Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection Episode 87, where we take a nostalgic look at comic books I currently own, and in some sad cases, ones that I let get away.

For each of the comic books I include in this blog, I list the current secondary market value. This is according to the listings at the website www.comicbookrealm.com. They list out the near mint prices, which are on the comic book grading scale of 9.4. If you go to the website to look up any in your collection, you can click on the price and see the value at different grades. Not all of my comics are 9.4. Some are probably better, and some are worse. But to simplify it, that’s the grading price I use here. And remember, a comic book is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.

Have you considered being a guest host for Cool Comics? You can do a theme or just pick any of your comics for inclusion (this blog is for all ages, so please keep that in mind), with a maximum of seven issues. Repeat guest hosts are permitted and encouraged. Send your completed blog to edgosney62@gmail.com.

If you have any questions or comments, please scroll to the bottom of the page to where it says, “Leave a reply.” I hope you enjoy seeing these as much as I do writing about them. And now, Episode 87…

Cool Comics News!

Most comic book readers are familiar with Free Comic Book Day (FCBD), which takes place the first Saturday in May. It’s been going on since 2002, and while I haven’t made it to my local comic shop every year, it’s an event I try to attend. And though retailers have free comics on hand that day to give out to us, they do have to pay for the comics, so I always try to show support by making some purchases, such as back issues or plastic storage bags and backing boards. The nice thing about FCBD is the wide variety of offerings, and as you’ll see below, they even have choices for the younger crowd.

Cool comics in my collection #431: All-New Guardians of the Galaxy #1, July 2017.

A free comic book featuring the Guardians of the Galaxy was an easy choice to pull off the shelves. Keep in mind that most comic shops limit the number of free comics you can take (it was 5 this year at Kenmore Komics), so once you get to the store and see what titles are left, you then can decide what you want to take. Mrs. Gosney was with me, and she also picked out 5 comics, and we strategically look at what’s there, and get some to take home to our kids. But I had to have Guardians, and what I didn’t even notice at the bottom of the cover at the time is that this also contains a Defenders story. Not the old Doctor Strange, Namor, and Hulk Defenders, but the characters who will be in The Defenders show later this year on Netflix. Double bonus. Anyway, I’m a big fan of the Guardians movies, so this selection was easy. The cover price of All-New Guardians of the Galaxy #1 is Free, while the current value is $1.

Cool comics in my collection #432: Underdog #1, May 2017.

Underdog? Yeah, Underdog! When Mrs. Gosney pulled this one off the shelf, I knew I’d be reading it. I spent some of my formative years watching this canine superhero battle the forces of evil while crushing on Sweet Polly Purebred. His cover isn’t as complex as Clark Kent’s, or even Peter Parker’s as far as that goes. No, in this dog-eat-dog universe, our hero is a simple shoeshine boy. But when danger strikes, or foul fiends rob the local jewelry store, shoe shine boy runs to a local phone booth and becomes that mighty hero, Underdog! This free comic also has a bonus feature from issue #12 of Underdog, published in 1977 by Gold Key, and it’s fun to take a look back. And you know how much I love my Seventies comics! This new issue is published by American Mythology Productions, and they have also licensed Casper, Rocky & Bullwinkle, the Pink Panther, the Three Stooges, and Stargate Atlantis. Fun stuff from this company. The cover price of Underdog #1 is Free, and so is the current value.

Cool comics in my collection #433: Secret Empire #1, July 2017.

There’s been a lot of buzz recently about Marvel’s new limited series “Secret Empire,” mostly tending towards the negative. I haven’t been able to comment one way or another, because as you know, I don’t read many new comics. I typically read older back issues I collected and never got around to reading. Most of them range from the Sixties up through the Nineties. Now an exception I’ve made is with the DC 3-packs at Walmart that each feature a variant. Most of them have had Rebirth comics, and I’ve enjoyed the direction DC has taken. But I haven’t been reading new Marvel stuff, and I keep hearing negatives. It hasn’t concerned me one way or another, but I’ll admit I was taken aback upon hearing that Captain America is now an agent of Hydra. So, will it prove to be true? Would Marvel dare go there and risk alienating their fans? Probably not. I’ve already read a few theories about Secret Empire, and I think Marvel will manage to do the right thing by Captain America. Regardless, I’m not losing any sleep over it, and I actually enjoyed the story that came with this free comic. Oh, and another bonus with this one. Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man also has a story in here. The cover price of Secret Empire #1 is Free, and so is the current value.

Cool comics in my collection #434: Star Trek: The Next Generation: Mirror Broken #0, May 2017.

We’re first introduced to the Star Trek Mirror Universe in the original series, and like all good things, it didn’t die there. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine used it in five episodes, and Star Trek: Enterprise had it in a two-parter episode. And it’s also been used in Star Trek novels and games. It provided a fun (maybe fun’s not the right word!), or different, look at the characters and situations in the Federation. IDW puts out some intriguing comics, and I have picked up some of their trade paperbacks (such as their combined efforts with Boom! Studios to give us Star Trek/Planet of the Apes: The Prime Directive, which was Cool Comic #160, back in Episode 23). I really appreciate the efforts of IDW, and recently saw another Star Trek comic that is sort of like a Marvel “What If” or DC “Elseworlds,” in which the Romulans get to Earth before the Vulcans do, and that’s bad news for our planet. It’s called Star Trek: Deviations, and I look forward to reading it. The cover price of Star Trek: The Next Generation: Mirror Broken #0 is Free, and so is the current value.

Cool comics in my collection #435: DC SuperHero Girls #1: May 2017.

My good friend Rhonda, who happens to be a librarian, gave me this issue. She got it at the library where she works, and I think it’s great that some libraries recognize FCBD and celebrate by treating their patrons. I also have the DC SuperHero Girls FCBD issue from 2016, and I think Rhonda gave me that one, also. DC is working hard to market these heroes to a younger audience via toys, videos, etc. Obviously, a business is about making money, but a good business model needs to look at future generations of potential customers. The story is straightforward and simple, and the art, I imagine, is appealing to kids. This is a nice title for introducing young readers, and most of us who read comics started off reading them as kids. The cover price of DC SuperHero Girls #1 is free, and so is the current value.

Recently Read Digital Comics

Since all of the above comics were free, it makes sense to feature a Digital Comic that was also free. Guardians of the Galaxy #1 (Oct 2015 – Marvel digital Marvel app) is a free offer on a small coupon that was available at the movie theater where I saw Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2. My oldest daughter gave it to me, as she went to the movie before I did, but they still had them available when I finally saw Guardians on Mother’s Day (how cool that my wife wanted to go see it on Mother’s Day!). If you get this one and are like me and just know the Guardians in their current incarnation in the movies (or perhaps even the original comic run that looks nothing like the current team in either the movies or comics), you’re in for a few surprises. Just look at the cover. The Thing? Well, he did get his powers when he was in a spaceship! Venom? The “costume” is an alien, so I guess he belongs in space, too. And who is the female? None other than Kitty Pryde. It was a fun read, especially considering it was free!