| Slot: |
June 1964 |
| Item Description: |
Tales to Astonish 56 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.6 |
| Research: |
View Comic |
Owner Comments
Issue: Tales To Astonish #56
Publisher: Marvel
Cover date: 6/64
Cover art: Jack Kirby pencils, Chic Stone inking
Contents:
Story title: "The Coming of the Magician!"
Feature: Ant-Man/Giant-Man
18 pages
Notable guest appearances:
First appearance of The Magician
Script and editing: Stan Lee
Interior pencils: Dick Ayers
Interior inks: Dick Ayers
Lettering: Sam Rosen
Story title: "Beware the Bog Beast!"
Feature: The Wasp
5 pages
Plot: Stan Lee
Script: Larry Lieber
Interior pencils: Larry Lieber
Interior inks: Paul Reinman
Lettering: Artie Simek
Copy specifics: Unrestored 9.6 ow/w pages
2nd highest graded, 1 graded higher in 9.8
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| Slot: |
February 1965 |
| Item Description: |
Patsy Walker 119 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.6 |
| Research: |
View Comic |
Owner Comments
Issue: Patsy Walker #119
Publisher: Marvel
Cover date: 2/65
Cover art: Sol Brodsky
Contents:
Story title: "Patsy's Secret Boyfriend"
Feature: Patsy Walker
18 pages
Script and editing: Stan Lee
Interior pencils: Sol Brodsky
Interior inks: Sol Brodsky
Copy specifics: Unrestored 9.6 w pages
Lone highest graded!!!
|
| Slot: |
November 1965 |
| Item Description: |
Millie the Model Annual 4 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.8 |
| Research: |
View Comic |
Owner Comments
Issue: Millie the Model Annual #4
Publisher: Marvel
Cover date: 11/64
Cover art: Stan Goldberg
Contents:
Story title: "My Dreams Have Wings"
Feature: Millie the Model
5 pages
Script: Al Hartley & Stan Lee
Interior pencils: Stan Goldberg
Interior inks: Stan Goldberg
Lettering: Sam Rosen
Story title: "Paris is for Lovers"
Feature: Millie the Model
8 pages
Script: Al Hartley & Stan Lee
Interior pencils: Stan Goldberg
Interior inks: Stan Goldberg
Lettering: Sam Rosen
Story title: "Incident in Italy"
Feature: Millie the Model
8 pages
Script: Al Hartley & Stan Lee
Interior pencils: Stan Goldberg
Interior inks: Stan Goldberg
Lettering: Sam Rosen
Story title: "Millie's Mysterious Man .... in India"
Feature: Millie the Model
8 pages
Script: Al Hartley & Stan Lee
Interior pencils: Stan Goldberg
Interior inks: Stan Goldberg
Lettering: Sam Rosen
Story title: "Triangle in Tokyo"
Feature: Millie the Model
8 pages
Script: Al Hartley & Stan Lee
Interior pencils: Stan Goldberg
Interior inks: Stan Goldberg
Lettering: Sam Rosen
Story title: "Carnival in the Caribbean"
Feature: Millie the Model
8 pages
Script: Al Hartley & Stan Lee
Interior pencils: Stan Goldberg
Interior inks: Stan Goldberg
Lettering: Sam Rosen
Copy specifics: Unrestored 9.8 w pages
Highest graded!!!
This census topping QUEEN SIZE annual is tied with only one other copy (which has lesser page quality) as the best in the world after 24 years of CGC grading!!! It's another Stan Lee and Stan G extravaganza!!!
|
| Slot: |
December 1965 |
| Item Description: |
Strange Tales 139 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.6 |
| Research: |
View Comic |
Owner Comments
Issue: Strange Tales #139
Publisher: Marvel
Cover date: 12/65
Cover art: Jack Kirby pencils, Joe Sinnott inking
Contents:
Story title: "The Brave Die Hard"
Feature: Nick Fury
12 pages
Script: Stan Lee
Interior pencils: Jack Kirby
Interior inks: Joe Sinnott
Lettering: Artie Simek
Story title: "Beware ... Dormammu Is Watching"
Feature: Doctor Strange
10 pages
Script: Stan Lee
Interior pencils: Steve Ditko
Interior inks: Steve Ditko
Lettering: Artie Simek
Copy specifics: Unrestored 9.6 w pages
2nd highest graded, 1 graded higher in 9.8
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| Slot: |
February 1966 |
| Item Description: |
Patsy and Hedy 104 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.8 |
| Research: |
View Comic |
Owner Comments
Issue: Patsy and Hedy #104
Publisher: Marvel
Cover date: 2/66
Cover art: Al Hartley
Contents:
Story title: "No More Tears"
Feature: Patsy Walker, Hedy Wolfe
18 pages
Script: Roy Thomas
Interior pencils: Al Hartley
Interior inks: John Tartaglione
Copy specifics: Unrestored 9.8 ow pages
Highest graded copy!!!
|
| Slot: |
February 1966 |
| Item Description: |
Rawhide Kid 50 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.8 |
| Research: |
View Comic |
Owner Comments
Issue: Rawhide Kid #50
Publisher: Marvel
Cover date: 2/66
Cover art: Larry Lieber pencils, Carl Hubbell inking
Contents:
Story title: "The Menacing Masquerader Strikes Again"
Feature: Rawhide Kid
17 pages
Script: Larry Lieber
Interior pencils: Larry Lieber
Interior inks: Carl Hubbell
Lettering: Sam Rosen
Story title: "Too Frightened to Fight"
Feature: Rawhide Kid
5 pages
Script: Stan Lee
Interior pencils: Paul Reinman
Interior inks: Paul Reinman
Lettering: Sam Rosen
Copy specifics: Unrestored 9.8 ow/w pages
Highest Graded Copy!!!
|
| Slot: |
February 1966 |
| Item Description: |
Tales of Suspense 74 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.6 |
| Research: |
View Comic |
Owner Comments
Issue: Tales of Suspense #74
Publisher: Marvel
Cover date: 2/66
Cover art: Jack Kirby pencils, Mike Esposito inking
Contents:
Story title: "If This Guilt Be Mine --"
Feature: Iron Man
12 pages
Script: Stan Lee
Interior pencils: Gene Colan
Interior inks: Jack Abel
Lettering: Artie Simek
Story title: "The Final Sleep!"
Feature: Captain America
10 pages
Script: Stan Lee
Interior pencils: Jack Kirby
Interior inks: George Tuska
Lettering: Artie Simek
Copy specifics: Unrestored 9.6 ow pages
2nd highest graded, 14 graded higher in 9.8
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| Slot: |
March 1966 |
| Item Description: |
Amazing Spider-Man 34 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.6 |
| Research: |
View Comic |
Owner Comments
Issue: Amazing Spider-Man #34
Publisher: Marvel
Cover date: 3/66
Cover art: Steve Ditko
Contents:
Story title: "The Thrill of the Hunt"
Feature: Spider-Man
20 pages
Script: Stan Lee
Plot: Steve Ditko
Interior pencils: Steve Ditko
Interior inks: Steve Ditko
Lettering: Sam Rosen
Copy specifics: Unrestored 9.6 w pages
2nd highest graded, 7 in 9.8
Pedigree: Twin Cities
|
| Slot: |
March 1966 |
| Item Description: |
Two-Gun Kid 80 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.6 |
| Research: |
View Comic |
Owner Comments
Issue: Two-Gun Kid #80
Publisher: Marvel
Cover date: 3/66
Cover art: Dick Ayers pencils, Mike Esposito inking
Contents:
Story title: "Showdown with Billy the Kid!"
Feature: Two-Gun Kid
17 pages
Notable guest appearances:
Billy the Kid
Script: Steve Skeates
Interior pencils: Dick Ayers
Interior inks: Mike Esposito
Lettering: Steve Desmond
Story title: "Gunslinger"
5 pages
Script: Stan Lee
Interior pencils: Paul Reinman
Interior inks: Paul Reinman
Copy specifics: Unrestored 9.6 w pages
2nd highest graded, 1 graded higher in 9.8
|
| Slot: |
May 1966 |
| Item Description: |
Amazing Spider-Man 36 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.6 |
| Research: |
View Comic |
Owner Comments
Issue: Amazing Spider-Man #36
Publisher: Marvel
Cover date: 5/66
Cover art: Steve Ditko
Contents:
Story title: "When Falls the Meteor"
Feature: Spider-Man
20 pages
Notable guest appearances:
Gwen Stacy
Flash Thompson
Script and editing: Stan Lee
Plot: Steve Ditko
Cover art: Steve Ditko
Interior pencils: Steve Ditko
Interior inks: Steve Ditko
Lettering: Art Simek
Copy specifics: Unrestored 9.6 ow/w pages
2nd highest graded (2 graded higher when purchased).
Story synopsis:
The story opens with a meteor falling from the sky and a man hot on its trail. Upon reaching it, he reveals his notion that meteors contain microscopic living matter and that this meteor may contain the secrets of the universe! However, upon trying to obtain financing to fund his research, he finds that fellow scientists and banks alike do not share his vision. As he mutters to himself (and us) that the rest of the world is just jealous of his genius, he decides to just "chip away on his own" hoping for a lucky break on the recovered meteor ... that's right, Norton G. Fester is going it alone! He doesn't chip long, as by the second panel, he's blasted in the face by a pocket of meteor gas! It takes him down for a few panels until he starts to come around ... but, he feels strange ... different. Trying to regain his feet, he hoists a fallen cabinet that must weigh "at least a hundred pounds" to which he marvels at and must try something else (in this case, a heavy safe that just happens to be handily nearby). He proclaims that he's a failure no more! After a brief series of strength and agility tests, he sets about to hatch a plan to obtain the wealth that he so rightly deserves!
It's at this point that we catch up with our web swinging pal (and the mags namesake) in his civilian guise of Peter Parker. There are a few pages of Pete and the gang, where Gwen finds him to be acting like a snob, but this is a villain profile, so off we go to the Midtown Bank to find The Looter (covered from head to toe in a flashy new costume), and he appears to be making an unauthorized withdrawal. We get some handy thought balloons to let us know how impressed Norton is with himself! He scoops up some cash and uses his Dazzle Light to temporarily blind his fellow banking customers as he makes a clean getaway!
Over the next few days, The Looter begins a crime wave that only strengthens his greed and need to feed it. By this time, news of The Looter's exploits has reached our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, as we find him searching for this Looter character and his Dazzle Light, without having any luck. Speaking of luck, we find Norton discovering that his meteor has no more gas left inside it and he begins to worry about his power fading and having no meteor gas to replenish it. He MUST find a replacement meteor! Just then, we find Peter Parking heading into the Space Exhibit to kill some time before he looks for The Looter once more. Oh, there's Gwen Stacy, walking in somewhat behind Peter. Gwen shadows Peter when all of the sudden, The Looter appears to grab a meteorite fragment!!! Peter runs to change into Spidey but Gwen thinks he's a coward (poor Pete). Spider-Man makes the scene before The Looter can grab the meteorite and they have a four page battle that finds The Looter getting away, but without the prize he was there for.
The next few pages have Gwen and the E.S.U. gang hating on Peter, while Norton G. Fester is cooling his heels and devising a new plan to acquire a certain meteorite. He decides to wait until they're ready to move the exhibit to strike, but Spider-Man has also thought of that and they face off once again. This is where Ditko's mastery of all things spider-like treat us to all of the twisting and flipping, leaping and contorting Spidey action we've grown accustomed to, as The Looter illudes Spidey's grasp and makes his getaway by launching a helium balloon with his new meteorite along for the ride! Of course, Spider-Man climbs the building in pursuit and springs off of a flagpole to catch The Looter as he rises higher and higher! Their two-page mid-air battle concludes with Spidey landing a devastating haymaker and knocking The Looter out cold, at which point Spidey takes the opportunity to unmask his unconscious foe. Spider-Man doesn't recognize him though and slowly reduces the air in the balloon so that the police waiting below can apprehend his vanquished villain. The story wraps up with Spidey STILL unsure of why his foe wanted that meteorite. Oh well, perhaps he'll find out in a later adventure.
My opinion: As Spidey tales go, I found this to be an enjoyable enough stand-alone story with a fairly well-balanced amount of action and background storytelling to move this tale to a conclusion and further the characters long-term storyline. As villains go, The Looter or Meteor Man is no Green Goblin, but he's colorful and entertaining enough to have kept me turning pages. Ditko's artwork was a real treat (as usual) and getting this one last masked Spidey villain shows us just how creative he was, even with one foot already out the door.
|
| Slot: |
June 1966 |
| Item Description: |
Marvel Collectors' Item Classics 3 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.6 |
| Research: |
View Comic |
Owner Comments
Issue: Marvel Collectors' Item Classics #3
Publisher: Marvel
Cover date: 6/66
Cover art: ?
Contents:
Story title: "The Coming of... Sub-Mariner"
Feature: Fantastic Four
23 pages
Script: Stan Lee
Interior pencils: Jack Kirby
Interior inks: Sol Brodsky
Reprinted from: Fantastic Four #4 1962
Story title: "Iron Man Versus Gargantus"
Feature: Iron Man
13 pages
Plot: Stan Lee
Script: Robert Bernstein
Interior pencils: Jack Kirby
Interior inks: Don Heck
Lettering: Artie Simek
Reprinted from Tales of Suspense #40 1963
Story title: "Dr. Strange Master of Black Magic"
Feature: Dr. Strange
5 pages
Script: Stan Lee
Interior pencils: Steve Ditko
Interior inks: Steve Ditko
Lettering: Terry Szenics
Reprinted from Strange Tales #110 1963
Story title: "The Saga of the Sneepers"
Feature: Watcher
5 pages
Script: Stan Lee
Interior pencils: Larry Lieber
Interior inks: George Roussos
Reprinted from Tales of Suspense #49 1964
Story title: "Banished to Outer Space"
Feature: Hulk
11 pages
Script: Stan Lee
Interior pencils: Jack Kirby
Interior inks: Dick Ayers
Lettering: Artie Simek
Reprinted from Incredible Hulk #3 1962
Copy specifics: Unrestored 9.6 ow/w page
2nd highest graded, 5 graded higher in 9.8
|
| Slot: |
June 1966 |
| Item Description: |
Modeling with Millie 47 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.6 |
| Research: |
View Comic |
Owner Comments
Issue: Modeling with Millie #47
Publisher: Marvel
Cover date: 6/66
Cover art: Stan Goldberg
Contents:
Story title: "Holiday at Cape Cod"
Feature: Millie the Model
18 pages
Script: Dennis O'Neil
Interior pencils: Stan Goldberg
Interior inks: Stan Goldberg
Lettering: Sam Rosen
Copy specifics: Unrestored 9.6 ow pages
Highest graded copy!!!
|
| Slot: |
June 1966 |
| Item Description: |
Strange Tales 145 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.6 |
| Research: |
View Comic |
Owner Comments
Issue: Strange Tales #145
Publisher: Marvel
Cover date: 6/66
Cover art: Jack Kirby pencils, Mike Esposito inks
Contents:
Story title: "Lo! The Eggs Shall Hatch"
Feature: Nick Fury
12 pages
Script: Stan Lee
Interior pencils: Don Heck
Interior inks: Mike Esposito
Letterer: Sam Rosen
Story title: "To Catch a Magician"
Feature: Doctor Strange
10 pages
Script: Dennis O'Neil
Interior pencils: Steve Ditko
Interior inks: Steve Ditko
Letterer: Artie Simek
Copy specifics: Unrestored 9.6 w pages
2nd highest graded, 2 graded higher in 9.8
Pedigree: Twin Cities
|
| Slot: |
August 1966 |
| Item Description: |
Marvel Collectors' Item Classics 4 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.6 |
| Research: |
View Comic |
Owner Comments
Issue: Marvel Collectors' Item Classics #3
Publisher: Marvel
Cover date: 6/66
Cover art: ?
Contents:
Story title: "Prisoners of Kurrgo, Master of Planet X"
Feature: Fantastic Four
24 pages
Script: Stan Lee
Interior pencils: Jack Kirby
Interior inks: Dick Ayers
Reprinted from: Fantastic Four #7 1962
Story title: "The Stronghold of Doctor Strange"
Feature: Iron Man
13 pages
Plot: Stan Lee
Script: Robert Bernstein
Interior pencils: Jack Kirby
Interior inks: Dick Ayers
Lettering: Martin Epp
Reprinted from Tales of Suspense #41 1963
Story title: "Face to Face with the Magic of Baron Mordo"
Feature: Dr. Strange
6 pages
Script: Stan Lee
Interior pencils: Steve Ditko
Interior inks: Steve Ditko
Lettering: Terry Szenics
Reprinted from Strange Tales #111 1963
Story title: "The Monster and the Machine"
Feature: Hulk
14 pages
Script: Stan Lee
Interior pencils: Jack Kirby
Interior inks: Dick Ayers
Letterer: Artie Simek
Reprinted from Incredible Hulk #4 1962
Copy specifics: Unrestored 9.6 w pages
2nd highest graded, 5 graded higher in 9.8
|
| Slot: |
August 1966 |
| Item Description: |
Tales of Suspense 80 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.6 |
| Research: |
View Comic |
Owner Comments
Issue: Tales of Suspense #74
Publisher: Marvel
Cover date: 8/66
Cover art: Jack Kirby pencils, Don Heck inking
Contents:
Story title: "When Fall the Mighty"
Feature: Iron Man
12 pages
Script: Stan Lee
Interior pencils: Gene Colan
Interior inks: Jack Abel
Lettering: Artie Simek
Story title: "He Who Holds the Cosmic Cube"
Feature: Captain America
10 pages
Script: Stan Lee
Interior pencils: Jack Kirby
Interior inks: Don Heck
Lettering: Artie Simek
Copy specifics: Unrestored 9.6 ow/w pages
2nd highest graded, 14 graded higher in 9.8
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