Rob Imes
04-26-2005, 08:09 AM
I went to two local comics shops yesterday specifically to check out their cheap back issue boxes. (I also went to my regular comics shop simply to drop off my new Previews order form, but I'd forgotten the store is closed on Mondays.) So, the first shop had a bunch of comics that were regular $1.00 each, but were on sale for 50 cents each or "15 for $5.00." Here's what I bought:
ACTION COMICS #577 (DC, 1986)
I'd had this Giffen-drawn "Caitiff, The First Vampire" issue before -- bought it when it first came out, in fact -- but I seem to recall that nowadays I only had a coverless copy of the issue. So I bought this as a replacement.
ATTACK #45 (Charlton, 1984)
Contains war reprints from 1955, 1964, and 1965 (according to the indicia). The lead story, "Spotty" (about a dog), was drawn by Don Perlin. I'd begun buying Charlton war comics around the time this issue came out, but don't recall seeing this issue before.
CAPTAIN CARROT #2-5, 7-9, 13, 14 (DC, 1982-83)
I was pleased to find this many Capt Carrot comics! I've always wanted to get more issues of the series (I think I had only 2 issues previously) but rarely ran across the series in my back issue hunts. So, this was a nice find!
CONCRETE #3 (Dark Horse, 1987)
E-MAN #1-3 (Comico 3-issue mini-series, 1990)
I didn't even know about this mini. I had the earlier Comico one-shot #1, which was also in the box, but didn't know about the mini. They also had some of the 1980s First Comics run in there, too.
THE ETERNALS #15 (Marvel, 1977)
I didn't know that the Hulk had appeared in this series again. (Wasn't the earlier Hulk a robot?) I missed this the first time I flipped through the box, didn't see it until I looked through it again to double-check on the E-Man issues, in case there were any more E-Man series in there that I didn't know about.
GHOSTS #110 (DC, 1982)
I'm liking these DC mystery titles more and more, especially the early 1980s ones like this one.
KING CONAN #18 (Marvel, 1983)
This issue was drawn by Ruby Nebres. Nice cover by Marie Severin.
KONG THE UNTAMED #2 (DC, 1975)
KULL THE CONQUEROR #2 (Marvel, 1983)
This was a double-sized mini-series with art by John Bolton. I assume that it's reprinted from one of the 1970s Marvel B&W mags, or was intended for that. This is in color on Baxter paper, cover price was originally $2.00.
All of the above came to a total of $6.00. Incidentally, there were other great finds in those cheap boxes but unfortunately I already had some of them, such as Capt America #252 (I think) by Stern & Byrne, a 1985 issue of Charlton's Dr Graves (one which I didn't acquire until last year), etc. I ended up putting back a few good ones due to lack of money: A Brave & The Bold issue with Batman and Blackhawk (Nemesis was the backup tale) because I couldn't remember if I had it already, Akiko #49 & 50 (an indie comic I've always wanted to try), and a 1986 DC Blue Beetle comic with The Question (which, again, I wasn't sure if I had already).
Then I also looked through the regular back issue section and bought:
THE MANY GHOSTS OF DOCTOR GRAVES #23 (Charlton, 1970)
Lead story by PAM, 2nd story by Sanho Kim, third by Pat Boyette.
That issue cost me $2.00. So, my total at that store yesterday was $8.00. Not bad for 21 comics.
Then, I went to another local shop. I'd remembered seeing an issue of Josie & The Pussycats there for only $1.00 which I'd passed up last time I was there. This shop has a few $1.00 boxes when you first walk in and occasionally I'll go there to check 'em out since sometimes I've found 1970s Archie, Harvey, Charlton, etc. comics in there.
So, here's what I bought yesterday at the shop, for a total of $5.00:
JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS #57 (Archie, 1971)
There's some damage on the cover, but not too obtrusive. It's one of those extra-thick "Giant" comics, too.
LAUGH #313 (Archie, 1977)
PEP #322 (Archie, 1977)
These were in the best condition amid some other less well-preserved Archie issues from the same period in the box. There was an Archie at Riverdale High that I might get in the future, though, if it's still there later.
RICHIE RICH MILLIONS #55 (Harvey, 1972)
This is a 52-page issue with Reggie, Little Lotta, and Little Dot backup stories.The main defect is a bent corner on the cover's bottom right corner. They had another MILLIONS issue from the same period in the box, but it didn't appear to be in as good a condition.
SUGAR AND SPIKE #93 (DC, 1970-71)
Probably the find of the day! Main defect is a rolled spine and some browning around the staples. (I worried when I saw the cover's blurb "Extra! Cut-outs and Color Your Own Pages" but thankfully no reader had colored in the B&W page or cut out the paper clothes on the fashion page.) Mile High has this issue on sale in Very Good condition for $14.75. The series was cancelled with issue #98 (although a #99 appeared around 1990).
Well, that was how my yesterday went. Now I have some fun nostalgic reading ahead of me!
ACTION COMICS #577 (DC, 1986)
I'd had this Giffen-drawn "Caitiff, The First Vampire" issue before -- bought it when it first came out, in fact -- but I seem to recall that nowadays I only had a coverless copy of the issue. So I bought this as a replacement.
ATTACK #45 (Charlton, 1984)
Contains war reprints from 1955, 1964, and 1965 (according to the indicia). The lead story, "Spotty" (about a dog), was drawn by Don Perlin. I'd begun buying Charlton war comics around the time this issue came out, but don't recall seeing this issue before.
CAPTAIN CARROT #2-5, 7-9, 13, 14 (DC, 1982-83)
I was pleased to find this many Capt Carrot comics! I've always wanted to get more issues of the series (I think I had only 2 issues previously) but rarely ran across the series in my back issue hunts. So, this was a nice find!
CONCRETE #3 (Dark Horse, 1987)
E-MAN #1-3 (Comico 3-issue mini-series, 1990)
I didn't even know about this mini. I had the earlier Comico one-shot #1, which was also in the box, but didn't know about the mini. They also had some of the 1980s First Comics run in there, too.
THE ETERNALS #15 (Marvel, 1977)
I didn't know that the Hulk had appeared in this series again. (Wasn't the earlier Hulk a robot?) I missed this the first time I flipped through the box, didn't see it until I looked through it again to double-check on the E-Man issues, in case there were any more E-Man series in there that I didn't know about.
GHOSTS #110 (DC, 1982)
I'm liking these DC mystery titles more and more, especially the early 1980s ones like this one.
KING CONAN #18 (Marvel, 1983)
This issue was drawn by Ruby Nebres. Nice cover by Marie Severin.
KONG THE UNTAMED #2 (DC, 1975)
KULL THE CONQUEROR #2 (Marvel, 1983)
This was a double-sized mini-series with art by John Bolton. I assume that it's reprinted from one of the 1970s Marvel B&W mags, or was intended for that. This is in color on Baxter paper, cover price was originally $2.00.
All of the above came to a total of $6.00. Incidentally, there were other great finds in those cheap boxes but unfortunately I already had some of them, such as Capt America #252 (I think) by Stern & Byrne, a 1985 issue of Charlton's Dr Graves (one which I didn't acquire until last year), etc. I ended up putting back a few good ones due to lack of money: A Brave & The Bold issue with Batman and Blackhawk (Nemesis was the backup tale) because I couldn't remember if I had it already, Akiko #49 & 50 (an indie comic I've always wanted to try), and a 1986 DC Blue Beetle comic with The Question (which, again, I wasn't sure if I had already).
Then I also looked through the regular back issue section and bought:
THE MANY GHOSTS OF DOCTOR GRAVES #23 (Charlton, 1970)
Lead story by PAM, 2nd story by Sanho Kim, third by Pat Boyette.
That issue cost me $2.00. So, my total at that store yesterday was $8.00. Not bad for 21 comics.
Then, I went to another local shop. I'd remembered seeing an issue of Josie & The Pussycats there for only $1.00 which I'd passed up last time I was there. This shop has a few $1.00 boxes when you first walk in and occasionally I'll go there to check 'em out since sometimes I've found 1970s Archie, Harvey, Charlton, etc. comics in there.
So, here's what I bought yesterday at the shop, for a total of $5.00:
JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS #57 (Archie, 1971)
There's some damage on the cover, but not too obtrusive. It's one of those extra-thick "Giant" comics, too.
LAUGH #313 (Archie, 1977)
PEP #322 (Archie, 1977)
These were in the best condition amid some other less well-preserved Archie issues from the same period in the box. There was an Archie at Riverdale High that I might get in the future, though, if it's still there later.
RICHIE RICH MILLIONS #55 (Harvey, 1972)
This is a 52-page issue with Reggie, Little Lotta, and Little Dot backup stories.The main defect is a bent corner on the cover's bottom right corner. They had another MILLIONS issue from the same period in the box, but it didn't appear to be in as good a condition.
SUGAR AND SPIKE #93 (DC, 1970-71)
Probably the find of the day! Main defect is a rolled spine and some browning around the staples. (I worried when I saw the cover's blurb "Extra! Cut-outs and Color Your Own Pages" but thankfully no reader had colored in the B&W page or cut out the paper clothes on the fashion page.) Mile High has this issue on sale in Very Good condition for $14.75. The series was cancelled with issue #98 (although a #99 appeared around 1990).
Well, that was how my yesterday went. Now I have some fun nostalgic reading ahead of me!