Auctions: comic books 1963, graded by CGC

Detective Comics (1937 1st Series) 318 CGC 3.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4378799022

Cover art by Dick Dillin and Sheldon Moldoff. "The Cat-Man Strikes Back" starring Batman, Robin, and Ace the Bat-Hound, pencils by Jim Mooney, inks by Jim Mooney , Sheldon Moldoff, and Mike Esposito; The Cat-Man returns to bedevil Gotham City, Batman and Robin with new crimes, based on famous fictional cats; After his first crime, Cat-Man saves Batwoman's life and tells her he'd like to have her as her partner, before leaving the crime scene; During Cat-Man's second crime, Batwoman makes a mistake that causes Batman and Robin to be unable to capture Cat-Man; Batman thinks that Batwoman did that on purpose to repay the criminal for saving her life and Batwoman decides to leave Batman and join Cat-Man. True Crime Laffs humor page by Henry Boltinoff. How Not to Enjoy a Vacation! public service announcement, script by Jack Schiff, art by Ruben Moreira. The Fantastic Forgers!' article. "J'onn J'onzz's Enemy—Zook" starring John Jones Manhunter from Mars, story and art by Joe Certa; Zook gets amnesia and falls into the hands of criminals. 32 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Fantastic Four (1961 1st Series) 20 CGC 5.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4348798001

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by George Roussos. Origin and first appearance of the Molecule Man in "The Mysterious Molecule Man!", script by Stan Lee, pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers; The Watcher asks the Fantastic Four to stop a new menace who could destroy the whole universe: the Molecule Man. House ad for Tales To Astonish #49, art by Don Heck. The letters page contains a letter to the editor from George R. R. Martin, best known for the series 'A Song of Ice and Fire,' which HBO's 'A Game of Thrones' is based on (his first time published in print!), as well as a letter from then 10-year-old Mark Gruenwald, who identifies himself as the secretary of the Fantastic Four Fan Club (the Oshkosh contingent, anyway). Cover price $0.12.

Fantastic Four (1961 1st Series) Annual 1 CGC 3.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4063310022

72-page giant. New Sub-Mariner/FF story: "Sub-Mariner Versus the Human Race!" Script by Stan Lee; pencils by Jack Kirby; inks by Dick Ayers. New Spider-Man/FF story: "The Fabulous Fantastic Four Meet Spider-Man!" Script by Stan Lee; pencils by Kirby; inks by Steve Ditko. Fourteen pages new pin-ups and special features by Kirby/Sol Brodsky. Thirteen-page Fantastic Four origin reprinted from FF #1 Cover price $0.25.

Flash (1959 1st Series DC) 139 CGC 6.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4388997014

Cover pencils by Carmine Infantino, inks by Murphy Anderson. 1st appearance of Reverse Flash in Menace of the Reverse Flash, script by John Broome, pencils by Carmine Infantino, inks by Joe Giella; A time capsule sent directly to the future results in the creation of a new menace for the Flash...Professor Zoom, the Reverse-Flash. Palisades Amusement Park ad with Superman. 36 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.12.

Green Lantern (1960 2nd Series DC) 18 CGC 8.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4327564011

Cover pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Joe Giella. World of Perilous Traps!, script by John Broome, pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Joe Giella; In their last encounter, Sinestro implanted a telpathic command into Hal Jordan's mind, which causes him to release Sinestro from his imprisonment; Sinestro then transports Hal to Qward for a battle, where Hal tricks him into thinking he no longer has his Green Lantern Ring and then imprisons Sinestro again. Touchdown for Picasso! public service announcement, script by Jack Schiff, art by Sheldon Moldoff. Green Lantern Vs. Power Ring!, script by John Broome, pencils by Gil Kane (pencils pages 1-6; layouts pages 7-12) and Mike Sekowsky (pencils pages 7-12) inks by Joe Giella; During a series of distance control tests, Bill Baggett finds Hal Jordans ring and uses it for destruction before Hal overcomes him through willpower and regains the ring. 32 pgs. $0.12. Cover price $0.12.

House of Secrets (1956 1st Series) 61 CGC 5.0

Paper: Off white

Label #4275950001

Cover art by Lee Elias. "Doctor-7, King of the Supernatural," art by Mort Meskin; Doctor-7 finds a way to hypnotize Mark Merlin into stealing the ingredients he needs for his magic potions, but he is eventually outwitted by Merlin. The Strange Lives of Batman and Robin ad. "A Tree Grows on Second Street!" public service announcement, script by Jack Schiff, art by Sheldon Moldoff; The Badger Club learns about the rules for planting trees along the streets in their town. "Eclipso, the Genius Who Fought Himself," script by Bob Haney, art by Lee Elias; Bruce Gordon becomes Eclipso for the first time, destroying Solar City, and with the help of Professor Bennett, discovers explains how he was transformed into Eclipso during a solar eclipse. Brief biography of artist Lee Elias. 2/3-page Moolah the Mystic story by Henry Boltinoff. 36 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.12.

Our Army at War (1952) 128 CGC 6.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4388597014

Cover art by Joe Kubert. The Battle of the Sergeants starring Sgt. Rock, script by Bob Kanigher, art by Joe Kubert. Rock battles Sgt. Krupp. The Ghost Patrol, script by Hank Chapman, art by Irv Novick. 36 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.12.

Sgt. Fury (1963) 1 CGC 1.8

Paper: Off white to white

Slab: Minor side/edge crack(s)

Label #4188703006

First appearance of Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandoes. Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers. Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos, script by Stan Lee, pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers; The Commandos are ordered to rescue the Underground leader, captured by the nazis, before he reveals the date of D-Day. 36 pgs. $0.12. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951-1976 1st Series) 104 CGC 6.0

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4375737008

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers. First appearance of Paste-Pot Pete (later called the Trapster) in "Paste-Pot Pete!", script by Stan Lee (plot) and Larry Lieber (script), pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers; Human Torch stops Paste-Pot Pete from stealing an experimental missile from the military. "Venus!" text story. "Markham's Magic Crayon!", script by Stan Lee (plot) and Larry Lieber (script), art by Paul Reinman; A greedy factory owner fires a worker who claims to have made a magic crayon; He finds that the crayon really is magic, giving him the ability to draw fabulously. "The Frog-Man!", script by Stan Lee, art by Steve Ditko; An evil king is turned into a frog by a sorcerer; He hibernates for centuries hoping that the future will hold a cure, but Halloween costumes make him think that humans are now giant frogs and he goes to sleep forever. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951-1976 1st Series) 115 CGC 5.5

Paper: Off white

Label #1362288007

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Steve Ditko. Dr. Strange's 4th appearance finally provides his origin in "The Origin of Dr. Strange," script by Stan Lee (co-plot, script) and Steve Ditko (co-plot, un-credited), art by Steve Ditko; Dr. Stephen Strange, a top neurosurgeon, damages his hands in an accident and seeks out a mystic for help; He saves the seer from his treacherous student, becoming his pupil and finding a new purpose; First mentions of Dormammu and the All-Seeing Agamotto (though no actual appearances). Baron Mordo appearance. Second appearance (and brief origin) of the Sandman in "The Sandman Strikes!", script by Stan Lee (co-plot, script) and Dick Ayers (co-plot, un-credited), art by Dick Ayers; The Human Torch fights and defeats Spider-Mans old enemy Sandman. "Zero of Time" text story. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Superman (1939 1st Series) 160 CGC 5.0

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4385447007

Cover art by Kurt Schaffenberger. The Mortal Superman! [chapter 1] starring Rocks Haney, script by Leo Dorfman, art by Al Plastino; Superman loses his powers and is vulnerable to his enemies. The Cage of Doom! [chapter 2]. The Super-Cop of Metropolis! starring Superman, Krypto (guest appearance), Jimmy Olsen, and Perry White, script by Jerry Siegel, pencils by Curt Swan, inks by George Klein. 36 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.12.

Superman (1939 1st Series) 161 CGC 6.5

Paper: White

Label #4385447008

Cover pencils by Curt Swan, inks by George Klein. The Last Days of Ma and Pa Kent!, script by Leo Dorfman, art by Al Plastino; On the anniversary of his adoptive parents' deaths, Superman recalls how he, as Superboy, sent his parents on a Caribbean cruise on which they contracted the fever plague and died. Superman Goes To War! starring Supergirl and the Zhorians, script by Edmond Hamilton, pencils by Curt Swan, inks by George Klein. 36 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.12.

Superman (1939 1st Series) 164 CGC 6.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4385447009

Cover pencils by Curt Swan, inks by George Klein. The Showdown Between Luthor and Superman! [part 1], script by Edmond Hamilton, pencils by Curt Swan, inks by George Klein; When Luthor escapes from jail, he challenges Superman to meet him in a fair fight without his super powers. The Super-Duel! [part 2]; While Superman struggles to survive, Luthor meets the few remaining inhabitants of the planet and becomes their hero when he reactivates their scientific machines and temporarily solves their water shortage problem. The Fugitive From the Phantom Zone! starring Superman and Ras-Krom, script by Jerry Siegel, art by Al Plastino. 36 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.12.

Tales of Suspense (1959) 46 CGC 4.0

Paper: Cream to off white

Label #4254540017

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers. "Iron Man Faces the Crimson Dynamo!", script by Stan Lee (plot) and Robert Bernstein (script) (as R. Berns), art by Don Heck; Khrushchev sends the Crimson Dynamo in the United States to "wreck Stark's project and get rid of Iron Man"; Iron Man defeats the Crimson Dynamo and convinces him to defect. "The Utopia" text story. "The Gargoyles," script by Stan Lee, art by Steve Ditko; A man discovers a race of creatures that come up from below ground that the African natives base their wood carvings upon; Since they keep their presence secret, the man worries they mean humanity harm, but everyone he speaks to refuses to believe his fantastic tale. "Mr. Flubb's Flashlight," script by Stan Lee, art by Sol Brodsky; A lazy and incompetent reporter saves a stranger's life; When he's offered a flashlight as a reward he is offended and turns it down, so the stranger uses the light (a transporter) to return to Alpha Centauri. 36 pages, full color. Cover price $0.12.