Comic books in 'Celestial Madonna', graded by CBCS

Add to cart CBCS 8.5 $90.00 Paper: Off white to white Label #22-2D520EC-008 This is a consignment item. A 3% buyer's premium ($2.70) will be charged at checkout.

"Bid Tomorrow Goodbye!" Script by Steve Englehart. Art by Sal Buscema (breakdowns) and Joe Staton (finishes). Cover by Ron Wilson and Mike Esposito. A bright shining star appears over Avengers Mansion! What does the radiant beacon foretell? Kang the Conqueror thinks he knows! And thus begins the Celestial Madonna saga! The 41st century Master of Time and his macrobots attack the Avengers outside their mansion! After overwhelming the six avengers, Kang absconds with five of them plus Agatha Harkness! The Conqueror deems the Swordsman as unworthy and leaves him behind. Will Kang end up regretting that decision? The former sword-wielding super-villain certainly has his work cut out for him! However, the Swordsman catches a big break when Agatha Harkness telepathically reveals Kang's hideaway! The centuries-old pyramids of Egypt! After arriving in the Egyptian desert, the Swordsman desperately needs an ally! Could one of the ancient pharaohs still be lurking around to help? Story continues in Giant-Size Avengers 2. Cameo appearance by Rama-Tut. Avengers Lineup: Iron Man, Mantis, Scarlet Witch, Swordsman, Thor, and the Vision. (Notes: The classic Celestial Madonna storyline runs through Avengers 129-135 and Giant-Size Avengers 2-4. Kang previously battled Earth's Mightiest Heroes in Avengers (1st series) 71. The letters page contains Marvel Value Stamp series A #88 The Leader.) 32 pages Cover price $0.25.

Add to cart CBCS 6.0 $82.00 CBCS Authentic Signature Paper: Cream to off white Witnessed Signature: Roy Thomas on 9/18/2021 Label #22-0692A42-240 This is a consignment item. A 3% buyer's premium ($2.46) will be charged at checkout. Other items consigned by Saddle River Comics

"A Blast from the Past!" Story by Steve Englehart. Art by Dave Cockrum. Cover by Ron Wilson. The story continues from Avengers 129 and the Earth's mightiest heroes are in dire straits! Kang the Conqueror has paralyzed Iron Man, Thor, and the Vision and placed each one inside a Macrobot. Now the three Macrobots are sent to China, the Soviet Union, and the United States to wreck havoc! Kang has also imprisoned Mantis, the Scarlet Witch, and Agatha Harkness in an abandoned Egyptian pyramid as he tries to determine who is the celestial madonna. So that leaves two Avengers, Hawkeye and the Swordsman, plus the ancient pharaoh Rama-Tut to rescue the Avengers and save the world! In his finest hour with the Avengers, can the Swordsman lead the team to victory or will tragedy strike? Simply a great story with a powerful ending. Back up story: Reprint of Fantastic Four 19 (1st series) featuring Rama-Tut. 64 pages Cover price $0.50.

Add to cart CBCS 8.5 $162.50 CBCS Authentic Signature Paper: Off white to white Witnessed Signature: Roy Thomas on 6/17/2023. Label #23-211DCD8-006 This is a consignment item. A 3% buyer's premium ($4.88) will be charged at checkout.

"A Quiet Half-Hour in Saigon!" Script by Steve Englehart. Art by Sal Buscema (breakdowns) and Joe Staton (finishes). Cover by Gil Kane and Frank Giacoia. The Avengers search for clues about Mantis' origin in the streets of Saigon. However, their quest for answers continues to come up empty. Meanwhile in timeless limbo, a strange three-way battle among Kang, Immortus, and Rama-Tut concludes. Unfortunately for Earth's Mightiest Heroes, the Conqueror emerges victorious! With Immortus' time machine at his disposal, Kang plucks six deceased villains from the time stream to form the unearthly Legion on the Unliving! Frankenstein's Monster, Wonder Man, the Flying Dutchman (aka the Ghost), Midnight, Baron Zemo, and the original (golden age) Human Torch. Wow, an all-star assemblage from the annals of Marvel! And with a spectacular bolt from the blue, Kang interrupts the Avengers' quiet day in Vietnam and transports the heroes to the labyrinths of limbo! Where a blockbuster battle looms next issue…between the quick and the dead! Cameo appearances by Nomad (aka Steve Rogers), Libra, and the Cotati (as the green-hued Swordsman). Avengers Lineup: Iron Man, Hawkeye, Mantis, Thor, and the Vision. (Notes: The build-up of suspense between issues 131 and 132 was tremendous, since most of the resurrected villains had not appeared in almost a decade. Wonder Man, Baron Zemo, and Immortus previously appeared in Avengers (1st series) 9, 15, and 16, respectively. This issue is the third appearance of the original Human Torch in silver age/bronze age continuity. The first is Fantastic Four Annual 4 published in 1966. The second is Avengers 71 published in 1969. The letters page includes a letter from comics artist Ken Meyer, Jr. The letters page also contains Marvel Value Stamp series A #70 Super Skrull by Jack Kirby.) Cover price $0.25.

Add to cart CBCS 7.5 $200.00 CBCS Authentic Signature Paper: White Witnessed Signatures: Joe Staton on 10/28/2022, Sal Buscema on 10/31/2022 & Roy Thomas on 11/19/2022. Label #23-0AFB6AC-027 This is a consignment item. A 3% buyer's premium ($6.00) will be charged at checkout. Other items consigned by Saddle River Comics

"A Quiet Half-Hour in Saigon!" Script by Steve Englehart. Art by Sal Buscema (breakdowns) and Joe Staton (finishes). Cover by Gil Kane and Frank Giacoia. The Avengers search for clues about Mantis' origin in the streets of Saigon. However, their quest for answers continues to come up empty. Meanwhile in timeless limbo, a strange three-way battle among Kang, Immortus, and Rama-Tut concludes. Unfortunately for Earth's Mightiest Heroes, the Conqueror emerges victorious! With Immortus' time machine at his disposal, Kang plucks six deceased villains from the time stream to form the unearthly Legion on the Unliving! Frankenstein's Monster, Wonder Man, the Flying Dutchman (aka the Ghost), Midnight, Baron Zemo, and the original (golden age) Human Torch. Wow, an all-star assemblage from the annals of Marvel! And with a spectacular bolt from the blue, Kang interrupts the Avengers' quiet day in Vietnam and transports the heroes to the labyrinths of limbo! Where a blockbuster battle looms next issue…between the quick and the dead! Cameo appearances by Nomad (aka Steve Rogers), Libra, and the Cotati (as the green-hued Swordsman). Avengers Lineup: Iron Man, Hawkeye, Mantis, Thor, and the Vision. (Notes: The build-up of suspense between issues 131 and 132 was tremendous, since most of the resurrected villains had not appeared in almost a decade. Wonder Man, Baron Zemo, and Immortus previously appeared in Avengers (1st series) 9, 15, and 16, respectively. This issue is the third appearance of the original Human Torch in silver age/bronze age continuity. The first is Fantastic Four Annual 4 published in 1966. The second is Avengers 71 published in 1969. The letters page includes a letter from comics artist Ken Meyer, Jr. The letters page also contains Marvel Value Stamp series A #70 Super Skrull by Jack Kirby.) Cover price $0.25.

Avengers (1963 1st Series) 132 CBCS 7.0 SS Wilson/Thomas

Paper: Off white to white

Witnessed Signatures: Ron Wilson & Roy Thomas on 6/17/2023.

Label #23-211DCD8-008

"Kang War II" Plot by Steve Englehart. Script by Roy Thomas. Art by Sal Buscema (layouts) and Joe Staton (finishes). Cover by Ron Wilson and Frank Giacoia. In a malevolent manner, Kang the Conqueror has teleported Earth's Mightiest Heroes to the labyrinths of limbo! And now the Legion of the Unliving stalks the Avengers one by one through the endless maze of stone corridors! Frankenstein's Monster begins the action by ambushing the thunder god! Then Midnight blindsides Mantis! However, Hawkeye and Shell-Head accidentally bump into one another and a glimmer of hope emerges for the heroes! But seconds later Baron Zemo, Wonder Man, and the original Human Torch attack! The golden avenger is the first to fall to the unliving legion. And nearby in the maddening maze, the Vision goes down next. Two avengers mortally wounded. Three others wandering around completely lost and alone. In their glorious history, the Avengers have battled through 132 issues, but at this moment the chances of there even being an issue 133…do not look good. Story continues in Giant-Size Avengers 3. Cameo appearances by Immortus, Rama-Tut, Libra, and the Cotati. Avengers Lineup: Iron Man, Hawkeye, Mantis, Thor, and the Vision. (Notes: Giant-Size Avengers 3 is simply a must-read. The letters page includes a letter from comics writer Mary Jo Duffy. The letters page also contains Marvel Value Stamp series A #78 The Owl by Gene Colan.) Cover price $0.25.

Add to cart CBCS 0.5 $23.15 Paper: Off white Slab: Minor side/edge crack(s) INCOMPLETE. Large piece missing 13th page, affects story. Label #21-3B8C92F-023 This is a consignment item. A 3% buyer's premium ($0.69) will be charged at checkout.

"The Times That Bind!" Script by Steve Englehart. Art by Sal Buscema (layouts) and Joe Staton (finishes). Cover by Gil Kane and Joe Sinnott (with John Romita touch-ups). The Vision's trip through time marches on as the synthezoid avenger discovers the sad fate of the original Human Torch. After going nova in the 1950's, the torch's body remained dormant and missing for many years until the Mad Thinker located it. However, the twisted thinker just resurrected the torch in order to attack the Fantastic Four. After the FF's victory (in Fantastic Four Annual 4), the original Human Torch became inactive again…until someone else, someone even more evil, found the android body! Also traveling through time, Mantis and her teammates learn how the pacifist Kree and the Cotati worked together to defeat the militant Kree and the Star Stalker centuries ago. And then they observe how the Kree came to Earth to plant the Cotati in Vietnam years later. Meanwhile back in the present time at Avengers Mansion, a confident Scarlet Witch wins a brief skirmish against Moondragon. Origin of the Vision. Origin of Mantis. Cameo appearances by Agatha Harkness and Libra. Flashback cameos by Immortus, the Supreme Intelligence, Quasimodo, Toro, Ultron-5, and the Fantastic Four. Avengers Lineup: Iron Man, Hawkeye, Mantis, Scarlet Witch, Thor, and the Vision. Cover price $0.25.

Add to cart CBCS 8.0 $80.00 Paper: Off white to white Label #20-2B62BB6-012

"Let All Men Bring Together!" Wedding of the Vision and Scarlet Witch. Story by Steve Englehart. Pencils by Don Heck. Inks by John Tartaglione. Cover by Gil Kane, Al Milgrom, and John Romita (touch-ups). Story continues from Avengers 135. The Vision's quest through time to discover his origin is over. But instead of returning to Immortus' domain, the synthezoid avenger materializes at the center of the Earth! And shockingly the Dread Dormammu is there! With his captive…the Scarlet Witch! Wow, how did Wanda end up in the dreaded one's clutches? It doesn't matter now as the Vision must fight for the woman he loves! It's a supernatural showdown at Earth's core: The Vision, Scarlet Witch, and Agatha Harkness vs. the Dread Dormammu and Umar! Meanwhile in Vietnam, while the Cotati explains the mystery of the Celestial Madonna to Mantis and Moondragon; Hawkeye, Shell-Head, and the thunder god slip outside the temple and bump into the Titanic Three! However the three communist super-villains have been beaten badly! Who did this? Who else…but the Conqueror! And one more time, one final time, the assembled Avengers battle Kang…for the Celestial Madonna! An extraordinary ending for Earth's Mightiest Heroes! Cameo appearances by the Space Phantom, Crimson Dynamo, Radioactive Man, Titanium Man, and Gaea. Flashback cameos by the Swordsman, original Human Torch, and Ultron. Avengers Lineup: Hawkeye, Iron Man, Mantis, Scarlet Witch, Thor, and the Vision. First reprint story: "Betrayed by the Ants!" Plot by Stan Lee. Script by Larry Lieber. Pencils by Jack Kirby. Inks by Dick Ayers. The Ant-Man battles Egghead. Originally published in Tales to Astonish 38. Second reprint story: "Then Came…the Black Widow" Script by Gary Friedrich. Pencils by John Buscema. Inks by John Verpoorten. Originally published in Amazing Adventures 1 (2nd series). (Notes: This issue marks the end of the Celestial Madonna saga. Truly a bronze age masterpiece. Kang appears next in Avengers 141. Mantis does not return until many years later in Silver Surfer (2nd series) 3 & 4. The Vision and the Scarlet Witch first met in Avengers 76. Elements of this story overlap with Doctor Strange (1st series) 8. This issue was reprinted in 2005 in the trade paperback: Avengers…Vision and the Scarlet Witch. The letters page includes letters from comics publisher Dean Mullaney and comics artist Bill Blyberg, respectively.) 64 pages Cover price $0.50.