Auctions: comic books February 1974

Amazing Spider-Man (1963 1st Series) 129 CGC 9.0

Paper: White

Label #4625456001

First appearances of the Punisher and the Jackal in "The Punisher Strikes Twice!" Script by Gerry Conway. Pencils by Ross Andru. Inks by Frank Giacoia and Dave Hunt (backgrounds). Cover by Gil Kane and John Romita. One of the landmark issues of the bronze age! The Punisher, the legendary gun-toting vigilante, makes his first appearance in the Marvel Universe! And his first target...is none other than your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man! But before Frank Castle can locate the web-slinger, he needs directions from a mysterious new super-villain called the Jackal! Once the dastardly Jackal tells the sharpshooting anti-hero where to find the wall-crawler, the inaugural battle between the Punisher and the Amazing Spider-Man erupts! The first of many classic confrontations! Cameo appearances by Mary Jane Watson, Harry Osborn, Betty Brant, Joe Robertson, and J. Jonah Jameson. (Notes: The Punisher appears next in Amazing Spider-Man 134 (cameo) and 135. The letters page includes a letter from comics writer Ralph Macchio. This story was reprinted in Marvel Tales 106 and again in Marvel Tales 209.) 36 pages. 20 cent cover price. Cover price $0.20.

Avengers (1963 1st Series) 120 CGC 5.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4578573015

"Death-Stars of the Zodiac!" Part 1 of 3. Script by Steve Englehart. Pencils by Bob Brown. Inks by Don Heck. Cover by Jim Starlin and Frank Giacoia. As shown on Jim Starlin's spectacular cover, the Zodiac attacks! Taurus (aka Cornelius Van Lunt) has reformed the 12-member cartel for one express purpose! Destroying the Avengers! In brazen fashion, the super-villains from the stars storm into Avengers Mansion and overwhelm the five avengers inside! After licking their wounds, Earth's Mightiest Heroes discover that Taurus has another diabolical objective on his agenda! Kill every person in Manhattan born under the sign of Gemini! Wow, where did the Zodiac get that kind of power? It doesn't matter now as Taurus' giant star-blaster is set to fire its death-ray from atop the World Trade Center! It's a frantic race against time to save thousands of Gemini! Avengers Assemble! Avengers Lineup: Iron Man, Mantis, Scarlet Witch, Swordsman, Thor, and the Vision. (Note: Captain America is depicted on the cover but does not appear in the story inside.) 36 pages Cover price $0.20.

Avengers (1963 1st Series) Mark Jewelers 120MJ GD 2.0

Water damage.

Mark Jeweler Advertisement Insert Variant. "Death-Stars of the Zodiac!" Part 1 of 3. Script by Steve Englehart. Pencils by Bob Brown. Inks by Don Heck. Cover by Jim Starlin and Frank Giacoia. As shown on Jim Starlin's spectacular cover, the Zodiac attacks! Taurus (aka Cornelius Van Lunt) has reformed the 12-member cartel for one express purpose! Destroying the Avengers! In brazen fashion, the super-villains from the stars storm into Avengers Mansion and overwhelm the five avengers inside! After licking their wounds, Earth's Mightiest Heroes discover that Taurus has another diabolical objective on his agenda! Kill every person in Manhattan born under the sign of Gemini! Wow, where did the Zodiac get that kind of power? It doesn't matter now as Taurus' giant star-blaster is set to fire its death-ray from atop the World Trade Center! It's a frantic race against time to save thousands of Gemini! Avengers Assemble! Avengers Lineup: Iron Man, Mantis, Scarlet Witch, Swordsman, Thor, and the Vision. (Note: Captain America is depicted on the cover, but does not appear in the story inside.) 32 pages Cover price $0.20.

Chronicle (1972 George S. Breo) Fanzine Vol. 1 #4 FN 6.0

Residue.

Chronicle is one of the better looking comic book fanzines from the 1970s. Issue #4 includes the following: "Future Shock" by Jim Wisniewski, "Mud Monster" by Steve Boswick, "Gideon's Revenge" by John Byrne, "Dante" by Stan Sakai, "Cliff Hangers" by William McMichael, "Calculating Mind" by Chuck Dixon, and more! 8-1/2" x 11", 60 pages, B&W.

Defenders (1972 1st Series) 12 CGC 9.4

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4644275004

Last 20-cent cover price. Cover art by John Romita. The Titan Strikes Back!, script by Len Wein, pencils by Sal Buscema (layouts) and Jack Abel (finished art), inks by Jack Abel; Xemnu the Titan returns and takes over a small town before being stopped by the Defenders. 36 pgs. $0.20. Cover price $0.20.

Ghost Rider (1973 1st Series) 4 FN- 5.5

"Death Stalks Demolition Derby!" Story by Gary Friedrich. Art by Jim Mooney and Vince Colletta. Cover by John Romita, Sr. The Ghost Rider is an unstoppable supernatural force, but at sunrise he reverts back to Johnny Blaze and discovers that the injuries he sustained have returned. But he won't have long to dwell as the Spirit of Vengeance is needed to stop an assassin from taking the life of a Las Vegas demolition derby driver. 32 pages, FC. Cover price $0.20.

House of Mystery (1951-1983 1st Series) 222 VF- 7.5

Cover by Luis Dominguez. Featuring: 10 page story "Vengeance Is Mine!" written by Jack Oleck and drawn by Frank Redondo (as Quico Redondo); 10 page story "The Night of the Teddy Bear!" written by Michael Fleisher & Russell Carley (art continuity/breakdowns) and drawn by Alfredo Alcala. 36 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.20.

Incredible Hulk (1962 Marvel 1st Series) 172 FN 6.0

Cover art by Herb Trimpe. And Canst Thou Slay... the Juggernaut?, script by Steve Englehart (plot) and Tony Isabella (script), pencils by Herb Trimpe, inks by Jack Abel; Hulk has been captured and put in a holding cell at Hulkbuster base; As he is quickly dismantling the walls of his prison, Armbruster calls on Peter Corbeau who brings a ray to teleport the Hulk to another dimension; Hulk is blasted away but the Hulkbusters find themselves facing the Juggernaut in his place; When they try to use the ray again, the Hulk returns as well and the two powerhouses quickly bust out and get away; Hulk quickly finds he does not like his new ally and the two battle; The X-Men show up to capture Juggernaut but allow the Hulk to escape. Appearances by the X-Men (Professor X, Cyclops, and Marvel Girl in a crossover with Avengers 111), plus cameos by Doctor Strange, the Angel, the Beast, and Iceman. 36 pgs. $0.20. Cover price $0.20.

Man-Thing (1974 1st Series) 2 FN 6.0

"Nowhere to Go But Down!" Written by Steve Gerber. Art by Val Mayerik and Sal Tarpani. The macabre Man-Thing faces off with THEY: the outlaw cultists known as the Skull-Crushers! 32 pages, FC Cover price $0.20.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 172 CGC 9.6

Paper: White

Label #4664126016

Cover pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Frank Giacoia. "Fiend in the Fog," script by Len Wein, pencils by Gene Colan, inks by Dick Giordano; Outside his home in New Orleans, Brother Voodoo spots a young girl being swept away in the Mississippi River; Diving into the water, Voodoo manages to save the girl and bring her back to his home; There he learns that she is Loralee Tate, daughter of Samuel Tate the local chief of police; She tells Brother Voodoo that she has been stalked by a group called the Cult of the Darklord. The reprint of an old weird story, "Voodoo," script by Carl Wessler, art by Gene Colan. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.20.

Supernatural Thrillers (1972) 8 VF- 7.5

1st appearance of The Elementals - Cover pencils by Larry Lieber, inks by Tom Palmer. Power Times Four!, script by Tony Isabella, art by Val Mayerik; N'Kantu is transported to the Elementals, four former rulers of Earth that wish to return; They make the mummy their slave and teleport him back to earth to destroy a scarlet scarab--an ancient weapon of magic capable of destroying them. The Little Gypsy Tea Room, script by Stan Lee, art by Steve Ditko; A criminal forces a gypsy to hide him from the police, but gets more than he bargained for when she does help him.

NOTE: "The Elementals are featured in the 2019 film Spider-Man: Far from Home." - Odinson, mycomicshop.com Archivist

Cover price $0.25.