Strange Tales (1951-1976 1st Series) comic books graded by CGC

Strange Tales (1951-1976 1st Series) 89 CGC 6.0

Paper: White

Label #4091214001

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers. 1st appearance of Fin Fang Foom in "Fin Fang Foom!", pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers; A young historian from Taiwan crosses to the mainland to awake the dragon Fin Fang Foom and foil a communist invasion; He lures the dragon to the coast to wreck the invasion fleet. "The Future" text story. "The Green Things!", script by Stan Lee, art by Steve Ditko; A wealthy retiree keeps a magnificent greenhouse, where he talks to the plants; When a burglar tries to kill him, his plants come to life and stop the intruder, saving their friend's life. "The Touch of Midas!", art by Paul Reinman; A greedy man locates the source of Midass power, planning to stop the undesirable effects with gloves; He gains the power but finds that his gloves turn to gold, dooming him to the same fate as Midas. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951-1976 1st Series) 115 CGC 4.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4331477015

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.

Strange Tales (1951-1976 1st Series) 148 CGC 5.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #3957620008

Cover art by Bill Everett. "Death Before Dishonor!", script by Jack Kirby, pencils by Jack Kirby (layouts) and Don Heck, inks by Don Heck; Dugan is shattered when he thinks Fury is killed in a fire-bombing attack by A.I.M., only to discover it was actually a Life Model Decoy; Fury realizes their movements are under video-surveillance by the enemy. Count Royale and his A.I.M. cohorts are amazed at how sophisticated the L.M.D.s are and plan to steal one. "The Origin of the Ancient One!", script by Denny O'Neil and Bill Everett (co-plot), art by Bill Everett; The Ancient One tells Strange of his early life in Kamar-Taj, a hidden land in the Himalayas; He & Kaluu were born there, but while Strange's mentor sought to use magic for good, Kaluu dreamed of power; Kaluu mentally gained control of the people, imprisoned his once-friend, and enslaved neighboring lands. Merry Marvel Marching Society info and coupon. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951-1976 1st Series) 159 CGC 4.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4059281021

Cover art by Jim Steranko and John Romita (alterations). Nick Fury origin retold in "Spy School," script and art by Jim Steranko; Fury reminisces with Laura about his days growing up in Hell's Kitchen; then at SHIELD HQ, offers her a job as an agent; Fury goes to the UNIT academy, where recruits undergo rigorous education; He meets two new agents: Sidney E. Levine, a tech expert and Val, who scoffs at his attitude that the spy game is man's work; Fury takes on Captain America in a display bout for the recruits, but gets dizzy due to a side-effect of the invisibility pill he used earlier; Yancy Street Gang cameo. "The Evil That Men Do...", script by Roy Thomas and Marie Severin (co-plot), pencils by Marie Severin, inks by Herb Trimpe; Strange returns home to find his Sanctum gone!; Wong, who barely escaped its destruction, recounts how Umar used a spell of vanishment; Strange dispels her enchantment and his house returns; Using the Crystal of Agamotto he senses evil mystic powers around the world. Casting a spell he discovers a group of mystics, banded together, working to free an imprisoned mystic to lead them; Baron Mordo appearance; cameo by the Living Tribunal. Merry Marvel Marching Society info and coupon. Letter to the editor from comics writer Mark Evanier. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951-1976 1st Series) 160 CGC 7.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4091494009

Cover art by Dan Adkins. Captain America guest stars in the Nick Fury story "Project: Blackout," script and art by Jim Steranko; Cap introduces Fury to an old friend, FBI man Jimmy Woo as Fury relates the events of November 10, 1965; The ESP Division became aware of a threat on Bedloe Island before they were killed by an explosion; Fury asked Cap for aid and the two met under the Statue of Liberty, where they found an army of invaders planning to use an "Id-Paralyzer" to turn everyone on the East Coast into mindless slaves; Cap races toward the Baxter Building for help. "If This Planet You Would Save!", script by Raymond Marais and Marie Severin (co-plot), pencils by Marie Severin, inks by Herb Trimpe; Strange is surrounded by a horde of evil mystics under the command of Baron Mordo!; Mordo refuses to listen to reason and orders his minions to kill Strange, who grabs the ring-leader and drives out the evil magic from him; He forces Mordo to see a vision of the danger menacing Earth but Mordo's first instinct is to flee for his life!; Living Tribunal cameo. Merry Marvel Marching Society info and coupon. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951-1976 1st Series) 165 CGC 6.0

Paper: Cream to off white

Label #3976510009

Cover art by Jim Steranko. Nick Fury stars in "Behold the Savage Sky!", script and pencils by Jim Steranko, inks by Frank Giacoia; As The Yellow Claw is about to destroy NYC, the SHIELD Heli-Carrier arrives and a squad led by Dugan assault The Sky Dragon. Fury breaks loose and defeats Von Voltzmann while several agents corner The Claw, but he lays them out using Hyper-Psionic Brain Emanations; His nervous system drained, The Claws unleashes a squad of robot replicas of himself to cover his escape; Fury catches up with the real Claw using a Magnetic Pelfrag Shooter to weigh him down but the pellets disintegrate. "The Mystic and the Machine!", script by Jim Lawrence and Dan Adkins (co-plot), art by Dan Adkins; Strange continues thru the underground tunnel until he comes to a large set of doors; Upon getting them open, he finds a "Disintegrator" ray is waiting for him; After he takes it out with the "Flames of Faltine," Yandroth realizes his magic is more "potent" than he "calculated", and uses an "Ultra-Spectrum Laser" to incinerate Strange's brain! 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951-1976 1st Series) 178 CGC 9.4

Paper: White

Label #4526573012

Cover art by Jim Starlin. Warlock begins in this title in "Who Is Adam Warlock?", script and art by Jim Starlin; Sphinxor retells the Origin of Warlock, his encounters with Thor and the High Evolutionary, the Creation of Counter-Earth and Warlock's Battle against the Man-Beast; First appearance of the Magus; Cameo appearances by the Hulk. The story continues from Incredible Hulk 178. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.25.