Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection Episode 89, 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 89…

Cool Comics News!

Though they are old, I bought the following three comics on Free Comic Book Day from my favorite comic shop, Kenmore Komics & Games. If you live in the Akron area and love comic books like I do, you need to pay them a visit if you haven’t already. With new comics and thousands of back issues, you’ll have no problem finding great reads. And if you’re a strategy gamer, you’ll be mesmerized by shelf after shelf of fantastic items.

Cool comics in my collection #439: Sub-Mariner #18, October 1969.

I can’t look at an old Sub-Mariner comic book without thinking of the cartoon from the Sixties with the herky-jerky animation. The best thing about those Marvel cartoons from so long ago are the opening themes. So go check it out. It’s less than 20 seconds long, and I promise to wait…see? Short, sweet, and to the point. In many ways, Prince Namor seems to be one of the most forgotten heroes in Marvel’s lineup. The first Marvel mutant has a long, rich history, debuting in 1939, the same year as Batman. But he’s never come close to the caped crusader’s popularity, perhaps because while Batman may live in a cave, Namor lives in the see and is only half-human. And he speaks not unlike the Mighty Thor, which can be a daunting experience, especially on the screen. Yet I enjoyed his cartoon adventures as a kid. Word is there may be a movie in the future for this mighty being. I for one certainly hope so! The cover price of Sub-Mariner #18 is 15 cents, while the current value is $45.

Cool comics in my collection #440: Marvel Premiere #18, October 1974.

There’s a possibility that I’m the last Marvel fan in the universe who still hasn’t seen the Iron Fist show on Netflix. It’s not that I don’t want to see it, but life gets busy sometimes. Reading this issue of Marvel Premiere featuring Iron Fist made me antsy that I’m missing out. But when it comes down to it, I like the experience of reading comic books even more than watching the acted out, be it live action or cartoon. And this issue really hit the spot, because it was published in 1974, which was a very good year for comic books, in my opinion. Seriously, if you take a look back at past episodes of this blog, you’ll find a large number of the cool comics in my collection from that year. I spent most of 1974 as an eleven-year-old, eventually hitting twelve in October, and there was so much to like! Great times with friends, playing Little League Baseball, swimming at the Martins Ferry public pool, stopping in my hometown’s tiny little stores for inexpensive candy, and of course, buying and reading comic books. And let us not forget that 1974 saw the birth of two of my favorite TV shows that year: The Six Million Dollar Man and Planet of the Apes. Yes, these old comic books bring back great memories. The cover price of Marvel Premiere #18 is 25 cents, while the current value is $45.

Cool comics in my collection #441: Super-Villain Team-Up #10, February 1977.

If you’re reading this, then you probably love superheroes as much as I do. But where would our heroes be without supervillains? Granted, most of us cheer for the good guys (hopefully!), but every hero needs a foil. Right there on the cover you see a giant head of the Red Skull, with a much smaller Captain America in the palm of his hand. It’s hard to see one without thinking of the other! If I say “Lex Luthor,” who comes to mind? Of course, Superman. Popular heroes tend to have fantastic rogues galleries to do battle with, Batman and Spider-Man having some of the best in the business. Now some of you might be saying, “Hey, didn’t this guy just tell us above that Namor is a hero? And here he is, pictured with Doctor Doom and in a Super-Villain comic book.” Yes, that’s all true. But where Namor is concerned, it’s all a matter of perspective. As Prince of Atlantis, his people always come first. He’s fought often against the Fantastic Four, as well as in partnership with the Fantastic Four. Thought this series lasted just 17 issues, it features great covers and fun stories you may just want to collect. The cover price of Super-Villain Team-Up #10 is 30 cents, while the current value is $16.

Recently Read Digital Comics

Moon Knight Vol. 2: Dead Will Rise, covers issues 7-12 of the 7th series of Moon Knight, which came out from November 2015 to April 2015. There is a creative team change with this arc. Warren Ellis handed over the writing chores to Brian Wood, and Greg Smallwood took over the art from Declan Shalvey. One of the best things about these digital collections is that the pricing is typically more affordable than buying individual issues, whether they be paper or digital. Unless of course you can find them in cheap back issue boxes at your local comic shop, and typically it takes some work to dig through and find every issue you’re looking for (these days many shops have sale boxes ranging from 25 cents to $1). Moon Knight is such an enigmatic hero, often using tactics other heroes would never dream of. He has several aliases and personalities, and even his local law enforcement contact is unsure of him. And that’s all part of what makes him such an interesting character. While I liked Volume 1 better than Volume 2, I’m glad I read it, and look forward to the final chapter of this series.

New Superhero and Supervillain Stories!

I’m excited to announce that I’ve gone to the dark side and will be one of the featured authors in WORLD DOMINATION, A Supervillain Anthology. Along with IT’S A BIRD! IT’S A PLANE! A Superhero Anthology, you’ll get a chance to read some exciting new stories that will appeal to comic book fans.