ins.

[Jamie]

WoW! Nice haul! :)

That shipping price alone makes me envious! :eek:

[icctrombone]

Just received Avengers # 44 in the mail. It even survived being mailed in a priority envelope without any cardboard to support it. ( yikes!)

[DDM]

The Avengers #94-95 (1st Mandroids), The Mighty Thor #227 (Thor, Hercules, & Firelord vs Ego), & Doctor Strange #47 (1988 series)