Auctions: comic books April 1973

Batman (1940) 248 CGC 6.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4734461002

Cover by Michael Kaluta. "Death-Knell for a Traitor!", script by Denny O'Neil, pencils by Bob Brown, inks by Dick Giordano; Batman follows an ex-Navy man who turned traitor during World War II to take a fabulous diamond from the Japanese; Batman realizes that said Navy man is in league with criminal Colonel Sulphur, and he has to stop them from recovering the diamond. "The Immortals of Usen Castle," script by Elliot S! Maggin, pencils by Irv Novick, inks by Frank McLaughlin; Dick Grayson and Diane Lewis are giving some local youths a tour of a castle that is supposedly haunted; When Diana and some of the children disappear, Dick changes to Robin and discovers the secret behind the "ghosts" in the castle. 36 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.20.

Fantastic Four (1961 1st Series) 133 CGC 9.2

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4309904010

"Thundra at Dawn!" Guest-starring Thundra. Plot by Roy Thomas. Script by Gerry Conway. Pencils by Ramona Fradon. Inks by Joe Sinnott. Cover by John Buscema and Joe Sinnott. It's New Year's Eve in Times Square! Everyone is in a celebratory mood, except the Fantastic Four. Affairs of the heart are plaguing both Reed and Johnny, while Ben and his girlfriend Alicia are doing great! However, the Thing's fortunes change in a New York minute, when Thundra dramatically reappears at the stroke of midnight, challenges Ben to a fight, and kidnaps Alicia! What a set of revoltin' developments! The colossal confrontation between the two mighty warriors begins at Shea Stadium and ends at the Unisphere (from the 1964 World's Fair)! Can the blue-eyed idol of millions find the inner strength to bring down (the) Thundra? Cameo appearances by Captain America, the Hulk, Iron Man, Power Man, Spider-Man, Thor, Sandman, Trapster, and Wizard. (Notes: This is one of the very few issues that Ramona Fradon drew for Marvel. Gerry Conway begins his 20-issue scripting run on the Fantastic Four series. Thundra appears next in Giant-Size Super-Stars 1.) 36 pages Cover price $0.20.

Incredible Hulk (1962 Marvel 1st Series) 162 CGC 9.4

Paper: Off white to white

Label #0209038002

Cover pencils by Herb Trimpe, inks by Sal Trapani. Spawn of the Flesh-Eater!, script by Steve Englehart, pencils by Herb Trimpe, inks by Sal Trapani; Hulk is lost in the Canadian woods when he runs across a distressed young woman who is looking for her missing brother; Hulk rescues a man from the Wendigo whom he thinks to be her brother but Marie tells him that it is her brother's friend, Georges; When Georges regains consciousness, he tells a chilling tale of an act of cannibalism that turned Paul Cartier into the Wendigo. 36 pgs. $0.20. Cover price $0.20.

Incredible Hulk (1962 Marvel 1st Series) 162 CGC 8.0

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4742164022

Cover pencils by Herb Trimpe, inks by Sal Trapani. Spawn of the Flesh-Eater!, script by Steve Englehart, pencils by Herb Trimpe, inks by Sal Trapani; Hulk is lost in the Canadian woods when he runs across a distressed young woman who is looking for her missing brother; Hulk rescues a man from the Wendigo whom he thinks to be her brother but Marie tells him that it is her brother's friend, Georges; When Georges regains consciousness, he tells a chilling tale of an act of cannibalism that turned Paul Cartier into the Wendigo. 36 pgs. $0.20. Cover price $0.20.

Superboy (1949-1979 1st Series DC) 194 CGC 8.0

Paper: White

Label #4634579024

Cover art by Nick Cardy. The Super-Merman of the Sea!, script by Leo Dorfman, pencils by Bob Brown, inks by Murphy Anderson; Harkon, a renegade Atlantean scientist, transforms Superboy into a water-breathing merman, which also removes his super-powers. Part 2 Prey of the Sea Wolves!, script by Dorfman, pencils by Brown, inks by Anderson; Superboy discovers that he has new mental powers of telepathy and telekinesis; Unable to leave the sea, he contacts his parents telepathically to tell them he is safe. Part 3 Super-Merman's Final Ordeal! Letter to the editor from comics writer Bob Rozakis. Statement of ownership--average print run 556,000; average paid circulation 265,877. 36 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.20.

Wonder Woman (1942 1st Series DC) 205 CGC 7.5

Paper: White

Label #4584116023

Cover by Nick Cardy. "Target Wonder Woman!", script by Robert Kanigher, pencils by Don Heck, inks by Bob Oksner; A terrorist named Dr. Domino tries to force U.N. troubleshooter Morgan Tracy to spill the knowledge of a deadly weapon by tying Wonder Woman to a missile and launching it. Half-page text describes the magic lasso, the robot plane, Wonder Woman's bracelets, and the tiara. "The Mystery of Nubia," script by Robert Kanigher, pencils by Don Heck, inks by Vinnie Colletta; On the floating island where she reigns, Nubia stops a fight between two rivals for her hand by offering to fight one of them herself. 36 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.20.