Auctions: comic books in 'Giant-Sized Issue'

Captain America (1968 1st Series) 143 FN- 5.5

"Power to the People" Double-Sized issue. Script by Gary Friedrich. Art by John Romita Sr. Cover by John Romita Sr. (pencils & inks). Leila Taylor invites Sam Wilson to attend a rally in Harlem -- sponsored by a group called the people's Militia. Reluctantly, Sam agrees to go with her. However once there, he's taken aback by the speakers at the rally...who are wearing masks and spewing hate! Unfortunately, the group's call for violence is answered, and rioting begins in the streets! The Sentinel of Liberty and the Falcon try to halt the civil unrest, but soon realize they must focus on the leader of the People's Militia instead. And the leader so happens to be an expert on hate: the Red Skull. Godspeed to Cap and the Falcon! Appearances by Nick Fury, Dum Dum Dugan, Brian Muldoon, Sharon Carter, and Redwing. (Notes: The Red Skull previously appeared in Astonishing Tales (1970) #4 and #5. The Falcon's new costume is previewed in the cover logo. It will debut next issue. The letters page includes a short essay explaining the cover price increase to 25¢.) 48 pages. Cover price $0.25.

Detective Comics (1937 1st Series) 526 CBCS 9.8

Paper: White

Direct Edition

Label #19-2A91623-053

View items consigned by SlabSmart: all items, auctions only

This special 68-page square-bound giant edition commemorates Batman's 500th appearance in Detective Comics. The lead story for this issue, "All My Enemies Against Me!" kicks off with an impressive two-page splash featuring a rogue's gallery of Batman's greatest foes--17 of Gotham's worst villains. The Joker isn't depicted only because he arrives late to the council of criminals. It's one wild, book-length saga as Batman, Robin and Batgirl mix it up with the 17, plus the Joker, Catwoman and Killer Crock. This enjoyable story is written by Gerry Conway with impresive art by Don Newton and skilled inking from Alfredo Alcala. Cover price $1.50.

Brave and the Bold (1955 1st Series DC) 100 FN- 5.5

Giant-size issue. Cover by Nick Cardy. "The Warrior in a Wheel-Chair," script by Bob Haney, art by Jim Aparo; When Batman is struck by a snipers bullet, only the skilled surgeon Dr. Hellstrom can save his life, however the doctor has to travel to Gotham from Zürich; Meanwhile, Batman is in a weakened condition right at a critical point in his mission to bus the latest shipment of Cocaine into Gotham City; Unable to finish the job himself at risk of killing himself, Batman enlists the aid of Robin, Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Green Lantern to help him; He sends the group out to seek out his leads however, each and every single one leads to a dead end; When Batman is undergoing is surgery, the lead surgeon is revealed not to be Dr. Hellstrom, but the drug lord Belknap, who has taken Hellstrom's place to try and kill Batman on the operating table. Reprint back-up story: "Hide and Seek," script by Jack Miller, art by Neal Adams; Deadman seeks to learn what has happened to the police detective assigned to his case; He discovers that the detective, Michael Riley, has been falsely accused of brutally beating a thief who had already surrendered to him, and has been kicked off the force. Letter from comics writer Bob Rozakis. 52 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.25.

Batman (1940) 234 VG+ 4.5

Batman stars in the story "Half an Evil" which is the first appearance of the Silver-Age Two Face. Script by Denny O' Neil, pencils by Neal Adams, inks by Dick Giordano. Robin stars in the story "Vengeance for a Cop." Script by Mike Friedrich, pencils by Irv Novick, inks by Giordano. Reprint: 1964 story "Trail of the Talking Mask" which introduces the "new look" for Batman, symbolized by the addition of an oval around the bat-insignia. Script by Gardner Fox, pencils by Carmine Infantino, and inks by Joe Giella. Letter to the editor from comics writer Bob Rozakis (misspelled "Razakis"). Adams cover. 52 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.25.

Brave and the Bold (1955 1st Series DC) 200 FN- 5.5

64-page giant. Cover by Jim Aparo. Final issue of the series-1st Appearance of Katana, 1st appearance of Geo-Force, and 1st appearance of Halo. The Golden Age Batman stars in "Smell of Brimstone, Stench of Death!", script by Mike Barr, pencils by Dave Gibbons, inks by Dave Gibbons (1-3, 20-40) and Gary Martin (4-19); The story explains how 2 different personas for Brimstone exist: Both aware somehow of each others' existences on a spiritual level; In 1955, on Earth-2, Brimstone's defeated by Batman and sent to prison, but later transfers his 'spiritual' essence to his doppelganger on Earth-1 in 1983 to restart his criminal empire; He learns of a Batman on this world, but is also defeated here by him; When his essence returns to its own body, it is a vegetable by this time, trapping him there for the rest of his natural life, while his 'good' Earth-1 counterpart is unaware of what happened. The contemporary Batman stars in "Hell on Earth!", script by Barr, art by Gibbons. Back-up story: 1st appearance of Batman and the Outsiders in a 16-page sneak preview, script by Barr, art by Jim Aparo. One-page Bat-Mite strip by Stephen DeStefano. 68 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $1.50.

Adventure Comics (1938 1st Series) 419 VF 8.0

48-page giant. Cover art by Bob Oksner. The Thief Who Loved Supergirl, script by John Albano, pencils by Tony DeZuniga, inks by Bob Oksner. Circle of Doom Part Two starring Black Canary, script by Denny O'Neil, art by Alex Toth; Black Canary battles The Catwoman. A Nightmare Called Gorgonus! starring Zatanna and Gorgonus, script by Len Wein, art by Dick Giordano. Dead Man's Hand! starring the Phantom Stranger, script by John Broome, pencils by Carmine Infantino, inks by Frank Giacoia. Beauty vs. the Beast starring Enchantress, script by Bob Haney, art by Jay Scott Pike. Letters to the editor from comics writers Paul Kupperberg and David Michelinie. 52 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.25.

Batman (1940) 223 CGC 3.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4378797025

DC Giant G-73. All reprints: "City Without Guns" (from Detective 196), script by Bill Finger, pencils by Dick Sprang (as Bob Kane), inks by Charles Paris; When Bruce and Dick visit London's Scotland Yard, they are shocked to see a frame that once held a picture of Batman and Robin empty, and seek to find out why this has happened. "Batman of the Mounties" (from Batman 78), script by David Vern Reed, pencils by Bob Kane (signed, Batman & Robin figures only) and Lew Schwartz, inks by Stan Kaye; Batman and Robin are the guests for National Law Enforcement Week in Canada, but soon become involved in a manhunt with a Royal Canadian Mountie. "The Mardi Gras Mystery," script by Bill Finger, pencils by Jack Burnley (as Bob Kane), inks by Charles Paris; Batman and Robin are invited to New Orleans for the Mardi Gras festival and get involved in the hunt for a hidden treasure aboard an old abandoned paddleboat. "Journey to the Top of the World" (from Batman 93), script by Bill Finger, pencils by Dick Sprang (as Bob Kane), inks by Charles Paris; Batman and Robin are informed of the loss of valuable microfilm atop Mount K-4, which reveals the names of many members of an international crime cartel. "Around the World in 8 Days" (from Detective 248), script by Bill Finger, pencils by Dick Sprang, inks by Charles Paris; Bandits break into a hospital and steal an experimental new drug....the only one that will save a patient, and Batman & Robin only have a week to discover its location and get it back so that the man can be injected with it.. Also 14 pages of newspaper strips from 1944. 68 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.25.

Superboy (1949-1979 1st Series DC) 202 FN+ 6.5

100-page giant. New Legion of Super-Heroes stories "Lost: A Million Miles From Home" (script by Cary Bates, pencils by Dave Cockrum, inks by Mike Grell) and "The Wrath of the Devil-Fish" (script by Bates, art by Cockrum). Legion reprints: "The Legionnaire Who Killed" (script by Edmond Hamilton, pencils by Curt Swan, inks by Sheldon Moldoff and George Klein; from Adventure Comics 342), "The Super-Stalag of Space" (script by Hamilton, art by Swan/Klein; from Adventure 344), and "The Execution of Matter-Eater Lad" (script by Hamilton, art by Swan/Klein; from Adventure 345). Superboy reprint, "The Superboy of Bigville" (art by Swan/Klein; from Superboy 91). Four-page "Lore of the Legion" character profiles. Cover by Nick Cardy. Statement of ownership--average print run 533,600; average paid circulation 238,992. 100 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.60.