I’m 73 years old. I’ve been reading comic books since I was five years old. I’ve collected, sold collections and collected more comic books than I can count.
I’ve whittled my collection down to those titles I enjoy the most. But, there are a few comic books in my collection I consider unappreciated classics.
Any comic book collector worth their salt knows all about ‘key’ comic books. Most are priced far out of range for average collectors.
More and more people are getting into the hobby-mostly for the wrong reason-cash, dinero, mullah-it all comes down to greed.
But what about reading comic books? Over the years I’ve had my favorites-most of which are not on the ‘hot’ list.
They are great comics. The art and stories mesh perfectly and leave lasting impressions-at least to me they do.
I’d like to share those comic books. I intend to do so by using cover art and a short explanation as to why I think that those particular comic books are vastly unappreciated and underestimated.
I plan to do this in stages-a few issues at a time over however long it takes.
I’d like to start out with 10 independent smaller comic book publishers’ titles.
First up is Doc Frankenstein that takes a different approach to the Frankenstein monster. In this case he’s a good guy that fights evil backed by fellow warriors. Great story and art by Steve Skroce and The Wachowski Brothers from Burlyman Entertainment
Shaolin Cowboy featured Geof Darrow’s martial arts cowboy that engages in some of the most detailed, gory, incredible and visually stunning fights imaginable-published by Burlyman Entertainment. The fight sequence where he takes down a huge assembly of 'bounty hunters' out for his blood is amazing
Doomsday #1 from Charlton Comics was a post apocalyptic series that John Byrne both wrote and drew before he made the jump to Marvel Comics. Published in the mid-1970s the art by Byrne already reflected his unique style.
Steed & Mrs. Peel adapted the classic, clever, ground-breaking and quirky British TV spy series The Avengers to the printed comic book page from Boom! Studios.
Charles M. Schulz’s Peanuts comic strip was adapted to a comic book series from Kaboom! Studios containing several short tales by various writers and artists. The best adaptation of Peanuts to comics ever achieved. The subtle wit, heart warming and often poignant observations from the Peanuts gang are all there. What a delight.
Elementals, both written and drawn by Bill Willingham, featured a superhero group that derive their powers from the four elements: Earth, Wind, Fire and Water. They face-off against The Destroyers. Published by Comico. The series pre-dated Willingham's DC work.
Another Comico title: The Gumby’s Summer Special one-shot, brought everyone’s clay animation figure and his sidekick Pokey to comics courtesy of Art Adams. This one-shot has everything from pirates, to spacemen to monsters and more! Adam's work shines.
Yet another Comico title, Space Ghost, by Steve Rude, brings back the specter of space to comic books. It’s like watching the Saturday morning animated TV show in print. All of Space Ghost’s deadliest enemies appear. Rude really captured the look and tempo of the animated series.
Art Adams adapts The Creature From The Black Lagoon movie to comics. Published by Dark Horse Comics, the one-shot faithfully translated the film to print made even more amazing by Art Adams’ art. Some of his best work.
Comic book artist Art Adams presents his love letter to Godzilla, the king of all monsters courtesy of Dark Horse Comics. The one-shot pits Godzilla against the resurrected god Gekido-Jin. Wow! Adams was/is a huge Godzilla fan.
While I’m talking about comic books I’d like to approach the subject of comic book storage and protection.
I’ve been a comic book collector for a loooong time. I’ve heard all the stories about changing out your comic book bags and boards every five years or so, submitting books for grading and comic book boxes.
Here’s the lowdown. I have comic books stored in the same bags and boards for 40+ years. None of them stick to the plastic, nor do the bags stick to each other.
I’ve stored comic books with no bags or boards stacked on top of each other with alternating spines. No problem.
I keep my comic books in beat up old comic book boxes (they new ones cost too much for cardboard-get serious!) I store my comic book boxes in a cool dry place away from sunlight. The comic books are like they were purchased yesterday-no problem.
Sure most of the boxes are acid free but I also store my comics in plastic totes, regular boxes and in steel filing cabinets. No problems whatsoever.
It’s all a sham to get you to spend all your money on supplies. Use common sense.
As for grading. Forget modern issues. Sure if you have a comic book worth thousands of dollars you may want to have it graded. But here’s the kicker. For example, if you have comic book that is worth $5,000 raw and get it graded let's say as a 9.2 according to the ‘experts’ that book is now worth in excess of $25,000.
Here’s the problem. If you remove it from its plastic protective case it plummets back down to $5,000. So, is the book worth $25,000 slabbed or is the plastic slab worth the additional $20,000?
Who decides? What makes the graders experts?. Let me tell you of a grading incident I encountered a few years ago.
A good friend had a book graded. It came back as a 9.8. I took a look at it and I immediately spotted that the cover was printed crooked and part of the cover image was cut off. What?!
Who is really making money on old comic books? The graders, that’s who. The more ‘expensive’ a comic book is the more it costs to grade it. What a racket.
What about signatures? Grading companies decide if a signature is legit if they witness the signing? What if you have a book that was signed before the grading companies started verifying signatures? Does that mean the signature is illegitimate? Again, who decides?
Here’s another point. Let’s say you have an Avengers #1. You get it graded and slabbed. Whose to say that the slabbed book you receive back is nothing more than a Avengers #1 cover wrapped around and Archie Comic book?
Now comic books have all sorts of grade and condition types? Who comes up with this stuff?
Here’s another point. Again let’s pretend you have a slabbed comic book that is priced at $600. You go to sell it at a comic book shop. If you’re lucky the shop may offer you 25% of its value. You go to sell it online and after you pay the fees, settle for a lower price and ship it you may come away with $200. Are you kidding me?!
OK, one more rant. How is that Silver and Bronze Age comic books (especially keys) have skyrocketed in value? Do yourself a favor and before you purchase a comic book that’s expensive go online and see how many copies of that book is on sale on E-bay or some other selling site. Look at the sold prices.
Give me a break! There is no way realistically that a Silver Age comic book that sold for $300 a mere five years ago would all of a sudden jump to $30,000!
It’s all about greed-nothing more, nothing less. I'm on a budget. I'm retired. There is no way I could afford to buy what some comic books are selling for. In my opinion the price hikes are driving collectors out of the market. Investors are taking over the hobby.
My advice is to buy what you like, read it, use sensible storage practices and quit blowing your money on outrageous costly supplies, expensive grading and unrealistic prices.
Most of the people who are online touting certain books want you to buy from them. It’s called business and they are trying to sell you something. Many times a ‘retailer’ has an overstock of a particular book and by parading it as a ‘key’ issue they hope to rack in some more money.
Variant covers-forget it-the interior art is the same as a regular issue. I’ve seen boxes and boxes of variant comic books for sale in shops for cover price after the 'got-to-have-it' heat wears off.
I’ve visited some comic book shops that have books on their walls that are $5 comic books at best and they’re asking upward of $50. Get educated. Do your homework, avoid the hype and enjoy the hobby. Don’t get caught up in the FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) mentality. Rant over.
Hebrews 4:12For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
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