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

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 101 CGC 1.8

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4266091003

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers. Human Torch solo series begins in "The Human Torch," script by Stan Lee (plot) and Larry Lieber (script), pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers; In his home town of Glenville, Johnny Storm investigates sabotage at an amusement park; He finds that the sabotage was aimed at a structure that blocked messages to a Communist submarine. "Skrawkcab" text story, art by John Tartaglione. "The Impossible Spaceship!", script by Stan Lee (plot) and Larry Lieber (script), art by Don Heck; An empty spaceship arrives on Earth, confusing everyone; The ship lands and stays for a time before leaving, disappointed that the humans couldnt realize that the ship itself was alive. "What Is X-35?", script by Stan Lee, art by Steve Ditko; A criminal trying to escape is repeatedly confronted with the number X-35; He is run over and killed by a car bearing the license plate number X-35. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 126 CGC 6.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4218770016

First appearance of Dormammu and Clea (named in issue 146). The Human Torch and the Thing face the Thinker and the Puppet Master in "Pawns of the Deadly Duo!" Script by Stan Lee, pencils by Dick Ayers, inks by Paul Reinman. Reed Richards and Sue Storm appearances. Doctor Strange stars in "The Domain of the Dread Dormammu!" Script by Lee, art by Steve Ditko. First letters page. Jack Kirby/Chic Stone cover. 36 pgs. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 139 CGC 8.0

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4693083001

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby (layouts), Joe Sinnott, and Marie Severin (Dr. Strange figure), inks by Joe Sinnott and Marie Severin (Dr. Strange figure). Nick Fury stars in "The Brave Die Hard!", script by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (co-plot), pencils by Jack Kirby (layouts) and Joe Sinnott, inks by Joe Sinnott; Hydra fails to learn the location of the Braino-Saur despite their Image-Inducer; Stark tells SHIELD's directors it was designed to disarm Hydra's Betratron Bomb orbiting above Earth; Agent G helps Fury escape but he refuses to promise not to harm her father, the Supreme Hydra; Dum Dum, Gabe and a SHIELD squad use the captured Hydra saucer to locate their HQ. "Beware...! Dormammu is Watching!", script by Steve Ditko (plot) and Stan Lee (dialogue), art by Steve Ditko; The Ancient One is revealed to be Dormammu's captive. Dr. Strange's mentor tells Strange he must fight on but can only expect token aid; Dormammu forces Clea to watch Strange's defeat. Strange and Mordo square off and battle; After a time, Dormammu grows frustrated at how Mordo has been out-fought and prepares to strike personally. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 140 CGC 7.0

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4693083002

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Joe Sinnott. "The End of Hydra!", script by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (co-plot), pencils by Jack Kirby (layouts) and Don Heck, inks by Joe Sinnott; Fury defeats the Hunter robot. Surrounded by HYDRA's Tiger squad, Dum Dum, Gabe and fellow agents use a Flying Wedge formation and an Electro-Jab weapon to push thru. HYDRA retaliates with Skate Board Units; Joined by Fury SHIELD overpowers HYDRA while Supreme Hydra realizes he must use Operation Last Resort; In space, Stark disarms the Betraton Bomb; SHIELD orders the arrest of HYDRA agents worldwide. "The Pincers of Power!", script by Steve Ditko (plot) and Stan Lee (dialogue), art by Steve Ditko; Dormammu sends Strange, Mordo & The Ancient One to a neutral dimension; He then uses a sleeping potion on the Mindless Ones, so his domain will be temporarily safe and summons rulers of nearby dimensions; Dormammu arrives to challenge Strange in person to battle for total mastery of Earth! 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 140 CGC 5.0

Paper: Off white to white

Slab: Chipped/broken bracket

Label #3709235006

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Joe Sinnott. "The End of Hydra!", script by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (co-plot), pencils by Jack Kirby (layouts) and Don Heck, inks by Joe Sinnott; Fury defeats the Hunter robot. Surrounded by HYDRA's Tiger squad, Dum Dum, Gabe and fellow agents use a Flying Wedge formation and an Electro-Jab weapon to push thru. HYDRA retaliates with Skate Board Units; Joined by Fury SHIELD overpowers HYDRA while Supreme Hydra realizes he must use Operation Last Resort; In space, Stark disarms the Betraton Bomb; SHIELD orders the arrest of HYDRA agents worldwide. "The Pincers of Power!", script by Steve Ditko (plot) and Stan Lee (dialogue), art by Steve Ditko; Dormammu sends Strange, Mordo & The Ancient One to a neutral dimension; He then uses a sleeping potion on the Mindless Ones, so his domain will be temporarily safe and summons rulers of nearby dimensions; Dormammu arrives to challenge Strange in person to battle for total mastery of Earth! 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 142 CGC 6.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4693083003

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Mike Esposito. "Who Strikes at --- SHIELD?", script by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (co-plot), pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Mike Esposito (as Mike Demeo); Fury checks out the Encephalogram-Inducer which, when hooked into the Brainwave Stimulator transforms the ESP Divisions' thoughts into images; Mentallo breaches The Fixer's underwater base, convincing him to join forces; They travel underground to SHIELD HQ in a Thru-The-Ground Tank which The Fixer mentions was supplied by THEM. "Those Who Would Destroy Me!", script by Steve Ditko (plot) and Stan Lee (dialogue), art by Steve Ditko; Realizing Mordo's presence has been erased from his sanctum Strange suspects fowl play, disposing of a hidden bomb just before it explodes; Stunned by the blast Mordo's minions imprison him so that he cannot use his magic; Strange attempts to telepathically contact The Ancient One, but fails because his spirit form is searching for the missing Clea. Ad for Fantasy Masterpieces #1. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 145 CGC 9.0

Paper: Off white

Label #4693084001

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Mike Esposito. "Lo! The Eggs Shall Hatch!", script by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (co-plot), pencils by Jack Kirby (layouts) and Don Heck, inks by Mike Esposito (as Mickey Demeo); SHIELD sends out a squad of Nick Fury LMD's attempting to track down his would-be assassin; Instead of capturing the LMDs, The Druid's eggs have been destroying them; SHIELD arrives at the site of an exploded egg which was a trap; Fury battles the Druid one-on-one, worried that his men will be targeted if he fails; THEM plot crossover with Tales of Suspense 78. "To Catch a Magician!", script by Steve Ditko (plot) and Denny O'Neil (dialogue), art by Steve Ditko; Mr. Rasputin, descendant of the original, amasses magical & scientific knowledge in his goal of world domination; Sensing an evil presence Doctor Strange finds Rasputin who soon realizes he cannot match Strange's magic and shoots him; A hospitalized Strange informs the police about Rasputin but when they fail to find him Strange realizes he may have taken refuge at his sanctum! 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 150 CGC 9.0

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4157774003

Cover art by Bill Everett. Nick Fury stars in "Hydra Lives!", script by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (co-plot), pencils by Jack Kirby (layouts) and John Buscema (his first work for Marvel), inks by Frank Giacoia; Fury subjects himself to a dangerous test in order to prove that an atomic missile can be detonated long-distance by a sonic weapon which SHIELD believes HYDRA has; While both he & Dugan are recovering from injuries, Don Cabellero, at the urging of an undercover SHIELD man, invites Fury to a party in ancient Karnopolis in the Sahara Desert; Caballero is a disguise for the new Supreme Hydra, who is aware a SHIELD agent has invaded his ranks. First appearance of Umar (the sister of Dormammu) in "The Conquest of Kaluu!", script by Roy Thomas and Bill Everett (co-plot), art by Bill Everett; Kaluu realizes Strange and the Ancient One have escaped to the past of ancient Babylonia where The Ancient One obtains The Book Of The Vishanti; Before Kaluu can extinguish the Flames of the Faltine, Strange returns to the present with the mystic book which hurls his spell back to him; The Ancient One sends Kaluu into Limbo for all time; In The Dark Dimension Clea fears the onslaught of the Mindless One's freed from their prison with Dormammu gone. Letter to the editor from Carl Gafford. Merry Marvel Marching Society info and coupon. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 151 CGC 3.0 SS Steranko

Paper: Off white

Signed by Jim Steranko on 12/7/24.

Label #4537336002

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Jim Steranko. Nick Fury stars in "Overkill!", script by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (co-plot), pencils by Jack Kirby (layouts) and Jim Steranko, inks by Jim Steranko; Fury lands in Karnopolis and is defeated by a squad of robots; Stripped of his gadget-laden clothes Fury faces the new Supreme Hydra, who tells of Hydra's plans to use the Overkill Horn to detonate nuclear weapons worldwide and emerge as the new rulers of earth; Dugan, upset by Fury's order to launch an H-Missile to destroy HYDRA's weapon (and thus Fury) tries to save his buddy, but is stopped when Gabe shoots him in the shoulder. "Umar Strikes!", script by Stan Lee and Bill Everett (co-plot), art by Bill Everett; Umar uses the "Lamp Of Lucifer" to learn of events during her long imprisonment; She is stunned to learn her brother was defeated by Dr. Strange, and though she & Dormammu hated each other, she still vows to avenge him. Back in NYC, Strange conjures "wealth without measure" so Wong need never again concern him with money matters; To lure Strange into a trap, Umar casts Clea into a void between dimensions. Merry Marvel Marching Society info and coupon. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 152 CGC 8.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4095719006

Cover art by Bill Everett. Nick Fury stars in "The Power of SHIELD!", script by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (co-plot), pencils by Jack Kirby (layouts) and Jim Steranko, inks by Jim Steranko; Fury signals SHIELD but after Sitwell realizes Fury is the pilot he still orders the launching of a Strato-Mine which could ignite the atmosphere; Supreme Hydra learns that Laura Brown, the daughter of his predecessor who helped Fury has been captured in Egypt; Donning a new disguise he leaves to exact punishment; Fury turns the plane around, and, discovering the hidden Overkill Horn, dives from the plane, picked up by a SHIELD submarine. "Into the Dimension of Death!", script by Stan Lee and Bill Everett (co-plot), art by Bill Everett; Doctor Strange finds himself once more in The Dark Dimension, the home of Dormammu & Clea; After facing several dangers, he senses the power of a woman behind it all; Umar uses a pair of cloudy "spirits" to summon Strange to her presence; She tells him of her imprisonment, and that she wishes to "make amends" for her brother's deeds; She also tells him that Clea has been captured by The Mindless Ones, and that she summoned him as the one Clea hoped would rescue her. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 161 CGC 7.5

Paper: Cream to off white

Label #4693083016

Cover art by Jim Steranko. Captain America guest stars in the Nick Fury story "The Second Doom," script and art by Jim Steranko; Reed Richards & Ben Grimm save Cap from falling to his death while Fury saves himself by catching onto the Statue's crown; Reed and Ben provide assistance to the pair and stop the invaders plans, cutting off all power on the East Coast, creating the New York City Blackout in the process; Back in the present Jimmy Woo tells Fury he believes the man behind the scheme was The Yellow Claw; First appearance of the Yellow Claw since the fifties. "And a Scourge Shall Come Upon You!", script by Raymond Marais and Dan Adkins (co-plot), art by Dan Adkins (first interior work on the series); Mordo exiles Strange to "The World Of the Million Perils," then sets about restoring some of the magic to his new coven; Lost in a distant galaxy Strange suffers temporary memory loss and faces a nameless beast within a hollow sphere; On Earth, Victoria Bentley, freed of the evil finds herself being hurled between worlds, wondering if it's Mordo's doing; Strange hears a cry for help, and discovers Victoria being menaced by a gigantic ant; The two face Nebulos, a bizarre alien creature who claims they are part of his plan; Baron Mordo appearance. Merry Marvel Marching Society info and coupon. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 166 CGC 5.0 JSA Steranko

Paper: Off white to white

Jim Steranko Authenticated Autograph on page 1.

Label #4697796002

Cover art by Dan Adkins. "Nothing Can Halt... Voltorg!", script by Jim Lawrence and Dan Adkins (co-plot), pencils by George Tuska, inks by Dan Adkins; A running battle ensues between Strange and the lightning-hurling Voltorg, which nearly destroys Yandroth's lab before Strange finally takes it out. Yandroth grabs Victoria and uses a "Teleportation" machine to instantly send the two of them to a far-distant world; Strange tries to alter the destination setting so they'll end up on Earth, then follows, winding up in Stonehenge, the very place where his mentor apparently met his demise. Nick Fury stars in "If Death Be My Destiny!", script and pencils by Jim Steranko, inks by Joe Sinnott; Using a H.A.W.K. Harness Fury pursues the Claw's escaping airship and discovers his underwater hideout in New York Harbor; The Heli-Carrier's vortex beam holds The Sky Dragon stationary while SHIELD mops up The Claw's men; Fury uses a Pyro-Band to burn into The Claw's lair finding himself in a complex maze. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 169 CGC 6.0

Paper: Cream to off white

Label #4695723019

Cover art by John Romita. "Brother Voodoo," script by Len Wein, pencils by Gene Colan, inks by Dan Adkins; Part one of the origin of Brother Voodoo, who is the union of Daniel Drumm's spirit in twin brother Jericho Drumm's body; Drumm returns to Haiti to find his brother dying from the curse of Damballah This is the first Brother Voodoo story; The first appearance of the character occurred in an article in Tales of the Zombie 2. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.20.