Auctions: Tales to Astonish comic books

Tales to Astonish (1959-1968 1st Series) 25 FR/GD 1.5

1" Spine split from bottom. Cover coming loose at one staple. Severe water damage with staple rust/migration.

Cover by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers. I Was Captured by the Creature from Krogarr!, art by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers; A dissolute human is targeted by an alien that can transport items through television sets, but he is saved by his failure to pay the electric bill. The Party text story. Behold Him! He Is the Martian!, art by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers; A spy from Jupiter disguised as a human stows away on the first rocket from Earth to Mars. The Gypsy's Revenge!, art by Don Heck; An American criminal robs an old gypsy man, ignoring his pleas and curses. Where Lurks the Ghost!, script by Stan Lee, art by Steve Ditko; A man spends the night in a haunted house with the houses caretaker. 36 pgs., full color. $0.10. Cover price $0.10.

Tales to Astonish (1959-1968 1st Series) 47 GD- 1.8

Cover by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers. Music to Scream By, script by Stan Lee and Ernie Hart [H. E. Huntley], art by Don Heck; Ant-Man and the Wasp are caught by the music of Trago, the trumpet player, who has learned some mystic use of his trumpet in India. The Disappearance text story. The Smiling Gods!, script by Stan Lee and Larry Lieber, art by Larry Lieber and Matt Fox; Asian farmers pray to their gods for a good crop to appease their cruel overlord, and their grain grows so rapidly that it entangles and crushes him. Target...Earth!, script by Stan Lee, art by Steve Ditko; An alien lands on Earth with the intent of sizing up possible resistance to an invasion force. 36 pgs., full color. $0.12. Cover price $0.12.

Tales to Astonish (1959-1968 1st Series) 49 FR/GD 1.5 (R)

Trimmed

Cover TRIMMED and married. Water damage.

Cover by Don Heck. The Birth of Giant-Man!, script by Stan Lee, art by Jack Kirby and Don Heck; While Henry Pym develops capsules that permit him to become giant-size as well as ant-size, the Eraser captures him and brings him to Dimension Z along with other scientists to build atomic weapons. Odd Skills text story, art by Joe Maneely. The End of a World!, script by Stan Lee and Larry Lieber, art by Larry Lieber and George Roussos [as G. Bell]; A ruler orders the destruction of an uninhabited galaxy as a tribute to his power. 36 pgs., full color. $0.12. Cover price $0.12.

Tales to Astonish (1959-1968 1st Series) 52 GD- 1.8

Cover by Jack Kirby and Sol Brodsky. The Black Knight Strikes!, script by Stan Lee, art by Dick Ayers; After being arrested for treason by Giant-Man, Professor Garrett flees to Europe where he manipulate the genes of horses and eagles to create a winged horse. X-Men #3 ad, art by Jack Kirby and Sol Brodsky. Avengers #3 ad, art by Jack Kirby and Paul Reinman. Not What They Seem!, script by Stan Lee and Larry Lieber, art by Larry Lieber and George Roussos [as G. Bell]; The Wasp tells the tale of prison escapees who try to avoid a planet with a trap, but are doomed when they take the wrong side in a battle of the sexes. 36 pgs., full color. $0.12. Cover price $0.12.

Tales to Astonish (1959-1968 1st Series) 55 VG 4.0

Cover coming loose at one staple.

Cover by Jack Kirby and Sol Brodsky. On the Trail of the Human Top!, script by Stan Lee, art by Dick Ayers; The Human Top breaks out of prison; Giant-Man and the Wasp have to get him back. The Treasure! text story. Ad for Amazing Spider-Man #12 and Fantastic Four #26. The Gypsy's Secret, script by Stan Lee and Larry Lieber, art by Larry Lieber and George Roussos [as George Bell]; A cruel baron tries to force a gypsy to give him the secret of turning lead into gold, but the gypsy is really an alien looking for a human specimen for a zoo on his homeworld. 36 pgs., full color. $0.12. Cover price $0.12.

Tales to Astonish (1959-1968 1st Series) 58 GD- 1.8

Interior tearing and water damage.

Captain America has a cameo in the Giant-Man story, "The Coming of Colossus!" Script by Stan Lee, pencils by Dick Ayers, inks by Paul Reinman. Back-up story: "The Magician and the Maiden!" Plot by Lee, script and art by Larry Lieber. Jack Kirby/Sol Brodsky cover. Cover price $0.12.

Tales to Astonish (1959-1968 1st Series) 67 VG 4.0

Water spotting.

Cover by Jack Kirby and Chic Stone. The Mystery of the Hidden Man and his Rays of Doom, script by Stan Lee, art by Bob Powell and Chic Stone; The Hidden Man and his henchman Loko try and gain the powers of Giant-Man, failing miserably when Wasp steps in to save the day. Where Strides the Behemoth, script by Stan Lee, art by Steve Ditko and Frank Giacoia (as Frank Ray); The Hulk beats on the Russians bad enough that when he decides to leap away, they don't try to stop him; Jumping all the way to the Himalayas, the Hulk is finally tired out and transforms to Banner just in time to be menaced by a local bandit chieftan; Talbot catches up with Bruce in this hairy predicament and when their captors are attacked by a rival band of raiders, Bruce and Glenn fall off a cliff to their death? 36 pgs., full color. $0.12. Cover price $0.12.

Tales to Astonish (1959-1968 1st Series) 68 VG/FN 5.0

Cover by Jack Kirby, Bob Powell, and Vince Colletta. Peril From the Long-Dead Past!, script by Stan Lee, art by Bob Powell and Vince Colletta; Realizing that the strain of growing and shrinking so much is doing damage to his body, Hank adjusts his helmet so he can only grow to one size--the 35 foot height of Giant-Man; With the Ant-Man side of his abilities out of his bag of tricks, he adjusts Jan's helmet so she can cybernetically communicate with wasps; Oh, and the Human Top attacks too. Back from the Dead!, script by Stan Lee, art by Jack Kirby and Mike Esposito (as Mickey Demeo); Saving Talbot and himself from plunging to their deaths, the Hulk decides he is tired of world travel and leaps home; Waking up in gamma base, Bruce is once again jailed as a traitor and the president once again sets him free (Rick told the commander in chief the secret of the Hulk a few issues ago); Banner and Talbot are once again sent to Astra Island to continue a test of the absorbatron but the leader sends an army of Humanoids who finally succeed in capturing the Hulk. 36 pgs., full color. $0.12. Cover price $0.12.

Tales to Astonish (1959-1968 1st Series) 68 VG+ 4.5

Cover by Jack Kirby, Bob Powell, and Vince Colletta. Peril From the Long-Dead Past!, script by Stan Lee, art by Bob Powell and Vince Colletta; Realizing that the strain of growing and shrinking so much is doing damage to his body, Hank adjusts his helmet so he can only grow to one size--the 35 foot height of Giant-Man; With the Ant-Man side of his abilities out of his bag of tricks, he adjusts Jan's helmet so she can cybernetically communicate with wasps; Oh, and the Human Top attacks too. Back from the Dead!, script by Stan Lee, art by Jack Kirby and Mike Esposito (as Mickey Demeo); Saving Talbot and himself from plunging to their deaths, the Hulk decides he is tired of world travel and leaps home; Waking up in gamma base, Bruce is once again jailed as a traitor and the president once again sets him free (Rick told the commander in chief the secret of the Hulk a few issues ago); Banner and Talbot are once again sent to Astra Island to continue a test of the absorbatron but the leader sends an army of Humanoids who finally succeed in capturing the Hulk. 36 pgs., full color. $0.12. Cover price $0.12.

Tales to Astonish (1959-1968 1st Series) 68 VG 4.0

Pencil marking inside front cover.

Cover by Jack Kirby, Bob Powell, and Vince Colletta. Peril From the Long-Dead Past!, script by Stan Lee, art by Bob Powell and Vince Colletta; Realizing that the strain of growing and shrinking so much is doing damage to his body, Hank adjusts his helmet so he can only grow to one size--the 35 foot height of Giant-Man; With the Ant-Man side of his abilities out of his bag of tricks, he adjusts Jan's helmet so she can cybernetically communicate with wasps; Oh, and the Human Top attacks too. Back from the Dead!, script by Stan Lee, art by Jack Kirby and Mike Esposito (as Mickey Demeo); Saving Talbot and himself from plunging to their deaths, the Hulk decides he is tired of world travel and leaps home; Waking up in gamma base, Bruce is once again jailed as a traitor and the president once again sets him free (Rick told the commander in chief the secret of the Hulk a few issues ago); Banner and Talbot are once again sent to Astra Island to continue a test of the absorbatron but the leader sends an army of Humanoids who finally succeed in capturing the Hulk. 36 pgs., full color. $0.12. Cover price $0.12.

Tales to Astonish (1959-1968 1st Series) 69 VG+ 4.5

Cover by Jack Kirby and Frank Giacoia. Oh, Wasp, Where Is Thy Sting?, script by Al Hartley, art by Bob Powell and John Giunta; Giant-Man mounts a rescue to save the Wasp from the Human Top but to do so, he has to risk the damage to his body of shrinking once more into Ant-Man size. Trapped in the Lair of the Leader!, script by Stan Lee, art by Jack Kirby and Mike Esposito (as Mickey Demeo); The Leader makes off with the Hulk and the absorbatron but the jade giant ends up destroying the machine to keep it out of the Leader's hands; Convinced that Banner is still a traitor and despite his orders, Talbot authorizes his men to use deadly force and Bruce is killed by a bullet through the head. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Tales to Astonish (1959-1968 1st Series) 71 CGC 7.5

Paper: White

Label #4061040011

Cover by Gene Colan and Vince Colletta. Escape...to Nowhere!, script by Stan Lee, art by Gene Colan (as Adam Austin) and Vince Colletta; Namor heads into the Forbidden Deeps as he continues his quest for Neptune's Trident; Krang sends Seaweed Man to stop him; Meanwhile, back in Atlantis, the natives are beginning to get restless under Krang's iron rule. Like a Beast at Bay!, script by Stan Lee, art by Jack Kirby and Mike Esposito; The Hulk and Rick barely make it out of the blast radius as Ross fires the giant "Sunday Punch" missile at the Leader's giant Humanoid bringing the massive robot down; The pair decide to hide in their underground cave but are spotted by military planes as they enter; Ross and Talbot attack, threatening the underground complex and Bruce's gamma machine; The Hulk pushes Rick out to safety just as the Leader appears. 36 pgs., full color. $0.12. Cover price $0.12.

Tales to Astonish (1959-1968 1st Series) 74 VG 4.0

Cover by Gene Colan, Bob Powell, Vince Colletta, and Mike Esposito. When Fails the Quest!, script by Stan Lee, art by Gene Colan (as Adam Austin) and Vince Colletta; Sub-Mariner battles The Faceless Ones to try to save Dorma while Krang stops a rebellion in Atlantis. The Wisdom of the Watcher!, script by Stan Lee, art by Jack Kirby, Bob Powell, and Mike Esposito (as Mickey Demeo); The Hulk fights the baddest alien in the galaxy over the Watcher's ultimate machine; After the battle, the Watcher allows Hulk to take it and he is teleported back to the Leader's lair; The Leader tries to use the machine which dispenses all of the Watcher's collected knowledge but even his big brain can't handle it and the strain kills him. 36 pgs., full color. $0.12. Cover price $0.12.

Tales to Astonish (1959-1968 1st Series) 79 CBCS 6.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #22-0FD2B27-036

Cover by Jack Kirby and Bill Everett. When Rises the Behemoth, script by Stan Lee, art by Gene Colan (as Adam Austin) and Bill Everett; Little realizing that he is under the control of the Puppet Master, the Army tries to capture Namor for robbing a bank; After being shot in the arm, Namor seeks the healing power of water and winds up in the Hudson River; There he encounters Lady Dorma who has come to the surface world to retrieve him as the Behemoth has awakened and is menacing Atlantis. The Titan and the Torment, script by Stan Lee, art by Jack Kirby and Bill Everett; Zaxon tries to sap the power of the Hulk for his own nefarious ends but ends up getting himself killed in the process; Free once again, the Hulk rips up some train tracks to throw at pesky fighter jets and wouldn't you know that Hercules just happens to be riding in the oncoming locomotive; Hulk and Herc battle to a standstill before the jade giant leaps off to fight another day. 36 pgs., full color. $0.12. Cover price $0.12.

Tales to Astonish (1959-1968 1st Series) 81 CBCS 6.0

Paper: Off white to white

Label #22-0FD2B27-038

Cover by Jack Kirby and Bill Everett. When a Monarch Goes Mad!, script by Stan Lee, art by Gene Colan and Dick Ayers; Namor is driven mad by the betrayal of Lady Dorma (she agreed to marry Krang last ish in order to protect the Sub-Mariner from the monstrous Behemoth); Dorma and Krang turn their skin to flesh color and head to the surface world to hide out. The Stage Is Set!, script by Stan Lee, art by Jack Kirby and Bill Everett; The Secret Empire hires Boomerang to obtain the plans for the Orion missile and the new bad guy on the block heads for gamma base; As Rick, Betty and Glenn are returned to the surface from the underground subterranean kingdom, Boomerang captures Betty to use as a bargaining chip for the missile. 36 pgs., full color. $0.12. Cover price $0.12.

Tales to Astonish (1959-1968 1st Series) 82 FN+ 6.5

Cover by Gene Colan and Dick Ayers. The Power of Iron Man!, script by Stan Lee and Roy Thomas, art by Gene Colan, Jack Kirby, and Dick Ayers; Namor and Iron Man beat up on each other; Namor abandons the battle when he spots the battle cruiser of Krang floating the water nearby. The Battle Cry of the Boomerang!, script by Stan Lee, art by Jack Kirby and Bill Everett; The Hulk saves Betty from Boomerang and in so doing thwarts the initial plans of the Secret Empire in stealing the secret of the deadly Orion missile. 36 pgs., full color. $0.12. Cover price $0.12.

Tales to Astonish (1959-1968 1st Series) 86 CBCS 7.0

Paper: Off white to white

Label #22-0FD2B27-039

Cover by Gene Colan and Bill Everett. The Wrath of Warlord Krang!, script by Stan Lee, art by Jerry Grandenetti and Bill Everett; Krang sends a giant tidal wave to devastate New York City and then makes an anonymous tip to the Army to tell them that Namor is the culprit. The Birth...of the Hulk-Killer!, script by Stan Lee, art by John Buscema and Mike Esposito (as Mickey Demeo); Banner is hanging on the Orion missile heading for the heart of New York City and is able to change its course before he transforms to the Hulk once again; Military genius that he is, Ross thinks that it is the Hulk who tried to blow up New York and activates the Leader's most powerful Humanoid robot to take on the jade giant. 36 pgs., full color. $0.12. Cover price $0.12.

Tales to Astonish (1959-1968 1st Series) 92 CGC 7.0

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4384236007

Cover by Don Heck and Dan Adkins. :It Walks Like a Man!, script by Stan Lee, art by Dan Adkins; When a passing ship dumps a radioactive barrel into Namor's realm, he realizes the danger it poses and takes it far away from Atlantis to throw it into a deep crevasse; Little does he know that the radiation in the barrel has awakened an ancient monster who begins to menace both the surface world and the world beneath the waves alike. Turning Point!, script by Stan Lee, art by Marie Severin and Frank Giacoia; Betty bemoans her loss of Bruce; Bruce, in disguise, bemoans his circumstances, then transforms into Hulk who flees his hotel room in typical Hulk fashion - through the wall; Outside, Hulk sees a 'flying saucer' and leaps to bring it down so the aliens can take him far from Earth; What he brings down is not a saucer but the mighty Silver Surfer! 36 pgs., full color. $0.12. Cover price $0.12.

Tales to Astonish (1959-1968 1st Series) 96 CGC 7.0

Paper: White

Label #4086893007

Cover by Dan Adkins. Somewhere Stands... Skull Island!, script by Raymond Marais, art by Bill Everett, Werner Roth, and Vince Colletta; Before conducting war against the surface-dweller, Namor visits the Savage Land beneath the continent of Antarctica; Dorma, against orders, follows behind him. Meanwhile the Plunderer, unknown to the Atlanteans, has constructed a base on Skull Island and as Namor and Dorma approach, fires on them; Namor is captured while Dorma flees back to Atlantis. What Have I Created?, script by Stan Lee, art by Marie Severin and Herb Trimpe; With Banner trapped and about to be evolved by the High Evolutionary, the New Men attack and stop the experiment; Banner becomes the Hulk and fights the New Men and the Evolutionary decides that the only way to stop his former creations is to do to himself what he planned on doing to Banner--evolving himself a thousand years into humanity's future. 36 pgs., full color. $0.12. Cover price $0.12.

Tales to Astonish (1959-1968 1st Series) 98 CBCS 7.5

Paper: Off white

Label #22-0FD2B27-041

Cover by Dan Adkins. To Destroy the Realm Eternal!, script by Roy Thomas, art by Werner Roth and Dan Adkins; Namor returns to Atlantis only to find it under attack by the Plunderer; As the two parties clash, an American sub overhead senses the vibrations and begins to drop depth charges in case it is the Sub-Mariner intent on attacking them; The charges not only take out the Plunderer's sub but also destroy much of the city of Atlantis. The Puppet and the Power!, script by Stan Lee, art by Marie Severin and Herb Trimpe; Brainwashed into thinking that the Living Ligtning members are his friends, Hulk attacks his old enemy Ross and while the military is busy taking on the jade giant, the Lord of the Living Lightning takes over Thunderbolt's base. 36 pgs., full color. $0.12. Cover price $0.12.

Tales to Astonish (1959-1968 1st Series) 100 CGC 5.0

Paper: Off white

Label #4243083008

Cover by Marie Severin and Dan Adkins. Let There Be Battle!, script by Stan Lee, art by Marie Severin, Dan Adkins, and Roger Brand; Looking for an ally in his war with the surface world, Namor decids to try to recruit the Hulk to his cause; The only problem is that the Puppet Master has chosen this moment to mind control the Hulk and sends him to defeat his old aquatic enemy. 36 pgs., full color. $0.12. Cover price $0.12.