Auctions: comic books January 1963

Challengers of the Unknown (1958 DC 1st Series) 29 CGC 9.2

Paper: White

Label #4543086007

"Four Roads to Doomsday." The Challengers are tricked into disabling four machines that supposedly threaten the planet. "The War Between the Challenger Teams." Two teams of Challengers (Rocky and Prof vs. Ace and Red) unknowingly battle each other after getting mixed up in a conflict between fish men and lava men. Art and cover by Bob Brown. Superman stars in a one-page public service announcement, "Pennies for UNICEF!" Cover price $0.12.

Fantastic Four (1961 1st Series) 10 VG 4.0

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers. Doctor Doom returns in the appropriately-named "The Return of Doctor Doom!", script by Stan Lee, pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers; Doctor Doom returns from his unwanted journey in space and visits Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in order to make them set a trap for the Fantastic Four. The Invisible Girl pinup by Kirby and Ayers. Part 2 "Back from the Dead!"; Doctor Doom tells how he managed to return to Earth with the help of the Ovoids and then he changes bodies with Mr. Fantastic using Ovoid technology. Part 3 "The End of Mr. Fantastic?"; Doctor Doom convinces the rest of the Fantastic Four that he is Mr Fantastic. Part 4 "No Place to Turn!"; Doctor Doom (as Mr. Fantastic) displays his new shrinking-ray and Mr. Fantastic (in Doom's body) escapes his captivity in Doom's castle. Part 5 "The Real Doctor Doom!" Cameos by the Mole Man, the Miracle Man, the Skrulls, the Sub-Mariner, the Ant-Man, the Hulk, and Thor. Letter to the editor from Rocket's Blast editor G.B. Love. 36 pgs. $0.12. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 104 CGC 5.0

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4641361009

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers. First appearance of Paste-Pot Pete (later called the Trapster) in "Paste-Pot Pete!", script by Stan Lee (plot) and Larry Lieber (script), pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers; Human Torch stops Paste-Pot Pete from stealing an experimental missile from the military. "Venus!" text story. "Markham's Magic Crayon!", script by Stan Lee (plot) and Larry Lieber (script), art by Paul Reinman; A greedy factory owner fires a worker who claims to have made a magic crayon; He finds that the crayon really is magic, giving him the ability to draw fabulously. "The Frog-Man!", script by Stan Lee, art by Steve Ditko; An evil king is turned into a frog by a sorcerer; He hibernates for centuries hoping that the future will hold a cure, but Halloween costumes make him think that humans are now giant frogs and he goes to sleep forever. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.