Auctions: comic books August 1964

Justice League of America (1960 1st Series) 29 VG- 3.5

Cover pencils by Mike Sekowsky, inks by Murphy Anderson. Crisis on Earth-Three, script by Gardner Fox, pencils by Mike Sekowsky, inks by Bernard Sachs; The Crime Syndicate is so bored of life on their Earth as supreme villains, designated as Earth-3, that they come to the JLA's Earth for a new challenge after Ultraman accidentally discovers it when exposed to Green Kryptonite (which gives him a new power with every exposure to it); Just as it looks like the JLA has the upper hand, the Crime Syndicate teleports them to Earth-3, where they have the advantage; To secure a level battlefield the Crime Syndicate plans to go to the Earth-2 and eliminate the JSA. 1st Silver Age appearance of Star Man; Justice Society cross-over. Rocky and Bullwinkle star in a one-page Cheerios ad. 36 pgs. $0.12. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 123 GD/VG 3.0

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Sol Brodsky. First appearance of the Beetle in the Human Torch story, "The Birth of the Beetle!", script by Stan Lee, pencils by Carl Burgos, inks by Dick Ayers; Mechanic-inventor Abner Jenkins creates the identity of The Beetle; While taking the Fantasti-Car for a double-date, Johnny & Ben wind up being humiliated by The Beetle; Guest starring the Thing. "The Challenge of Loki!", script by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko (co-plot), pencils by Steve Ditko, inks by George Roussos (as George Bell); Dr. Strange practices the art of levitation; Meanwhile, in faraway Asgard, home of the Norse Gods, Loki, God of Mischief, plots as always; He contacts Doctor Strange and tries to convince him that he is a prisoner of Thor, who is evil and deceiving his father; Strange uses a spell to take Thor's hammer (first cross-over with Thor). (Reprinted in Giant-Size Marvel Triple Action # 2.) "Strange Mission" text story, art by Joe Maneely. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Tales of Suspense (1959) 56 CGC 6.0

Paper: White

Label #4641361019

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers. First appearance of the Unicorn in "The Uncanny Unicorn!", script by Stan Lee, art by Don Heck; A Soviet agent with high-tech armor comes to the US to capture Iron Man; He kidnaps Pepper and injures Happy to draw Iron Man out, and then threatens to blow up Stark's factory unless Iron Man comes with him; Iron Man boards Unicorn's plane, but then destroys it, though the Unicorn escapes; Thor, Wasp, and Giant-Man cameos; Part of this story continues in Avengers #7. "Pouf!" text story. "The Watcher's Sacrifice!", script by Stan Lee (plot) and Larry Lieber (script), pencils by Larry Lieber, inks by George Roussos (as George Bell); The Watcher falls in love with a courageous alien queen, but his duty forces him to leave her. 36 pages, full color. Cover price $0.12.

Tales of Suspense (1959) 56 GD/VG 3.0

Water spotting.

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers. First appearance of the Unicorn in "The Uncanny Unicorn!", script by Stan Lee, art by Don Heck; A Soviet agent with high-tech armor comes to the US to capture Iron Man; He kidnaps Pepper and injures Happy to draw Iron Man out, and then threatens to blow up Stark's factory unless Iron Man comes with him; Iron Man boards Unicorn's plane, but then destroys it, though the Unicorn escapes; Thor, Wasp, and Giant-Man cameos; Part of this story continues in Avengers #7. "Pouf!" text story. "The Watcher's Sacrifice!", script by Stan Lee (plot) and Larry Lieber (script), pencils by Larry Lieber, inks by George Roussos (as George Bell); The Watcher falls in love with a courageous alien queen, but his duty forces him to leave her. 36 pages, full color. Cover price $0.12.

Wolfman (1963 Dell) Movie Classics 410 VG+ 4.5

Second printing. Story by Robert Bernstein. Art by Bob Jenney. A tale of horror from Dell, inspired by the classic Universal Monster movie The Wolf Man. Med students Albert and Milo meet in Paris in the 1800s, after which Milo returns to his remote Transylvanian village, which lives in fear of the strange Vorcia and his pack of wolves. When Milo falls under Vorcia's spell, Albert comes to help and learns the deadly secret of the Wolf Man. An interesting side-note: The Comics Code forbade werewolf stories at this time. So Dell, which primarily did children's comics, published the only werewolf comics from an American publisher until the 1970s. Considered part of Dell's Movie Classics line, although not listed as such on the cover. 32 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.12.

Wolfman (1963 Dell) Movie Classics 410 VG 4.0

Second printing. Story by Robert Bernstein. Art by Bob Jenney. A tale of horror from Dell, inspired by the classic Universal Monster movie The Wolf Man. Med students Albert and Milo meet in Paris in the 1800s, after which Milo returns to his remote Transylvanian village, which lives in fear of the strange Vorcia and his pack of wolves. When Milo falls under Vorcia's spell, Albert comes to help and learns the deadly secret of the Wolf Man. An interesting side-note: The Comics Code forbade werewolf stories at this time. So Dell, which primarily did children's comics, published the only werewolf comics from an American publisher until the 1970s. Considered part of Dell's Movie Classics line, although not listed as such on the cover. 32 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.12.