Auctions: comic books January 1972

Amazing Spider-Man (1963 1st Series) 104 FN+ 6.5

"The Beauty and the Brute" Part 2 of 2. Guest-starring Ka-Zar. Script by Roy Thomas. Pencils by Gil Kane. Inks by Frank Giacoia. Cover by Gil Kane and Frank Giacoia. The Daily Bugle's expedition to the Savage Land has turned into a disaster! Gwen Stacy is missing. J. Jonah Jameson is dazed and confused. And the web-slinger is stuck in quicksand! And it's all courtesy of Kraven the Hunter! Spider-Man's long-time foe wants to rule the Savage Land. And thanks to the giant creature named Gog...he just mightjust succeed! But the lord of the jungle and his big saber-tooth cat stand in Kraven's way! Can Ka-Zar and Zabu corral Kraven and save their big city visitors? (Notes: Kraven and Ka-Zar previously fought in Astonishing Tales (1970) #1 and #2. Spider-Man and Ka-Zar meet again in Marvel Team-Up #19. This story was reprinted in Marvel Tales #83.) 36 pages. Cover price $0.20.

Batman (1940) 238 VG 4.0

100-page Super Spectacular. Cover by Neal Adams. All reprints: "The Masterminds of Crime!" (from Batman # 70), script by David Vern Reed, pencils by Curt Swan, inks by Charles Paris; Batman disguises himself as the crook Drexel to infiltrate the Crime Academy. "The Origin of the Doom Patrol" (from My Greatest Adventure # 80), script by Arnold Drake (plot) and Bob Haney (script), pencils by Bruno Premiani; A mysterious man known only as the Chief calls three people who have all escaped certain doom but were left outcasts because of their experiences; He recounts their individual stories; He asks them to become the Doom Patrol, and their first mission is to defuse a bomb; The Chief informs the Doom Patrol of an alien spaceship that has landed on Earth carrying a super-weapon; General Immortus, spying on them, makes plans. "Oh Plastic Man" (from Police Comics # 14), art by Jack Cole; Woozy and Plastic Man set out to capture Eel O'Brian. "Guarding a Lion" (from Sensation Comics #57), script by John Broome, art by Joe Kubert; Sargon the Sorcerer must figure out who the mysterious person is who has been messing with the circus lion. "Danger in the Totem's Eye!" (from Adventure # 276), script and pencils by Arthur Adler, inks by Bob Oksner; Al Pratt goes to a museum to research Indian culture but ends up tracking down some robbers. "The Aqua-Thief of the Seven Seas!" (from Adventure Comics #276), script by Robert Bernstein, art by Ramona Fradon; Aquaman is falsely accused of stealing a chest of diamonds. "The Legion of Super-Outlaws!" (from Adventure Comics #324), script by Edmund Hamilton, art by John Forte; An evil scientist tricks the Heroes of Lallor into fighting the Legion. "Mr. Roulette's Greatest Gamble" (from Batman #75), script by David Vern Reed, pencils by Dick Sprang, inks by Charles Paris. A key that lists all the superheroes featured on the wrap-around cover. 100 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.50.

Captain America (1968 1st Series) 145 VG/FN 5.0

"Skyjacked!" Part 1 of 4. Script by Gary Friedrich. Pencils by Gil Kane (pp. 1-14) and John Romita Sr. (pp. 15-21). Inks by John Romita Sr. Cover by John Romita Sr. (pencils & inks). Nick Fury sends the star-spangled avenger and the Femme Force on a special mission to Las Vegas -- to take out a new Hydra stronghold. But Hydra already knows about SHIELD's plan, so the subversive group skyjacks the plane carrying Cap and the Femme Force in midair! A ferocious fight breaks out in the aisles as both sides struggle for control of the aircraft! Strangely though, one member of the Femme Force -- Contessa Valentina Allegra -- seems more interested in flirting with the Living Legend than knocking out Hydra goons! Sadly, the battle takes a tragic turn when Agent 13 leaps in front of a laser blast intended for Cap. Oh no, is Sharon Carter the first casualty of the new war vs. Hydra? Cameo appearances by the Falcon, Redwing, Eric Koeing, Dum Dum Dugan, and the Supreme Hydra. 36 pages. Cover price $0.20.

Fantastic Four (1961 1st Series) 118 CGC 9.6

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4742165009

"Thunder in the Ruins!" Part 2 of 2. Script by Archie Goodwin. Pencils by John Buscema. Inks by Joe Mooney. Cover by John Buscema, John Romita (touch-ups), and John Verpoorten. With Crystal by his side, the Master of Alchemy has taken over a banana republic in Central America! When the Human Torch arrives in country, he finds himself fighting not only the national air force, but a brain-washed Crystal too! Can Johnny Storm wrest Crystal from Diablo's clutches? Fortunately, Reed, Sue, and Ben will help! Back up story: "What Mad World?" Script by Archie Goodwin. Pencils by John Buscema. Inks by Jim Mooney. To save Ben during the battle against Diablo, Lockjaw temporarily teleports the Thing to another world. But it's a strange world indeed as Reed Richards is the one that was transformed into the Thing; while Ben Grimm married Susan Storm. Perhaps Ben should get back to his own reality posthaste, before he sees too much! First appearance of the Reed Richards of Alternate Earth (Earth-A). (Notes: Diablo returns in Fantastic Four 193. Crystal appears next in Fantastic Four 130, but plays a prominent role behind the scenes in Avengers 104. The Thing (aka Reed Richards) of Earth-A returns in Fantastic Four 160. Alternate Earth would later be renamed Earth-721.) 36 pages Cover price $0.20.

Green Lantern (1960 2nd Series DC) 87 GD/VG 3.0

2.5" Spine split from bottom (taped).

Giant-size issue. Cover by Neal Adams. First appearance of John Stewart in Beware My Power, script by Denny O'Neil, pencils by Neal Adams, inks by Dick Giordano; When Guy Gardner is injured, the Guardians of the Universe instruct Hal Jordan to train another back-up, but John Stewart has different ideas about how to be a Lantern; When an attempt is seemingly made on the life of racist politician Jeremiah Clutcher, John Stewart figures out that the attack was faked and part of a cynical plot to get Clutcher elected president. What Can One Man Do?, script by Elliot Maggin, pencils by Neal Adams, inks by Dick Giordano; After Green Arrow witnesses the death of a young boy in a riot, he decides that he might be able to do more for his city as its mayor. Reprint back-up story: Earth's First Green Lantern!, (from Green Lantern 16), script by Gardner Fox, pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Murphy Anderson; Hal Jordan explains to Pieface why Abin Sur came to Earth in a spaceship when all Green Lanterns can travel thru space unaided. The Flash ad. 52 pgs., full color. $0.25. Cover price $0.25.

House of Secrets (1956 1st Series) 95 CGC 4.0

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4564345005

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Cover art by Nick Cardy. "Creature...", script by John Albano, art by Don Heck; The lonely genius child of a surgeon puts together a patchwork playmate out of the cast off parts from his father's anatomy experiments. Abel's Fables from the House of Secrets cartoon page by Lore Shoberg. "And Things That Go Bump in the Night!", script by Len Wein; A ghost shows up when a couple calls for an exorcist to rid their house of a poltergeist; After successfully getting rid of the poltergeist the ghost tells the couple that he was glad to do it since the poltergeists give the rest of the ghosts a bad name. The Day After Doomsday one-page story, script by Len Wein, art by Jack Sparling. "The Last Sorcerer," art by Bernard Baily; Manfrey's stage magic is so remarkable because it is real magic; But in order that he not be forced to use his abilities for evil, he wills them away. "The Phantom of the Flames!", art by Joe Maneely. "The Bride of Death," script by Jack Oleck, art by Nestor Redondo; An old man tortures witches during the Spanish Inquisition for the secret of youth but they all go to their deaths cursing him that there is no such spell; One evening while busting up a witch coven he sees a young girl he becomes infatuated with; Satan appears and offers him the girl and one hundred years of youth in exchange for his soul. 52 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.25.