Auctions: comic books July 1971

Air Pirates Funnies (1971) 1 CGC 9.8

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4535528019

Controversial parody discontinued due to Disney lawsuit. The Air Pirates were a group of cartoonists who created two issues of an underground comic called Air Pirates Funnies in 1971, leading to a famous lawsuit by The Walt Disney Company. Founded by Dan O'Neill, the group also included Shary Flenniken, Bobby London, Gary Hallgren, and Ted Richards. The collective shared a common interest in the styles of past masters of the comic strip: Flenniken emulated George McManus's Bringing Up Father in her Trots and Bonnie comics, London's strip Dirty Duck paid homage to the styles of E.C. Segar's Thimble Theater and George Herriman's Krazy Kat, and Richards' Dopin' Dan was similar to Mort Walker's Beetle Bailey. The original Air Pirates were a gang of Mickey Mouse antagonists of the 1930s; O'Neill regarded Mickey Mouse as a symbol of conformist hypocrisy in American culture, and therefore a ripe target for satire. The first issue of Air Pirates Funnies was dated July 1971, and the second issue dated August. Both were published under the Hell Comics imprint, and were distributed through Ron Turner's Last Gasp publishing company. The lead stories in both issues, created by O'Neill and Hallgren, focused on Walt Disney characters, most notably from Floyd Gottfredson's Mickey Mouse newspaper strip, with the Disney characters engaging in adult behaviors such as sex and drug consumption. O'Neill insisted it would dilute the parody to change the names of the characters, so his adventurous mouse character was called "Mickey" Cover price $0.50.

Conan the Barbarian (1970 Marvel) 7 VG/FN 5.0

Cover art by Barry Windsor-Smith. The Lurker Within!, script by Roy Thomas, pencils by Barry Windsor-Smith, inks by Sal Buscema; setting: Nemedian city of Numalia; Lady Aztrias betrays Conan. Conan burgles a merchant's building, is accused of murder, fights & kills a serpent-man, saves Demetrios's life and sees Thoth-Amon; adapted from the story The God in the Bowl by Robert E. Howard. 36 pgs. Cover price: $0.15. Cover price $0.15.

Fantastic Four (1961 1st Series) 112 VG/FN 5.0

"Battle of the Behemoths!" Guest-starring the Hulk. Script by Stan Lee. Pencils by John Buscema. Inks by Joe Sinnott. Cover by John Buscema and Frank Giacoia. One of the landmark FF issues of the bronze age! And an outstanding cover too! The Thing has been a one-man wrecking crew in tearing up the city over the past several hours! And Mr. Fantastic, the Human Torch, and New York's finest are helpless to stop him! But now...enter the Hulk! Wow! The Green Goliath and the blue-eyed idol of millions battle from cover to cover until only one man is left standing! It's clobberin' time! Cameo appearances by Agatha Harkness, Alicia Masters, Franklin, and J. Jonah Jameson. (Notes: This issue was reprinted in Hulk vs. Thing 1 (1999). The Hulk and the Thing previously fought one another in Fantastic Four (1st series) 25 and 26. The powerful pair battle again in Marvel Feature (1st series) 11 and one more time in Giant-Size Super-Stars 1.) 36 pages, full color. Cover price $0.15.

Fantastic Four (1961 1st Series) 112 VG+ 4.5

"Battle of the Behemoths!" Guest-starring the Hulk. Script by Stan Lee. Pencils by John Buscema. Inks by Joe Sinnott. Cover by John Buscema and Frank Giacoia. One of the landmark FF issues of the bronze age! And an outstanding cover too! The Thing has been a one-man wrecking crew in tearing up the city over the past several hours! And Mr. Fantastic, the Human Torch, and New York's finest are helpless to stop him! But now...enter the Hulk! Wow! The Green Goliath and the blue-eyed idol of millions battle from cover to cover until only one man is left standing! It's clobberin' time! Cameo appearances by Agatha Harkness, Alicia Masters, Franklin, and J. Jonah Jameson. (Notes: This issue was reprinted in Hulk vs. Thing 1 (1999). The Hulk and the Thing previously fought one another in Fantastic Four (1st series) 25 and 26. The powerful pair battle again in Marvel Feature (1st series) 11 and one more time in Giant-Size Super-Stars 1.) 36 pages, full color. Cover price $0.15.

Green Lantern (1960 2nd Series DC) 84 CGC 7.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4710029005

Final 15-cent cover price. Cover art by Neal Adams. Peril in Plastic, script by Denny O'Neil, pencils by Neal Adams, inks by Bernie Wrightson; While Carol Ferris is in Piper's Dell, the sea wall protecting the town begins to give way, so Hal responds as Green Lantern; After saving the town, GL is given a tour of the plastic factory; Weakened by gas emitted by the plastic pins produced there, he is unable to fight back, so he sends his ring to Green Arrow; When he revives, he finds that his old enemy Black Hand uses the pins to keep the community under his control; He sends GL and Carol out into the streets to face the wrath of the townspeople, but Green Arrow arrives in time with GL's ring, and GL traps Black Hand in his own plastic. This issue features the memorable "Ka-loooota" sequence (a reference to artist Michael Kaluta). Cover price $0.15.

Green Lantern (1960 2nd Series DC) 84 CBCS 5.5 Witnessed Sig O'Neil

Paper: Off white to white

Witnessed Sig: Denny O'Neil on 04/29/2017.

Label #18-089E087-039

Final 15-cent cover price. Cover art by Neal Adams. Peril in Plastic, script by Denny O'Neil, pencils by Neal Adams, inks by Bernie Wrightson; While Carol Ferris is in Piper's Dell, the sea wall protecting the town begins to give way, so Hal responds as Green Lantern; After saving the town, GL is given a tour of the plastic factory; Weakened by gas emitted by the plastic pins produced there, he is unable to fight back, so he sends his ring to Green Arrow; When he revives, he finds that his old enemy Black Hand uses the pins to keep the community under his control; He sends GL and Carol out into the streets to face the wrath of the townspeople, but Green Arrow arrives in time with GL's ring, and GL traps Black Hand in his own plastic. This issue features the memorable "Ka-loooota" sequence (a reference to artist Michael Kaluta). Cover price $0.15.

Incredible Hulk (1962 Marvel 1st Series) 141 FN- 5.5

Cover art by Herb Trimpe. His Name Is... Samson!, script by Roy Thomas, pencils by Herb Trimpe, inks by John Severin; Ross enlists the aid of Dr. Samson in siphoning off the Hulk's power to revert Betty from her crystal state and to rid Bruce of the Hulk forever; The experiment is a success, and Leonard uses more of the Hulk's energy to turn himself into a super hero; Watching Doc Samson trying to win Betty's affections, Bruce gets jealous and turns himself into the Hulk once more. House ad for Iron Man #39. 36 pgs. $0.15. Cover price $0.15.

My Love (1969 Marvel) 12 CGC 9.0

Paper: Off white

Label #4727467013

Cover by John Romita, Sr. (Done in the French romance style.) Edited by Stan Lee. Stories by Stan Lee and unknown. Art by Enrique Monserratt, John Forte, Jay Scott Pike and Matt Baker & Vince Colletta. She wanted him...she needed him...but he could not be hers! Don't dare miss..."The Look of Love!" Plus: Anne must decide if she is in love with Whit or his money in the reprint story "The Girl Who Had Everything!" Also: Claudia isn't particularly interested in Mike because she already knows he's in love with her and she likes to make men chase her. By the time she realizes that she loves Mike, too, it's too late, because he's left town believing that he has no chance with her in the reprint story "Don't Let It Happen To You!" And: The reprint story "Better Late Than Never!" 32 pages, full color. Cover price $0.15.

Sub-Mariner (1968 1st Series) 39 CGC 5.5 SS Buscema

Paper: Cream to off white

Signed by Sal Buscema on 05/11/2024.

Label #4443200001

Cover by Sal Buscema and Marie Severin (alterations). "And Here I'll Stand," script by Roy Thomas, pencils by Ross Andru, inks by Jim Mooney; Unable to find any trace of Llyra, Namor makes his way to New York City and decides to take over an abandoned prison island in New York harbor; Unfortunately, the authorities aren't too pleased with having Namor so close and demand that he leave; When Namor refuses, the authorities call on the army to attack Namor while an underwater demolition team destroys the island; Diane Arliss then tells him that his father may actually be alive, and Namor leaves on a new quest to find him. Cont'd in Daredevil #77. 36 pgs., full color. $0.15. Cover price $0.15.