Auctions: comic books 1972

Amazing Spider-Man (1963 1st Series) 109 CGC 8.5

Paper: Off white

Label #0100804018

"Enter: Dr. Strange!" Part 2 of 2. Guest-starring Doctor Strange. Script by Stan Lee. Pencils by John Romita. Inks by John Romita and Tony Mortellaro (backgrounds). Cover by John Romita. The web-slinger frantically swings through the city trying to pick up a signal from his spider tracer! The amazing one tossed the tracer on the tall man who abducted Flash last issue. So find the tracer...find Flash! But instead Spider-Man picks up a message from the Master of the Mystic Arts! Somehow Dr. Strange knows were Flash has been taken. The duo rushes to the location, and the battle to rescue Flash begins! Cameo appearances by Gwen Stacy, Harry Osborn, Aunt May, and Sha Shan. (Notes: Spider-Man and Dr. Strange meet again in Marvel Team-Up #21. This story was reprinted in Marvel Tales #88.) 32 pages. Cover price $0.20.

Batman (1940) 241 CGC 9.0

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4224840004

Cover pencils by Neal Adams, inks by Bernie Wrightson. "At Dawn Dies Mary MacGuffin!" starring Batman, Colonel Sulphur, Mary MacGuffin, Howard MacGuffin, and James Gordon, script by Denny O'Neil, pencils by Irv Novick, inks by Dick Giordano; Batman races against the clock to save a young woman from a diabolical madman. "Secret of the Psychic Siren!", script by Mike Friedrich, art by Rich Buckler; Terri Bergstrom's search for her cousin comes to an end, leading to Robin, Terri and Lilith battling a cult that worships Cthulhu. "The Case of the Honest Crook!", script by Bill Finger, pencils by Bob Kane, inks by Jerry Robinson and George Roussos (backgrounds); Batman helps out a young convict released from prison who is having trouble getting an honest job to support his new, but sick wife; The Caped Crusaders then vow to help track down the rats who set him up to be arrested originally, but Robin is nearly beaten to death, and the Batman swears vengeance on those responsible. Letter to the editor from David B. Michelinie. 52 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.25.

Batman (1940) 243 CGC 8.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4457582005

Batman follows a lead that takes half-way around the world on the trail of "The Lazarus Pit!" Talia appearance. Script by Denny O'Neil, pencils by Neal Adams, inks by Dick Giordano. 36 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.20.

Bode Bulletin (1971-1972 George Beahm & Cuyler Brooks) Fanzine 8 FN+ 6.5

Newsletter made specifically for Vaughn Bode fans. Final issue. Vaughn Bode cover art. 8 1/2-in. x 11-in., loose pages bound with staples, 24 pages, B&W. Cover price $0.10.

Defenders (1972 1st Series) 3 CGC 9.6

Paper: Off white to white

Label #0978335009

Cover pencils by Gil Kane and John Buscema (Silver Surfer), inks by Gil Kane and Sal Buscema (Silver Surfer figure). Four Against the Gods, script by Steve Englehart, pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by Jim Mooney; The Defenders try to help Silver Surfer leave the Earth by taking him to another dimension; They encounter the Nameless One and free Barbara Norris. 36 pgs. $0.20. Cover price $0.20.

Green Lantern (1960 2nd Series DC) 87 CGC 9.2

Paper: Off white to white

Label #2094738008

Giant-size issue. Cover by Neal Adams. First appearance of John Stewart in Beware My Power, script by Denny O'Neil, pencils by Neal Adams, inks by Dick Giordano; When Guy Gardner is injured, the Guardians of the Universe instruct Hal Jordan to train another back-up, but John Stewart has different ideas about how to be a Lantern; When an attempt is seemingly made on the life of racist politician Jeremiah Clutcher, John Stewart figures out that the attack was faked and part of a cynical plot to get Clutcher elected president. What Can One Man Do?, script by Elliot Maggin, pencils by Neal Adams, inks by Dick Giordano; After Green Arrow witnesses the death of a young boy in a riot, he decides that he might be able to do more for his city as its mayor. Reprint back-up story: Earth's First Green Lantern!, (from Green Lantern 16), script by Gardner Fox, pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Murphy Anderson; Hal Jordan explains to Pieface why Abin Sur came to Earth in a spaceship when all Green Lanterns can travel thru space unaided. The Flash ad. 52 pgs., full color. $0.25. Cover price $0.25.

Marvel Premiere (1972) 3 VG/FN 5.0

Cover pencils by Barry Windsor-Smith, inks by Frank Giacoia. While the World Spins Mad!, script by Barry Smith (plot) and Stan Lee (dialogue), pencils by Barry Smith, inks by Dan Adkins; Sensing evil, Strange is so focused on seeking it out he's almost hit by a truck; He calls upon The Ancient One, who warns him of the nature of the evil, but is still mystified; Then he finds himself confronted by someone (or something) who takes his own form, and tells him he's "already defeated"; Only when he discovers his oldest enemy is at the bottom of it does he also realize he was hit by the truck--and has been in a hospital bed ever since!; On recovering, he erases the memory of the night's events from the doctor's mind, as "Many things there are that mankind must not know..." 36 pgs. $0.20. Cover price $0.20.

Marvel Premiere (1972) 5 FN- 5.5

Cover art by Mike Ploog. The Lurker in the Labyrinth!, script by Gardner F. Fox, pencils by Irv Wesley, inks by Don Perlin; Strange escapes being sacrificed to Sligguth, learns of the slumbering evil of Shuma-Gorath; Ancient One, weakened from giving power to Strange, is carried away by Shadowmen of sunken Kaa-U. Featuring concepts created by Robert E. Howard. 36 pgs. $0.20. Cover price $0.20.

Marvel Spotlight (1971 1st Series) 5 CGC 6.5

Paper: Off white

Label #3778135001

Origin and first appearance of the Ghost Rider. First appearance of Roxanne Simpson. Cover art by Mike Ploog. Origin of the Ghost Rider, script by Roy Thomas and Gary Friedrich, art by Mike Ploog; To save the life of his mentor and the man who has become like a father to him, Johnny Blaze makes a deal with the devil and is transformed into the spirit of vengeance, Ghost Rider. 36 pages, full color. Cover price $0.20.

Power Man and Iron Fist (1972 Hero for Hire) 1 CGC 9.0 SS Romita

Paper: Off white

Signed by John Romita on 10/16/2009.

Label #0982567005

"Out of Hell--a Hero!" Script by Archie Goodwin, pencils by George Tuska, inks by Billy Graham. NOTE: Roy Thomas and John Romita are credited for their "considerable creative contributions." When Lucas, an innocent man, is sent to jail for a crime he did not commit, he decides he has nothing left to loose. Subjecting himself to unorthodox experiments, this inmate is endowed with great physical strength and nigh-unbreakable skin. No walls and bars on Earth can hold him. Now, as Luke Cage, he is known as the Hero for Hire, and he's here to clean up the "Mean Streets," one criminal at a time. Cover price $0.20.

Power Man and Iron Fist (1972 Hero for Hire) 2 CGC 7.5

Paper: White

Label #4475117006

"Vengeance is Mine!" Script by Archie Goodwin, pencils by George Tuska, inks by Billy Graham. When Luke Cage's actions cause a decline in business for a local drug dealer, he is forced to pit his diamond-hard fists against the deadly assassin known as Diamondback. Cover price $0.20.

Power Man and Iron Fist (1972 Hero for Hire) 3 CGC 8.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4475117007

"Mark of the Mace!" Script by Archie Goodwin, pencils by George Tuska, inks by Billy Graham. Can even Luke Cage's unbreakable skin stand up to the bone-crushing power of the man called Mace? See Cage's powers and stamina pushed to their limits like never before. Cover price $0.20.

Power Man and Iron Fist (1972 Hero for Hire) 4 CGC 9.0

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4475117008

"Cry Fear...Cry Phantom!" Script by Archie Goodwin, art by Billy Graham. Luke Cage is awakened from his sleep by a nightmarish apparition. Only problem is, this Hero for Hire doesn't believe in ghosts. However, Cage will have to come to grips with his beliefs when he confronts the Phantom of 42nd Street. Graham cover. Cover price $0.20.

Sub-Mariner (1968 1st Series) 45 CGC 9.6

Paper: Cream to off white

Label #0789431004

Cover pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Frank Giacoia and Mike Esposito. "And Fire Stalks the Skies," script by Gerry Conway, pencils by Marie Severin, inks by Jim Mooney; Namor faces off against Llyra and Tiger Shark, but their battle is interrupted as the Human Torch shows up; An enraged Namor fights against the Human Torch not knowing that Human Torch wants to help him; Namor defeats the Human Torch and then learns that his father, Leonard Mackenzie, has been kidnapped by Llyra and Tiger Shark. "When the Light Goes Out," script and art by Bill Everett; Namor and the Human Torch team up - or do they? - to face the vengeful Llyra and the man called Tiger Shark; reprints Sub-Mariner Comics # 42. 36 pgs., full color. $0.20. Cover price $0.20.

Sub-Mariner (1968 1st Series) 46 CGC 9.6

Paper: Off white to white

Label #0140149028

Cover pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Frank Giacoia. "Even the Noble Die," script by Gerry Conway, pencils by Gene Colan, inks by Mike Esposito; Namor desperately attacks Tiger Shark while Llyra keeps an eye on her prisoner, Leonard Mackenzie, Namor's father; Llyra tires of their battle and captures Namor; Sting-Ray comes to Namor's rescue and they confront Llyra and Tiger Shark; Unfortunately, before Namor can do anything, Tiger Shark kills Mackenzie; They get away while Namor mourns the loss of his father. 36 pgs., full color. $0.20. Cover price $0.20.

Swamp Thing (1972 1st Series) 1 FN 6.0

"Dark Genesis." While working on a restorative formula (that can make forests out of deserts) in the Louisiana swamps, scientist Alec Holland is killed by a bomb set off by Mr. E., who wants the formula. Shortly thereafter, a humanoid plant being rises from the swamp, created from the body of Holland, the chemicals in the formula, and the strange forces in the swamp. 1st appearance of Alec and Linda Holland. 1st appearance of Matt Cable. (Swamp Thing himself first appeared in House of Secrets 92). Script by Len Wein, art and cover by Berni Wrightson. Includes brief bios of Wein and Wrightson. Cover price $0.20.

Thor (1962 Marvel 1st Series Journey Into Mystery) 199 FN+ 6.5

Cover pencils by John Buscema, inks by Frank Giacoia. "If This Be Death..!", script by Gerry Conway, pencils by John Buscema, inks by Vince Colletta; Hela has come for the soul of Odin, but so has Pluto and his minions; Hela fights at Thor's side for a time until she is force to flee; Pluto then defeats Thor, and is poised to kill him. Appearances by Sif, Hogun, Fandral, Volstagg, Balder, and Karnilla. First appearance of Ego-Prime; Ego cameo. The letters page contains a statement of ownership: average print run 373,623; average paid circulation 229,492. 36 pgs., full color. $0.20. Cover price $0.20.