Auctions: comic books in 'Giant-Sized Issue'

Fantastic Four (1961 1st Series) 200 CGC 8.0

Paper: White

Label #2097290025

"When Titans Clash!" Written by Marv Wolfman. Pencils by Keith Pollard. Inks by Joe Sinnott. Cover by Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott. It's a blockbuster anniversary issue as the Fantastic Four battle Doctor Doom from Latveria to New York to stop the mad monarch's plot to rule the world! With Zorba's rebels poised to take over Latveria, Victor Von Doom leaves his homeland for New York to deliver his special gift to the United Nations. Ben, Sue, and Johnny rush to the UN building to cut off Doom's henchmen, while Mr. Fantastic and Doctor Doom wage a battle for the ages inside Doom's solartron complex! Can Reed defeat the desperate Latverian monarch and save the world? Note: The letters page includes a letter from comics historian Peter Sanderson. 52 pgs. Cover price $0.60.

Incredible Hulk (1962 Marvel 1st Series) 345 CGC 9.8

Paper: White

Label #4604976010

Direct Edition. Special extra-sized issue. "Turning Point!" Story by Peter David. Art by Todd McFarlane, Jim Sanders III, and Chris Ivy. The last two years have been building to this issue. Welcome to Middletown, a quiet little hamlet. It's citizens are like any other small town with aspirations and problems of their own. Enter: the Hulk. The Hulk and his companions have tracked down the Leader and the only thing standing in the Grey Behemoth's way is Redeemer and Rock, the super-powered former Hulkbusters. Witness the ultimate confrontation between the Hulk and one of his oldest enemies, and Middletown is caught in the middle. The ending of this one will absolutely shock you. 52 pages. Cover price $1.50.

Incredible Hulk (1962 Marvel 1st Series) 345 FN/VF 7.0

Direct Edition. Special extra-sized issue. "Turning Point!" Story by Peter David. Art by Todd McFarlane, Jim Sanders III, and Chris Ivy. The last two years have been building to this issue. Welcome to Middletown, a quiet little hamlet. It's citizens are like any other small town with aspirations and problems of their own. Enter: the Hulk. The Hulk and his companions have tracked down the Leader and the only thing standing in the Grey Behemoth's way is Redeemer and Rock, the super-powered former Hulkbusters. Witness the ultimate confrontation between the Hulk and one of his oldest enemies, and Middletown is caught in the middle. The ending of this one will absolutely shock you. 52 pages. Cover price $1.50.

Batman (1940) 237 CGC 6.0

Paper: White

Label #4652009001

Cover by Neal Adams. "Night of the Reaper!", script by Denny O'Neil, pencils by Neal Adams inks by Dick Giordano; Dick Grayson attends the annual Vermont parade on Halloween with some of his college friends; The notice some crooks attacking a man dressed as Robin and try to help him; The Reaper attacks Robin; Batman, who has been tracking an ex-Nazi war criminal to the parade, finds Robin and takes him to the house of Tom Fagan, the parade organizer. A letter from Denny O'Neil who recounts the real life events that inspired "Night of the Reaper." "The Screaming House," script by Bill Finger, pencils by Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson (backgrounds), inks by Bob Kane; While passing by an old house, the Batman hears screams and rushes in to save a man, who he soon discovers is a crook that has been double crossing his boss and who kills the thugs torturing him so there will be no witnesses; Later, the Caped Crusader learns from the dying Joey that his boss is a big time smuggler. 52 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.25.

Detective Comics (1937 1st Series) 526 FN+ 6.5

Direct Edition. 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 impressive art by Don Newton and skilled inking from Alfredo Alcala. 68 pgs. Cover price $1.50.

Wonder Woman (1942 1st Series DC) 199 VG 4.0

Water damage.

48-page giant. Cover by Jeff Jones. "Tribunal of Fear," script by Denny O'Neil, pencils by Don Heck, inks by Dick Giordano; Diana encounters Jonny Double, a private detective who prods her into a fight (which she wins) to test her prowess, and then offers her a job; Double is currently employed by nightclub magnate Fellows Dill, the "dean of beautiful women"; A fanatic religious/moralist organization called The Tribunal is out to murder him for his embodiment of values with which they disagree. Editorial by O'Neil discussing the character of Wonder Woman. "Battle of the Mermen!", script by Robert Kanigher, pencils by Ross Andru, inks by Mike Esposito; Wonder Girl and Renno battle sea-centaurs who have attacked the Mer-man world. Statement of ownership - average print run 302,500; average paid circulation 159,263. 52 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.25.

Batman (1940) 213 FN 6.0

DC Giant G-61; 30th anniversary issue. "The Origin of Robin" (new story; script by E. Nelson Bridwell, pencils by Ross Andru, inks by Mike Esposito) "Here Comes Alfred," the original origin of Alfred, from Batman no. 16 (April-May, 1943). "The Game of Death," from Star Spangled Comics no. 127 (April, 1952). "The Man Behind the Red Hood," one of the most important stories in the Batman mythos, from Detective no. 168 (February,1951). "The Challenge of Clay-Face," the origin of the second Clay-face, from Detective no. 298 (December, 1961). 68 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.25.

World's Finest (1941) 267 CGC 9.4

Paper: White

Label #4657810009

52-page giant. The Challengers of the Unknown guest star in the Superman/Batman story, "When Strike the Gravity-Masters" (script by Cary Burkett, pencils by Rich Buckler, inks by Dick Giordano), Black Canary in "With This Gun I Thee Slay" (script by Bob Haney, pencils by Trevor Eeden, inks by Vince Colletta), Red Tornado in "Future Shock" (script by J.M. DeMatteis, pencils by Jose Delbo, inks by Kim DeMulder), Hawkman in "The Insect Invasion of Midway City" (script by Bob Rozakis, pencils Alex Saviuk, inks by Rodin Rodriguez), and Captain Marvel in "Assault of the Rock Eternity" (script by E. Nelson Bridwell, pencils by Don Newton, inks by Bob Smith). Comic strip by Fred Hembeck. Buckler cover pencils, Dick Giordano cover inks. 52 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $1.00.

Batman (1940) 218 VG 4.0

Water spotting.

DC Giant G-67. All reprints: "Batman and Robin's Greatest Mystery" (from Detective 234), "the Hand From Nowhere" (from Batman 130), "The Man Who Couldn't Be Tried Twice" (from Batman 118), "The Body in the Bat-Cave" (from Batman 121), and "The League Against Batman" (from Detective 197). Also 8 pages of Batman newspaper strips. Letter to the editor from Neal Pozner. Murphy Anderson cover. 68 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.25.

Superman (1939 1st Series) 243 FN/VF 7.0

Cover pencils by Neal Adams, inks by Dick Giordano. The Starry-Eyed Siren of Space! starring Superman, Kond, and Rija, script by Cary Bates, pencils by Curt Swan, inks by Murphy Anderson. The Death-Trails of Krypton!--The Fabulous World of Krypton, script by Cary Bates, pencils by Bob Brown, inks by Murphy Anderson. Reprinted covers of Superman #1, Superboy #1, Jimmy Olsen #1, Lois Lane #1. The Battle of the Atoms! starring Superman, script by Don Cameron, pencils by Sam Citron. 36 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.25.

Detective Comics (1937 1st Series) 416 FN/VF 7.0

52-page giant issue. Cover art by Neal Adams. "Man-Bat Madness!", script and art by Frank Robbins; A series of chance occurrences leads Kirk Langstrom to relapse into his Man-Bat identity after marrying Francine Lee, and the Batman must capture him and restore him to normalcy. "The Deadly Go-Between!", script by Frank Robbins, art by Don Heck; Commissioner Gordon's friend, officer Jim McClean, has been murdered, and the Commissioner has vowed to catch his friend's killer; This prompts Barbara Gordon to do her own investigation as Batgirl. "Rex - Circus Detective!", script by Bob Kanigher, pencils by Alex Toth, inks by Sy Barry, reprinted from The Adventures of Rex the Wonder Dog #3. "The Case of the Gold Dust Death!", art by Ramona Fradon, originally printed in Gang Busters #30. Letter from author/artist Frank Robbins, who explains that the inspiration for the Man-Bat story came from fan Anthony Kowalik. 52 pgs., full color. $0.25. Cover price $0.25.

Brave and the Bold (1955 1st Series DC) 98 CGC 8.0

Paper: Off white

Label #4645782004

Giant-size issue. Cover by Nick Cardy. "Mansion of the Misbegotten!", script by Bob Haney, art by Jim Aparo; When Batman goes to visit his old friend Roger Birnam, who is dying, he promises to watch over Birnam's wife Clorinda and his son Enoch; After the funeral, when a man who posed as Birnam's doctor and as a religious articles salesman turns out at the Gotham morgue, victim of a ritual murder, Batman rushes to Birnam Towers to check on Birnam's family; Batman soon finds himself caught in a Satanic cults rituals, which involve little Enoch. Reprint back-up story (from Phantom Stranger 1, September 1952): "The Killer Shadow!" starring Phantom Stranger, script by John Broome, pencils by Carmine Infantino, inks by Sy Barry. Reprint back-up story: "One Challenger Must Die" starring the Challengers of the Unknown, script by Arnold Drake, art by Bob Brown. Article in which Jim Aparo talks about his career. 52 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.25.

Detective Comics (1937 1st Series) 489 CGC 9.4

Paper: White

Label #4668490013

68-page giant. Cover pencils by Ross Andru, inks by Dick Giordano. "Creatures of the Night!", script by J. M. DeMatteis, pencils by Irv Novick, inks by Vince Colletta; Batman and a vampire hunter named Moon the Mystic separately stalk a vampire who may be Moon himself. "When the Inmates Run the Madhouse!", script by Paul Kupperberg, pencils by Irv Novick, inks by Steve Mitchell; Commissioner Gordon enters Gotham State Prison to negotiate with rioting cons, and runs into a trap set for him alone. "The Mind Warp Mystery," script by Jack C. Harris, pencils by Don Heck, inks by Vince Colletta; Shortly after two mysterious murders, Barbara Gordon loses her memory, and Robin and Commissioner Gordon must restore it and find the secret of the memory-loss and murders. "Computer Crisis" starring The Atom, script by Bob Rozakis, pencils by Alex Saviuk, inks by Vince Colletta. "The Bogus Butlers" starring Alfred, script by Bob Rozakis, pencils by Jose Delbo, inks by Bob Smith. "Where Strike the Assassins" starring Batman and the League of Assassins, script by Denny O'Neil, pencils by Don Newton, inks by Dan Adkins. Hostess snack cakes ad with Wonder Woman, "The Borrower." 68 pgs., full color. $1.00. Cover price $1.00.

Wonder Woman (1942 1st Series DC) 211 VG- 3.5

100-page giant. Cover by Nick Cardy. New stories: "The Maniacs of Mercury," script by Robert Kanigher, pencils by Ric Estrada, inks by Vince Colletta; When a space mission in Wonder Womans robot plane goes awry, the heroine saves herself and two sister Amazons from falling into the sun by diverting their course to land them on Mercury; There they become prisoners of the giant Mercurian males, led by King Celerito, who have enslaved all their women; Rehash of Wonder Woman #26, "Speed Maniacs from Mercury." Reprints: "The Origin of the Amazon Plane!", script by Robert Kanigher, art by Harry G. Peter; Wonder Woman discovers a miniature sun in the crater of an atomic bomb test and recovers it for study in Paradise Island; The Amazons discover that an atom of uranium from the sun is really a miniature planet, controlled by female "protons" led by Queen Atomia. "Wonder Woman Amazon Teen-Ager!", script by Robert Kanigher, pencils by Ross Andru, inks by Mike Esposito; Origin of Wonder Girl's costume. "The Winning of Wonder Woman's Tiara!", script by Robert Kanigher, art by Harry G. Peter. "Wonder Tot and Mister Genie!", script by Robert Kanigher, pencils by Ross Andru, inks by Mike Esposito. "The Secret of Wonder Woman's Sandals!", script by Robert Kanigher, art by Harry G. Peter. "The Mirage Mirrors!", script by Robert Kanigher, pencils by Ross Andru, inks by Mike Esposito. Statement of ownership - average print run 313,000; average paid circulation 145,054. 100 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.60.

Detective Comics (1937 1st Series) 485 CGC 5.5

Paper: White

Label #2123175017

68-page giant. Cover by Dick Giordano. "The Vengeance Vow!", script by Denny O'Neil, pencils by Don Newton, inks by Dan Adkins; Ras Al Ghul manipulates the Sensei and the League of Assassins into killing Kathy Kane, the Batwoman; Batman seeks revenge, and comes up against the Senseis aide, the Bronze Tiger. "The Case of the Cavorting Corpse!", script by Paul Kupperberg, pencils by Kurt Schaffenberger, inks by Dave Hunt; Robin stops a group of diamond smugglers. "The Fatal Finale!", script by Len Wein, art by Steve Ditko; Baron Tyme tries to siphon energy from Etrigan but Jason Blood's friends and a magic mirror put an end to Baron Tyme. "The Case of the Untouchable Crook!" starring Batgirl, script by Jack C. Harris, pencils by Don Heck, inks by John Celardo. "SST - The Super-Sonic Threat!" starring Man-Bat, script by Bob Rozakis, pencils by Don Newton, inks by Frank McLaughlin. Back-cover Batgirl and Robin pinup by Dick Giordano. 68 pgs., full color. $1.00. Cover price $1.00.

Incredible Hulk (1962 Marvel 1st Series) 250D CGC 9.6

Paper: White

Label #4359053001

Direct Edition. Special giant-sized issue. Guest-starring Silver Surfer. A 250th celebration brought to you by Bill Mantlo and Sal Buscema. The Earth trembles when titans clash. It's the nigh unstoppable Incredible Hulk vs. the former Herald of Galactus, the Silver Surfer. Imprisoned on Earth by his former master, the Silver Surfer intends to add the immeasurable power of the Hulk to his own and break the barrier that keeps him from his home Zenn-La and his beloved. The only problem is, the Hulk has never been known for his generosity. 52 pages. Cover price $0.75.

Incredible Hulk (1962 Marvel 1st Series) 250D FN 6.0

Direct Edition. Special giant-sized issue. Guest-starring Silver Surfer. A 250th celebration brought to you by Bill Mantlo and Sal Buscema. The Earth trembles when titans clash. It's the nigh unstoppable Incredible Hulk vs. the former Herald of Galactus, the Silver Surfer. Imprisoned on Earth by his former master, the Silver Surfer intends to add the immeasurable power of the Hulk to his own and break the barrier that keeps him from his home Zenn-La and his beloved. The only problem is, the Hulk has never been known for his generosity. 52 pages. Cover price $0.75.

Incredible Hulk (1962 Marvel 1st Series) 300D VF+ 8.5

Direct Edition. Special double-size issue. "Days of Rage!" Guest-starring Power-Man and Iron Fist, S.H.I.E.L.D., Spider-Man, Daredevil, the Avengers, and Doctor Strange. Story by Bill Mantlo. Art by Sal Buscema and Gerry Talaoc. Free of Banner's influence, the Hulk is more enraged and savage than ever before. As he gets his mad-on in the middle of New York City, the green goliath makes short work of the local authorities and S.H.I.E.L.D., even Power Man and Iron Fist can not stand against this monster gone wild. As Spider-Man and Daredevil do all they can to run damage control and protect the innocent bystanders, help arrives. The mighty Avengers are on the scene and what follows is one of the greatest super-hero battles of all time. As the Incredible Hulk and Thor the god of thunder clash the very Earth trembles. As the battle escalates and threatens to destroy the city, Doctor Strange arrives with a spell that could save them all and change the Hulk's life forever. 52 pages. Cover price $1.00.

Marvel Team-Up (1972 1st Series) 100D CBCS 9.8

Paper: White

Direct Edition

Label #21-413E085-040

Direct Edition. Giant-size issue. "And Introducing Karma! She Possesses People!" Guest-starring Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four. Script by Chris Claremont. Art by Frank Miller (breakdowns) and Bob Wiacek (finishes). Cover by Frank Miller and Klaus Janson. The Fantastic Four are attending an upscale reception in New York's financial district, when suddenly the Spectacular Spider-Man crashes the party! The web-slinger wants to rescue two Vietnamese children in attendance, but instead ends up battling the FF! What has possessed the wall-crawler to do this? After comparing notes, the fabulous foursome and Spider-Man realize that they are caught in the middle of a child custody battle between two high-powered telepaths! And on the East River waterfront, the life-and-death showdown takes place! First appearance of Karma (Xi'an Coy Manh). Cameo appearances by Colossus, Storm, Wolverine, and Professor Xavier. (Notes: Karma appears next in Marvel Graphic Novel 4. This story was reprinted in Marvel Tales 250 and also in The Complete Frank Miller Spider-Man.) Second story: "Cry--Vengeance!" Guest-starring Storm and the Black Panther. Plot by Chris Claremont and John Byrne. Script by Chris Claremont. Art by John Byrne (breakdowns) and Bob McLeod (finishes). After surviving an assassination attempt, Storm learns that an old foe from days gone by has come back for revenge. Ororo visits the Wakanda embassy to tell T'challa that Andreas De Ruyter is in New York. And just as they did many years ago on the African continent, the Black Panther and Storm team up to fight the evil of De Ruyter! 52 pages. Cover price $0.75.