Welcome to Cool Comics in My Collection Episode 106, where we take a look at comic books I own (and in some cases ones that I let get away), both new and old, often with a nostalgic leaning for those feelings of yesteryear.

For each of the comic books I include in this blog (except for digital issues), 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 106…

Cool Comics News!

While this week’s episode features another Walmart DC 3-pack, I can’t ignore the fact that last week Marvel Legacy #1 hit the stands, the comic that’s ushering in original numbering for many Marvel titles, along with featuring the return of a certain character. Want to know more? You better get to your local comic shop before they run out! Another fun item from last week’s new comics is the return of FOOM!, the Marvel fan magazine that stands for “Friends Of Ol’ Marvel, which originally ran from 1973-1979. But alas, before you get too excited and start thinking about another storage box to fill with the fun that FOOM! is, it’s listed inside as a One-Shot. Chalk full of covers, characters, and the latest info on Marvel Legacy, don’t miss the chance to grab this new issue of a blast from the past.

Do you catch the premiere episodes of The Inhumans (ABC) and The Gifted (FOX)? While I liked The Gifted immediately, The Inhumans, much like Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., may take a while to find its feet…although if some rumors I’ve seen are true, the plug may be pulled rather quickly.

Cool Comics

Cool comics in my collection #504: Batman and the Justice League: Outbreak #1, July 2017.

Welcome to another DC Walmart 3-Pack issue. You’ve gotta love the way DC markets some of these, tossing in Batman’s name as often as possible. This issue was originally published as Justice League #10. But since Batman’s on the cover, why not put his name there too? Everyone loves Batman and can’t get enough of him, right? Maybe after the Justice League movie comes out in November, this title would sell well enough without the caped crusader’s name taking up the spotlight. Because it’s all about the marketing. How does the story hold up, you ask? Pretty well, in my opinion. This issue is a perfect example of one that works, as far as these variant covers go. You want people to buy your comics on a regular basis, so first you make sure to slap #1 on the cover, then you get Batman’s name in the title, and then half the time the story begins in a way in which the reader feels lost. But this issue avoided that last pitfall, and I can imagine some readers actually deciding to search out Justice League #11, #12, and so on. Good stuff. The cover price of Justice League #10 is $2.99, while the current value of this variant is $5.

Cool comics in my collection #505: Infinity Man and the Forever People #3, October 2014.

A couple months ago, I read The Forever People #2, you know, the groovy one from the Seventies. I covered it in Episode 98. And now I find myself with a copy of this New 52 era DC Comic, and these Forever People don’t seem as much fun as the previous comic. Of course there’s a big difference in the way people dressed, acted, and spoke in 1971 compared to 2014. Do I always think the past is better? It probably seems that way to you, since I’m always going on and on about my love for Seventies comics. I love the nostalgic feeling you get when looking at a comic book, toy, or any object from your past. Often, we do nothing but glamorize it without stopping to think about general living conditions of then versus now. Want to watch TV in 1971? Be prepared to turn the dial on that TV, no remote for us in the past. We have to walk across the room and hope that something good is on with our limited clicks. No comic specialty shops, either. Better hope the drug store or mom and pop shop have your monthly dose of heroes in tights. Oh yeah, no buying comics from eBay or other Internet sources. Most of the time the past pales in comparison. But our memories often remain sweet, don’t they? The cover price of Infinity Man and the Forever People is $2.99, while the current value is $3.

Cool comics in my collection #506: Red Lanterns #39, April 2015.

Red Lanterns? When did this become a thing? Okay, in 2005. Thanks, internet, I love being able to find this stuff out so quickly! Seriously, though, it’s amazing how many characters have dropped into the world of superheroes and villains once I stopped buying comics every week back in 2003. It’s weird reading a comic when you don’t know the characters, concept, etc. Come on, it’s DC, I should know the basic universe, right? And when I think of lanterns, Hal Jordan, Alan Scott, John Stewart, Kyle Rayner, and Guy Gardner all come to mind. Those are the lanterns I know, and they’re all green. Regardless, though, this was in one of my Walmart DC 3-packs, and I forged ahead and read a pretty entertaining tale. See that baby on the cover? Appearances can be deceiving. He’s not as cute as you think, so beware. The cover price of Red Lanterns #39 is $2.99, and the current value is $3.

Cool Comics Done Dirt Cheap

Cool comics in my collection #507: The Green Hornet #2, December 1989.

The Green Hornet, created in 1936, has appeared on the radio, movie serials, television, feature films, and in comic book form. Many people know that Bruce Lee starred as Kato on television, and he and the Green Hornet crossed paths with Batman and Robin. Man, those were the days. But you know what? I’ve never seen an episode of that 1966-1967 Green Hornet TV series. I was pretty young at the time, and while I did watch Batman, much to my regret I missed out on this very cool superhero and his trusty sidekick. Did you ever see the movie Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story? If you haven’t, I think it’s worth watching. There are some scenes of The Green Hornet TV show being filmed. This is just my second comic out of the long box I bought so cheap, and I’ve enjoyed both very much. There may be many of you who aren’t familiar with NOW Comics, but some of their titles are pretty interesting. I felt this comic was well done and I wouldn’t mind reading more in this series. The cover price of The Green Hornet is $1.75, while the current value is $4.

Cool Comics Classics

Cool comics in my collection #508: Aquaman #56, March 1971.

For all the thousands of comic books I’ve read and owned in my lifetime, this is just the 18th issue of Aquaman I’ve ever bought. And it’s definitely the oldest. I’ve read other comics in which Aquaman has played a part (variations of Justice League, Brave and the Bold, etc.), but the only time I bought his comic regularly was in the Nineties, when he got the hook. I may have lost some of you there, but you can do a search and find out for yourself. I had issues 0 through 15, and while I enjoyed the story, at different times in my life I would quit reading titles for various reasons, so my collection wasn’t big. And now this is the only Aquaman I own. All the others were sold at my legendary garage sale a few years back (Anyone who was there and participated in my fantastic deals is sure to refer to it as legendary!). So why Aquaman now? Cool Comics Classics is a section I look forward to writing each week, because more often than not, I’m covering books from the Seventies, like this issue, and I LOVE Seventies comics. Also, I want to have classic characters in my collection, so it was about time to add one of his titles. This comic also has an interesting history, as it was the last issue of Aquaman until they restarted the series back up in 1977, and decided to follow the same numbering system. So if you have issue 57, that’s why there is about a six year gap in between. By the way, things aren’t going well in Detroit in this issue. That’s a city not often visited in the comic book world. The cover price of Aquaman #56 is 15¢, while the current value is $45.

Recently Read Digital Comics

From out of the pages of The Fantastic Four come The Inhumans! Created long ago by a race of alien beings called the Kree, the Inhumans each have unique abilities, much like mutants in the Marvel Universe. But the Inhumans achieve these powers via a process known as Terrigenesis (if you want to know more about their origins, click HERE.) This issue #1 of The Inhumans, their first series, came out in 1975. If you are watching the new TV show, you may want to grab this one on comiXology so you can learn more about these characters. I downloaded this for free, and hopefully the price is still just as cheap! The original comic is valued at $105, so that’s a substantial savings! Personally, I don’t have much of a background with The Inhumans, so I enjoyed the opportunity to read this on my tablet. With the exception of one Inhuman comic, I only have experience with the Inhumans when they’ve guest-starred in other titles. The art is by George Perez, and Doug Moench did the writing, so you know you’re going to enjoy it.