Auctions: comic books published by Fawcett, graded by CGC

Mary Marvel Comics (1945) 18 CGC 5.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4652009009

Cover by Jack Binder. Stories by Otto Binder and Howard Boughner. Art by Jack Binder and Howard Boughner. Superhero action with Mary Marvel, long-lost sister of the original Captain Marvel, better known these days as Shazam. While taking an art class at the beach, Mary encounters a talking sea serpent and quickly gets wrapped up in its story. Freshman Freddy's professor is so absent-minded, he's the one who shows up for a test in his underwear. Mary tries to manage a pet shop full of mischievous animals. Plus a plethora of comics-format ads, including Bubbles and Yanks for Yanks Bubble Gum, and Captain Tootsie and the Secret-Play Touchdown, by CC Beck and Pete Costanza. And a vintage ad for Captain Marvel t-shirts. The Talking Sea Serpent!; Memory Test; Two of a Kind; The Absent-Minded Professor; Antics of a Pet Shop!; Vita Min; Dizzy Daisy; The Sinister Tropical Snow! 32 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Spy Smasher (1941 Fawcett) 11 CGC 3.0

Paper: Cream to off white

Label #4649717002

Stories and art by Tom McNamara and others. One of Fawcett's most popular superheroes, Spy Smasher fights saboteurs, fifth columnists, Quislings and collaborators during WWII. In South America, Spy Smasher realizes that Vasquez has been kidnapped and replaced by an Axis imposter. Spy Smasher investigates "haunted" defense plants, where he sees strange ghostly shapes and machines moving of their own accord. A mysterious soldier of fortune with no homeland begins to work for the Axis, in a story that features a Nazi-punching two-page opening spread. The Phantom Machines!; Menace over South America!; The Demlins; The Man Without a Flag!; Dead Mans Vengeance; The Battle-Scarred Cloak! Final issue of the series; Spy Smasher's adventures continued in Whiz Comics, where he became Crime Smasher after the war, and had a one-issue series under that title. 64 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Suspense Stories (1952 Fawcett/Charlton) 76 CGC 8.0

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4646436019

Cover art by Steve Ditko. Edited by Pat Masulli. "The Wreck Of X-44," script by Joe Gill, art by Steve Ditko; The rocket-ship that Captain Atom is testing has been sabotaged. "The Little Wanderer," script by Joe Gill, art by Steve Ditko; Captain Atom must return little Billy Goslin from Outer Space. "Frozen for the Future" text story. "Test-Pilot's Nightmare," art by Steve Ditko; Captain Atom must save a test pilot when his experimental rocket-plane has problems. "A Victory For Venus," art by Steve Ditko; Captain Atom travels to Venus to see who destroyed an American satellite. "The First Space Pirate," art by Rocco "Rocke" Mastroserio. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Suspense Stories (1952 Fawcett/Charlton) 76 CGC 7.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4646436018

Cover art by Steve Ditko. Edited by Pat Masulli. "The Wreck Of X-44," script by Joe Gill, art by Steve Ditko; The rocket-ship that Captain Atom is testing has been sabotaged. "The Little Wanderer," script by Joe Gill, art by Steve Ditko; Captain Atom must return little Billy Goslin from Outer Space. "Frozen for the Future" text story. "Test-Pilot's Nightmare," art by Steve Ditko; Captain Atom must save a test pilot when his experimental rocket-plane has problems. "A Victory For Venus," art by Steve Ditko; Captain Atom travels to Venus to see who destroyed an American satellite. "The First Space Pirate," art by Rocco "Rocke" Mastroserio. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.