What Classic Comics Have You Purchased Lately?

[Hombre]

[B]The Mighty Thor #227 (Thor, Hercules, & Firelord vs Ego)

That is a great story written by Gerry Conway with art from Rich Buckler who was filling in for John Buscema, also get ahold of the conclusion in the next issue, "Ego: beginning and end", in which Thor experiences what it is like to have been Ego. And Galactus is there also along with the other three you mentioned.

Conway's Thor sagas were at the same time interstellar adventures and introspective explorations of character.

[T GUy]

Luxxxcorp

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

Well done! I'm a tad jealous of much of this.

[DDM]

That is a great story written by Gerry Conway with art from Rich Buckler who was filling in for John Buscema, also get ahold of the conclusion in the next issue, "Ego: beginning and end", in which Thor experiences what it is like to have been Ego. And Galactus is there also along with the other three you mentioned.

Conway's Thor sagas were at the same time interstellar adventures and introspective explorations of character.

My LCS has The Mighty Thor #228, but it is in terrible shape. I will buy it when I find one in F/M/NM condition.

I just love any of the Thor/Firelord stories...

[LUXXXCORP]

ebay user name: markedforlife :(
$25.48
+ $4.00 ship
$29.48/10 COMICS @
:eek: $2.95 each

:evilangry Young Hoods In Love 1995 Ho Che Anderson Comic (190154826935)
$0.75

Red Rocket 7 #1 1997 Mike Allred Laura Allred Comic (190162491980)
$1.75

Red Rocket 7 #2 1997 Mike Allred Laura Allred Comic (190162491994)
$1.75

Red Rocket 7 #4 1997 Mike Allred Laura Allred Comic (190162492012)
$1.75

KISS Psycho Circus #4 Nov1997 Smoke & Mirrors McFarlane (190162772135)
$0.99

:o The Monkees #12 June 1968 Vintage Dell Comic (190162772607)
$2.47

The Monkees #17 October 1969 Vintage Dell Comic (190162772633)
$3.34

The Monkees #3 July 1967 Vintage Comic (190162772644)
$3.34

The Monkees #6 Nov 1967 Vintage Dell Comic (190162772659)
$3.34

The Monkees #7 Dec 1967 Vintage Dell Comic (190162772676)
$6.00

[joku2]

I just purchased a Phantom comic with the first appearence of Girl Phantom and featuring Mandrake The Magician, from 1973

[LUXXXCORP]

Phantom Publisher King Comics?
Reprints of King Features Syndicate(d) Daily Newspaper Strips?

[Ryan K]

Forever Nuts: The Early Years of Mutt & Jeff.

I wasn't really sold on getting this at first because its just a Best-of compilation instead of the complete chronological archives other strips have been getting. But I saw it at the store and it looked gorgeous. Plus I might as well support this and maybe get future volumes.

[LUXXXCORP]

Did Mutt & Jeff end up at Charlton? Gold Key?

I think they were in Sparkler from the Golden Age.

[Hombre]

My LCS has [B]

I just love any of the Thor/Firelord stories...

The Firelord's first appearance is Thor #225, by Gerry Conway, John Buscema and Joe Sinnott. Hard to go wrong there. He's also in a great story in which the forces of Loki invade the Earth, concluding in Thor #234, "O, bitter victory!" a gorgeous issue.

Another Firelord appearance I can recommend is Thor 247-248, by Wein/Buscema/Sinnott.

[jed_5590]

In this yard sale. I just bought a Amazing Spider-Man#56. It was the first appearance of Capt. George Stacy. I got it for 300pesos here in the Philippines. About $6..

[DDM]

The Avengers #96-97 (last of the Kree-Skrull War), The Mighty Thor #233, 246 (Firelord), Iron Man Annual #4 (The Champions), Marvel Two-in-One #50 (Ben Grimm goes back in time in an attempt to change his past so he won't become the Thing, but all he does is create an alternate reality leaving his past unchanged by John Byrne & Joe Sinnott) & Classic X-Men #46...

[pmpknface]

I forgot! I bought a few issues of EPIC ILLUSTRATED not too long ago. I think I got 7-8 issues for $5. Should be fun reading.

[Jamie]

Today via Ebay, for just over $1.00 an issue (including shipping): Hellstorm: Prince of Lies. I couldn't even turn up a single issue of this series at the comics show this past weekend, so I snapped up the full series for a cheap price when I got the chance.

Speaking of the comics show, this was my haul:

The Marvel No-Prize Book
What If...? (volume 1) #34 -- "What If...The Watcher Were a Stand-Up Comedian?"
Flaming Carrot: Man of Mystery! tpb
Nomad #1, 3-9, 11-16 (now I've got a run from 1-16.)
Detective Comics #629-633
Legends of the Dark Knight #6-10 ("Gothic" by Grant Morrison -- at a $1.00 a pop, much cheaper than buying the trade.)
Kobalt #1-5 (I'm a big fan of John Rozum's work on Xombi, and this was another Milestone title he wrote.)
ROM #1, 3-4
Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #4-5 (for the Mike Allred art.)
Daredevil #51-55
I (heart) Marvel: My Mutant Heart and I (heart) Marvel: Web of Romance
Blood & Shadows #1, 3-4
Annihilation: Conquest: Starlord #2-3 (not a classic, but I've now managed to pick up the first three issues of this mini -- which is still on the shelves for retail in most places -- for $3.00 total)
Rose & Thorn #1-6

Almost everything was a dollar or less, except the Flaming Carrot trade, which was 50% off. I can't help but feel like I'm forgetting something, though.

And the day before, courtesy of a markdown at one of the local shoppes:

Legends of the Dark Knight #55-57, 74-75
Spider-Man's Tangled Web #11, 15

[Kirk G]

In this yard sale. I just bought a Amazing Spider-Man#56. It was the first appearance of Capt. George Stacy. I got it for 300pesos here in the Philippines. About $6..

WOW! That's not a common book or time period to find at a yard sale these days!:eek:

[DDM]

The Avengers #98-99, West Coast Avengers #21, Classic X-Men #29, #42, #44, 47-52, & The New Teen Titans #5 (first series)

[shaxper]

I had a nice haul at Cleveland's Saturday's Child show this weekend. I picked up a lot of stuff, but the most memorable were:

Wonder Woman 178 - The issue where she loses the costume (she loses the powers next issue).
http://www.comics.org/graphics/covers/277/200/277_2_178.jpg

More Fun Comics 74 - I got this thing in low grade condition for very little as part of a half off sale because I've always wanted a golden age Spectre and Doctor Fate book. I didn't realize until afterward that this also contained Aquaman's 2nd appearance!
http://www.comics.org/graphics/covers/74/200/74_2_0074.jpg

Star Spangled Comics #66 - Also part of the half off sale. This book cost me next to nothing, yet it's in gorgious VF condition for its age. The thing looks like it was just printed yesterday! Plus it's Robin's 2nd solo story ever, and it has a great Robin cover.
http://www.comics.org/graphics/covers/214/200/214_2_0066.jpg
(my copy looks a lot better than the one pictured)

[Lone Ranger]

I had a nice haul at Cleveland's Saturday's Child show this weekend. I picked up a lot of stuff, but the most memorable were:


Whoa.

I've got to make my way to that show.

Great buys.

Were the prices half-off an inflated price, or were these real steals?

Did everything get snapped up?

[shaxper]

Whoa.

I've got to make my way to that show.

Great buys.

Were the prices half-off an inflated price, or were these real steals?

Did everything get snapped up?

The seller has an unbelievable collection and, for some reason, was looking to liquidate his third tier stuff. It was a genuine half price sale in that all issues (even the ones on display) were going for half of the initial price (which was at or below Overstreet pricing). The whole thing was unbelievable. I spent over $400 at that table and would have spent more if I'd had it.

Edit: Forgot to mention what I spent the rest of the $400 on. I got a VF- Iron Man #1 for $50 and Green Lantern (1960s) 8, 9, and 10 in VF for $70. I also picked up a bunch of Golden and Silver Age Batman for about $7 a piece.

[DDM]

The Avengers #68, #69 (1st Grandmaster), #83 (Lady Liberators storyline) Incredible Hulk #233-234 (Wendall Vaughn changes his name from Marvel Man to Quasar), Marvel Two-in-One #53 & #55-58 (Project Pegasus Storyline)

[gwor]

Got my hands on good copies of Superboy 68 and Superman 125...

Sweet stuff!!!

[Ryan K]

I went to a comic book show today and picked up some stuff fairly cheap.

Flash Gordon, Vol. 1-4. The Checker books reprinting the Alex Raymond stuff. I'd held off getting these because Vol. 2 seems to be out of print and fetching some hefty prices last I checked, but I got these 4 volumes for $10 apiece.

Coincidentally I also found a nice coffee table sized book called The Collected Works of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. It didn't have a dust jacket, but it was only a couple bucks and its well over 300 pages.

I also grabbed R. Crumb's The Life and Death of Fritz the Cat for a couple bucks and DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest #8 (featuring the Legion of Super Heroes) for $1.

[pmpknface]

Coincidentally I also found a nice coffee table sized book called The Collected Works of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. It didn't have a dust jacket, but it was only a couple bucks and its well over 300 pages.

Is this a GIANT book, like almost treasury sized but taller, and has mostly b&w strips with color ones in the middle? I have that! A friend gave it to me for nothing after finding it in an attic somewhere. It's pretty cool! Although I have no idea what it's worth. ENJOY! :D

[MDG]

Is this a GIANT book, like almost treasury sized but taller, and has mostly b&w strips with color ones in the middle? I have that! A friend gave it to me for nothing after finding it in an attic somewhere. It's pretty cool! Although I have no idea what it's worth. ENJOY! :D
I have it in a papaerback version my parents found at a flea market. I thnik it was around tabloid size, thick as a phone book. There's a real nice drawing by Murphy Anderson in it.

MDG

[Ryan K]

Is this a GIANT book, like almost treasury sized but taller, and has mostly b&w strips with color ones in the middle? I have that! A friend gave it to me for nothing after finding it in an attic somewhere. It's pretty cool! Although I have no idea what it's worth. ENJOY! :D

That's it exactly! I've never read any Buck Rogers strips, but I'm looking forward to diving into this. $5 for 350+ pages and what looks like well over 1000 strips. Best deal I've found at that show in a long while.

[Cei-U!]

I'm back from the Portland Con, where my plans to spend $100 at Randy's Readers Comics were thwarted by Randy's not being there! Nonetheless, I managed to come home with the following:

Adventure Comics 433 (Flesicher/Aparo Spectre)
Astonishing Tales 20, 33 (Ka-Zar and Deathlok respectively)
Batman Family 4
Black Goliath 1
Four-Color 1050 (Huckleberry Hound)
Inhumans 3, 6
Jack of Hearts 1-4 (the whole mini for a buck)
Jungle Action 6-12, 14-15, 17-19, 21 (all but two chapters of "Panther's Rage" for $1 a pop!)
Justice 8-11 (@ $2 apiece)
Ka-Zar (2nd series) 4, 6, 9, 19
Kona 9 (my first issue!)
Marvel Feature 4 (1st Trimpe Ant-Man)
Marvel Premiere 31, 36-41, 44-46 (Jack of Hearts, 3-D Man, Torpedo, Man-Wolf et al)
Marvel Presents 5, 8 (Gerber Guardians)
Micronauts (1st series) 1
New Teen Titans (1st series) 8
The Next Nexus 4
Nexus 16, 18, 21, 23, 25-31, 33, 46, 48-49, 51-52, 54, 56-57, 59-60 (all for 50 cents each!!!)
Not Brand Echh 4, 6
Warlock 9-10 (Yes, I bought some Starlin Warlock. Bite me.)

and, last but not least,

Essential Nova
Essential Tomb of Dracula, Vol. 3
Showcase Batman, Vol. 2
Showcase Teen Titans, Vol. 2

During the weekend, I also traded my single issues of Astro City to Rob for his extra copies of Giant-Size Defenders 2, G-S Fantastic Four 2-3, G-S Man-Thing 2 and G-S Spider-Man 1-2. Yup, now that I have all the Silver Age Marvel Annuals, I'm starting on the Giant-Size titles.

Add to all that the items Brent Anderson and Kurt Busiek autographed for me and the fun of meeting Shades007 and his girlfriend Jen and we have another great con adventure!

Cei-U!
I summon the killer weekend!

[pmpknface]

COOL! I've never even seen this book before so it's nice to know someone else has it. I'll have to flip through it sometime soon.

[T GUy]

Nice selection, Cei-U (mostly). Good luck on the Giant-Size Marvels of the Bronze Age - I am after many of them myself. Oh, alright, then, latest acquisitions from a friendly dealer on ebaY: FF 3 and 4, MoKF 2.

Also recently scooped up on ebaY:

Werewolf by Night 1 (nice VF copy)
Warlock 1 (VF/NM if it weren't for the creasing drastically dragging it down to VG/FN - but at £3.19, who would complain?)

And Amazon supplied:

Essential Hulk Vol. 2

I recently finished Essential Hulk 1, which was a slog in places. Here the creative team settles down for longer and we get into the Friedrich/Trimpe run I remember so well from the U. K. reprints in late 1973 (Russian SHIELD agents, Ka-Zar and some chaps sailing a ship in space).

[Kan-Man]

I'm back from the Portland Con, where my plans to spend $100 at Randy's Readers Comics were thwarted by Randy's not being there! Nonetheless, I managed to come home with the following:

Adventure Comics 433 (Flesicher/Aparo Spectre)
Astonishing Tales 20, 33 (Ka-Zar and Deathlok respectively)
Batman Family 4
Black Goliath 1
Four-Color 1050 (Huckleberry Hound)
Inhumans 3, 6
Jack of Hearts 1-4 (the whole mini for a buck)
Jungle Action 6-12, 14-15, 17-19, 21 (all but two chapters of "Panther's Rage" for $1 a pop!)
Justice 8-11 (@ $2 apiece)
Ka-Zar (2nd series) 4, 6, 9, 19
Kona 9 (my first issue!)
Marvel Feature 4 (1st Trimpe Ant-Man)
Marvel Premiere 31, 36-41, 44-46 (Jack of Hearts, 3-D Man, Torpedo, Man-Wolf et al)
Marvel Presents 5, 8 (Gerber Guardians)
Micronauts (1st series) 1
New Teen Titans (1st series) 8
The Next Nexus 4
Nexus 16, 18, 21, 23, 25-31, 33, 46, 48-49, 51-52, 54, 56-57, 59-60 (all for 50 cents each!!!)
Not Brand Echh 4, 6
Warlock 9-10 (Yes, I bought some Starlin Warlock. Bite me.)

and, last but not least,

Essential Nova
Essential Tomb of Dracula, Vol. 3
Showcase Batman, Vol. 2
Showcase Teen Titans, Vol. 2

During the weekend, I also traded my single issues of Astro City to Rob for his extra copies of Giant-Size Defenders 2, G-S Fantastic Four 2-3, G-S Man-Thing 2 and G-S Spider-Man 1-2. Yup, now that I have all the Silver Age Marvel Annuals, I'm starting on the Giant-Size titles.

Add to all that the items Brent Anderson and Kurt Busiek autographed for me and the fun of meeting Shades007 and his girlfriend Jen and we have another great con adventure!

Cei-U!
I summon the killer weekend!

Nice score. Whatever nostalgia I feel for my old collecting days is generally satisfied by this forum and all of its contributors. The one thing I do admit to missing, however, is attending conventions - from creating the wishlist, to surveying the floor, to digging for treasures, to reviewing the purchases on the way home. Which is why I'll probably encourage the hobby with my two boys - so their old man can live vicariously through them!

[benday-dot]

I'm back from the Portland Con, where my plans to spend $100 at Randy's Readers Comics were thwarted by Randy's not being there! Nonetheless, I managed to come home with the following:

Adventure Comics 433 (Flesicher/Aparo Spectre)
Astonishing Tales 20, 33 (Ka-Zar and Deathlok respectively)
Batman Family 4
Black Goliath 1
Four-Color 1050 (Huckleberry Hound)
Inhumans 3, 6
Jack of Hearts 1-4 (the whole mini for a buck)
Jungle Action 6-12, 14-15, 17-19, 21 (all but two chapters of "Panther's Rage" for $1 a pop!)
Justice 8-11 (@ $2 apiece)
Ka-Zar (2nd series) 4, 6, 9, 19
Kona 9 (my first issue!)
Marvel Feature 4 (1st Trimpe Ant-Man)
Marvel Premiere 31, 36-41, 44-46 (Jack of Hearts, 3-D Man, Torpedo, Man-Wolf et al)
Marvel Presents 5, 8 (Gerber Guardians)
Micronauts (1st series) 1
New Teen Titans (1st series) 8
The Next Nexus 4
Nexus 16, 18, 21, 23, 25-31, 33, 46, 48-49, 51-52, 54, 56-57, 59-60 (all for 50 cents each!!!)
Not Brand Echh 4, 6
Warlock 9-10 (Yes, I bought some Starlin Warlock. Bite me.)

and, last but not least,

Essential Nova
Essential Tomb of Dracula, Vol. 3
Showcase Batman, Vol. 2
Showcase Teen Titans, Vol. 2

During the weekend, I also traded my single issues of Astro City to Rob for his extra copies of Giant-Size Defenders 2, G-S Fantastic Four 2-3, G-S Man-Thing 2 and G-S Spider-Man 1-2. Yup, now that I have all the Silver Age Marvel Annuals, I'm starting on the Giant-Size titles.

Add to all that the items Brent Anderson and Kurt Busiek autographed for me and the fun of meeting Shades007 and his girlfriend Jen and we have another great con adventure!

Cei-U!
I summon the killer weekend!

Very nice haul. Especially those 50 cent Nexus books!

[dan bailey]

As I whined on another thread earlier today, recent computer problems have cut off eBay sales as my source for comics-buying cash, but at the LCS nearest me a couple of days ago I found myself inexorably drawn to a small cardboard box on the floor that turned out to contain mostly Bronze (with some Silver) Age ishes in more or less Good condition, with some showing cover tears, fairly heavy creasing, the occasional loose page, etc.

Even so, considering their age, I was rather surprised when the owner told me that most were $1 each, with a few going for $2. Broke or no, how was I expected to pass up, for a mere $2 per:

Fantastic Four 43
Fantastic Four 66
Flash 171 & 182
Green Lantern 71
Special Marvel Edition 15 (first MOKF)

Not to mention, at $1 each --

Many Ghosts of Dr Graves 20
Ghostly Tales 62
Batman Family 10 & 12

Man, even way back in the days before I sold off my first collection, that FF 43 would've been the 4th-oldest ish of the title I owned, behind only #s 39, 41 & 42 ...

[dan bailey]

Helluva haul, Kurt, especially, from my standpoint,

Not Brand Echh 4, 6.

"If Magneat-O Should Clobber Us!" in ish 4 actually would've constituted my first ex(echhs?)posure to the X-Men, in obviously skewed fashion, albeit as reprinted in NBE 10.

As for

Warlock 9-10 (Yes, I bought some Starlin Warlock. Bite me.)

I can only assume that you're stocking up on kindling for the upcoming winter ...

[Aaron King]

I can only assume that you're stocking up on kindling for the upcoming winter...
This was the kind of quip I was trying to think of but couldn't.

[T GUy]

I can only assume that you're stocking up on kindling for the upcoming winter ...

I second that motion.

[DDM]

Fantastic Four #64-65 (1st: Kree, Ronan the Accuser, Supreme Intelligence, & Sentry), Marvel Two-in-One #60 (Impossible Man), #67 (Hyperion & Thundra), Marvel Two-in-One Annual #7 (1st Champion), & Classic X-Men #54-60

[MichikoS]

Purchased a very nice batch of ECs this week for $100:

1. Crime SuspenStories #15 (Feb-Mar 1953) VG - Johnny Craig "buried alive" cover, nice Kamen, Evans & Ingels work inside.

2. Crime SuspenStories #19 Oct-Nov 1953) G - the famous Feldstein cover of the hands choking the woman underwater. Nice Crandall story, too.

3. Crime SuspenStories #26 Jan 1955) VG - my favorite Kamen cover ever - falling in front of a train...or pushed? Nice Orlando story inside, among other gems.

4. MD #2 (Jul 1955) FN - Great Johnny Craig car accident cover. The lead story about the boy with cerebral palsy is a heartbreaker.

5. Weird Science-Fantasy #23 (Spring 1954) VG - incomparable Wood cover, Wood, Williamson, Orlando and a beautifully stylized Oriental story by Krigstein inside.

Michi

[benday-dot]

5. Weird Science-Fantasy #23 (Spring 1954) VG - incomparable Wood cover, Wood, Williamson, Orlando and a beautifully stylized Oriental story by Krigstein inside.

Michi

Oh yes. Just curious Michi... do you have a preferred source you are willing to reveal for your ECs?

[Roquefort Raider]

Howard the duck magazine, issues 1-9.

I'm a little upset when Bill Mantlo's tenure on the series is criticized too harshly. Agreed, Mantlo didn't write Howard with the same voice as the character's creator, Steve Gerber, did. Someone in the letter column suggested that Mantlo didn't have a dark side, and that his version of Howard was therefore not as angry as Gerber's (which may be true). That being said, Howard as written by Mantlo was a more sympathetic character and we were treated to many good stories under his pen. I, for one, loved the "nuke the whales" poster seen in a fratboy's room or the way Mantlo turned the Marvel vs Disney clash over Howard's appearance (at the end of which the duck was forced to wear trousers to distinguish him from Donald) into a story about public morality and pet indecency.

The art in the magazine was usually pretty darn good, which is not a surprise considering its short run featured the likes of Gene Colan, Michael Golden, John Buscema, Klaus Janson and Marshal Rogers (not to mention a cover by Jack Davis and a frontispiece by none other than Dave Sim).

Marvel's B&W magazines were really very good, all things considered.

[Cei-U!]

I ave fond memories of the HtD magazine and agree with Ben's overall assessment. I was especially enamored of the title's strange backup series. What was it called? I want to say "Street Peeple" but that doesn't sound quite right.

Cei-U!
I summon the memory lapse!

[MichikoS]

Oh yes. Just curious Michi... do you have a preferred source you are willing to reveal for your ECs?Happy to share -- I've mentioned this seller on this board before, I think: BIP Comics, Nick Pope. I bought this batch from him. He has some lower grade ECs still up on his sales page. http://www.bipcomics.com/

Good luck!

Michi

[benday-dot]

Happy to share -- I've mentioned this seller on this board before, I think: BIP Comics, Nick Pope. I bought this batch from him. He has some lower grade ECs still up on his sales page. http://www.bipcomics.com/

Good luck!

Michi

Many thanks Michi!

[dan bailey]

Last month, I guess, while my still-erratic-but-overall-doing-much-better-now-albeit-with-the-occasional-inexplicable-bad-stretch computer was holding me incommunicado, & before I realized* I was spending too much money taht I didn't have on comics, I procured Superboy #s 160-169 via eBay for something like $23, shipping included.

Even at conditions that probably never exceed VG (G is the more likely grade overall, I'd say), I'm pretty pleased at the price, especially since it's less per copy than whatever the publishers are fleecing people (me certainly included, though less & less with each passing week) for these days for new 5-minute-at-most reads.

Even better, it allowed me to replace my coverless copy of #165 in my much-cherished complete run of DC Annuals & Giants from '60-'71. I think that leaves me with only one coverless specimen, Batman Annual #1 (a couple of others, probably Superman Annual #1 & maybe Secret Origins Annual #1&/or the first Flash Annual or 80-Page Giant, lack back covers).



*OK, yeah, I realized it, but I didn't want to, y'know, address it ...

[dan bailey]

Another dip yesterday into the dollar box I mentioned a couple of weeks ago yielded the following --

Iron Man 14
Daredevil 46
Superboy & the LOSH 207 214 216 218 220 222 224 227 230
Ghostly Tales 139
Aquaman 62 (Don Newton inked by Bob McLeod)
Flash 268 (the plot involves a Golden Age issue of Flash Comics ... I'm pretty sure I remember reading a post or blog about this one within the last couple of years)
Black Magic 1

[DDM]

The Avengers #63 (1st Clint Barton as Goliath), The Avengers #64-65, & Classic X-Men #61-70.

[Cei-U!]

Iron Man 14

My favorite issue of the Goodwin run. Good call!

Cei-U!
I love dollar boxes!

[pmpknface]

Read Power Man and Iron Fist #109. Nothing special abotu it, just was putting books in bags and boards and that one popped up. Kind of weird and ended abruptly, but it was an all in 1 story which was cool.

[Kirk G]

Another dip yesterday into the dollar box I mentioned a couple of weeks ago yielded the following --

Iron Man 14
Daredevil 46
Superboy & the LOSH 207 214 216 218 220 222 224 227 230
Ghostly Tales 139
Aquaman 62 (Don Newton inked by Bob McLeod)
Flash 268 (the plot involves a Golden Age issue of Flash Comics ... I'm pretty sure I remember reading a post or blog about this one within the last couple of years)
Black Magic 1

Unbelievable!

Where do you find these dollar boxes???
I am NEVER that lucky...

[Lone Ranger]

True Story: I've never read a single Miracleman comic (except for #15 via an online source a few years back)

I've always been interested - but not enough to pay the super high prices. I saw some for sale recently and scooped up 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 - all in NM for $60. Not exactly bargain bin stuff - but I actually don't see these for sale very often and I figured it was a lot of good reading for the price.

The store owner threw in copies of 17 and 18 so that was cool.

Now, I just need to find some quiet time to read the darned things.

[DDM]

Marvel Two-in-One #54 (1st Grapplers (superhuman female wrestlers): Titania I, Letha, Screaming Mimi, & Pound Cakes), The Mighty Thor #247 (Firelord), #340 (final arc of the Beta Ray Bill Saga), Balder the Brave #1-4, Wonder Man #1 (1985 one shot), Squadron Supreme #4, & #9-12...

[Kan-Man]

True Story: I've never read a single Miracleman comic (except for #15 via an online source a few years back)

I've always been interested - but not enough to pay the super high prices. I saw some for sale recently and scooped up 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 - all in NM for $60. Not exactly bargain bin stuff - but I actually don't see these for sale very often and I figured it was a lot of good reading for the price.

The store owner threw in copies of 17 and 18 so that was cool.

Now, I just need to find some quiet time to read the darned things.

C'mon, you've got two kids - your whole life is quiet time. Why, just last week I read a whole paragraph uninterrupted. It was awesome.

[benday-dot]

Not long ago, and elsewhere on CBR, Lone Ranger, started an interesting thread about what makes a good comic book cover.

All sorts of criteria were raised. Does it tell a story? How about the colour scheme? Should there be word balloons? Are action or pose covers to be preferred? Need the cover have anything to do with the interior? Many great factors were discussed? Questions raised.

I recently picked up Boris Karloff, Tales of Mystery, #39. And with it maybe we can add another point of discussion. I ask it partly in jest, but how about the inscrutablity factor. I bought this comic, because I found myself asking, What's that all about?

This cover reminds me of one of those New Yorker cartoon contests, where readers are asked to submit their captions to a sometimes enigmatic cartoon panel.

I mean really what is going on here? Okay, I actually did read the story and it really doesn't help much?!

http://www.comics.org/graphics/covers/1525/400/1525_4_39.jpg

[Kan-Man]

Not long ago, and elsewhere on CBR, Lone Ranger, started an interesting thread about what makes a good comic book cover.

All sorts of criteria were raised. Does it tell a story? How about the colour scheme? Should there be word balloons? Are action or pose covers to be preferred? Need the cover have anything to do with the interior? Many great factors were discussed? Questions raised.

I recently picked up Boris Karloff, Tales of Mystery, #39. And with it maybe we can add another point of discussion. I ask it partly in jest, but how about the inscrutablity factor. I bought this comic, because I found myself asking, What's that all about?

This cover reminds me of one of those New Yorker cartoon contests, where readers are asked to submit their captions to a sometimes enigmatic cartoon panel.

I mean really what is going on here? Okay, I actually did read the story and it really doesn't help much?!

http://www.comics.org/graphics/covers/1525/400/1525_4_39.jpg

Boy, I have no idea but that's one of the freakiest things I've ever seen. You know it's saying something when Karloff is the least creepy thing on there.

[Lone Ranger]

C'mon, you've got two kids - your whole life is quiet time. Why, just last week I read a whole paragraph uninterrupted. It was awesome.

I managed to get through the splash page to World's Finest #256 last night.

[DDM]

The Avengers #72 (1st Zodiac), The Avengers #73-74 (vs Sons of the Serpent), & Classic X-Men #72-80

[pmpknface]

If any of you guys visit the CGC forums, they are having a "virtual comic-con" and people are listing things all over the place. Go take a look!

Here's the link:

http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2041206&page=1&fpart=1

[Kan-Man]

I managed to get through the splash page to World's Finest #256 last night.

Such a show off.

[spoon_jenkins]

On ebay I picked up:

Daredevil Visionaries: Frank Miller vol. 3
Golden Age Starman Archives

From an online retailer I bought:

Amazing Spider-Man 235, 236
Americomics 3
Astonishing Tales 31
Batman and the Outsiders 2
Captain America 210, 211
Daredevil 192, 193, 194
Flash 234, 235
Green Lantern 117, 185
Iron Man Annual Annual 8
Legion of Super-Heroes Annual 5 (1980 series)
Legion of Super-Heroes Annual 1 (1984 series)
Legion of Super-Heroes 8 (1989 series)
Marvel Premiere 48
Marvel Tales 257
Metal Men 50
Punisher War Journal 9
Spectacular Spider-Man 96, 100
Superboy 226

[Dr.J.]

Tales To Astonish 39,in VF, Tales Of Suspense 41,VF,Hulk 3 & 6,also in VF,My Christmas present actually.

[pmpknface]

Tales To Astonish 39,in VF, Tales Of Suspense 41,VF,Hulk 3 & 6,also in VF,My Christmas present actually.

Merry f'n X-Mas! Congrats! :)

[MichikoS]

A small lower-grade lot on eBay which included:

*The Phantom #50 (Pat Boyette) and #63 (Don Newton). The letters page in #63 has an editorial reply to a fan letter in which the previous Phantom artist -- Don Sherwood, I think -- is dismissed rather unflatteringly. The new artist, of course, is the great Don Newton, who did the Phantom so well through issue #74.

*Korg: 70,000 B.C. #3 & 5. Nice Boyette art in this Hanna-Barbera licensed title. What exactly is the appeal of cavemen, anyway? There have been so many cavemen comics. I can't say I particularly like any of them.

*Toka, Jungle King #2 & 7. Dell. Not to be confused with Naza or Kona. Rather inspired art by Jack Sparling, truth to tell. #7 is a hoot, in which Toka is shrunk to miniature size by a magic potion. Don't ask.

An hour with these goofy '60s titles is more fun than a barrel of monkeys.

Michi

[Mysterio]

I just picked up X-Men #78 off of eBay. I ended up winning the auction in the last few seconds and outbid this guy by $0.50. He proceeded to send me a nasty e-mail. Not cool.

[pmpknface]

I just picked up X-Men #78 off of eBay. I ended up winning the auction in the last few seconds and outbid this guy by $0.50. He proceeded to send me a nasty e-mail. Not cool.
What? Are you kidding me? If he wanted it that bad then he should have had a higher max bid! Screw him. He'll learn. Congrats! ;)

[dan bailey]

What? Are you kidding me? If he wanted it that bad then he should have had a higher max bid! Screw him. He'll learn. Congrats! ;)

True enough. I've got a friend who's been known to send similar emails kvetching to last-minute snipers, but heck, that's the way the game is played. Probably everyone who's bid more than, I dunno, a dozen times on eBay has been on both ends.

[dan bailey]

Unbelievable!

Where do you find these dollar boxes???
I am NEVER that lucky...

Why, I find them at Capital City Comics on Atlanta Boulevard, a couple of storefronts down from CiCi's Pizza ... doesn't everybody?

Actually, rest assured that such finds are extremely rare for me. It's enough to make me think I'm the only one who ever looks in the box in question. Last week I fished out several comics that I know had been there for more than a month, because I'd bypassed 'em myself a couple of times --

Adventures of Jerry Lewis 102 & 104 (Neal Adams art) -- first ishes of this title I've ever owned, I'm 99.9 percent positive
Detective 385 -- was pleased to see this was an ish I'd had as a kid
World's Finest 235 -- great oddball cover featuring Superman's head popping off
DC Comics Presents 11 -- nothing special about this one, I'm sure, but this is a series I always pick up cheap copies of when I come across 'em
JLA 121 -- see DC Comics Presents
Hot Rod -- I forget the issue # of this old Charlton, but it's probably #11 from '66 or so

I'll have to check again tomorrow. As of last week, there was at least one Kirby Thor that I haven't gotten around to picking up.

[Mysterio]

What? Are you kidding me? If he wanted it that bad then he should have had a higher max bid! Screw him. He'll learn. Congrats! ;)

Yeah, it was pretty bad. Never have I received an e-mail like that. Needless to say, I reported him.

My current goal right now is to fill in my X-Men collection from 67-85 using only eBay and paying no more than $12.00 an issue for F-VF copies. So far, my progress has been pretty good!

[Slam_Bradley]

Couple of $5 trades:

Green Lantern/Green Arrow: More Hard-Traveling Heroes. Reprints the second half of the O'Neil/Adams run.

JSA: Justice Be Done. The first five issues of JSA.

[Rob Allen]

What exactly is the appeal of cavemen, anyway? There have been so many cavemen comics. I can't say I particularly like any of them.


Have you seen Vaughn Bode's The Man? It's a different kind of caveman comic; might be more up your alley than Korg & company.

For most readers, part of the appeal of cavemen in comics is that they played (and/or fought) with dinosaurs - unlike real-life cavemen. And kids of all ages love dinosaurs.

[The Confessor]

For most readers, part of the appeal of cavemen in comics is that they played (and/or fought) with dinosaurs - unlike real-life cavemen.

What?!! You mean to tell me that Dinosaurs and cavemen didn't exist in the same time period?!

You sir, are a liar and a fiend!!! :mad:

Next you'll be trying to tell us that the world's not flat.

[pmpknface]

Yesterday I went to a local shop, The Outer Limits in Waltham MA, and grabbed a ton of stuff at 20% off. I picked up:

Hulk #296, with ROM!
X-Men 176, 177, 272, 301 and 1 other issue. Now I only need 5 from 169 up!
Fantastic Four #164 (only need like 7 from 100 up)
About 15 issues of Marvel Team-Up between 21 and 88 (only need 5)
About 15-20 issues of Avengers (only need like 10 from 200 to current)
Marvel Treasury Edition #11 with the FF and DOOM!!!

It was a good day!

[moyiori]

I recently got the FF omnibus vol 1 and then Spiderman omnibus, and so far been reading FF. First few issues i thought were "ok" and i guess it was different at the time, but now some of the stuff is just so corny but funny to read. The art of course gets progressively better, so the thing doesn't look so much like a big orange turd:confused: The adventures are better detailed too i think than the earlier issues. So far i still enjoy the Uncanny x-men omnibus :-D. But i haven't read the Spiderman omnibus yet...:eek:

[Kirk G]

I recently got the FF omnibus vol 1 and then Spiderman omnibus, and so far been reading FF. First few issues i thought were "ok" and i guess it was different at the time, but now some of the stuff is just so corny but funny to read. The art of course gets progressively better, so the thing doesn't look so much like a big orange turd:confused: The adventures are better detailed too i think than the earlier issues. So far i still enjoy the Uncanny x-men omnibus :-D. But i haven't read the Spiderman omnibus yet...:eek:

Just wait until you get to the second FF Omnibus. The stories REALLY shift into high gear, and the artwork does too! You'll love the original Frightful Four, the Inhumans and the Galactus Triology!:rolleyes:

[DDM]

The Avengers #93 (The Kree-Skrull War), #291, The Mighty Thor #233 (Firelord), & Captain America #310-321 (1st Serpent Society, D: MODOK, The Scourge Saga, & Flagsmasher).

[DDM]

The Avengers #109 (Q: Hawkeye), The Avengers #110-111 (vs Magneto), & Classic X-Men #81-90

[MichikoS]

Have you seen Vaughn Bode's The Man? It's a different kind of caveman comic; might be more up your alley than Korg & company. Thanks for the tip, Rob. On the subject of Vaughn Bode, I discovered a few years back that a guy I was friends with as a kid in the '60s, George Beahm, is like the world's foremost Bode expert. How about that.

Michi

[berk]

Every Christmas it seems I spend a lot of money ordering books and comics etc for myself. I think I must subconsciously feel jealous that I'm spending money buying gifts for other people and try to make it up to myself this way. So I have a bunch of stuff on the way from Lone Star, much of which I've heard about here or on the comm board. Off the top of my head:

American Flagg 1 - 12
- always liked Chaykin's art when he did his own inks but was never attracted to this one for whatever reason; but some commments here or was it on the comm convinced me to give it a try, especially since I got em for about $1.50 each.

The Price
Gilgamesh II
- two Starlin thngs I missed out on & that I saw recommended recently in the Starlin thread.

Stalker 1 - 4
- early 70s Ditko sword & sorcery! Never seen it, but how bad could it be? These were all under $2 each as well.

Plus a bunch of odds and ends - single issues of stuff I've been missing, etc. And, what really instigated the whole binge, a bunch of Warren stuff, mostly Creepys & Eeries, but I even ordered a few cheap issues of Rook and Vampirella, neither of which I ever really got into before, but saw some with artists I like (Russ Heath, Gonzalo Mayo, Vicente Alcazar, etc) & decided to take a chance.

Really looking forward to getting these in the mail. It'll be like - like Christmas!

[Nightstar1441]

Scored a healthy run of the original Marvel Spotlight (almost the entire Hellstorm except issue 20) and a good portion after that. Even got a few of the early Marvel Spotlight Ghost Rider issues :evilsmile

[DDM]

The Avengers #112 (1st Mantis), The Avengers #113, The Avengers #116, & Classic X-Men #92-100

[icctrombone]

Avengers v.1 # 8 . Intro of kang the conquerer. It's in a lower grade.

[pmpknface]

SCORE! That's one I wouldn't mind having. However I do have a VF #11. :D

[Lone Ranger]

Stalker 1 - 4
- early 70s Ditko sword & sorcery! Never seen it, but how bad could it be? These were all under $2 each as well.


It's pretty good stuff, actually.

I'm not a huge S&S fan, but the books look great with Wally Wood inking Steve Ditko.

Is this the only time that Wood inked Ditko? I can't recall - perhaps on some of the Tower Comics books.

[dan bailey]

Is this the only time that Wood inked Ditko? I can't recall - perhaps on some of the Tower Comics books.

Wood also inked Ditko on the first 2 ishes of Atlas Seaboard's Destructor. After that, the GCD tells me, Sturdy Steve's pencils were embellished by Frank Giacoia in #3 & Al Milgrom in #4.

If memory serves, Stalker's scripts would've constituted some of Paul Levitz' earliest work as a pro. If so, that's a nice way to break in -- with 2 of the greatest artists ever translating your ideas into images.

[Lone Ranger]

Wood also inked Ditko on the first 2 ishes of Atlas Seaboard's Destructor.

That's right - that made it one of the best looking Atlas Seaboard titles.


Yesterday, at a local discount bookstore I picked up 5 Conan comics (51, 53, 58, 59 and 67) averaging FN condition for 50 cents a pop. I'm not sure how good that era of Conan is, but I figured it was too good a deal to pass up.

[Cei-U!]

Is this the only time that Wood inked Ditko? I can't recall - perhaps on some of the Tower Comics books.

Yes, they did several stories at Tower together, as well as the obscure indie comic Heroes, Inc, Starring Cannon.

Cei-U!
I summon the awesome combo!

[dan bailey]

Two more from the dollar box -- Thor 168 & 169. Lee & Kirby, with inks by George Klein. Can't beat it.

[T GUy]

Upgraded my Kamandi 1 - 4 via ebaY, also a slew of Kull the Conqueror, later the Destroyer, including No. 1, and Conan 23 and 24.

[DubipR]

Bought the Marvel Tarzan run for 50 cents an issue...Score!

[MichikoS]

Bought the Marvel Tarzan run for 50 cents an issue...Score!I likewise found myself in Tarzan-y mode this weekend, an picked up several issues in the #50-57 range of the KORAK title by DC after they had acquired the rights long held by Western/Dell/Gold Key. The art is by Murphy Anderson, and it's beautiful. Kanigher is in his usual fine form. I also appreciate the characterization of Korak, which doesn't pull its punches -- after all, this is a guy who's nickname is Korak THE KILLER. I love how Anderson draws his face when he's ready to go into a berserker rage, which Kanigher allows him to do rather frequently. Watch out!

Michi

[benday-dot]

I likewise found myself in Tarzan-y mode this weekend, an picked up several issues in the #50-57 range of the KORAK title by DC after they had acquired the rights long held by Western/Dell/Gold Key. The art is by Murphy Anderson, and it's beautiful. Kanigher is in his usual fine form. I also appreciate the characterization of Korak, which doesn't pull its punches -- after all, this is a guy who's nickname is Korak THE KILLER. I love how Anderson draws his face when he's ready to go into a berserker rage, which Kanigher allows him to do rather frequently. Watch out!

Michi

This is some of my favourite Murphy Anderson work Michi. He draws the tangle and lushness of the jungle backround exceedingly well. And his animals are excellent too.

Also of note in Korak is the very well rendered 'Carson of Venus" back-up strip by the great Mike Kaluta.

[dan bailey]

The UPS guy just dropped off Showcase Presents Supergirl & Showcase Presents Sgt Rock, which was awfully nice of him. (Showcase Presents Teen Titans vol 2 & the Super Sons TPB are on back order, for some reason.)

The package also included The Comics Journal Library: Harvey Kurtzman, but unfortunately it's an Xmas present that will have to go in the mail as soon as the heating repair guy shows up.

(Which is why I'm sitting here at home rather than at work -- when I got home yesterday afternoon I realized after a couple of chilly hours that the heat ... wasn't. For some odd reason, my 2-odd-year-old unit started blowing just fine about an hour ago after well over a half-day of utter inactivity, but this morning the thermostat showed it was 51 inside.)

[pmpknface]

EEK! Hope all is well Dan! Just be glad you're not up here. It was 6 when I got the care this morning. Yes... 6!

I heard Supes was a real tool to SG in those old books. ENJOY!

[dan bailey]

Y'know, there's a reason I've never lived farther north than the middle of Arkansas -- & that's it. 6.

Anyway, yep, so far, so good. The repair visit fell under warranty, though the guy wasn't sure what went wrong to begin with ... possibly a dirty sensor.

[benday-dot]

6?! Bah... try -15.

[benday-dot]

I just got at discount:

M.A.R.S. Patrol tpb. Wally Wood Silver Age Comic Book Comfort Food. Absolutely great stuff!

Fighting American HC. Jack Kirby and Joe Simon Silver Age Comic Book Comfort Food. And the great stuff continues!

Which spine do I crack first?

[Cei-U!]

There's a M.A.R.S. Patrol trade?

Cei-U!
I gotta get out more!

[pmpknface]

6?! Bah... try -15.
D'OH! I knew there would be someone from Canada posting here.

I'm not complaining though. I tell people that complain about snow and the temp to MOVE TO FLORIDA! ;)

[dan bailey]

There's a M.A.R.S. Patrol trade?

Cei-U!
I gotta get out more!

Yes, indeed. I picked it up a couple of years ago because of my childhood fondness for the rather grim (for the late '60s, anyway) last few issues. I'd never seen Wood's work on the series. (The post-Wood issues aren't included in the TPB, but those I own.)

[benday-dot]

There's a M.A.R.S. Patrol trade?

Cei-U!
I gotta get out more!

It's from Dark Horse

http://www.amazon.ca/M-R-S-Patrol-Total-War/dp/1593072627/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198113126&sr=1-1

And it thankfully it preserves very well the original Gold Key colour palette... didn't get all digital on Wally Woods ass.

[DDM]

The Avengers #117 (part of The Avengers-Defenders War), #119 (vs the Collector), Classic X-Men #91 & Classic X-Men #101-110.

[Mysterio]

Uncanny X-Men #80. My quest for 80-89 is almost complete!

[spoon_jenkins]

Action Comics Archives vol. 1 arrived in the mail a few days ago. And I'm awaiting Superman Archives vol. 2 and Essential Silver Surfer vol. 1 that I won on ebay.

[DDM]

Uncanny X-Men #80. My quest for 80-89 is almost complete!

Why are you buying the X-Men reprints? Why don't you just look for the original stories from X-Men #1-66?

[pmpknface]

Uncanny X-Men #80. My quest for 80-89 is almost complete!
Congrats. I ony own the 83 (Spidey app) and the one it reprints (35 maybe?).

I want a 101 to go with my Bowen statue. ;)

[dan bailey]

Why are you buying the X-Men reprints? Why don't you just look for the original stories from X-Men #1-66?

Collectibility per se doesn't do much for me, but for those into such concepts, I know the reprint ishes are considered rather desirable because of low print runs.

[Mysterio]

Why are you buying the X-Men reprints? Why don't you just look for the original stories from X-Men #1-66?

Uncanny X-Men is my white whale. Before I die, I want to own the entire run- #1 - whatever the current issue is at the time. This is the only title I have an obsession over. It's hard to explain...

Once I purchased #94, I started working my way back. Issues #67-93 have proven rather easy to acquire at this point at a minimal cost. When I find the older issues at a good price, I'll buy them. I'm just focusing on the reprints now.

[DDM]

Collectibility per se doesn't do much for me, but for those into such concepts, I know the reprint ishes are considered rather desirable because of low print runs.

I buy reprints myself such as Classic X-Men (reprints Giant Size X-Men #1 & Uncanny X-Men #94-138) with new back stories & new cover & interior page art & Marvel Tales (reprints various Marvel Team-Up stories with a new Spider-Ham back-up); however, I don't see much in getting a straight reprint without something new added to mix. And that's all X-Men #67-93 is...

[pmpknface]

The only difference I can see is slightly different colored covers.

http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/uncanny-x-men/35-1.jpg

http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/uncanny-x-men/83-1.jpg

[Mysterio]

...however, I don't see much in getting a straight reprint without something new added to mix. And that's all X-Men #67-93 is...

They are. And I know I'm going to sound like a blasphemer on this board, but not only do I READ comics, I COLLECT them. There. I said it. I'm a completist when it comes to my X-Men collection. I make no apologies.

[pmpknface]

No prob here man! I'm still tracking down all Spidey appearrances. I need the X-Men #27 because he is in 1 PANEL! :p

[dan bailey]

I don't see much in getting a straight reprint without something new added to mix. And that's all X-Men #67-93 is...

Same here, as alluded to above. I've toyed with the idea of going after the several dozen reprint issues of Sgt. Fury from circa #80-on (after #120 it became reprint-only & remained so for the final 47 issues), just so I could say I have a truly complete set except for ish #1 ... but that strikes me as sort of, I dunno, absurd. Maybe if I found them all in a 25-cent box, or something.

One day I probably will start going after the ones with new covers, though.

[DDM]

The Avengers #100

[scratchie]

I just scored a very nice copy of Fiction Illustrated #3, a.k.a. "Chandler: Red Tide" by Jim Steranko. My first Ebay purchase in a while and it paid off very nicely. Well-packaged and the seller didn't rip me off on postage, either. A very nice Xmas present to myself. I can't wait to dive in.

[icctrombone]

Got a good version of Avengers # 8. It's the first appearance of Kang.

[The Shadow]

Got some money for Christmas from my mom who said "go buy some comics!"

So I did.

RED SONJA Vol 1 #3 9.4
RED SONJA Vol 1 #12 9.4
RED SONJA Vol 1 #9 9.6
RED SONJA #1,She-Devil with Sword 9.6
RED SONJA #2,She-Devil with Sword 9.6
RED SONJA #4,She-Devil with Sword 9.6
INVADERS #24 9.0 (only missing a high grade #8 to finish my run!!)
SPIDERWOMAN #4 9.6
CAPTAIN AMERICA #233 9.2
MS. MARVEL #2 9.2
MS. MARVEL #7 9.6
MS. MARVEL #8 9.2
MS. MARVEL #10 9.2
MS. MARVEL #16 9.2
MS. MARVEL #17 9.6
MARVEL TWO IN ONE #20 9.4
THE INVADERS #39 9.6
RED SONJA #5 9.4
CAPTAIN AMERICA #218 9.4

The numbers after the number are the grades the books are in.

[MDG]

I just scored a very nice copy of Fiction Illustrated #3, a.k.a. "Chandler: Red Tide" by Jim Steranko. My first Ebay purchase in a while and it paid off very nicely. Well-packaged and the seller didn't rip me off on postage, either. A very nice Xmas present to myself. I can't wait to dive in.
Did you get the large size or the digest?

I'll be curious to know what you think after reading it.

MDG

[scratchie]

Did you get the large size or the digest?

I'll be curious to know what you think after reading it.I got the digest, which is nice as a "collectible", since it matches my copy of Schlomo Raven.

My initial reaction is mild surprise, in that I hadn't realized that it was actually an illustrated prose piece rather than a proper comic. That was probably mentioned here at some point but I missed it. It reminds me more of a Big Little Book than anything else.

I started reading it last night, and the prose was serviceable hard-boiled detective stuff, but the fact that it's so much longer than a comparably-sized comic book caused me to set it aside pretty quickly for when I have more time to devote to it.

The illustrations are classic Steranko, and must look great in the larger-sized edition. They're a little small here. I may still keep my eyes open for a copy of the "deluxe" edition.

[Polar Bear]

BATMAN FAMILY (1975) #2, 10
ZOT! #8, 10
WONDER WOMAN (1942) #281
---Filling in some gaps (the WW story in particular, given that I read the first half of the story over a decade ago!)


ROM (1979) #32
SPIDER-MAN (1963) #249
---I used to own these; don't know what happened to them over the years.


FLASH (1959) #268
PHANTOM (1969, CHARLTON) #70, 74
STALKER #1, 2, 3, 4
TIME WARP #1, 2, 3, 4, 5
WHAT IF... (1977) #41
---All based on recommendations from this forum. I hope those Phantom issues live up to the hype!!

[4thHorseman]

Superman 181 - Nov. 1965

[MDG]

My initial reaction is mild surprise, in that I hadn't realized that it was actually an illustrated prose piece rather than a proper comic. That was probably mentioned here at some point but I missed it. It reminds me more of a Big Little Book than anything else.

The BLB comparison is good--and I think that's what disappointed me about it, especially from Steranko--the fact that the pictures don't tell or really even add much to the story.

MDG

[DDM]

Captain Britain: A Hero Reborn Volume 2 TPB (reprints Captain Britain Weekly #24-39 & Super Spider-Man & Captain Britain Weekly #231-238)

[dan bailey]

This afternoon the mailman dropped off the copy of Thunder Agents Archives Vol 1 I bought off an Amazon Marketplace seller -- an ex-library copy that's far cleaner than I would've thought, as it happens. Other than the Tower issue of Comic Book Artist awhile back, I think my only exposure to these comics was a very late issue (probably #20, the finale) I bought off the spinner racks as a kid.

(Until I read the dj flap text's reference to the "then-new comics division of a small paperback publisher" a couple of hours ago, it never occurred to me that the Tower titles probably came from the old pb house Belmont Tower, several of whose modest '60s sf books I own.)

[Mysterio]

Just got X-Men #80 in the mail today. Now I only lack 83 and 87 to finish my 80's run!

[pmpknface]

I got in the Golden Age Masterworks of the Human Torch vol 2 yesterday. I thoguht I had vol 1 but I guess not. :( I also got GA Cap vol 1 for x-mas! :D

[dan bailey]

I parlayed an office Xmas party door prize of a Books-a-Million gift card plus an online coupon plus my "Millionaire's Club" membership into a purchase of the Kingdom Come TPB, Showcase Presents The JLA vol 3 & Essential Doctor Strange vol 3, as well as a couple of non-comics TPBs, for $19 & change.

(Maybe one day they'll get around to sending my still-backordered copy of Saga of the Super Sons ...)

[Roquefort Raider]

Age of bronze vol. 3, which was supposed to go on sale last July and finally came out. (I wonder what happened at Image comics... I mean, even the French translation came out before this TPB).

Essential Moon Knight vol. 2, because even though I'm not a big MK fan it would be silly to pass the chance of seeing so much Sienkiewicz art under one cover.

The death of Captain America HC, which is pretty cheap at Amazon (especially now that Canadian prices have started reflecting the actual exchange rate between the greenback and the loony). Brubaker is doing a dynamite job on this title, and I really look forward to his daredevil stuff being collected in hardcover form (if it ever happens).

[icctrombone]

Just received a low grade copy of Avengers # 5. Jack Kirby goodness where the Assemblers take on the Lava men.

[DDM]

Classic X-Men #107 (reprints Uncanny X-Men #203), Fantastic Four Visionaries John Byrne: Volume 8 TPB, & Avengers West Coast: Darker Than Scarlet TPB

[pmpknface]

Avengers West Coast: Darker Than Scarlet TPB

I almost bought that because I haven't read that story yet. I hope it's good!

[DDM]

I almost bought that because I haven't read that story yet. I hope it's good!

John Byrne left when the storyline peaked so Roy & Dann Thomas had to resolve it. I wished Byrne could have stayed just so he could finish the story. I hate it when a creator leaves mid-storyline...:evilangry

[dan bailey]

Courtesy of eBay, I nabbed 7 Silver & Bronze Ages ishes -- Lois Lane 51 & 52, Superboy 113, 143 & 166 (actually, this one'll be a duplicate of a duplicate for me ...), & Superboy & the LOSH 203 & 209 -- for a cool $8.25, shipping included.

They're all pretty much reader copies, but that's perfectly OK, because that's why I want them -- to read.

[MichikoS]

Confession: I am an inveterate bargain-hunter for comics, and I often discover some gems hidden among the odd corners of the online comics retail world (rarely, if ever, alas, on eBay). Being a librarian helps, as my patience and net fu are strong. I can squeeze a database pretty hard.

So anyway, I note that NewKadia, an online retailer that specializes in mostly modern comics, has a policy of dropping the price of a given comic every week by a small percentage if it doesn't sell. A little calculating tells me that the best bargains are going to be among the "leftovers" that have sat on the shelf for 190++ weeks. So I used their Google engine to excavate stuff that might interest me as a classic comics collector. Here's what I turned up, and what I paid:

Exotic Romances #28 (Quality, 1956; Matt Baker art) VG $4.24. This gem was rotting on their shelves for 204 weeks. It's a steal at less than five bucks! This is some of Baker's later work, and it's soooo beautiful.

Patsy & Hedy #104 VF- $2.03. Al Hartley goodness and a sharp-looking copy for peanuts. Patsy is the redhead who went on to a checkered career in the superhero world...

Doctor Tom Brent: Young Intern #1 (Charlton, 1963) VF $4.38. Magnificent Dick Giordano cover. Not a romance book, but more of a medical drama. Weird and wonderful Charlton magic.

Spoof #2,3,4&5, all FN to VF, less than $2 each. An inventive and often clever pop culture/politics satire book from Marvel with great art by Marie Severin and other bullpen regulars. Thee was a two year gap between issue #1 and #2-5, which were published 1972-1973. I was pleased to pick these up in such nice shape for so little.

Eerie Yearbook 1970 (aka Annual #1) VF $10.18. Super-nice copy with off-white pages, near-perfect spine and high cover gloss. Frazetta cover.

Blazing Combat #3 FN $14.28. Sharp copy with some wear on the corners, inside pages tanned, but otherwise appears unread. Torres, Severin, Wood, Colan, Morrow art and a Frazetta cover.

UFO Mysteries #1 (1978, Western) VF $4.38. 96 page "coloring book" size comic compiling stories from Gold Key's UFO Flying Saucers/UFO & Outer Space series. This is actually the second volume in the two-volume series published in the late 1970s, the first book titled UFO ENCOUNTERS. I love oddities like this. Now I just have to find that first volume somewhere...

Michi

[Lone Ranger]

So anyway, I note that NewKadia, an online retailer that specializes in mostly modern comics, has a policy of dropping the price of a given comic every week by a small percentage if it doesn't sell.


I've always wondered about their service. I get emails from them and have always been interested in their system, but I had a comic book buying moratorium for much of 2007. The way my home renovations are going, I won't be buying much in 2008 either.

How was their service? Communication? Was the shipping pretty fast and safe?

Great Haul - very jealous.

[MichikoS]

I've always wondered about their service. I get emails from them and have always been interested in their system, but I had a comic book buying moratorium for much of 2007. How was their service? Communication? Was the shipping pretty fast and safe?I can recommend them highly, Scott. They ship super-fast, very securely, and are always offering discount codes on top of decent prices. I detest their "catalog" and standard shopping interface, but other than that, they are highly recommended.

Michi

[Lone Ranger]

OK - thanks to Michi's suggestion, I just killed some time on the New Kadia site. I was trying to track down cheap stuff that I had been hunting for - I did quite well. There are some other books, I'll hold off buying in case they are discounted further.

I filled in some Kamandi holes, some Evanier/Spiegle Blackhawk holes, and well as some Charlton 70s horror holes. I also picked up some good 60s Charlton for a pretty low price - stuff like Sarge Steel #8 and Thunderbolt #1 that I'd been having a tough time tracking down. Also got some cheap Yang books - only read one from that series and I have always been intrigued. Same with Charlton Bullseye - I never see those in the bargain bins.

After all of the discounts were added, I got 36 books for $90, including shipping. Not bad.


Charlton Bullseye (1981 series) #1 FN $ 2.35
Charlton Bullseye (1981 series) #3 FN $ 1.98
Charlton Bullseye (1981 series) #4 FN $ 1.41
Charlton Bullseye (1981 series) #8 FN+ $ 1.41
Charlton Bullseye (1981 series) #9 VF $ 1.61
Charlton Bullseye (1981 series) #3 FN $ 1.98
Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth #41 VG+ $ 2.46
Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth #43 VG+ $ 2.44
Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth #44 VG+ $ 2.40
Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth #45 VF- $ 3.93
Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth #46 VF- $ 3.92
Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth #47 FN+ $ 2.44
Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth #48 VF- $ 3.93
Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth #53 VG+ $ 2.71
Space Adventures (1967 series) #4 VG+ $ 2.87
Space Adventures (1967 series) #8 FN $ 4.91
Space Adventures (1952 series) #53 FN- $ 5.73
Ghostly Tales #132 FN- $ 2.30
Ghostly Tales #149 FN- $ 1.87
Many Ghosts of Dr. Graves #52 FN- $ 2.53
Many Ghosts of Dr. Graves #67 FN- $ 1.20
Many Ghosts of Dr. Graves #72 FN- $ 2.53
Blackhawk (1944 series) #255 VF+ $ 1.74
Blackhawk (1944 series) #262 FN+ $ 1.75
Ghost Manor (1971 series) #58 FN $ 1.86
Scary Tales #27 FN+ $ 2.44
Thunderbolt (1966 series) #1 FN- $ 7.33
Sarge Steel #8 VG+ $ 2.88
House of Yang #1 FN- $ 0.66
Yang #2 VF $ 2.55
Yang #3 FN+ $1.37
Yang #4 VF- $ 1.70
Yang #5 FN+ $ 1.37
Yang #6 FN+ $ 2.00
Yang #7 VF- $ 1.70
Yang #8 FN $ 0.94

[pmpknface]

Score! Nice job. ;)

[shaxper]

I put some serious work into my Batman run this past weekend:

Batman 97, 98, 105, 115, 118, 122, 129, 131, 134, 135, 138, 143, 234

It cost me an arm and a leg, but I got 25% off from the dealer, and I'm left missing only 22 issues above #100. This was my first time purchasing issues lower than #100 (other than #9 and #10, which I've owned for a while now). It's exhilerating to approach the end-game, where I'll be left with only the 100 earliest, rarest, and most expensive issues to hunt down.

[MichikoS]

It's exhilerating to approach the end-game, where I'll be left with only the 100 earliest, rarest, and most expensive issues to hunt down.shax, you are hardcore! Exhilaration comes from knowing that you "only" have one hundred of the rarest and most expensive items in the comics world to hunt down? :eek: And I feel good about almost completing my six issue Wacky Squirrel run!

Now this is a man to admire.:D

Great Batman haul, btw. I remember "Secret of the Batmobile" from #98 that was reprinted in the late '60s. Is Bat-Hound in there, too?

Michi

[scratchie]

Cheers to Shax for his recent score.

I just got a few items from Lone Star in preparation for some (long-gestating) binding projects:

Marvel Team-Up #55:
The last issue of the original Starlin-era Warlock run. This is certainly the most expendable of the lot, not having been written by Starlin, and not really tying in directly with the rest of the Thanos-centric storyline. But since it was included in the Warlock Special Edition in the 80s, I figured I should include it in my bound volume.

The special edition, btw, was what inspired me to get a set of Warlock comics bound. The coloring is so bad in the (Baxter paper) special edition, and so "just exactly perfect" in the original comics (many colored by Starlin) that I realized that no reprint was ever likely to do his comics justice. Check out Strange Tales #178 vs. issue 1 of the special edition to see what I'm talking about. Starlin clearly understood the technology of four-color printing on newsprint perfectly and took advantage of it like few ever have.

Howard the Duck #8
Annoyingly, this was not included in a "complete" set of Howards I bought on Ebay last year. Of course, now that I'm close to completing my set of comics to have bound, Marvel has announced a forthcoming Howard Omnibus. On the one hand, I think the artwork will look better in the original printings (although not to as pronounced a degree as with Starlin's work), but on the other hand, I feel like buying the Omnibus anyway to encourage Marvel to reprint more of Steve Gerber's work (e.g. Foolkiller, Essential Man-Thing v2).

Giant-Size Man-Thing #4
I've been hemming and hawing for months now about what, exactly, I want to bind in this Howard volume. My first plan was just to include the Howard the Duck comic (1-29; I have no use for the Mantlo-penned followup story). Then I started thinking about including the two backup stories from GSMT 4 & 5, but the way the pages are laid out would make that awkward (e.g. I'd get the opening page of the Atlas reprint from ish 5 on the back of the last page of the Hellcow story).

But then, thinking about it, I realized that I really like that particular Atlas storm (GSMT #5 was one of the first comics I ever bought) and that I hardly ever read it any more. So to make it worth making a bound volume as an alternative to the Omnibus edition, I've decided to include the entire contents of both GSMT issues, along with all of Fear #19 and Man-Thing #1. Howard reprints in the past have only included the pages with Howard on them, and I assume that the Omnibus will be no exception. But it's a damn fine fantasy story in its own right, and it will nice to have a bound, color version of it.

So the challenge now is to find decent copies of those first two Howard appearances for not too much cash. The copies I have in my collection are kind of raggedy, and I'd like to find copies with nice-looking covers -- even if they're not a strict "F" or "VF" -- if I'm going to have them permanently bound.

[Kirk G]

I almost bought that (DARKER THAN SCARLET TRADE) because I haven't read that story yet. I hope it's good!

Yeah, it's probably the best Avengers story in years and years... I was enjoying it so much, when Byrne just up and left. (simultaneous with the Scarlet Witch doing the same) But at least he set it up so that it was obvious to anyone reading carefully that Pietro wasn't in bed with Magneto, although he professes to be....
It would have been nice to see Byrne revisit that storyline and resolve it much better than the actual series did. The whole Time Masters explanation of what Immortus was up to just felt WRONG.

But I would advise ANYONE to go for this trade if they don't have the originals.
I'd be real interested to see how they handle the storyline skipping back and forth between the pages of Avengers and WCA during Smacks of Vengance storyline.:eek:

It seems to me that there are about 4 pages from Agatha Harkness's House flying off that are essential to following the storyline. Or am I wrong?

[shaxper]

Great Batman haul, btw. I remember "Secret of the Batmobile" from #98 that was reprinted in the late '60s. Is Bat-Hound in there, too?

Michi

Bat-Hound makes (I believe) his first cover appearance in #97 (which was part of the haul). He does not appear in #98, though.

You've got to love the classic Golden Age Batman family -- Ace the Bat-Hound, Bat-Mite, Batwoman (who makes her first Batman appearance in #105, also in the haul). I'm very glad that they were eventually tossed in order to make Batman a more serious comic, but they were damn fun while they lasted.

And thanks for the praise. It's nice to know not everyone thinks I'm loony for dropping this kind of cash on vintage comics. It's always been a dream of mine to complete the run, going all the way back to when I was 11 and had trouble comprehending the difference between a $10 comic and a $100 comic (they were both way out of my price range). I'm exhilarated to finally have the financial means to attain this goal, but I can't say the same about my wife, friends, and co-workers.

[shaxper]

I'd like to find copies with nice-looking covers -- even if they're not a strict "F" or "VF" -- if I'm going to have them permanently bound.

I love that you're going through with this project. I hope you're planning to post pictures when you're done. Though I've heard a great deal about bound comic collections, I've never actually seen one. It's still something I'm thinking of doing with some of my more cherished inexpensive runs.

[scratchie]

I love that you're going through with this project. I hope you're planning to post pictures when you're done. Though I've heard a great deal about bound comic collections, I've never actually seen one. It's still something I'm thinking of doing with some of my more cherished inexpensive runs.There's a whole message board devoted to bound comics over at http://www.marvelmasterworks.com . That's what got me interested in the idea in the first place. I already have three volumes that I did in 2006 (my local bindery offers a bulk discount if you do three or more at once): Foolkiller, Guardians of the Galaxy and a collection of Seth Fisher comics.

The pictures over at the masterworks board look really nice. Mine look a little more "raggedy" because I didn't have the edges trimmed after the issues were sewn together (some of the panels were dangerously close to the edge and I didn't want them to get cut off). I'll post some pix of mine when I get a chance.

[Cei-U!]

Back in college, I had a big chunk of my Howard the Duck collection bound. In that volume, I included Fear #19, Man-Thing #1, the backups from Giant-Size Man-Thing #4-5, #1-14 of the main title plus the annual. (I wish I had included all of the two GSMTs for reasons not unlike scratchie's.) It turned out a handsome little volume that, alas, I later sold to fund my drinking.

I saw it come up at a convention auction years later so it must still be around. It'll be easy to identify: it has "Kurt Mitchell" printed in gold leaf on the lower right hand corner of the front cover, as do its siblings, a volume of Iron Man #1-25 and one of The Demon #1-16 (and Brave & Bold #109).

Cei-U!
I summon the lost treasures!

[pmpknface]

Congrats man! That is just SICK!!!

I've never considered "binding" comics. I do own a few sets that are and it's kinda cool. Including one from Stan Lee. ;)

[Lone Ranger]

It's nice to know not everyone thinks I'm loony for dropping this kind of cash on vintage comics. It's always been a dream of mine to complete the run, going all the way back to when I was 11 and had trouble comprehending the difference between a $10 comic and a $100 comic

I certainly don't think that you're nuts - as I have spent ridiculous amounts of money on Golden and Silver Age books as well as original art. If you love something - you should go for it.

As I've mentioned elsewhere - we've recently bought and new house and have been doing extensive renovations. We've are up to our eyeballs in deby, so many of those books have re-entered the marketplace. It's sad to seem so many items go, but I separate my stuff into two piles 1) stuff I can live without and 2) stuff I can't live without.

The fact that I sold $10,000 worth of stuff in 2008 in mostly just an indication of how much I've spent over the last decade or so.

What issues are you still missing?

[dan bailey]

It turned out a handsome little volume that, alas, I later sold to fund my drinking.



Is the Women's Christian Temperance Union still around? Kurt could probably pick up a few extra bucks as their poster child ... (Inability to drink without regretting the heck out of it is one good side effect of having Crohn's disease, at least in my case, which means I don't. I'm not sure it's had that sort of impact on Warren Ellis, come to think of it.)

Sort of reminds of me of the time in the summer of '77 I was able to pick up a sizable Silver & Bronze Age collection of mostly (maybe entirely?) Marvels from a friend whose fanzine I occasionally wrote for. He sold me the whole thing for something like $300 so he could pursue his new love in life, Mary Jane (& I don't mean Watson).

[pmpknface]

Damn I love this thread.... ;)

[Cei-U!]

Is the Women's Christian Temperance Union still around? Kurt could probably pick up a few extra bucks as their poster child ...

I actually was an Easter Seals poster child back in '60... and for the record, I've been sober since New Years Day, 1992.

Cei-U!
I summon the q.v.!

[scratchie]

Back in college, I had a big chunk of my Howard the Duck collection bound. In that volume, I included Fear #19, Man-Thing #1, the backups from Giant-Size Man-Thing #4-5, #1-14 of the main title plus the annual. (I wish I had included all of the two GSMTs for reasons not unlike scratchie's.) That makes me think I'm on the right track then. Great minds think alike!

I saw it come up at a convention auction years later so it must still be around. It'll be easy to identify: it has "Kurt Mitchell" printed in gold leaf on the lower Now that's something I never thought of. But if I did, people would keep asking me "Who the heck is Kurt Mitchell, and where did you get your comics books?" (wocka wocka wocka)

Congrats on the 16 years of sobriety.

[TVComicsFan]

Sometime last year, I acquired Blondie #1 (Spring 1947) ... for only $17.
It's in pretty good shape, too (for a 60-year-old comic).

[shaxper]

As I've mentioned elsewhere - we've recently bought and new house and have been doing extensive renovations. We've are up to our eyeballs in deby, so many of those books have re-entered the marketplace. It's sad to seem so many items go, but I separate my stuff into two piles 1) stuff I can live without and 2) stuff I can't live without.

Well put. I'm very devoted to keeping my collection limited to roughly half of my attic office (the other half goes to vintage toys). As a result, I'm constantly forced to ask myself the same question. Being more of a run collector than a collector of key issues, I'm always rotating parts of my collection on a grand scale.


The fact that I sold $10,000 worth of stuff in 2008 in mostly just an indication of how much I've spent over the last decade or so.

You just became my hero, as well as my example when I give my wife the "Oh, you think I spend a lot on comics?" line ;)


What issues are you still missing?

1-8, 11-96, 99-102, 104, 106, 108, 110, 114, 116, 117, 120, 123, 126, 133, 141, 172, 221-223, 230, 232, 235, 244

Compare this to what I was missing a year ago at this time:

1-8, 10-111, 113-118, 120-123, 125, 126, 128-138, 140-144, 146-151, 153-158, 161, 163-168, 170-173, 175-180, 183, 185, 186, 188, 190, 194, 199, 201-207, 209, 210, 212, 213, 215, 216, 220-224, 228-236, 238, 243-245, 248-250, 254-256258-262, 265, 275, 277, 279, 280, 284, 288-290, 292, 294, 296, 298, 301-303, 307, 308, 314, 317, 355, 359, 378, 385-387, 562

I've been busy this year :)

[shaxper]

There's a whole message board devoted to bound comics over at http://www.marvelmasterworks.com . That's what got me interested in the idea in the first place. I already have three volumes that I did in 2006 (my local bindery offers a bulk discount if you do three or more at once): Foolkiller, Guardians of the Galaxy and a collection of Seth Fisher comics.

The pictures over at the masterworks board look really nice. Mine look a little more "raggedy" because I didn't have the edges trimmed after the issues were sewn together (some of the panels were dangerously close to the edge and I didn't want them to get cut off). I'll post some pix of mine when I get a chance.

Thanks for the link and info! I will be looking into this.

[pmpknface]

shaxper - Do you collect Detective too? Or just Batman?

[Sir Tim Drake]

Is there any particular reason why you were missing #562?

[shaxper]

shaxper - Do you collect Detective too? Or just Batman?

Just Batman for now. I have neither the space nor funds to work on both runs at once. While Detective was the original Batman title (as well as the only monthly Batman title up until the 1950s), Batman was the title that I always considered to be the character's primary residence when I was younger. It's the one I always hoped to complete one day, as well as the more obtainable of the two. I may be able to trade up for a Batman #1 one day. That's never going to happen for Detective #27.

[shaxper]

Is there any particular reason why you were missing #562?

It just didn't turn up at any of the local comic shops, nor the local shows. No one actively tries to keep the 1990s issues in stock, so it actually made them harder to find in some cases. There were often fifteen copies of one issue for a quarter a piece and absolutely no copies of the next. I finally found #562 at Motor City Con. I suppose I could have ebayed it sooner, but who wants to pay shipping for such a worthless issue?

[Sir Tim Drake]

It just didn't turn up at any of the local comic shops, nor the local shows. No one actively tries to keep the 1990s issues in stock, so it actually made them harder to find in some cases. There were often fifteen copies of one issue for a quarter a piece and absolutely no copies of the next. I finally found #562 at Motor City Con. I suppose I could have ebayed it sooner, but who wants to pay shipping for such a worthless issue?

That is bizarre, but also makes perfect sense.

It's odd how the fact that a comic is worthless can actually make it difficult to find.

[shaxper]

It's odd how the fact that a comic is worthless can actually make it difficult to find.

Supply and demand can work in weird ways. I've often tried to estimate how many copies of X-Men (vol. 2) #1 have been thrown out or otherwise left to deteriorate loose, in old bags, in overcrowded boxes, or in direct sunlight because of the utter lack of demand for them. It's actually difficult to find a nice copy in a comic store these days. But there will always be more sitting neatly in someone's dusty old collection. So, of course, should a few buyers each one day realize that they cannot find a high grade copy of the issue and then shell out $10 for one, there would be thousands of high grade copies immediately available within the next month, thereby plummeting the comic back to worthless value in an instant.

Strange stuff.

[DDM]

X-Men #37 (1st Changeling, Mutant Master) & Excalibur Classic Volume 4: The Cross-Time Caper 2 TPB (reprints Excalibur #21-28)

[DDM]

Supply and demand can work in weird ways. I've often tried to estimate how many copies of X-Men (vol. 2) #1 have been thrown out or otherwise left to deteriorate loose, in old bags, in overcrowded boxes, or in direct sunlight because of the utter lack of demand for them. It's actually difficult to find a nice copy in a comic store these days. But there will always be more sitting neatly in someone's dusty old collection. So, of course, should a few buyers each one day realize that they cannot find a high grade copy of the issue and then shell out $10 for one, there would be thousands of high grade copies immediately available within the next month, thereby plummeting the comic back to worthless value in an instant.

Strange stuff.

I had this problem seeking out the original Ms. Marvel #1-23, Dazzler #1-43 & Spider-Woman #1-50. The more obscure the book, the more difficult it is to find...

[shaxper]

I had this problem seeking out the original Ms. Marvel #1-23, Dazzler #1-43 & Spider-Woman #1-50. The more obscure the book, the more difficult it is to find...

Those are some great runs. A long while back, I was building a complete continuity collection of the Bronze Age X-Men, meaning any Marvel comic that in anyway intersected with the X-Men or an X-Men character was on the list. That led to all three titles on numerous occasions. I was able to find nearly all of them easily, but not in high grade. If I were a sticker for VF+/NM fair, it would have been near impossible. You're right. No one buys them so no one carries them.

[scratchie]

Not quite as impressive as Shax's Batman run, but I just scored a (supposedly) VF copy of Defenders #7, leaving me with only 1,3,4 and 10 to complete Volume 1 of that title. I'm also looking for Marvel Feature #1. These are all pretty widely-available comics, of course, but for stuff like this, I like to see how cheaply I can find really nice-looking copies (since I have all the stories reprinted anyway).

I'm also semi-interested in the Volume 2 that Kurt Busiek co-wrote, but I'm afraid I'm going to run into the same problem that people are describing for unpopular recent comics. I certainly don't want to spend any more than 50c an issue for that run.

[pmpknface]

Just Batman for now. I have neither the space nor funds to work on both runs at once. While Detective was the original Batman title (as well as the only monthly Batman title up until the 1950s), Batman was the title that I always considered to be the character's primary residence when I was younger. It's the one I always hoped to complete one day, as well as the more obtainable of the two. I may be able to trade up for a Batman #1 one day. That's never going to happen for Detective #27.
Cool. Good luck! I actually have a Detective #80 (I think) with the 2nd Two-Face. It's pretty beaten, but it is complete! :)

[pmpknface]

Not quite as impressive as Shax's Batman run, but I just scored a (supposedly) VF copy of Defenders #7, leaving me with only 1,3,4 and 10 to complete Volume 1 of that title. I'm also looking for Marvel Feature #1. These are all pretty widely-available comics, of course, but for stuff like this, I like to see how cheaply I can find really nice-looking copies (since I have all the stories reprinted anyway).

I'm also semi-interested in the Volume 2 that Kurt Busiek co-wrote, but I'm afraid I'm going to run into the same problem that people are describing for unpopular recent comics. I certainly don't want to spend any more than 50c an issue for that run.
Nice run! I stopped going for the Defenders below #15. Too much $ and I have the stories reprinted already.

The 90's Defenders was good! As was the follow up, The Order. The easiest thing to do when getting these is to search out complete runs. That's how I got my Spider-Woman, She-Hulk, Ms. Marvel and others.

[scratchie]

The 90's Defenders was good! As was the follow up, The Order. The easiest thing to do when getting these is to search out complete runs. That's what I'm looking for, but they seem to be pretty few and far between on ebay. I have two of the issues that I pulled out of my LCS's 50c bin (inflation!) because one of them had the Headmen on the cover.

I did manage to score a nice, pristine set of Secret Defenders for short money a few months ago. Ooh, shiny!

[shaxper]

Not quite as impressive as Shax's Batman run, but I just scored a (supposedly) VF copy of Defenders #7, leaving me with only 1,3,4 and 10 to complete Volume 1 of that title. I'm also looking for Marvel Feature #1. These are all pretty widely-available comics, of course, but for stuff like this, I like to see how cheaply I can find really nice-looking copies (since I have all the stories reprinted anyway).

I'm also semi-interested in the Volume 2 that Kurt Busiek co-wrote, but I'm afraid I'm going to run into the same problem that people are describing for unpopular recent comics. I certainly don't want to spend any more than 50c an issue for that run.


I remember how happy I was when I scored my Marvel Feature #1 for $15. Best of luck on your quest!

[shaxper]

Don't know if this counts, but I just dropped $200 over at BCW to convert all of my short boxes to the new stacking system. Since I'll be able to remove the industrial shelves I'm currently using, I'll be able to add twelve new boxes of comics without using up any additional space. Long live the collection, and may it always continue expanding!

[T GUy]

While Detective was the original Batman title (as well as the only monthly Batman title up until the 1950s) - Shaxper

Just to check, am I correct in inferring that World's Finest went monthly in the 1950s? Presumably when it shrank from a giant every issue.

[shaxper]

- Shaxper

Just to check, am I correct in inferring that World's Finest went monthly in the 1950s? Presumably when it shrank from a giant every issue.

Good call. I'd have to check this to be sure (I've never been a World's Finest guy), but I do believe it had been a monthly title for a good while before it became team-up oriented. I tend to discount it only because it was no longer a presence in the Batman franchise by the time I started collecting.

[Cei-U!]

Good call. I'd have to check this to be sure (I've never been a World's Finest guy), but I do believe it had been a monthly title for a good while before it became team-up oriented. I tend to discount it only because it was no longer a presence in the Batman franchise by the time I started collecting.

World's Finest was quarterly for its first 20 issues, then bi-monthly through #95, well after it became a standard 32-pager. With #96, it switched to DC's standard eight-times-a-year frequency. (Only Action, Adventure, Blackhawk and Detective were true monthlies during the early Silver Age.) WFC didn't go monthly until circa 1974-75 (my run has some big gaps in it following #214 so I can't say for sure), after a short reversion to bi-monthly status.

Cei-U!
I summon the stats!

[T GUy]

WFC didn't go monthly until circa 1974-75 (my run has some big gaps in it following #214 so I can't say for sure), after a short reversion to bi-monthly status. - Cei-U!

Checking with the GCD, the first monthly issue of World's Finest was 270, coverdated August 1981. In the middle of its Dollar Comic run, oddly.

It's just occurred to me that when Shaxper referred to a Batbook going monthly in the 1950s, it was a typo for 1970s. That'd explain it.

[Sir Tim Drake]

(Only Action, Adventure, Blackhawk and Detective were true monthlies during the early Silver Age.)

I can sort of understand why the other three would be monthly. But was there any particular reason why Blackhawk was monthly?

[Ryan K]

After putting it off for a very long time I finally bought B. Krigstein Vol. 1.

I also purchased The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck Companion after receiving and thoroughly enjoying the original book as a Christmas present. The last two purchases I made with my 33% off employee discount.

And at a comic book show this weekend I bought all 28 volumes of Lone Wolf and Cub from a vendor for $90.

So I have quite a lot of reading to get to.

[shaxper]

- Cei-U!
It's just occurred to me that when Shaxper referred to a Batbook going monthly in the 1950s, it was a typo for 1970s. That'd explain it.

Nope. I meant "Batman," which went monthly starting with #82 in March of 1954, or at least as close to monthly as most DC titles got at the time.

[rick]

I put out $350.00 hard this week and bought “good” copies of Two-Fisted Tales #18 and Two-Fisted Tales #19 from Chuck up in Denver.

For those who don’t follow EC numbering, Two-Fisted Tales took over the numbering of Haunt of Fear, so #18 is actually #1.

Great stuff too.

Kurtzman, Craig, Wood, Severin, Elder and the rest of the gang doing some great adventure fiction.

The books aren’t in the best shape, but they are complete with solidly attached covers and I am a very happy fanboy.

[shaxper]

I put out $350.00 hard this week and bought “good” copies of Two-Fisted Tales #18 and Two-Fisted Tales #19 from Chuck up in Denver.

For those who don’t follow EC numbering, Two-Fisted Tales took over the numbering of Haunt of Fear, so #18 is actually #1.

Great stuff too.

Kurtzman, Craig, Wood, Severin, Elder and the rest of the gang doing some great adventure fiction.

The books aren’t in the best shape, but they are complete with solidly attached covers and I am a very happy fanboy.

Sounds like quite a score. Congrats!

[rick]

Sounds like quite a score. Congrats!

I'm a EC completest, and these are certainly big scores for the collection.

[T GUy]

Nope. I meant "Batman," which went monthly starting with #82 in March of 1954, or at least as close to monthly as most DC titles got at the time.

I see. I misunderstood this, not realising that 'monthly' meant 'at least as close to monthly as most DC titles got at the time.' Possibly I was hung over after that drunken night of sex with Kylie Minogue yesterday.

[benday-dot]

As wise as the old adage is to "Never judge a book by it's cover", it's one I consistently flout when it comes to comic books. In this hobby of ours I am forever making or declining purchases based solely on a comic books "opening statement"; i.e. it's cover.

Even if I know the inside will never match up to the cover I usually cannot resist picking up a comic book if that cover catches my eye. Rightly or wrongly the cover can often be treated as an order of comic book art quite separate from how we consider the interior, where things like pacing, plot and storytelling get much of the attention.

I only say all this because I was sold on the cover to Kid Colt Outlaw #154 on the weekend. I knew the panels inside were likely reprint material of Jack Keller pencils. But I just loved this cover. The thing is when I first pulled it out of the bin, and not noticing the signature in the lower left, I thought... "Sweet... Gil Kane and Marie Severin."

Of course I was wrong. The cover was a Herb Trimpe job. Very nice work. But its not the first time I had mistaken Trimpe for Kane, the latter though being one of the most recognizable artists in the business. Those intense upturned pupils and that similarly upswept mane on Kid Colt are just so associated with GK that they are almost signatures of the man's work. And the pose of the hero too seems like it might have been taken out of the GK action playbook.

Maybe its just my amateurishness here, but in the face of Kid Colt the work of Kane and Trimpe never looked more alike to me. Having had time for more scrutiny I can very much see the Trimpe hand at work, especially in the Kid's mouth.

In any event a very nice cover in my opinion.

http://www.comics.org/graphics/covers/566/400/566_4_154.jpg

[Cei-U!]

I can sort of understand why the other three would be monthly. But was there any particular reason why Blackhawk was monthly?

It was already a monthly when DC acquired it from Quality so I presume maintaining its frequency was part of the deal. And it's easy to forget that Blackhawk was a very popular title at that point, especially among servicemen. It took a combination of changing times and editorial mismanagement to kill it.

Cei-U!
Hawkaaa-a-aa!

[shaxper]

I see. I misunderstood this, not realising that 'monthly' meant 'at least as close to monthly as most DC titles got at the time.' Possibly I was hung over after that drunken night of sex with Kylie Minogue yesterday.

Give her my best, and be careful. She claws.

[T GUy]

Give her my best, and be careful. She claws.

Now you tell me.

[Lone Ranger]

A tiny little bit of shopping late last week:

Miracleman 3-D Special (no glasses), otherwise NM - $3

Weird War Tales: 108, 112, 120 and 121 - all VF - $1 each.

I'm a bit intrigued by the Creature Commandos and GI Robot - so I thought I'd throw down a few bucks and check out some weirdness.

Did the Eclipse Comics 3-D books each come with glasses? I have a set that I use for my 50s 3-D books, so I'm not a stickler that each book come with its own original sets.

[Slam_Bradley]

Picked up the Blaze of Glory trade for $4.50.

[Golden Avenger]

Picked up Iron Man #15

[Lone Ranger]

Don't know if this counts, but I just dropped $200 over at BCW to convert all of my short boxes to the new stacking system. Since I'll be able to remove the industrial shelves I'm currently using, I'll be able to add twelve new boxes of comics without using up any additional space. Long live the collection, and may it always continue expanding!

Link please - I've heard about boxes like that, but the only time I saw anything like it, it was going to cost me an arm and a leg to ship to Canada.

After putting it off for a very long time I finally bought B. Krigstein Vol. 1.

And at a comic book show this weekend I bought all 28 volumes of Lone Wolf and Cub from a vendor for $90.


The Krigstein Books are amazing - they've been long-time residents at a remaindered bookstore I frequent. You can now pick them up for $9.99. I think they should be on everyone's booshelf.

I picked up a half dozen early LW&C from the same store for $1.50 each not too long ago. From what I've read so far, it's excellent.

I'm a EC completest, and these are certainly big scores for the collection.

What's left on your list, rick?

Of course I was wrong. The cover was a Herb Trimpe job. Very nice work. But its not the first time I had mistaken Trimpe for Kane, the latter though being one of the most recognizable artists in the business.

I know what you mean - there are a few Trimpe western covers (and interior art) where it seems like he's channeling Kane.

Picked up the Blaze of Glory trade for $4.50.

I'd be interested to know how you enjoyed it once you're done.

[scratchie]

Don't know if this counts, but I just dropped $200 over at BCW to convert all of my short boxes to the new stacking system. Since I'll be able to remove the industrial shelves I'm currently using, I'll be able to add twelve new boxes of comics without using up any additional space. Long live the collection, and may it always continue expanding!Link please - I've heard about boxes like that, but the only time I saw anything like it, it was going to cost me an arm and a leg to ship to Canada.

http://www.bcwsupplies.com/catp1-Comic+Book+Supplies.htm. Don't know if they ship to Canada, though.

The product is called "Short Comic Book House" (a bungalow?).

I bought some of these last year and I love them. They're cheaper than the more well-publicized "DrawerBoxes" brand, and they seem to be missing some of the additional reinforcement that the DrawerBoxes claim to have, but I have no complaints at all.

I love the fact that you can buy them as just the house, and use your own short boxes. I have a stack that's two boxes wide, three boxes high, next to my bookshelf, and it works really well. Even in such a small stack, the boxes are surprisingly stable when you're pulling the drawers in and out.

The only minor drawbacks I've found are: (1) sometimes it's hard to slide the bottom box back into its slot (you sort of have to turn it sideways and put one corner in first and (2) the "slightly shorter" short boxes (from the2buds.com) are too short, and get stuck when you pull them out. But the "regular sized" short boxes that I got from Bags Unlimited work perfectly.

[shaxper]

Link please - I've heard about boxes like that, but the only time I saw anything like it, it was going to cost me an arm and a leg to ship to Canada.


http://www.bcwsupplies.com/prod-SHORT-HOUSE.htm

Really not bad in terms of expense. Shipping was free to the USA, but I don't know what the policy for Canada is.

[shaxper]

http://www.bcwsupplies.com/catp1-Comic+Book+Supplies.htm. they seem to be missing some of the additional reinforcement that the DrawerBoxes claim to have, but I have no complaints at all.

There's an extra cardboard support that you're supposed to slide in before folding the box. To the best of my knowledge, all the actual Drawerbox has that's different are clips that attach each house to one another.


The only minor drawbacks I've found are: (1) sometimes it's hard to slide the bottom box back into its slot (you sort of have to turn it sideways and put one corner in first and (2) the "slightly shorter" short boxes (from the2buds.com) are too short, and get stuck when you pull them out. But the "regular sized" short boxes that I got from Bags Unlimited work perfectly.

If you didn't use the extra support, that might explain this.

I just got mine in the mail today (took two business days from when I placed my order!). I have them stacked four high, eleven across. I haven't encountered the problems you've mentioned, but then again, the weight hasn't fully set in yet. We'll see.

[scratchie]

There's an extra cardboard support that you're supposed to slide in before folding the box.I have those. They wrap around the sides and the back of the house before you slide the box in, right?

To the best of my knowledge, all the actual Drawerbox has that's different are clips that attach each house to one another.I seem to recall reading on the DrawerBoxes website that their handles are reinforced, to withstand being slid in and out regularly, rather than being picked up and carried, but it doesn't seem like that would make that much of a difference. I can always use duct tape if they start to tear (or replace the short boxes).

If you didn't use the extra support, that might explain this.The problem with the boxes on the bottom isn't anything to do with the weight. It's just that I can't get my hand under the box to guide it back into the slot, so it's a little tricker than sliding in one of the higher boxes. Not a big deal at all but I just thought I'd point it out.

[shaxper]

I have those. They wrap around the sides and the back of the house before you slide the box in, right?


Them's the ones.

[DDM]

Captain Marvel #15, #51-53, #57, #61 (first series) & Marvel Spotlight #1-4, & #8 (second series) featuring Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell)

[Mysterio]

X-Men #83. Only one to go in the 80s...

[Kirk G]

X-Men #83. Only one to go in the 80s...

Are you talking the reprints of the 1960s series, or the "new" series that started with multiple covers?

[Mysterio]

Are you talking the reprints of the 1960s series, or the "new" series that started with multiple covers?

Reprints from the 60s. Once I purchased #94, I started working backwards and fill in holes when I can score a good deal.

[Schmakt]

I finally picked up a copy of Shock SupenStories #1 in VF+ from Metropolis... hoping to give it the CGC SS treatment by Al Feldstein at Heroes :)

[Reptisaurus!]

I finally picked up a copy of Shock SupenStories #1 in VF+ from Metropolis... hoping to give it the CGC SS treatment by Al Feldstein at Heroes :)

Lemme see. The SS are Nazi soldiers, right?

I'm sort of scared to try to figure out what CGC means.

[dan bailey]

Comics Gestapo Corps?

[JKCarrier]

CGC is that company that grades comics, and then seals them in plastic slabs. Dunno about "SS", though...

[Reptisaurus!]

CGC is that company that grades comics, and then seals them in plastic slabs. Dunno about "SS", though...

The folks who put comics in PLASTIC BAGS so you can't read them?!?!

Sounds like Nazis to me.

[pmpknface]

CGC is that company that grades comics, and then seals them in plastic slabs. Dunno about "SS", though...
It means Signature Series. If the CGC people are there to verify that a creator signed the book, then you can get it graded and the sig can then be certified.

I get where you guys are coming from, but it's not an entirely bad thing. I bought an ASM #1 3.0 - not exactly a high grade book. But If I was going to spend over 1K on a comic I wanted to make sure it was in the condition the seller advertised. And I don't need to read it. I've got the golden record rep, the masterworks, other reprints too. But I can open it any time I want.

I've got a copy of Startling Comics #49 and it's about a 5.0. That's about a $900 comic. The interior isn't that interesting, but the "Xela" cover is what makes it worth so much. THAT is a book worh grading (and I may do that soon).

Im my humble opinion, CGC stuff isn't for everyone but it has a purpose and can be helpful! :D

[Ernst Singer]

I resently came accross a classic comics No.34
Called "Misterious Island" BY Jules Verne
My Father Had it in his things when he died
How much is it worth??

[Sir Tim Drake]

I resently came accross a classic comics No.34
Called "Misterious Island" BY Jules Verne
My Father Had it in his things when he died
How much is it worth??

Look it up in this book (http://www.amazon.com/Official-Overstreet-Comic-Price-Guide/dp/0375722351/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200811291&sr=1-1).

[benday-dot]

I resently came accross a classic comics No.34
Called "Misterious Island" BY Jules Verne
My Father Had it in his things when he died
How much is it worth??

Depends on condition and demand. When determining such things the reigning "bible" (as Sir Tim says) is the Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide. I don't have the most recent edition, usually only bothering to pick them up about every 5 years. Moreover, I prefer ebay as the most realistic guide to current marketplace price, based on consumer demand.

Here are a couple examples of that Classics Ilustrated #34:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Classics-Illustrated-34-Mysterious-Island-Verne-HRN140_W0QQitemZ180207683548QQihZ008QQcategoryZ140 07QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

or

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Classics-Illustrated-34-The-Mysterious-Island_W0QQitemZ360015033643QQihZ023QQcategoryZ140 07QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Mv own copy of this comic features that shown is the first ebay link above. However, mine has a large tear in it. In any event I'd hold onto it unless you really need a few dollars for coffee.

[benday-dot]

As a set for twelve dollars I picked up the complete 26 issue series of Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe, published in 1985-87.

A good bargain I thought, a helluva lot of fun and of course loads of great information.

And with great illustration to boot! I particularly like seeing which artist DC's authoritative "mind" chose as proper to represent each character.

It seems, and often to their credit, DC was mostly trying to avoid using overly familiar stock images, and sought out some nice living artistic representation for their Directory. Thus for Doll Man instead of Lou Fine (as magnificent as he is) they included a great Murphy Anderson picture of the character. However, for Aquaman, a character whose image I have cherished more than his stories (with some terrific exceptions), instead of an Aparo, Fradon or Cardy illustration they settled on a lacklustre Chuck Patton/Giordano drawing.


Maybe it all has as much to do with rights as availability, though didn't DC by this time own pretty much the whole Quailty catalogue?

[MDG]

The fun part of buying DC's Who's Who as they were coming out--'cause I never really read them--was seeing who was drawing what, and getting some pleasant surprises (Dave Stevens of Dolphin, Dave Gibbons on Bat Lash). It was neat to see them get old-time and original artists for some characters (e.g., Bernie Sachs for Space Cabbie), but there are some duds.

MDG

[scratchie]

Look it up in this book (http://www.amazon.com/Official-Overstreet-Comic-Price-Guide/dp/0375722351/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200811291&sr=1-1).Or on this website:

http://www.comicspriceguide.com/

Overstreet is the "official" price guide, what you'd likely pay for the comic in a comic book store. If you sold the book to that store, they'd probably pay you about 1/5 of the Overstreet value listed.

The Comics Price Guide website, to my experience, is closer to what you could sell it for on Ebay if you sold it yourself.

[Cei-U!]

It seems, and often to their credit, DC was mostly trying to avoid using overly familiar stock images, and sought out some nice living artistic representation for their Directory. Thus for Doll Man instead of Lou Fine (as magnificent as he is) they included a great Murphy Anderson picture of the character. However, for Aquaman, a character whose image I have cherished more than his stories (with some terrific exceptions), instead of an Aparo, Fradon or Cardy illustration they settled on a lacklustre Chuck Patton/Giordano drawing.


Maybe it all has as much to do with rights as availability, though didn't DC by this time own pretty much the whole Quailty catalogue?

All of the art in Who's Who was commissioned for that series.

Cei-U!
I summon the fanboy feast!

[spoon_jenkins]

I've been working on my mission to assemble the original Spider-Girl series. I picked up:
1) #42 and #48 from my LCS
2) #0-10 from one ebay auction
3) #16-19, 25-29, 31, 32, 82 from another ebay auction (a couple of which are duplicates of issues I already had)
4) #55, 65, 68, 80, 89 from an online retailer

I also picked up some Giffen/Bierbaum Legion of Super-Heroes (#11, 12, 17).

I also decided to finally pick up Squadron Supreme while I could get them cheap from an online retailer. Unfortunately, I realized after I had placed my order that I only had #2-12 in my cart! My LCS doesn't have #1. I gotta wait til a place another order, so I can get a cheap #1.

[benday-dot]

All of the art in Who's Who was commissioned for that series.

Cei-U!
I summon the fanboy feast!

That was my suspicion (given the signatures in all the pieces, an unfamiliarity with much of the stuff, and the largely illustrative poses), and thank you Cei-U for confirming it!

[Roquefort Raider]

I just received my copy of Essential Moon-Kinght #2 yesterday and am floored by the sheer brilliance of Bill Sienkiewicz, especially in black and white.

I had not realized, however, how much of the Moon Knight series had been inked by someone else than Sienkiewicz himself. Sad to say, I find Steve Mitchell's inks far more suitable for other pencillers than for Sienkiewicz. There really is a quantum leap between the issues that Bill inked himself and the ones he didn't.

I wonder why some runs went on like that, with mismatched (according to my tastes, of course) teams of penciller and inker. The too long stretch of Gil Kane-Danny Bulanadi on Micronauts (a contemporary of Moon Knight, actually) had the same problem.

[scratchie]

I wonder why some runs went on like that, with mismatched (according to my tastes, of course) teams of penciller and inker. The too long stretch of Gil Kane-Danny Bulanadi on Micronauts (a contemporary of Moon Knight, actually) had the same proble.I seem to recall a lot of Carmine Infantino/Klaus Janson at Marvel in the late 70s. Yikes.

[pmpknface]

I went to a sale on Saturday at Webhead in Wakefield, MA and picked up some goodies. I got 60 $.50 books, mostly 80-90's. In there was

- a few Batman issues, including a Mignola issue and Det 450 with a Joker cover
- 10 Iron Man issues
- 6 or so Hulk issues
- Deadly Foes of Spider-Man mini
- various Spidey appearances that I didn't have
- Some X-stuff
- Various Marvel stuff I didn't have. Some was crap, but looked fun

Then I went into the non-sale stuff. Scored:

- 5 Marvel Fanfare issues, so I COMPLETED MY RUN!
- 10 Marvel 2-in-1issues, so I'm about 3 away from completing it.
- 2 Ka-Zar the Savage issues, so I COMPLETED MY RUN!
- Another issue or 2 of Uncanny, so other than 2 issues (234, 271) I have from 168 to today (I don't count the Mutant Massacre issues, 210-213, or the 1st Gambit, 266, because I have reprints and don't want to spend the $ on 1st prints).
- FF 101 and 114, so I only need like 12 issues to get from 100 to today.
- Marvel Treasury #4, Conan
- Some 90's Avengers issues, so I have from 200 - 371, and only need a few more to get all the way to today (like 5 at most, a few more if you count the Heroes Reborn issues).

It was a good day... ;)

[JKCarrier]

I seem to recall a lot of Carmine Infantino/Klaus Janson at Marvel in the late 70s. Yikes.

I thought they were a pretty good match, especially on Daredevil. Ah well, no accounting for taste.

Worst mismatch I ever saw was Bill Sienkiewicz and Joe Sinnott on Fantastic Four. Two great tastes that definitely did NOT taste great together!

[Roquefort Raider]

I thought they were a pretty good match, especially on Daredevil. Ah well, no accounting for taste.

Worst mismatch I ever saw was Bill Sienkiewicz and Joe Sinnott on Fantastic Four. Two great tastes that definitely did NOT taste great together!

There are a few examples like that...

I remember an issue of Excalibur pencilled by Barry Windsor-Smith and inked by Sienkiewicz... although I've met people who liked the mix, to me it was almost as if the two artists worked at cross-purposes. Smith with his finely delineated romanticism, and Sienkiewicz with his way of suggesting light and shadows with broad strokes of ink... Individually they are the best of the best, but they go together like an aged Rioja and a single-malt Scotch.

[Lone Ranger]

A recent splurge - just reading material in the FN-VF range. It's getting tougher and tougher to find cheap Gold Keys from teh 70s. I never thought I'd live to see the day.

Stalker #3 $ 1.59
Omega the Unknown #3 $ 1.10
Omega the Unknown #2 $ 1.10
Omega the Unknown #4 $ 0.87
Omega the Unknown #5 $ 0.59
Grimm's Ghost Stories #18 $ 3.36
Grimm's Ghost Stories #19 $ 2.91
Grimm's Ghost Stories #16 $ 2.37
Masterworks Series of Great Comic Book Artists #3 $ 1.36
Shade: The Changing Man (1977 series) #1 $ 2.96
Shade: The Changing Man (1977 series) #6 $ 2.32
Ms. Tree's Thrilling Detective Adventures #1 $ 1.52
Ms. Tree Quarterly/Special #6 $ 1.85
Ms. Tree Quarterly/Special #8 $ 2.61
Nexus (1983 series) #3 $ 1.10
Nexus (1983 series) #4 $ 1.47
Nexus (1983 series) #5 $ 1.17
Nexus (1983 series) #7 $ 1.10
Nexus (1983 series) #9 $ 0.94
Nexus (1983 series) #10 $ 0.94
Yang #11 $ 1.85

[Roquefort Raider]

I'm always awed by the treasures you guys find. Is it all done on Ebay, or are your local comic shops actively dealing in vintage issues?

(My local comic shop does note exist so it's not a reliable source of anything).

[Lone Ranger]

I'm always awed by the treasures you guys find. Is it all done on Ebay, or are your local comic shops actively dealing in vintage issues?

(My local comic shop does note exist so it's not a reliable source of anything).

Many of my recent purchases were inspired by Michi's post:

http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showpost.php?p=6115915&postcount=1129

A little digging on that site can go a long way.

There's a remaindered bookstore downtown here (BMV Books) that also has a lot of comics. That's where I've been able to track down cheap EC reprints, Kamandis and Conans lately - but I've been digging the New Kadia site.

I do like ebay - but it's tough dealing with high shipping on cheap books - so unless I'm buying a big stack of cheap ones - it's not the best option for me.

[Roquefort Raider]

I do like ebay - but it's tough dealing with high shipping on cheap books - so unless I'm buying a big stack of cheap ones - it's not the best option for me.

I know what you mean. I recently passed on a few issues of Savage Tales because $20 shipping was ridiculous for three comic books.

Thanks for the tip on NewKadia!

[pmpknface]

I'm always awed by the treasures you guys find. Is it all done on Ebay, or are your local comic shops actively dealing in vintage issues?

(My local comic shop does note exist so it's not a reliable source of anything).
I'm mainly an ebay guy, but lately I've waited to go to a show or a local store's sale.

FYI - make sure you know shipping if you go the ebay route. Especially when getting a LOT of books! ;)

[Roquefort Raider]

I'm mainly an ebay guy, but lately I've waited to go to a show or a local store's sale.

FYI - make sure you know shipping if you go the ebay route. Especially when getting a LOT of books! ;)

Yeah, that can be murder.

Strangely enough, while shipping costs from the US to Canada are usually prohibitive, shipping from England is apparently quite reasonable. Maybe there's something to that commonwealth thingie!

[Slam_Bradley]

Not quite as classic as usual, but I picked up;

Human Target: Final Cut ogn and Kinetic tpb for $4.50 for the two of them.

And the Fables: 1001 Nights HC for $6.50.

I also picked up a copy of Robert Mayer's novel Superfolks.

[DDM]

Strange Tales #165, X-Men #41 (1st Grotesk), & Marvel Premiere #45-46 (featuring Man-Wolf, George Perez art)

[dan bailey]

Via eBay, this week I received in the mail the fabulously rare -- quite possibly even, dare I say, one-of-a-kind -- variant edition of Superboy 114 (July 1964), featuring this cover

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f171/sportscardsplus/83644612238114.gif


around the contents of this book published 3 years later!


http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f171/sportscardsplus/83644612238138.gif



*Ahem*. Uh, yeah. Obviously, the seller made a mistake, though just as obviously an honest one. So it goes.

I didn't particularly mind, since the same purchase also included Superboys 108 & 137, along with Marvel Treasury Edition #8 (the '75 Giant Superhero Holiday Grab-Bag), the Marvel Treasury Special Captain America's Bicentennial Battles one-shot, & DC's Limited Collectors' Edition C-38 (Superman) ... all for a grand total of $16.25. That included shipping by Media Mail, & the package was actually mailed Priority, so I have even less room for complaint.

[Roquefort Raider]

Thanks to Lone Ranger's advice about NewKadia, I just got these books for a pittance:

Rai #18
Rai #22
Archer & Armstrong #10
Second Life of Doctor Mirage #1
Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction #2
Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction #4
Daredevil (1964 series) #250
Daredevil (1964 series) #184

The Valiant books are especially appropriate, because all of my Valiant collection came from a massive sale at the local comic shop I frequented eight years ago; they were getting rid of a dozen longboxes-worth of Valiant comics at 10 cents apiece.

The ones above include Rai #22, the end of the Malev war crossover than ran in Rai and Magnus, as well as the only Archer & Armstrong i was missing from Barry Windsor-Smith's run.

I'm a happy camper.

[shaxper]

Thanks to Lone Ranger's advice about NewKadia, I just got these books for a pittance:

Rai #18
Rai #22
Archer & Armstrong #10
Second Life of Doctor Mirage #1
Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction #2
Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction #4
Daredevil (1964 series) #250
Daredevil (1964 series) #184

The Valiant books are especially appropriate, because all of my Valiant collection came from a massive sale at the local comic shop I frequented eight years ago; they were getting rid of a dozen longboxes-worth of Valiant comics at 10 cents apiece.

The ones above include Rai #22, the end of the Malev war crossover than ran in Rai and Magnus, as well as the only Archer & Armstrong i was missing from Barry Windsor-Smith's run.

I'm a happy camper.

Ah, Valiant! Is Rai #22 the one where he dies?

[Leocomix]

I just received the Kamandi Archives. I really liked that title back in the day and still find it very enjoyable.

[Lone Ranger]

Thanks to Lone Ranger's advice about NewKadia, I just got these books for a pittance:


And I must pass my thanks along to Michi - who started this New Kadia madness.

Great and diverse haul, Ben.

My New Kadia addiction continues. Michi's Blazing Combat find on there made me go Warren hunting as well. The recent Treasury Sized talk on here, also got me thinking 'big'!

Here's what I ordered:

Blazing Combat #3 Fine + $ 11.54 (My first ish of this title)
Eclipse Monthly #10 NM- $ 1.64 (Rio)
Eclipse Monthly #5 V F+ $ 2.03 (Rio)
Miracleman #1 Fine $ 2.94
Our Fighting Forces #150 $ 2.15 (Kirby art)
Our Fighting Forces #152 $ 2.62 (Kirby art)
Ltd Collectors' Ed #34 FN+ $ 7.22 (Christmas w/ superheroes)
Lt Collectors' Ed #35 VF $ 8.86 (Shazam)
Ltd Collectors' Ed #38 VF $ 8.30 (Superman)
Ltd Collectors' Ed #41 VG+ $ 6.10 (Super Friends)

[benday-dot]

I recently got hold of Young Doctors #3. I'm almost afraid to read it. The face on that doctor alone must break at least a couple oaths of the medical profession.

Grey's Anatomy has nothing on the goings on in this hospital.

http://www.comics.org/graphics/covers/12337/400/12337_4_003.jpg

[Kirk G]

Does anyone remember 4 or 5 issues in the Collector Data series that were series summaries in the 1980s of each of the following Marvel titles: Spider-Man, Daredevil, Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men

Who was the publisher? I know the FF had a Byrne Cover, and maybe the Spider-Man also. But there was only one edition on newsprint (like a comic book) of each magazine. They sold for like $1 or 1.99 each, but on Ebay, they may be going for much more....

[Reptisaurus!]

and Kinetic tpb for $4.50 for the two of them.



I dug this one quite a bit. A nicely unique take on superheroing.

[Cherokee Jack]

Does anyone remember 4 or 5 issues in the Collector Data series that were series summaries in the 1980s of each of the following Marvel titles: Spider-Man, Daredevil, Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men

Who was the publisher? I know the FF had a Byrne Cover, and maybe the Spider-Man also. But there was only one edition on newsprint (like a comic book) of each magazine. They sold for like $1 or 1.99 each, but on Ebay, they may be going for much more....




Fantaco Chronicles?

[pmpknface]

Does anyone remember 4 or 5 issues in the Collector Data series that were series summaries in the 1980s of each of the following Marvel titles: Spider-Man, Daredevil, Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men

Who was the publisher? I know the FF had a Byrne Cover, and maybe the Spider-Man also. But there was only one edition on newsprint (like a comic book) of each magazine. They sold for like $1 or 1.99 each, but on Ebay, they may be going for much more....
There are 2 things I can think of. One is the MARVEL INDEX. They were Marvel mini series that catalogued all of the details of a title with a cover, credits, and synopsis.

Avengers one: http://www.spiderfan.org/comics/title/official_marvel_index_to_the_avengers.html#1

Then there was a magazine series that came out that did something similar but had much more detail. It was called, "Marvel Comics Index" and was distributed by Pacific Comics Distributors. These are awesome, but are harder to come by.

Here they are: http://www.spiderfan.org/comics/title/marvel_comics_index.html

I have the DD, X-Men, and Namor ones but I totally want them all!!!

[Cei-U!]

Kirk is definitely thinking of the Fantaco Chronicles series, which also included a terrific title-by-title survey of most American super-hero, war, western and horror titles of the Silver and Bronze Ages. I used to have all of the Chronicles and regret dumping them around '89.

Cei-U!
I summon the lost legacy!

[pmpknface]

Kirk is definitely thinking of the Fantaco Chronicles series, which also included a terrific title-by-title survey of most American super-hero, war, western and horror titles of the Silver and Bronze Ages. I used to have all of the Chronicles and regret dumping them around '89.

Cei-U!
I summon the lost legacy!
These things???

http://www.comiccollectorlive.com/LiveData/Issue.aspx?id=f831af14-4b9f-4e03-962f-cf175401522a

http://images.comiccollectorlive.com/BDA2FBF0-C4D7-4BB9-82AA-98A94825BD40/C8B431FC-4C27-4718-ACCE-7C3BD72A1717/F831AF14-4B9F-4E03-962F-CF175401522A.jpg

What did they have that the "Marvel Comics Indexes" didn't?

[Lone Ranger]

I recently got hold of Young Doctors #3. I'm almost afraid to read it. The face on that doctor alone must break at least a couple oaths of the medical profession.

Grey's Anatomy has nothing on the goings on in this hospital.

http://www.comics.org/graphics/covers/12337/400/12337_4_003.jpg

I find it very odd that this cover was approved by the CCA.

It's probably the most suggestive cover I've seen from the 60s.

[JKCarrier]

What did they have that the "Marvel Comics Indexes" didn't?

The Chronicles mags had essays and interviews in addition to the index data.

[Roquefort Raider]

Ah, Valiant! Is Rai #22 the one where he dies?

Yep. (*sniffle*)

[pmpknface]

The Chronicles mags had essays and interviews in addition to the index data.
Ok, that's cool. I'll be on the lookout for them.

The other versions were cool because they had these cross-over indexes. I can't imagine anyone compiling seomthing like that!

[Kan-Man]

Ok, that's cool. I'll be on the lookout for them.

The other versions were cool because they had these cross-over indexes. I can't imagine anyone compiling seomthing like that!

I have the ones you're referring to and the chronicles. Man, I haven't thought about those for years. I'm pretty sure they're on a shelf at my parents house with other miscellaneous publications of the day.

[pmpknface]

MAN! I'm jealous. I was like 1 when they started being published. :p

I'l track them down. The Steranko covers pop up on ebay. I just have to remember to look for 'em.

[DDM]

X-Men #44 (D: Red Raven) & The Doom Patrol: Planet Love Volume 6 TPB.

[Kirk G]

Fantaco Chronicles?

Yes, those are the ones... about five, as I recall... but there may have been more.
Does anyone know just why they stopped?

[Kirk G]

These things???

http://www.comiccollectorlive.com/LiveData/Issue.aspx?id=f831af14-4b9f-4e03-962f-cf175401522a

http://images.comiccollectorlive.com/BDA2FBF0-C4D7-4BB9-82AA-98A94825BD40/C8B431FC-4C27-4718-ACCE-7C3BD72A1717/F831AF14-4B9F-4E03-962F-CF175401522A.jpg

What did they have that the "Marvel Comics Indexes" didn't?

Yeah, those are the ones.
I especially had my mind blown by the Spider-Man one, as it revealed the TRUE INTENDED IDENTITY OF THE GREEN GOBLIN...instead of the one that saw publication: Normal Osborn. It blew my mind, as I realized that they were RIGHT!

Now, the articles in the Avengers were very helpful, and insightful, and added alot to my understanding of the Avengers mythos... but none were as stunningly shocking as the Spider-Man one.

I would recommend picking up any of these that you can find... no matter what the topic title, as they were GREAT WORKS for their time. I think Marvel shut them down, to produce the Marvel Index works instead. But the feel is different, and although helpful, the Indexes lack that fan-inspired essey or article speculating on the high and low points of the series. The Marvel Index is just facts and figures.... an encyclopedia entry. Nothing else, except for a reproduction of the cover... which could be nice.

[benday-dot]

I find it very odd that this cover was approved by the CCA.

It's probably the most suggestive cover I've seen from the 60s.

My thoughts as well. You'll be relieved (or disappointed ;) )to know that the interior does not live up to the salacious billing of the cover. My copy is a UK variant, but since the cover is all but identical I doubt the inside would have been subject to any alterations.

[scratchie]

Impulse Buying dept.:

I just ordered this from Amazon:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51BY2cLDqAL._SS500_.jpg

I leafed through it at a store the other day and it looks really nice.

[dan bailey]

Oh, geez -- I had no idea that existed, Scratchie. I'll be ordering one for sure, & quite probably a second copy as a future gift for the friend for whom I buy old-school-Mad-related stuff (like the Gemstone reprints of Panic a couple of Xmases ago, Against the Grain: Mad Artist Wally Wood, Will Elder: Mad Playboy of Art, the Comics Journal Library volume on Harvey Kurtzman, & the upcoming Trump collection). Other than the very occasional reprint (most memorably, probably, his story in Weird Wonder Tales #1), probably the only Wolverton I've ever owned was the one-shot GJDRKZLXCBWQ 30-odd years ago.

[scratchie]

I just got a relatively cheap copy of the Shazam Archives V2 on Ebay (which reminds me, I guess I should send that guy a check!).

I bought it because the price was right, in spite of the fact that I've read many times here on CBR that the "really good" Captain Marvel stories come along later in the book's history.

Aside from buying the 100-Page Shazam! issues from the 70s, where should I look for classic Marvel goodness?

[Lone Ranger]

I bought it because the price was right, in spite of the fact that I've read many times here on CBR that the "really good" Captain Marvel stories come along later in the book's history.

Aside from buying the 100-Page Shazam! issues from the 70s, where should I look for classic Marvel goodness?

I just picked up a copy of Limited Collectors' Edition C-35 (http://www.comics.org/details.lasso?id=68950) from New Kadia for under $9. It doens't exactly fit in your pocket, but there are some good late 40s/early 50s stories that likely won't be reprint in Archives form until Vol. #40 or so.

[pmpknface]

I just got the latest GOLDEN AGE Masterworks from Marvel. I am dying to dive into that!

[Slam_Bradley]

Not as exciting as the above buys, but recently I've purchased the following gn/tpbs

Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall HC - $6.50

Queen & Country, Vol. 2 - $4.50

AKA Goldfish - $4.00

Batman: Nine Lives - $4.50. I'm a huge fan of Michael Lark, so I'm pretty excited about this one.

[scratchie]

I just picked up a copy of Limited Collectors' Edition C-35 (http://www.comics.org/details.lasso?id=68950) from New Kadia for under $9. It doens't exactly fit in your pocket, but there are some good late 40s/early 50s stories that likely won't be reprint in Archives form until Vol. #40 or so.Now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout!

EDIT:
Holy shit! You guys have been yapping about that Newkadia site for weeks, and I finally decided to check it out. Got the Fear #19 I needed (VF-) and one of the 100-page World's Finest I needed (for my Super-Sons collection*) for twelve bucks with free shipping. Boy, just what I needed, another place to buy comics from!

*Yes, as a matter of fact, I am a glutton for punishment, why do you ask?