Auctions: comic books December 1974

Avengers (1963 1st Series) 130 CGC 3.5 SS Englehart

Paper: White

Signed by Steve Englehart on 6/15/24

Label #4444122012

"The Reality Problem!" Script by Steve Englehart. Art by Sal Buscema (layouts) and Joe Staton (finishes). Cover by Gil Kane and Dave Cockrum. In heartbreaking fashion in Giant-Size Avengers 2, the Swordsman perished at the hands of Kang the Conqueror. And now his teammates solemnly bring their fallen comrade's body back to Vietnam for burial. After the funeral the Avengers exit the Priests of Pama's temple and unexpectedly bump into the Titanic Three! Who are these guys? None other than three famous communist super-villains: the Crimson Dynamo, the Titanium Man, and the Radioactive Man! But Earth's Mightiest Heroes don't have any jurisdiction in the communist-controlled sector, so the colossal confrontation will have to wait! Later on though a small-time hood called the Slasher convinces the Titanic Three to attack the Avengers! And suddenly in the streets of Saigon the battle is joined! Forget détente…the cold war is boiling over right now! The American super-team vs. the communist one! And in the midst of the ferocious fight an even more intense personal battle rages between the golden avenger and the Crimson Dynamo! As Tony Stark looks to pay back the dynamo for the death of Janice Cord in the classic Iron Man (1st series) 22…and pay him back permanently! Cameo appearances by Agatha Harkness and Libra. Flashback cameos by Giant-Man, Libra, Kang the Conqueror, and the Star-Stalker. Avengers Lineup: Iron Man, Hawkeye, Mantis, Scarlet Witch, Thor, and the Vision. (Notes: From a historical standpoint, this story took place after the Vietnam War ended, but before the fall of Saigon. Shell-Head and the Crimson Dynamo clash again in Iron Man (1st series) 73. The letters page contains Marvel Value Stamp Series A #96 Dr. Octopus.) 36 pages Cover price $0.25.

Captain America (1968 1st Series) 180 CGC 9.2

Paper: White

Label #4478003014

First appearance of Nomad (aka Steve Rogers) in "The Coming of the Nomad!" Part 1 of 3. Script by Steve Englehart. Pencils by Sal Buscema. Inks by Vince Colletta. Cover by Gil Kane, Mike Esposito, and Frank Giacoia. Thanks to a suggestion from Hawkeye, Steve Rogers decides to become a superhero again. But he wants to adopt a different identity. So, to that end, Steve travels to the Carter estate to design a new costume and pick a new name. Say hello to the Nomad! Meanwhile elsewhere in Virginia, Madame Hydra returns to the terrorist scene after a long absence. Her first act is killing the original Viper, so she can take his name for herself! Then she assumes command of the Serpent Squad to advance her brand of nihilism. Hours later in Washington D.C., the former Captain America and the former Madame Hydra cross paths...and put their new noms de guerre to the test! Nomad vs. the Serpent Squad! What a start for the new hero! First appearance of Hugh Jones. First mention of the Roxxon Oil Corporation. Cameo appearances by the Falcon, Roscoe Simons, Sharon Carter, Harrison Carter, and Warlord Krang. (Notes: Madame Hydra previously appeared in Captain America 113. The cover shows Nomad's color scheme as blue & red; however, it's actually blue & yellow inside. The letters page contains Marvel Value Stamp series A #61 The Red Ghost by Jack Kirby. This issue was reprinted in 2006 in the trade paperback: Captain America and the Falcon Nomad. The TPB collects issues 177 thru 186.) 36 pages. Cover price $0.25.

Ghost Rider (1973 1st Series) 9 VG/FN 5.0

"The Hell-Bound Hero!" Story by Tony Isabella. Art by Jim Mooney and Sal Trapani. Cover by Gil Kane. Mephisto (as Satan) arrives on Earth to claim Johnny Blaze's immortal soul, but who is this mysterious stranger that has other plans? 32 pages, FC. NOTE: Marvel Value Stamp #81: Rhino. Cover price $0.25.

Marvel Spotlight (1971 1st Series) 19 CGC 9.4

Paper: White

Label #4719573023

Cover pencils by Gil Kane. Demon, Demon--Who's Got the Demon?, script by Steve Gerber, pencils by Gene Colan, inks by Mike Esposito; Daimon battles the Allatou-possessed Alan Manners; the demon possesses Melissa and tortures her; the demon possesses Daniel. The letters page contains Marvel Value Stamp series A # 14 (The Living Mummy). 36 pages, full color. Cover price $0.25.

Master of Kung Fu (1974 Marvel) 23 CBCS 9.4

Paper: White

"Exceptional White" Pages.

Label #22-44BA0C2-069

"River of Death!" Part 1 of 2. Script by Doug Moench, pencils by Al Milgrom, inks by Klaus Janson. The former British Foreign Service agent Black Jack Tarr is back and he wants Shang Chi's help. The two uneasy partners must travel to South America to stop Chi's sinister father, Fu Manchu, from forming an alliance with a Nazi war criminal. The letters page includes Marvel Value Stamp series A # 97 (The Black Knight). Cover price $0.25.

Savage Sword of Conan (1974 Marvel) 3 VG+ 4.5

Conan stars in "At the Mountains of the Moon-God." Script by Roy Thomas, pencils by John Buscema, inks by Pablo Marcos. Conan also stars in "Demons of the Summit." Script by Thomas, art by Tony DeZuniga. Adapted from the story by Bjorn Nyberg. Blackmark stars in "The Testing of Blackmark." Script and art by Gil Kane (art assist by Neal Adams); reprints chapter 3 of the Bantam Books paperback. Kull stars in "Kull of Atlantis." Text by Robert E. Howard (from the story "Exile of Atlantis"), art by Barry Windsor-Smith. Article about Kull, "The First Barbarian," by Lin Carter with illustrations by John Severin. Letter to the editor from writer Harlan Ellison. Alfredo Alcala frontispiece. Michael Kaluta cover. Cover price $1.00.

Swamp Thing (1972 1st Series) 13 CGC 9.4

Paper: White

Label #4367706013

"The Leviathan Conspiracy." A government scientist, Matt Cable, Abby Arcane, and Jefferson bolt kidnap Swamp Thing and haul him to Washington, D.C. for examination and possible destruction. Script by Len Wein, art by Nestor Redondo. Cover by Redondo. Cover price $0.20.

Uncanny X-Men (1963 1st Series) 91 VG 4.0

Water spotting.

Cover pencils by John Buscema. The Torch is Passed...!, script by Roy Thomas and Stan Lee, pencils by George Tuska and Steve Ditko, inks by John Tartaglione; The X-Men attend Professor X's funeral and are surprised when Quicksilver shows up; Returning to the mansion, the X-Men are greeted by a posthumous message from Xavier passing the torch on to his students; Quicksilver returns to Magneto's lair and is plagied with doubt about leaving the Avengers to rejoin his old master but fears for his sister's health; The X-Men lay a trap and attack Magneto and his Brotherhood but the bad guys quickly gain the upper hand; reprinted from issue 42. Journey's End, script by Stan Lee, art by Steve Ditko; A crook ends up killing a night watchman and flees into the past in a time machine where he has a violent encounter with the machine's creator; reprinted from Amazing Adult Fantasy #7. 36 pgs. $0.25. Cover price $0.25.

Werewolf by Night (1972 1st Series) 24 CGC 7.0

Paper: White

Label #4030888023

Marvel Value Stamp. Cover pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Al Milgrom. The Dark Side of Evil, script by Doug Moench, pencils by Don Perlin, inks by Vince Colletta; after the Werewolf has battled Atlas, Jack Russell returns to his apartment, but learns he's been evicted; later, the cops trap the Werewolf. 36 pgs. $0.25. Cover price $0.25.