Auctions: comic books published January 1952 or later

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 31 GD+ 2.5

2" Cumulative spine split. Cover detached at one staple. Water damage.

Cover art by Harry Anderson. The Man Who Played With Blocks, art by Sid Greene; A toy maker gets ahold of wood leftovers from coffin construction and builds toy blocks from them. The Living Legend text story. The Bum, art by Bill Benulis; A bum involved in a train wreck regrets when he takes the clothes off a prosperous man and leaves him to die. The Money Tree, art by J. T.; A professor is killed by a gangster. The First Man, art by Bill Savage. The Strange Ones, art by Art Peddy. 36 pgs. $0.10. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 32 VG 4.0

Moisture. Oxidation.

Cover art by Harry Anderson. Man Or Beast, art by Paul Reinman. The Ticket text story. The Dreadful Disguise, art by Al Eadeh. Harley's Friend, art by Bob McCarty. The Wrong Man, art by Jim McLaughlin. The Horrible Years, art by Joe Maneely. 36 pgs. $0.10. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 33 CBCS 4.0

Paper: Off white to white

Label #17-147A6FB-025

"A Giant There Was!" with art by Pete Tomlinson; "The Schemers!" with art by Paul Reinman; "Step Lively, Please"; "The Spy"; "What Is It?"; and a two-page text story, "Haunted Man." 36 pages, full color. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 35 GD/VG 3.0

Centerfold detached at one staple. Water damage.

Cover pencils by Carl Burgos, inks by Sol Brodsky. Danger Signal, art by Joe Sinnott; A boy playing with toy trains saves his train engineer father. My Friend Koogelle text story. The Man In the Bottle!, art by Ed Winiarski; A man gets suckered into releasing a tiny prisoner in a bottle due to promises of wealth. The Target, art by John Romita; A young boy has his interest in space travel discouraged by his parents. The Character, art by Dick Ayers. Freddie's Face, art by Art Peddy; A man's ugly face begins to look handsome as he does good deeds. 36 pgs. $0.10. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 36 CBCS 3.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #17-2B2E61C-019

Cover art by Carl Burgos. "The Man Who Turned Off the Sun!", art by Vic Carrabotta; A scientist invents a nuclear vapor which temporarily blots out the sun's rays as a defense against atomic weapons, but gets no respect from his shrew wife. "Music in the Air" text story. "The Girl Who Wouldn't Speak," art by Joe Maneely; A lovelorn writer creates a female character that he falls in love with and sees her appear one evening while out for a walk. "The Discovery," script by Carl Wessler, art by Bob Powell; A manager thinks he's made a great discovery when he finds a kid with a great pitching arm, but he costs them the series when he's put in the last game and the manager realizes that he's never played baseball before. "The Bell That Wouldn't Stop," art by Bill Benulis; A church bell rings nonstop so that all the townspeople gather outside the church and are spared devastation from an earthquake. "The Secret Weapon," art by John Forte; The folk of a small town experiencing a drought make a scapegoat out of a companion of some scientists who remains aloof; They ask him to leave town but have to apologize when they find out he is a robot with the mental capacity to figure out a way to make it rain for them. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 40 FR 1.0

Near complete spine split.

Cover art by Joe Maneely. This Dark Cave, art by Bill Benulis; A man returns to his shelter after he mistakes a small town that has been evacuated in service of atomic bomb tests for the worldwide war that he has feared would come. The Search text story. A Stranger on Earth, art by Bill Everett; When an alien crash lands on Earth, he is met with violence. The Man Who Caught a Mermaid, art by John Forte. The End of Time!, art by John Forte; God intervenes directly to stop militarists from rushing towards war. No Place to Hide, pencils by Paul Reinman. 36 pgs. $0.10. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 41 VG- 3.5

1" Spine split from bottom.

"The Riddle of the Skull," "The Fishman" (art by Bill Everett), "The Strange Stick" (art by Robert Q. Sale), "They Won't Believe," "Man in the Dark" (art by Joe Orlando), and a two-page text story, "The Search!" Joe Maneely cover. 36 pgs. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 43 CGC 5.5 Restored

Trimmed

Paper: Off white to white

CENTERFOLD TRIMMED. Extra staple added, after manufacturing.

Label #0340563006

Cover art by Russ Heath. The Man Who Lived Twice, art by Tony DiPreta; A man dying on the operating table finds that time has stopped for everybody but him. The Swami text story. I Saved Mankind, pencils by John Forte; A man drives off aliens that were attempting to pour canisters into water reservoirs. Behind the Mask, art by Bob Brown; A clown who can't have children finds an abandoned baby and takes him in. The Mysterious Machine, pencils by Larry Woromay, inks by Steve Kirkel. The Mysterious Machine, pencils by Larry Woromay, inks by Steve Kirkel. 36 pgs. $0.10. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 44 GD+ 2.5

2" Cumulative spine split. Tape on interior cover. Moisture damage.

Cover art by Sol Brodsky. The Man Who Ran Away!, art by Bob Forgione. One World at a Time!, art by Joe Orlando. The Stone text story. The Mysterious Border, art by Robert Sale. Look Out Below, art by Bob Powell. Safari In the Sky!, art by Ed Winiarski. Take A Giant Step, art by Paul Reinman. 36 pgs. $0.10. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 45 GD/VG 3.0

Centerfold detached at one staple. Water spotting. Oxidation.

Cover art by Bill Everett. Land of Vanishing Men, art by Joe Sinnott; Three men who dream of the adventure of knights join a mirage in the desert set during the Crusades. The Night People, pencils by Bob Forgione, inks by Jack Abel; A cowardly boy is ashamed when space aliens interrogate him for when would be the best time to invade. The Eyes of Mr. Moody!, art by Jack Keller; A timid hypnotist hypnotizes himself hoping to give himself the daring to succeed in business. The Strange Exchange!, art by Ed Winiarski. The Impersonation text story. The Man Who Went Back!, art by Bernie Krigstein; A man who can experience the past in his imagination goes back to the creation. Sorry, Wrong Planet, pencils by Bernard Baily. 36 pgs. $0.10. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 46 GD/VG 3.0 (R)

Restored (see item notes)

RESTORATION. Piece fill. 1" Spine split from bottom. Water damage. Cover oxidation. Tape on interior cover and pages.

Cover art by Carl Burgos. The Sands Are Running Out, art by Joe Sinnott; A man acquires an hourglass that can send him into the future. The Man From Nowhere, art by Joe Orlando; A Martian scientist who appears among humans by harnessing the power of lightning bolts finds that his method of travel disturbs people. Repeat Performance, art by John Severin; A tourist couple encounter Paul Revere when he comes back to view Battle Green. Planet X text story. The Wild, Wild Wind, pencils by Dick Ayers. You Must Not Look, art by Paul Reinman. The Greatest Experiment, art by Steve Ditko. 36 pgs. $0.10. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 48 FR 1.0

Centerfold detached at one staple, water damage.

The Deserted Lighthouse, pencils by Bob Forgione, inks by Jack Abel. The Man Who Stole a Skyscraper, art by Manny Stallman. The Men In Space, art by Bill Walton. I've Got To Hide, art by Mort Meskin. Muscle Man text story. Medicine Man, art by Ed Winiarski. The Last of Mr. Grimm, art by Dick Ayers. 36 pgs. $0.10. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 49 GD+ 2.5

Cover detached. Water damage. Interior tearing.

"Inside the Black Bag" (art by Mac L. Pakula), "The Girl Who Saved the World!" (art by Joe Orlando), "Not Quite Human," "What Happened to Mr. Smith?" (art by Harry Lazarus), "The Animal," "The Man Who Cried" (art by John Forte), and a two-page text story, "The Weatherman." 36 pgs. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 50 VG 4.0

Water damage. Only one staple (manufacturing).

"The End of the Line" with art by Paul Reinman; "Both of Me!" with art by Harry Lazarus; "The Fog That Couldn't Lift!" with art by Steve Ditko; "The World Outside!" with art by Bill Benulis; "The Needle Swings!" with art by Robert Q. Sale; "Sleep, You Fool!" with art by John Forte; and a two-page text story, "The Newshound." Bill Everett cover. 36 pgs. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 51 CBCS 3.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #17-2B2E61C-021

1st Silver Age issue. "The Insects!" with art by Paul Reinman; "Inside the Black Box" with art by Herb Familton; "No Place on Earth!" with art by Harry Lazarus; "He Stalks by Night!"; "Blackout!"; "The Thing in the Jungle!"; and a two-page text story, "Over the Moon." Bill Everett cover. 36 pgs. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 53 VG 4.0

Cover art by Bill Everett. "I Died Tomorrow!", art by Pete Morisi; A man invents a time machine and begins to regularly predict the future until a mob is angry that there is nothing left to live for if everything is known in advance and burn down his lab. "The Brute!", script by Carl Wessler, art by John Forte; Julius Caesar has a dream that he and his close associates are 30's gangsters warning him of his impending assassination. "They Crawl By Night!", art by Vic Carrabotta; A bum finds self-respect when he rejects an offer of underground beings to be their leader in an invasion of the surface world. "What Stanley Saw!", script by Carl Wessler, art by Angelo Torres; A pilot sees a flying saucer land and loses his job over the publicity; He investigates and finds alien refugees attempting to keep a low profile. "The Thirtieth Century" text story. "The Gray Thing!", art by Gene Colan; In the year 2856 a man tells a friend a story about an antique robot he acquired that was built three hundred years ago. "The Man Who Crushed Rocks!", art by Reed Crandall; A man gets driven off into a swamp and finds a spring that gives him great strength; He returns to the town that drove him out and robs the bank. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 55 CGC 4.0

Paper: Off white to white

Label #2067220008

Cover art by Bill Everett. "The Jack-In-The-Box," art by Mac Pakula; An ivory hunter regrets opening a tribal witch doctor's jack-in-the-box when inside it contains the spirit of the Elephant God. "Octopus!", script by Carl Wessler, art by Tony DiPreta; In 1980 a ship finds itself menaced by an octopus made gigantic by atomic bomb tests so a call is made to the past to shoot all nearby octopi and save the ship in a future time. "What Goes On Down There?", art by John Giunta; Underground invader's resolve to conquer the surface world fails when they realize that after millions of years adapting to life underground they are no bigger than ants. "The Spirit of '76," art by Joe Maneely; A young boy cleans out the attic of the old house his family moved into and meets a ghost from the Revolutionary War era. "Earth-Trap!", art by Robert Sale; The guardian of the force of gravity takes a vacation from the center of the Earth and gets hoodwinked by a phony medium attempting to demonstrate telekinesis so he goes back to the gravity controls and turns them up a notch and no one can move. "Man Without Fear!", script by Carl Wessler, art by George Roussos; A soldier's ghost demonstrates the bravery that the man never could in life. "The Threat From the Void," art by Paul Reinman; In the days of the cold war Jupiter sends a threat to Earth, close to achieving space travel technology, warning them if another global war breaks out Earth shall have to be destroyed. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 56 GD+ 2.5

1" Spine split from top. Water damage. Tape on interior cover.

Cover art by Bill Everett. "Something Is On This Ship!", art by Doug Wildey; The first mate of a ship tries to convince the captain that there are spooks aboard his ship, but when the captain's hair turns white at something he's seen, the first mate begins to wonder if there really are spooks aboard. "The Metal Master!", art by Vince Colletta; An artist creates a robot to paint for him but smashes it when it turns the tables and forces him to paint. "More Than a Mortal!", art by Pete Morisi; A man with a theory that Shakespeare was more than mortal murders his uncle for his money, but Shakespeare's ghost contrives to make him own up to the crime. "Hide-Out!", art by Robert Sale; An owner of criminal hide-outs comes across a wishing jewel that he uses to eliminate his competition but when he gets raided by the police he realizes that there is nowhere to run because his competitors have all been put out of business. "The Fountain of Youth" text story. "Nothing Can Stop It," art by Howard O'Donnell; A chemist tries to make a solvent that can eat through anything for criminal purposes but when succeeds, he realizes that he failed to consider nothing could contain such a compound. "The Shock!", script by Carl Wessler, art by Reed Crandall; A deadbeat finds that when his foot makes contact with a power cord and he touches the radiator the shock he receives teleports him to distant towns at random; He decides to use this to steal the company payroll. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 57 VG 4.0

Centerfold detached at one staple. Water spotting.

"You Used To Be Me," "Murder On His Mind" (art by Pete Morisi), "The Door That Wouldn't Open," "The Voice of Doom" (art by Gray Morrow), "Volcano" (art by Richard Doxsee), "It Walks in the Night" (art by Paul Reinman), and a two-page text story, "The Missing Squadrons." Bill Everett art? 36 pgs. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 62 GD+ 2.5

Cover oxidation. Water damage.

Cover art by Joe Maneely. "The Girl Who Walked Thru Stone!", art by Ruben Moreira; A miner caves in the shaft he works to aid a beautiful girl from an underground kingdom; No one believes him and he is jailed, but the girl returns in a digging machine to rescue him. "The Man Nobody Knew!", art by Joe Maneely; The obituary editor of a newspaper sees events before they happen; The source of his abilities his found after he turns in his last story, when his replacement discovers the obituary he wrote for himself years previously. "The Invaders!", art by Werner Roth; An undersea invasion is foiled when their scouting expedition is confused by their contemptuous reception from an old woman who takes them for actors. "Filled With Hate," art by Angelo Torres; An old zoo-keeper instinctively recognizes the evil in a new specimen; It is an alien sent to turn the animals against humans, but it is killed by the zoo's gorilla, the animal closest to humans. "It Happened That Night," art by Herb Familton; A skeptical man mocks an Indian mystic, but he is convinced by a terrifying illusion in which he gains the ability to see the coming of death. "The Window" text story. "Alone in the Night!", art by George Roussos; A thief seduces a rich young woman alone on a moored yacht; When he tries to rob her safe he finds the yacht drifting out to sea. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 66 VG- 3.5

Water damage.

Cover art by Joe Maneely. "The Ghost Came C.O.D.", art by Reed Crandall; A schemer comes up with the idea to send off invoices to the recently deceased figuring grieving widows will just pay the invoice to take care of the matter quickly; The fraud works until one of the dead comes back to his shop and reveals himself as a Martian living within the body of a human. "The Replacement!", art by Alphonso Greene; A criminal steals a dying man's jacket and when he finds an airline ticket in the pocket he attempts to use the plane to escape the police. "The Voice of Fido!", art by Werner Roth; A ventriloquist uses a dog in his act in place of a dummy; When a fire breaks out the dog leads people out by speaking and the ventriloquist gets credit for it, but the ventriloquist denies speaking. "It Waits Under the Sea!", art by Al Eadeh; A man plans to traverse the globe completely underwater, but when he sees a tunnel he becomes curious and directs the submarine into it. "The Eerie Experiment!", art by Robert Q. Sale; Two men in 1977 using a radio attempt to warn a government agent breaking up a communist spy ring in the past. "Time Machine" text story. "He Wore a Black Beard," art by Ed Winiarski; A man living with an inventor is surprised by a visitor who claims to be from the future; The man resents the inventor and comes up with a scheme to frame him with the time traveler's help. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 67 CGC 5.0

Paper: Off white to white

Label #0273400003

Prototype issue (Quicksilver). Cover art by Joe Sinnott. "Trapped Between Two Worlds!", art by Steve Ditko; A scientist working on a matter transporting device accidentally transports himself to a distant planet of warlike aliens; They read his mind in order to use his device for conquest. "I Seek the Sea Serpent," art by Don Heck; A scientist tracks down a sea serpent, but the crew of his ship panics and kills it. "I Was the Invisible Man!", pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Christopher Rule; A scientist uses a device that makes the particles of a living body move at the speed of light, rendering him invisible to the eye; He conducts a series of stunts in order to build up a name for himself so he can them go public and cash in. "Discovery" text story, art by Joe Maneely. "The Man Who Never Was!", art by Carl Burgos; A scientist's assistant uses a time machine to travel to the past in order to find a pirate's treasure and get rich; While in the past he is attacked by the pirates. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 67 GD/VG 3.0

Cover oxidation. Water damage. Centerfold loose at one staple.

Prototype issue (Quicksilver). Cover art by Joe Sinnott. "Trapped Between Two Worlds!", art by Steve Ditko; A scientist working on a matter transporting device accidentally transports himself to a distant planet of warlike aliens; They read his mind in order to use his device for conquest. "I Seek the Sea Serpent," art by Don Heck; A scientist tracks down a sea serpent, but the crew of his ship panics and kills it. "I Was the Invisible Man!", pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Christopher Rule; A scientist uses a device that makes the particles of a living body move at the speed of light, rendering him invisible to the eye; He conducts a series of stunts in order to build up a name for himself so he can them go public and cash in. "Discovery" text story, art by Joe Maneely. "The Man Who Never Was!", art by Carl Burgos; A scientist's assistant uses a time machine to travel to the past in order to find a pirate's treasure and get rich; While in the past he is attacked by the pirates. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 68 GD/VG 3.0

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Christopher Rule. "Last Warning--Evacuate Earth!", art by Joe Sinnott; A gaseous alien arrives on Earth to warn people to evacuate before its race invades; It attempts to communicate with humans telepathically, but they disregard his warning as madness or a trick. "Mystery Trip" text story, art by Joe Maneely. "The Creatures from the Bottomless Pit!", art by Steve Ditko; A man descends in a bathysphere into a pit so deep that he is surprised to find a waterless cavern beneath it occupied by elves banished long ago by a wizard. "Test Pilot!", pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Christopher Rule; A rocketship test pilot in the year 2089 takes an experimental rocket on a test flight; He faces an oxygen leak caused by a collision, alien raiders and other hazards before returning safely to Earth. "Next Stop—Mars!", art by Carl Burgos; A short child mocked for his height takes comfort from his one friend and his love of airplanes; He is rejected by the air force because of his height, but when his friend designs an experimental rocket that can only be piloted by a short man he becomes the first man on Mars. "Trapped In Tomorrow!", art by John Buscema; A man spends twenty years building a time machine in order to use knowledge of the future to enrich himself; He travels to 2010 and memorizes stock market and horse race information from the newspaper archives. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 69 VG- 3.5

Prototype issue (Professor X). Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Christopher Rule. "The Man In The Iron Box!", art by Carl Burgos; Certain that the world will soon descend into nuclear war, a brilliant scientist goes into cryogenic suspension for a million years, hoping to awaken in a more enlightened time. "The Talent" text story. "Rocket Ship X-200," art by Don Heck; An aging space pilot is mocked for his slow ship, but when an invading armada approaches Earth his ship is the first to see it. "Journey into Nowhere!", art by Joe Sinnott; Two scientists try to travel to the future, but arrive in the stone age; They believe they have proved travel into the future impossible, not suspecting that they actually saw the world after the destruction of civilization by war. "The World That Was Lost!", pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Christopher Rule; An old eccentric in a wheelchair hires a sea captain to take him to a spot where he believes that the lost continent of Atlantis lies; When they reach their destination he reveals himself to be a merman and thanks the sailors for bringing him home before diving overboard. "The Threat from the 5th Dimension!", art by Steve Ditko; The 5th dimension is the dream dimension; The creatures there are trying to pass into this dimension, but belief in their existence as opposed to surmising a mere dream experience disrupts the structure of the dream dimension. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 80 VG 4.0

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Steve Ditko. "What? What? What Was Gargantus!", pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Steve Ditko; A deep sea explorer encounters a giant reptile that follows him back to the surface; The creature explores the surface, causing panic. "Time Machine" text story. "The Things from Dimension X!", art by Don Heck; A scientist successfully creates a link to the dimension Electra only to find the inhabitants bent on conquest. "The Door They Dare Not Open!", art by Paul Reinman; A prison warden treats inmates with kindness, and relies on an honor system to prevent them from opening the one closed door. "Trapped in the Room of Shadows," art by Steve Ditko; A millionaire looks for magical wishing stones with which he hopes to help all humanity; His greedy guide tries to steal the first stone, but only succeeds in using up its power and trapping himself. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 85 VG 4.0

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers. "The Return of Gargantus!", pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers; Another group of scientists disturbs Gargantus, who can now breathe air and vows to conquer the surface world; The son of the man who found Gargantus uses his father's bathysphere to lure it deep into the ocean and uses a giant electric shock to kill him. "New Glasses" text story. "The Man Who Fell!", art by Paul Reinman; A town's mayor threatens to imprison a gypsy seer who spurned his advances if her prediction that he will be injured by a fall does not come true; He goes to the basement and has himself tied down to prevent this. "The Ape Man," art by Steve Ditko; A criminal hopes that the story of an ape man in the jungle around his prison will stop pursuit; Instead he finds that the ape man is real and a curse transforms him into an ape until he finds someone to take his place. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 87 GD+ 2.5 (R)

Restored (see item notes)

RESTORATION. Color touch. Water damage. Staple rust.

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers. "The Return of...Grogg!", pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers; Koslov is sent back to Russia as a spy, and discovers that the dragon Grogg is still on the loose; He lures Grogg into a Soviet rocket and launches it on its mission to Mars, knowing that if the Soviets ever travel to Mars they will find an enraged dragon. "Peril on Paper" text story. "The Lighthouse from Nowhere!", art by Steve Ditko; A lighthouse appears by a village, but their teacher feels they shouldnt use it unearned and destroys it; They build a new one, never knowing that the first was a beacon for an alien invasion, now aborted. "The Macabre Mirror!", art by Don Heck; A greedy duke taxes his people into poverty; When he ignores a gypsy's warnings and tries to seize her ancient mirror he finds himself imprisoned within it forever, freeing his subjects. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 88 VG 4.0

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Steve Ditko. "Zzutak the Thing That Shouldn't Exist!!", pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Steve Ditko; An American comic book artist is forced by an Aztec priest to make a monster with magic paints; The artist creates another monster to fight the first, causing the temple to collapse on both monsters. "Snowstorm" text story. "The Lifeless Man!", art by Steve Ditko; A young boy prefers an old wooden toy soldier to more modern toys; His friends make fun of the toy, but when they are threatened by a bear the soldier seems to drive it off with its rifle. "Punishment!", art by Don Heck; An advanced civilization sends a mugger to a prison planet; Only a few moments on this world full of war, crime and disease make him go straight in order to avoid ever again coming back to Earth. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 89 CBCS 6.0

Paper: Cream to off white

Label #00-0009861-AA-023

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers. 1st appearance of Fin Fang Foom in "Fin Fang Foom!", pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers; A young historian from Taiwan crosses to the mainland to awake the dragon Fin Fang Foom and foil a communist invasion; He lures the dragon to the coast to wreck the invasion fleet. "The Future" text story. "The Green Things!", script by Stan Lee, art by Steve Ditko; A wealthy retiree keeps a magnificent greenhouse, where he talks to the plants; When a burglar tries to kill him, his plants come to life and stop the intruder, saving their friend's life. "The Touch of Midas!", art by Paul Reinman; A greedy man locates the source of Midass power, planning to stop the undesirable effects with gloves; He gains the power but finds that his gloves turn to gold, dooming him to the same fate as Midas. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 90 GD/VG 3.0

Cover detached at one staple. Water damage.

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by George Klein. "Orrgo... The Unconquerable!", pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers; An alien race with immense telepathic and telekinetic powers send one of their kind to conquer Earth; He easily defeats the police and army and freezes Washington, DC in a block of ice. "Special Sale" text story, art by Joe Maneely. "A Thousand Years Later...," script by Stan Lee, art by Steve Ditko; A scientist prolongs his life for a thousand years, outliving all his friends as Earth becomes overpopulated; When Earth is abandoned he stays behind with one young woman. "The Inhuman!", art by Don Heck; In a war against robots, the robots try to find a way to break the human defenses by sending a robot spy disguised as a human; The spy leads them into a trap, and they discover that their spy was a human disguised as a robot. "Germ Warfare," art by Paul Reinman; A medical researcher on a boat enlarges a germ to human size, causing it to attack him and hijack the boat; The germ lands on an island in order to make an army of enlarged germs. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 94 GD+ 2.5

Centerfold detached.

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers. "I Was a Decoy for Pildorr: The Plunderer from Outer Space!", pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Joe Sinnott; Earth sends a pilot to get an important cargo past attacking space pirates; He is caught and thrown into space, his cargo taken; The cargo is a cobalt bomb that destroys the pirates. "The Treasure" text story. "Save Me From the Weed!", pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers; A man urges his unambitious gardener to go into business for himself, but his humble diligence saves the world when he snips a radioactive telepathic weed while it rests. "He Came from Nowhere!", art by Joe Sinnott; A fugitive meets a man from the future who offers to switch places; When he arrives, however, he finds that the man was another criminal, a shape-shifting Uranian. "Help!", script by Stan Lee, art by Steve Ditko; A man gets a mysterious call for help but thinks it's a crank call and slams down the phone, breaking it; The caller is overjoyed, since it was a tiny alien spaceship trapped inside the phone receiver. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 107 CGC 5.5

Paper: White

Label #4614643002

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Sol Brodsky. In this issue, the epic battle long demanded by comic fans! The Human Torch and the Sub-Mariner square off in " "The Master of Flame vs. The Monarch of the Sea!!", script by Stan Lee (plot) and Larry Lieber (script), art by Dick Ayers; The Human Torch goes looking for Sub-Mariner in order to beat him and win more respect; He traps Sub-Mariner beneath the ocean floor and returns to the surface. "The Universal Gadget" text story. "Secret Weapon!", script by Stan Lee (plot) and Larry Lieber (script), pencils by Larry Lieber, inks by Sol Brodsky; A Soviet spy steals a gas intended to make the US leadership invulnerable, and uses it on the Soviet leaders; They find that it is a trap and the gas shrinks them to the size of insects. Statement of ownership; Average circulation per issue published October 1961–September 1962: 136,637. "The Treasure of Planetoid 12!", script by Stan Lee, art by Steve Ditko; In the year 2100 a criminal hijacks a spaceship to be the first man to claim the treasure of Planetoid 12; When he gets there, he finds nothing but water and mud. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 109 GD/VG 3.0

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers. The Human Torch stars in "The Sorcerer and Pandora's Box," script by Stan Lee (plot) and Robert Bernstein [as R. Berns] (script), pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers; The Human Torch fights a sorcerer that unleashes the evils imprisoned in Pandoras Box for his own profit; Fantastic Four guest appearance. "The Comic" text story. "Earth Is Off-Limits!", script by Stan Lee, art by Steve Ditko; Space explorers discover life on a far off planet, but mission control panics at the thought of alien germs loose on Earth and so forbids them to return. "Time Was...", script by Stan Lee (plot) and Larry Lieber (script), pencils by Larry Lieber, inks by Sol Brodsky; A scientist builds a time machine and travels to prehistoric times; When he kills an attacking caveman he unknowingly kills his own human ancestor, meaning that he becomes a Neanderthal. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 111 GD/VG 3.0

Water damage.

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers. Doctor Strange makes his 2nd appearance, and Baron Mordo makes his 1st appearance, in "Face-to-Face with the Magic of Baron Mordo!", script by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko (co-plot), art by Steve Ditko; In his castle in Europe, Baron Mordo plots to steal the secrets of his former master, The Ancient One; Sending his spirit form to Tibet, he causes Hamir to poison The Ancient One's food. Human Torch is cover featured in "Fighting to the Death with the Asbestos Man!", script by Stan Lee (plot) and Ernie Hart [as H. Huntley] (script), art by Dick Ayers; A frustrated scientist invents a fireproof suit in order to impress underworld hoods and become their partner in crime; The Torch is at first unable to defeat him, but with the advice of his sister he calms down and outsmarts the Asbestos Man. "Masquerade" text story. "Beware--the Machine!!!", script by Stan Lee (plot) and Larry Lieber (script), pencils by Larry Lieber, inks by Matt Fox; A super-intelligent computer is built by American scientists and attempts to conquer the world; It defends itself against humans. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 113 GD+ 2.5

Marvel chipping.

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Don Heck. The Human Torch stars in "The Coming of the Plantman!", script by Stan Lee (plot) and Jerry Siegel [as Joe Carter] (script), art by Dick Ayers; The Human Torch saves his new girlfriend Doriss father from a disgruntled gardener who gains the ability to control plants. "New Glasses" text story. "The Search for Shanng!", script by Stan Lee (plot) and Larry Lieber (script), pencils by Larry Lieber, inks by Matt Fox; An alien crash lands on Earth, and offers knowledge to in exchange for help; Greedy humans cannot find his ship, since he sensed their selfish thoughts and hid himself until humanity is ready. "The Shoemaker's Strange Assistants!", script by Stan Lee, pencils by Steve Ditko, inks by George Roussos; A shoemaker who enjoys telling the neighborhood children stories of the little people who come out at night to help him make shoes becomes ill and goes to a loan shark to acquire money for medical treatment. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 114 GD/VG 3.0

Water damage.

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers. "The Human Torch Meets... Captain America", script by Stan Lee (co-plot, dialogue) and Jack Kirby (co-plot, uncredited), pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers; The Human Torch is upstaged by the return of Captain America, but the Torch realizes that it is his old enemy the Acrobat in disguise and defeats him; This is the first appearance of Captain America since the Golden Age (though it's actually the Acrobat from issue 106 disguised as the hero). "The Bridge" text story. Third appearance of Dr. Strange in "The Return of the Omnipotent Baron Mordo!", script by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko (co-plot), pencils by Steve Ditko, inks by George Roussos; Strange is lured into a trap in England by Baron Mordo, but defeats him with the help of a woman with latent magical talents; First appearance of Victoria Bentley. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 115 GD+ 2.5 (R)

Restored (see item notes)

RESTORATION. Color touch, spine split seal. Interior tearing.

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Steve Ditko. Dr. Strange's 4th appearance finally provides his origin in "The Origin of Dr. Strange," script by Stan Lee (co-plot, script) and Steve Ditko (co-plot, un-credited), art by Steve Ditko; Dr. Stephen Strange, a top neurosurgeon, damages his hands in an accident and seeks out a mystic for help; He saves the seer from his treacherous student, becoming his pupil and finding a new purpose; First mentions of Dormammu and the All-Seeing Agamotto (though no actual appearances). Baron Mordo appearance. Second appearance (and brief origin) of the Sandman in "The Sandman Strikes!", script by Stan Lee (co-plot, script) and Dick Ayers (co-plot, un-credited), art by Dick Ayers; The Human Torch fights and defeats Spider-Mans old enemy Sandman. "Zero of Time" text story. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 115 FR 1.0

5.75" Cumulative spine split. Cover detached.

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Steve Ditko. Dr. Strange's 4th appearance finally provides his origin in "The Origin of Dr. Strange," script by Stan Lee (co-plot, script) and Steve Ditko (co-plot, un-credited), art by Steve Ditko; Dr. Stephen Strange, a top neurosurgeon, damages his hands in an accident and seeks out a mystic for help; He saves the seer from his treacherous student, becoming his pupil and finding a new purpose; First mentions of Dormammu and the All-Seeing Agamotto (though no actual appearances). Baron Mordo appearance. Second appearance (and brief origin) of the Sandman in "The Sandman Strikes!", script by Stan Lee (co-plot, script) and Dick Ayers (co-plot, un-credited), art by Dick Ayers; The Human Torch fights and defeats Spider-Mans old enemy Sandman. "Zero of Time" text story. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 117 GD+ 2.5

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko (Eel figure), inks by Sol Brodsky and Steve Ditko (Eel Figure). The Human Torch battles the Eel (from issue #112) in "The Return of the Eel!", script by Stan Lee (co-plot, script) and Dick Ayers (co-plot, un-credited), art by Dick Ayers; Having served his time, The Eel is released from jail, but Johnny's suspicious because he left prison wearing his Eel costume; Taking a security guard job at an aquarium, The Eel begins pulling crimes. "From Outer Space" text story. "The Many Traps of Baron Mordo!", script by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko (co-plot), art by Steve Ditko; Mordo places a spell over Strange's house that causes it to vanish to another dimension; Strange manages to track Mordo down using his ethereal form, but it becomes trapped in Mordo's lair; Mordo goes to see The Ancient One, claiming he's changed his way, just so he can attack him unawares. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 118 VG+ 4.5

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko (inset), inks by Chic Stone and Steve Ditko (inset). "The Man Who Became the Torch!", script by Stan Lee (co-plot, script) and Dick Ayers (co-plot, un-credited), art by Dick Ayers; The Wizard breaks jail, and begins pulling crimes using a new anti-gravity flying device he's invented; Via trickery and disguise, he captures Johnny, then Sue, and begins impersonating Johnny, while planning bigger and bolder crimes with which to use his anti-gravity device. "The Weatherman" text story, art by Joe Maneely. "The Possessed!", script by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko (co-plot), art by Steve Ditko; Using his "Earthly Scanner," in which is a small replica of the planet, Dr. Strange senses evil somewhere in Bavaria; In a remote village, he finds the townspeople the victims of some strange form of possession, and believes a supernatural force is at work; First appearance of the Eye of Agamotto. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 119 GD/VG 3.0

Centerfold detached at one staple.

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by George Roussos. "The Torch Goes Wild!", script by Stan Lee (plot, script) and Dick Ayers (plot, un-credited), art by Dick Ayers; A demagogue drums up public opinion against the Torch, as part of a communist plot against an American ally; The Torch regains the public trust by stopping him and using his own mind control devices to turn him to the American side; Cameos by Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four. "Beyond the Purple Veil!", script by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko (co-plot), art by Steve Ditko; Doctor Strange must rescue two thieves who unwittingly steal a magic gem from him and are trapped in a mystical dimension as a result. (There is no text story in this issue.) 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 120 GD/VG 3.0

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by George Roussos. First Iceman crossover in "The Torch Meets Iceman!", script by Stan Lee (plot, script) and Jack Kirby (plot, un-credited), pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers; Johnny's riled because a newspaper compares Iceman (of The X-Men) to him; On a cruise liner, Bobby tries to pick up Doris, until Johnny arrives; Before the potential rivalry goes too far, The Barracuda (a modern-day pirate) and his men arrive and take over the ship; Fantastic Four guest appearance; X-Men cameo (Angel, Marvel Girl, and Professor X). "The House of Shadows!", script by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko (co-plot), art by Steve Ditko; Strange is on the scene to observe a TV crew as they prepare to enter & broadcast about a "Haunted House"; Strange discovers something is amiss, as he is unable to enter via his spirit form. The first page of a 2-page text story, "The Salesman." 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 121 VG+ 4.5

Centerfold detached at one staple.

Cover art by Jack Kirby/Ditko (Ditko by himself on the Dr. Strange half). The Human Torch faces the weed of crime, AKA the Plantman, in "Prisoner of the Plantman!", script by Stan Lee and Dick Ayers (co-plot), art by Dick Ayers; After improving his plant ray, The Plantman captures Johnny to get him out of the way while he pulls a robbery; After, Doris, worried about her father, begs Johnny to stop the villain; They have a duel at the Botanical Gardens. "Witchcraft in the Wax Museum!", script by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko (co-plot), art by Steve Ditko; A phone call lures Strange away in his ectoplasmic form, so Baron Mordo can steal his body; Knowing that if the two are not reunited in 24 hours Strange is doomed, Mordo places a spell over the body so Strange cannot return to it. The second page of a 2-page text story, "The Salesman." Statement of ownership--average print run 321,212; average paid circulation 189,160. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 121 GD 2.0

Heavy water damage.

Cover art by Jack Kirby/Ditko (Ditko by himself on the Dr. Strange half). The Human Torch faces the weed of crime, AKA the Plantman, in "Prisoner of the Plantman!", script by Stan Lee and Dick Ayers (co-plot), art by Dick Ayers; After improving his plant ray, The Plantman captures Johnny to get him out of the way while he pulls a robbery; After, Doris, worried about her father, begs Johnny to stop the villain; They have a duel at the Botanical Gardens. "Witchcraft in the Wax Museum!", script by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko (co-plot), art by Steve Ditko; A phone call lures Strange away in his ectoplasmic form, so Baron Mordo can steal his body; Knowing that if the two are not reunited in 24 hours Strange is doomed, Mordo places a spell over the body so Strange cannot return to it. The second page of a 2-page text story, "The Salesman." Statement of ownership--average print run 321,212; average paid circulation 189,160. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 122 GD+ 2.5

Water damage.

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko (Doctor Strange), inks by George Roussos and Steve Ditko (Doctor Strange). The Human Torch mixes it up with Doctor Doom and his allies in "3 Against The Torch!", script by Stan Lee (co-plot, dialogue) and Dick Ayers (co-plot), pencils by Dick Ayers, inks by George Roussos (as George Bell); In flashback we see the how Dr. Doom used "The Terrible Trio" to trap the Fantastic Four, then discarded his underlings by sending them into another dimension!; With Doom gone, the three return to Earth, where they're foolish enough to try taking on The Torch again, figuring 3 against 1 would be no contest. "The World Beyond," script by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko (co-plot), pencils by Steve Ditko, inks by George Roussos; Weary from his struggles against supernatural forces, Strange falls asleep, carelessly forgetting to cast a protective spell over himself and becoming a prisoner of the Nightmare World!; Nightmare imprisons Strange, the only human who has ever defeated him, then says he's bored and looks forward to other victims; Strange summons The Gulgol, a creature that never sleeps. (Reprinted in Giant-Size Marvel Triple Action # 1.) "Strange Mission" text story. 36 pages, full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951 1st Series) 126 CGC 7.5

Paper: Off white

Label #3750812003

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) 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) 126 CGC 4.5

Paper: Cream to off white

Label #4008176015

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) 126 PR 0.5

INCOMPLETE. Ad page missing, small piece torn from detached adjacent page, does not affect story.

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.