Auctions: comic books December 1973

Captain America (1968 1st Series) 168 CGC 9.6

Paper: White

Label #4753254006

First appearance of Helmut Zemo in "And a Phoenix Shall Arise!" Script by Roy Thomas and Tony Isabella. Pencils by Sal Buscema. Inks by John Tartaglione and George Roussos. Cover by Sal Buscema and John Verpoorten. On a rooftop in Manhattan, a mysterious assailant ambushes the star-spangled avenger! Cap doesn't know who the surprise attacker is, but he calls himself the Phoenix. And he really seems to hate Captain America! The fight is short and inconclusive, so the next evening Cap patrols the same area...and runs into the Phoenix again! However this time the new villain wins! And as shown on the cover, the Living Legend soon finds himself dangling over a vat of Adhesive X. Hold on, Adhesive X was the calling card of the late Baron Heinrich Zemo. Is the past coming back to haunt the Sentinel of Liberty? Thankfully, the Falcon and Redwing make sure it's not today. But one of Cap's greatest foes -- and also one of the Avengers' -- is born! Flashback cameos by Baron Heinrich Zemo and the Red Skull. (Note: Helmut Zemo returns several years later in Captain America 275 and officially adopts the name and uniform of his father.) 36 pages. Cover price $0.20.

Captain America (1968 1st Series) 168 VG+ 4.5

First appearance of Helmut Zemo in "And a Phoenix Shall Arise!" Script by Roy Thomas and Tony Isabella. Pencils by Sal Buscema. Inks by John Tartaglione and George Roussos. Cover by Sal Buscema and John Verpoorten. On a rooftop in Manhattan, a mysterious assailant ambushes the star-spangled avenger! Cap doesn't know who the surprise attacker is, but he calls himself the Phoenix. And he really seems to hate Captain America! The fight is short and inconclusive, so the next evening Cap patrols the same area...and runs into the Phoenix again! However this time the new villain wins! And as shown on the cover, the Living Legend soon finds himself dangling over a vat of Adhesive X. Hold on, Adhesive X was the calling card of the late Baron Heinrich Zemo. Is the past coming back to haunt the Sentinel of Liberty? Thankfully, the Falcon and Redwing make sure it's not today. But one of Cap's greatest foes -- and also one of the Avengers' -- is born! Flashback cameos by Baron Heinrich Zemo and the Red Skull. (Note: Helmut Zemo returns several years later in Captain America 275 and officially adopts the name and uniform of his father.) 36 pages. Cover price $0.20.

Chilling Adventures in Sorcery (1972) 4 CGC 3.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4687376012

Cover art by Gray Morrow. Suicide ...Maybe, script and art by Vicente Alcazar; A man who fails to commit suicide is given a mission to kill an evil dictator, knowing the dictator's guards will surely kill him. Horripilate Host, script by Don Glut, art by Dick Giordano; A nasty, aging actor who is a vampire host on a Creeper Feature show is tricked into reciting a spell on live TV. Golden Touch, script and art by Gray Morrow; A man acquires Midas' Golden Touch. A Thousand Pounds of Clay, script by Don Glut, art by Vicente Alcazar; An artist creates a clay Golem to destroy his enemies, starting with his girlfriend and his best friend, who are having an affair. The Witch--Essays into the Supernatural, art by Gray Morrow. 36 pgs. $0.20. Cover price $0.20.

Dead of Night (1973) 1 VF- 7.5

Cover art by John Romita. The Ghost Still Walks, art by Joe Sinnott; A fraternity initiation leads to a death. House of Fear!, art by Jim Mooney; A haunted house investigator and a reporter visit an old mansion. My Brother... the Ghoul, script by Hank Chapman; A graverobber with an identical twin meets his doom. He Dwells in a Dungeon; A woman plans to kill her disfigured future brother-in-law, but makes a fatal mistake. 32 pgs.$0.20. Cover price $0.20.

Defenders (1972 1st Series) 11 CGC 9.6 Suscha News

Paper: White

Suscha News.

Label #4610512003

The Avengers/Defenders crossover continues with "A Dark and Stormy Knight." Script by Steve Englehart, pencils by Sal Buscema. Inks by Frank Bolle. Cover by John Romita. Story continues from Avengers 118. The epic battle vs. Dormammu is over and Earth has survived! But there's one more mission remaining for the Defenders! Return the Black Knight's stone body back to flesh and blood. To that end six defenders along with the Evil Eye travel back in time to the 12th century and find Dane Whitman smack dab in the middle of the Crusades! The super-heroes from the 20th century get a medieval history lesson as all the famous combatants are present: Prince John, Mordred the Evil, Chandu, Prester John, and Richard the Lionheart! Can the Dynamic Defenders save the King (and the Black Knight)? Cameo appearances by the Avengers, Nick Fury, and Loki. Defenders Lineup: Doctor Strange, Hawkeye, Hulk, Silver Surfer, Sub-Mariner, and Valkyrie. (Notes: Prester John previously appeared in Fantastic Four (1st series) 54. The 20th century stone statue of the Black Knight comes to life in Avengers 157. The 12th century Black Knight (aka Dane Whitman) and the Evil Eye return in Avengers 225 & 226.) 36 pgs. Cover price $0.20.

Kamandi (1972 DC) 12 CGC 9.4

Paper: White

Label #4668524013

"The Devil and Mister Sacker." Script and pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Mike Royer. Cover by Kirby and Royer. Kamandi befriends a giant grasshopper (known as the "Devil") and names him Kliklak. He then discovers that he must against Bull Bantam, who has abused Spirit, the sister of Flower. Cover price $0.20.

Special Marvel Edition (1971) 15 CGC 7.5

Paper: White

Label #3943911002

Written by Steve Englehart and Jim Starlin. Art and cover by Jim Starlin and Al Milgrom. Shang Chi, making his first appearance, is a master of martial arts and the son of Fu Manchu, a Chinese mandarin and scientist. Fu Manchu sends Shang Chi to England in order to assassinate the evil Dr. Petrie for the common good. Shang Chi reluctantly agrees, but after the deed is done he is confronted by Sir Denis Nayland Smith, a former British intelligence officer who tells him the truth about Fu Manchu; that he is a nearly immortal evil mastermind. Shang Chi travels back to his father's secret lair in New York and renounces him. Text articles by Roy Thomas and Englehart about the creation of Shang-Chi. Ad for Astonishing Tales #21. A brief obituary for Syd Shores. Ad for the Marvel fan club FOOM (Friends of Ol' Marvel). 36 pages, full color. $0.20. Cover price $0.20.

Uncanny Tales (1973 Marvel) 1 CGC 6.0

Paper: Off white

Label #4734461003

All reprints from Uncanny Tales (Marvel, 1952 series) #9. Cover pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Tom Palmer. "Like a Chicken Without a Head!", art by Reed Crandall; A doctor recommends a surgical procedure whereby the head is removed from the body and the heart is kept beating by artificial means so as to lengthen the time available for surgery; No one listens to him though, and being tired of being mocked, he destroys his formula. "Rudolph's Racket," art by Al Eadeh; An innkeeper keeps two large wolves in the cellar which devour curious guests so he can claim their valuables. "Propaganda!", art by Manny Stallman. "Time Marches On!", art by Harry Anderson; A man attempts to build a clock that can run forever by repairing itself, but no one understands why and mocks him, until he runs out of time and the undertaker pulls by his clothes to reveal he had replaced his inner organs with clock mechanism. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.20.

Werewolf by Night (1972 1st Series) 12 FN- 5.5

Cover pencils by John Romita. Cry Werewolf!, script by Marv Wolfman, pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Don Perlin; the Werewolf defeats the Hangman and all the Hangman's captives are released. 36 pgs. $0.20. Cover price $0.20.