Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection Episode 35, where we take a nostalgic look at six cool comic books I currently own, and one that I let get away.

For each of the comic books below, 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), as long as there are seven comics in your episode (you can still own all seven, or do it like me and include one you no longer own). 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 35…

Cool comics in my collection #225: The Six Million Dollar Man #2, August 1976.

Charlton Comic’s The Six Million Dollar Man comic book started in 1976 and lasted just 9 issues, and I can’t believe I somehow missed this when it originally came out. I loved the show and bought the original novel and a sequel, and made sure to always watch the adventures of Steve Austin on TV. Another thing I owned was the Six Million Dollar Man action figure and Bionic Transport Station, which plays into this comic book issue, because the bad guy has a doll made that looks just like that action figure, and he is able to control Steve Austin with it. All told, it’s a pretty silly issue, but reading it was worth every penny I paid, as memories of watching the show and talking about it with friends flooded my mind. I bought this issue in the back issue bins at Kenmore Komics, in Akron, Ohio, for just $2. The cover price of The Six Million Dollar Man #2 is 30 cents, while the current value is $15.

Cool comics in my collection #226: Gomer Pyle USMC #1, July 1966.

Gomer Pyle aired from 1964 until 1969, and though I never saw the show in primetime, the reruns could be found constantly throughout the seventies. When I was a kid, it seemed like everyone watched those reruns and knew all about Gomer and Sgt. Carter. Today, I really don’t know how many people are familiar with the character, let alone the star, Jim Nabors, who was also famous for his singing voice. He appeared on variety shows quite often, and also showed up as a guest on TV every once in a while taking a trip on The Love Boat. For those who don’t know, Gomer was a down-home spun character who drove Sgt. Carter crazy. Things would get out of hand, but Gomer usually found a way to make everything come out all right, and seem like a top notch Marine. I bought this issue at Kenmore Komics for $4 earlier this year. The cover price of Gomer Pyle USMC #1 is 12 cents, while the current value is $125.

Cool comics in my collection #227: The Courtship of Eddie’s Father #2, May 1970.

The Courtship of Eddie’s Father, starring Bill Bixby, Brandon Cruz, and Miyoshi Umeki, aired from 1969 to 1972, and had a great theme song. I admit that I also liked the show because it had my name in it, but what kid wouldn’t appreciate that? Last summer while strolling around the Hartville Outdoor Flea Market, my wife happened to find this issue. She was also a fan of the TV show (is that why she married me?), and since it cost just $2 from a person selling comic books there, we bought it. A couple months ago, when I was flipping through some comic books in a box, I saw this one and decided to do a theme week on comic books based on TV shows. Not surprisingly, the stories focused around Eddie trying to find a new wife for his father, since he wanted to have a mother. Reading this issue really brought the past back to life for me. The cover price of The Courtship of Eddie’s Father #2 is 15 cents, while the current value is $50.

Cool comics in my collection #228: Daniel Boone #9, May 1967.

Daniel Boone, starring Fess Parker, aired from 1964 to 1970. I really didn’t see many episodes of it, but I remember it had lots of fans. I’d probably appreciate watching it now much more than back when I was a kid, as I have a greater appreciation for history today, especially for great American heroes like Daniel Boone. The comic, which I bought at Kenmore Komics in Akron, Ohio, for $7.50, had good stories and I was glad to add it to my cool comics. I also like the picture cover used in so many of the older movie and TV comic issues. The cover price of Daniel Boone #9 is 12 cents, while the current value is $30.

Cool comics in my collection #229: Ben Casey #5, April 1963.

Ben Casey ran on TV from 1961 to 1966, and though I know it was a popular show, I never saw a single episode. Obviously I was too young in the sixties to watch a show like this (I was born in 1962), but I watched a lot of shows from before my time in syndication during the seventies. If Ben Casey reruns took place, I never knew about it. Doctor/hospital shows have always been popular, from soap operas to nighttime dramas, and since I’d heard what a classic Ben Casey was, I decided to pick up an issue to introduce me to the character. I love these old Dell comics with the photo covers, and this is a good one to show the gruff exterior of this confident doctor. I bought this issue at Kenmore Komics earlier this year for $2.50. The cover price of Ben Casey #5 is 12 cents, while the current value is $50.

Cool comics in my collection #230: Adam-12 #8, August 1975.

Adam-12 was a successful half hour police drama that aired from 1968 to 1975. There were a total of 174 episodes. I knew it was on for a while, but never realized just how long until I read this comic book and looked up some information. For those who grew up during the show, it was hard to avoid, considering that we didn’t have many channel choices back then, but mostly because it was a good program and we wanted to watch it. Who knew they’d made a comic book series of it? I sure didn’t until a recent trip to Kenmore Komics in Akron, Ohio, where I found this issue for just $2.50. Though unlike the TV show, this comic book series lasted just 10 episodes. Gold Key, Dell, and Charlton were not comics I paid any real attention to back when I was first collecting comics as a kid, but since I started this blog, they’ve gotten my attention, taking me back to yesteryear, and hoping you feel a little nostalgic reading about them, too. The cover price of Adam-12 #8 is 25 cents, while the current value is $45.

Cool comics in my collection #231 (one that got away): Welcome Back, Kotter #2, January 1977.

If you grew up in the seventies, it was hard to avoid this TV show, which ran from 1975-79. It started John Travolta along the path of popularity, and to top it off, the character Arnold Horshack carried around a Planet of the Apes lunchbox. Frankly, even though I watched the show for the most part, I’m surprised that I bought an issue of the comic book series. By 1977 my comic purchases were down, so why did I pick this one up? I certainly can’t remember, but I do recall having a good time talking about the show with my friends, back in Martins Ferry, Ohio. The cover price of Welcome Back, Kotter #2 is 30 cents, while the current value is $15.

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