CAPTAIN AMERICA My Complete Run (1968 1st Series)7260
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| Hey Guys I fell behind on posting my Captain America run and the Thread got Archived. So Im going to try and revive it from the beginning. It's been a long time coming (years actually), But Im to the point where I can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel on my Captain America Run. Im down to needing only 5 Issue's #180, #186, #290, #292, #310 Obviously Any Cap run has to start with #100, Which is where Cap finally got his Very own Title from Marvel.  Next Up #101 and More Jack Kirby Magic with the Red Skull and the SLEEPER!  My Goal with many of these earlier Issues was to stay in the 8.0 VFN+ or better grades with centered covers, I absolutely hate miswraps. I was excited to add this super nice #102..... Again Jack Kirby MAGIC!  On to Issue #103 in which Cap goes on a date with Agent 13 and learns that her name is Sharon Carter.  MORE awesome Jack Kirby Red Skull! Next up #104  I NEVER get enough Jack Kirby! Red Skull tells Shield he has placed nuclear tape on the back of Captain America's neck; He warns that anyone who tries to remove the special tape would activate the timer on a bomb planted in Washington D.C. by one of the Skull's spies I acquired this beautiful book from an Ebay seller that I came to trust very much. Price was a bit steep, but I trusted the seller and had to have the book. Captain America #105  A television crew invites Captain America to go over some old footage of his battles during World War II; Batroc the Leaper hires the Swordsman and the Living Laser to help him commit crime. More Jack Kirby Goodness! Just a Super Beautiful Book! Its amazing how the old pros Like Kirby, Gil Kane, Romita and others, were able create such depth with their color schemes almost 50 years ago. The inks by Dan Adkins and Romita are worth their weight in GOLD! And they did it without the aid of all the fancy modern day technology. Captain America #106  Costumed Asian spies attack SHIELD headquarters and steal the plans for the latest prototype model of the Life Model Decoy for what they call Operation: Replica, which Chairman Mao oversees; Captain America tries to stop them! More Outstanding Jack Kirby, with beautiful inks by one of the all-time greats Frank Giacoia, his ink work on Kirby's art is really a thing of beauty. Captain America #107  Captain American keeps dreaming that hes being chased by demonic looking Nazi soldiers; Cap comes across the grave of his old sidekick Bucky Barnes; Cap calls his psychiatrist Dr. Faustus (his 1st Appearance) to tell him that he keeps having the same dream; The climax is a good old fashion battle with Cap and the Evil Dr. Faustus Just more Amazing Jack Kirby/Frank Giacoia on this classic cover. Cap in all his anguish in the fore ground and all of his past surrounding him in the background. Just a beautiful book that Im super happy to have in my run! I also like the way that the Red Skull is represented in the past Background, but the beam from his laser seems to be transforming him into future problems for Cap as well. Captain America #108  A SHIELD agent asks Captain America to help with a mission; Cap refuses at first, but then the agent tells him it involves rescuing Sharon Carter; Unknown to Captain America, Sharon is the prisoner of the Trapster, who is trying to get information out of her regarding Project Fireball; Cap has to put a beat down on the Trapster. Cap has taken a liken to Sharon Carter, so its probably not in your best interest to be messing with her. Just look at the deep purple and the way the Yellow just says .... BAMMMMMMMM! Kirby's style was just so unique and it still stands the test of time. Captain America #109  Captain America tells Nick Fury his origin, and about how guilty he is over Buckys death; During WWII, Steve Rogers applied for the military, but couldnt pass the physical; He enters a program and is given super soldier formula, which makes him bigger and stronger and he goes on to battle the Nazi's Another Jack Kirby Classic, but I never cared for the News paper back ground. With Cap's Origin being retold from his perspective, it is one of the first big Key books I had to deal with. Like many of the books in the run, I spent countless time searching for just the right issue. I was all but ready to lay down my money on a cgc 9.0, when I stumbled across this beauty of a book! It didn't come cheap, but Im super happy to have been able to pull a deal to add it to my run. Captain America #110  Cap runs across the Hulk on a rampage in NYC; The Hulk escapes and Cap vows Rick must never put himself in danger until the monster can be tamed. Back at Avengers Mansion Rick finds Bucky Barnes' old uniform, and rejects Cap's protests against wearing it; After putting him off for years, Cap finally accepts Rick officially as his new partner; Almost immediately they uncover a plot by HYDRA to contaminate the city's water supply. After a series of battles the HYDRA goons are driven off, and Cap tells Rick he survived his "baptism of fire" like a man; This issue also includes the First appearance of Madame Hydra The Jim Steranko, Joe Sinnott cover along is worth the price of admission! I mean just look at that Hulk Cover, and with the 1st appearance of Madame Hydra it is a Super Key Cap Book! While I was content to find some of these Early Cap issue in a solid 8.0, 8.5...... There was just something about this issue and that dynamic Hulk cover. I just had to have a nice high grade copy of the book. I must have looked at what seems like 100's of copies of this book. It's funny how sometimes instead of you finding the book..... It finds YOU! Obviously I had to lay down a little bit of coin for the book, but so what I can always make some more money. Gotta Run for now, But I will continue the run in its entirety. |
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 past performance is no guarantee of future actions.
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KatKomics private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Not that it needs to be said but Kirby really was King!! | ||
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 Collector
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Doc_Cop private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Kudos Big Red! I admire your tenacity in collecting this run in such great condition. I love your Cap 100! Best of luck finishing the run and thanks for sharing. Nuff said. | ||
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SpiderTim private msg quote post Address this user | |
| when you don't agree with a grade do you just put your grade on the label or do you put the slabs grade and your estimated grade? I love that you do this for your books as it truly has to be a labor of love! | ||
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BigRedOne1944 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Thanks for the kind words guys! | ||
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BigRedOne1944 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by SpiderTim Tim If I crack a book and un-slab it. More times than not the grade is inline with my expectations of that particular grade. In the event that I strongly disagree I will note both the CBCS/CGC grade along with my own personal grade on my label. That includes a few that I felt were overgraded. I figure this way ALL of the information about the book is included on my label in order that I will know its history when I revisit the book. Yes it is a lot of work, but as you said, its a labor of love. Im also a scan junkie! Thanks again for your kind words of support. John |
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Captain America #111 Cap is ambushed by HYDRA assassins at the command of Madame Hydra; The mission fails and later Rick Jones joins Cap in a training session; Alone, Rick picks up a message meant for Cap that causes him to hallucinate; Abducted by Hydra Cap searches for Rick and is attacked by a Hydra robot; Rick escapes & tries to warn Cap, who realizes he could make a good partner; Cap appears to leap from a rooftop into the river through a barrage of HYDRA gunfire; The police only find his costume and a mask with the facial features of Steve Rogers, suggesting "Rogers" was a fake identity. Like Issue #110, the early Jim Steranko Issues are very popular Cap issue's. The White Cover also made it a bit more difficult to find in a the higher grade I was seeking. I eventually opted for the eye appeal on this 8.5. Captain America #112  Hydra attacks at a carnival, Captain Americas uniform, riddled with bullets, convinces everyone that Cap is dead; At Avengers Mansion, Iron Man prepares a statement saying Cap is dead; Reminiscing on Captain America's heroic feats during World War II, Iron Man recalls how Cap and Bucky battles the Red Skull, including a story in which Cap and Bucky ruined the Red Skulls plot to use a giant power drill; He also recalls Cap clashes with such villains as the Butterfly, the original Circus of Crime, the Unholy Legion of Beggars, White Death, the Toadman, and Baron Zemo. This was one of the first books I purchased when I decided to make the push to complete the Captain America Run. While I looked at plenty of copies of the book, including some 9.0's and 9.2's, After weighing my option, Dollar for Dollar the 8.0 I choose had the best eye appeal to me. Im very happy with the book. A classic Jack Kirby, in which he was rumored to have done the art for this issue in a single 24 hour marathon! Captain America #113  The news reports Cap's death and explains that "Steve Rogers" was a fake identity while Madame Hydra has Cap's HYDRA file burned; A flashback reveals how she replaced Baron Strucker as head of the organization; The Avengers, Nick Fury, Sharon Carter and several SHIELD agents hold a wake but are suddenly gassed by HYDRA; Rick follows to the cemetery and is almost caught, but Cap unexpectedly appears on a motorcycle, very much alive!; A battle follows, ending when a set of missiles miss their target and kill Madame Hydra; Cap reveals he faked his death in order to retain his secret identity. Another popular Early Jim Steranko issue. It can get kind of pricy in the higher grades. I felt extremely lucky to have landed this one at a decent price. Captain America #114  After convincing the American public that Steve Rogers was a fake identity, Captain American walks around in Manhattan, contemplating on what to do with his life; He realizes he is more Cap than Steve, and decides to make a more normal life for himself instead of being an Avenger; Even so, Captain America and Rick Jones rescue Sharon Carter; The Red Skull shows Captain America that he has recovered the Cosmic Cube I had some trouble finding an acceptable copy of this book. It seemed they were all off centered miswraps. This was Romita Sr's first full stint on the title, so I was wanting a higher grade book. Even the one I eventually choose didn't have a perfect centered cover. I never cared for the "Floating Heads" cover. I always preferred a full action scence cover. Captain America #115  With the Cosmic Cube in his possession, the Red Skull confronts Captain America; Back at SHIELD headquarters, Rick Jones searches for Captain America and asks Sharon Carter if she has seen him; Although she is testing a new SHIELD weapon, Sharon tells Rick that he hasn't seen Captain America since she rejected his request that she leave SHIELD; Rick contacts his old gang of Ham radio enthusiasts, the Teen Brigade, and asks them all to out for Captain America and report back if they see him; Meanwhile, the Red Skull continues using the Cosmic Cube in ways to drive Captain America insane, hurtling him from this realm to different worlds and shrinking him down in size! No Floating Heads here! A beautiful cover by Marie Severin & Frank Giacoia, who's ink work is again outstanding. I also very much enjoy the interior art work by the two hardest working artist of the time John and Sal Buscema. Romita Sr did some retouch work on a couple panels on page 12. It also happens to be the last 12 cent cover price. I picked up this very nice copy a couple years ago for really reasonable price. It looks like their getting a bit pricer now days. Captain America #116  The Red Skull is still in Cap's body and transports Captain America outside a government testing lab, where he's shot at; Red Skull is disgusted that people admire him since they think he is Captain America, wondering why he doesnt lord it over the people who worship him; Cap, in the Red Skulls body, gets in a high speed chase with the police and then battles the Avengers; The Red Skull uses the Cosmic Cube make Sharon Carter try to kill Captain America. The Black Panther appears on the cover but is not in the story As well as being the first .15 cent cover, This issue is also Gene Colan's first full stint on the title, so I was wanting a nice clean copy. Again the white cover can be somewhat harder to unearth. I almost bought a CGC 9.0, that I was going to crack out. I eventually went with the great eye appeal of the 8.5 and was very happy with the book. |
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BigRedOne1944 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Onward we go! Captain America #117  With the Red Skull previously having switched bodies with Captain America, the Skull uses the Cosmic Cube to send Cap to the tropical island home of the Exiles; There Cap encounters a falconer from Harlem who had been hired by the Exiles but who is now attempting to help the island natives kick the Exiles from their home; Cap joins forces with the falconer who, with Cap's urging, dons a costume and takes the name the Falcon More Great work from Gene Colan and John Romita! The Falcon is a significant part of Cap's history so his first appearance and origin are Very Key Books. I really wanted to stay in the 8.0 - 8.5 or better range on the earlier books. Most of the 8.0's I looked at were off centered so I couldn't justify spending 8.0 Money on a off centered book that I didn't feel had as nice of Eye appeal as the 7.5 I opted for. Besides that the cover just didn't appeal to me as much as other Cap Covers. Captain America #118  Captain America and the Falcon battle the Exiles, who are unaware that their former leader has used the Cosmic Cube to switch bodies with Cap; Rick Jones gives up the identity of Bucky; The Red Skull prepares for a battle with Cap! I felt the Gene Colan and John Romita Cover featuring the second Falcon Appearance was much more desirable looking than Issue #117. The watchful eye of Cap in the background as the Falcon proves his worth in battle with the Exiles is much better. I also thought the Green Falcon costume was quite unappealing, Luckily it would be changed in the future. Captain America #119  The dramatic conclusion to the story that began back in issue 115, The Red Skull uses the Cosmic Cube to change bodies back with Captain America; Falcon realizes the man who he has been working with is Captain America; The Skull uses the Cube to toy with Cap and the Falcon during their battle; Elsewhere, MODOK activates his newly-created Catholite Block to disrupt the power of the Cosmic Cube; The Red Skull uses the remaining power of the Cube to disappear This beautiful Gene Colan Cover with Joe Sinnott inks is more to my liking. The Previous two covers for whatever reason Featured the "Captain America" lettering in a Solid Yellow Lettering. The Red,White & Blue lettering is much more profound and eye appealing. |
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Collector
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SpiderTim private msg quote post Address this user | |
| can you show me a book which denotes a slab grade and your grade? I'm curious. | ||
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BigRedOne1944 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Tim I will get to some of the Caps I cracked out, Here is the latest one that I had a difference of opinion on, which is noted on my label.  |
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Captain America #120 Captain America and the Falcon have returned to America after their battle with the Red Skull; Cap tells Nick Fury he wants to speak with Sharon Carter; Nick Fury implants in Steve Rogers mind the want to apply for a physical education teacher position at Manning University; Cap helps SHIELD stop AIM from kidnapping a college professor. More Stan Lee, Gene Colan and Joe Sinnott Marvel Magic! Captain America #121  Silas X. Cragg obsesses over Captain America, thinking he sees the hero wherever he goes; He researches Cap, vowing to destroy him; Cragg formulates a super soldier serum with the intent of making someone stronger than Cap, creating a being named Man-Brute; Man Brute attacks Cap; Cameos by Yellowjacket, the Wasp, the Black Panther, Sharon Carter, Bucky Barnes, and Nick Fury; Cap's origin is retold. Letter to the editor from comics writer J.M. DeMatteis The Stan Lee, Gene Colan , Joe Sinnott run continues. While I found this to be a VERY nice copy of the issue, It had just a hint more wear than I like to see on a 8.0 VFN book. Thus the 7.5 Grade. If I someday see a VFN or better book with better eye appeal I may opt for it. For now I have yet to see one that fits that bill. Captain America #122  Captain America thinks about his lot in life as a symbol of the American - can he find a normal life as Steve Rogers?; He thinks about Sharon Carter and how she cannot stay in a relationship with him while she is a SHIELD spy; Cap battles the Scorpion. Beautiful cover by Gene Colan and Joe Sinnott! Stan Lee contributes his signature story telling with "the Sting of the Scorpion" I love the colors on the cover and how the Orange of the Marvel Logo box flows with the black cover. For what ever reason, this was one of the harder issues for me to find in an expectable grade with the eye appeal I am looking for. Many I looked at had mis-wrapped covers and I absolutely HATE that! Captain America #123  Suprema and Scarbo want to take over the underworld; Nick Fury and Captain America practice fighting maneuvers and discuss Sharon Carter; Suprema and her minions plan to take over SHIELD, but have trouble defeating Captain America; Cap drives to SHIELD headquarters and frees Fury and his men from Suprema by using devices inside the truck hes driving. Cameos by J. Jonah Jameson (from Spider-Man) and Tony Stark (Iron Man). Yet again more Stan Lee, Gene Colan, Joe Sinnottt Cap Magic! More absolutely beautiful cover art from Colan and Sinnott! |
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Captain America #124 (NOTE: Hey Tim, Here is the first example of crack-out book I had a grade issue with) Two AIM assassins attack Captain America; one of the assassins becomes part of Modoks cyborg project; Cap demands that Nick Fury take Sharon Carter off of active duty so he can pursue a romantic relationship with her; The cyborg robs a bank and battles Sharon; Cap defeats the cyborg and tells Sharon he doesnt want to see her anymore. A beautifully crafted story by Stan Lee with classic Gene Colan/Joe Sinnott art. Nice bright bold cover work by Marie Severin with Joe Sinnott inks. My goal with my Captain America Run was trying to obtain all of the earlier issue's in at least 8.0 VFN or better with nice eye appeal. A task that sometimes became difficult. Here I had to resort to cracking out a CBCS Book. No doubt a beautiful book! I felt it had just a hint more wear on the bottom left corner and edges than I would like to see on and 8.5 Book. Even so it was still very much in line with my 8.0 or better minimum. Captain America #125 (NOTE: Tim here is the 2nd book I had a difference of opinion with)  Captain America, reeling that his relationship with Sharon Carter ended over a perceived betrayal, goes to Vietnam to investigate the disappearance of Dr. Robert Hoskins, who has been helping wounded soldiers; He gets attacked and is captured by a group of Asians not wearing uniforms; Cap is taken to a castle that is occupied by the Mandarin, whom he battles Another bold cover from Marie Severin, this time inked by the great Frank Giacoia. Stan Lee and Gene Colan continue Cap's woes with love interest Sharon Carter. A CGC 8.5 book I cracked out for the run. Unlike the previous crack Out I felt this book was extremely nice and a tad better than a 8.5 VFN+ Captain America #126  Captain America goes to Harlem to check on the Falcon, who is wanted for a crime; Cap believes hes innocent and investigates; Falcon tells Cap that he was framed by Diamond Head; Diamond Head and his cronies rough up non-blacks who have businesses in Harlem, forcing them to pay them protection money; Cap battles Diamond Head and his gang. Jack Kirby/John Romita Cover, Bill Everett, Criticizing this legendary tro is BLASPHMY, As all three are favorites of mine, but for some reason I always thought Cap looked a little out of proportion. Another finely crafted story by Stan Lee, Gene Colan and Frank Giacoia. A absolutely gorgeous book I waslucky enough to pick up from a Canadian Seller. A solid 9.4 NM book that I docked a bit for the slight miswrap on the bottom edge. Never the less a fantastic book that I was extremely happy to add to my Captain America run. |
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 Pictures? We don't need no stinking pictures.
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brysb private msg quote post Address this user | |
ALL nice high grade beauties!! I love Caps!  |
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BigRedOne1944 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by brysb Thanks for stopping by and commenting! Stay tuned.... More to come! |
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Captain America #127 At SHIELD headquarters, Nick Fury tests the new protecto-suit designed by Dr. Ryder; AIM attacks Fury and his SHIELD agents, who have developed a way to nullify the protecto-suits; Ryder convinces Fury that Cap is suspected of betraying SHIELD; Fury has Tony Stark build X-4, an android that can test Cap to assure Fury that he is not an imposter; X-4 attacks Cap; Sharon outs Ryder as a traitor! Another Nice Bold cover from Marie Severin & Joe Sinnott! Nick Fury! Shield! and Cap's love interest Sharon Carter! Stan Lee delivers and all out masterful Marvel style story! Gene Colan's Art flows like beautiful symphony! Colan's work is inked by the legendary Wally Wood! His first and ONLY work on the Title. The book embodies Everything a Captain America Issue should be! Captain America #128  Dismayed by hearing comments from the people that Captain America is washed up, Steve Rogers buys a motorcycle for driving across the country; Entering Coits Neck, he gets arrested by a policeman who thinks hes a member of Satans Angels; The Angels break Steve out of jail; Steve refuses to go with them and then rents a room in town; Later, the Angels terrorize an outdoor music festival by racing their motorcycles through the audience; Cap arrives on his bike to stop the destruction; Gang member Whitey tries to run down Cap with his bike; Cap fends him off with his shield; Red Skull watches this conflict on a view screen. Marie Severin and Joe Sinnott start this issue out with one kick ass cover! Gene Colan continues his outstanding run on the title, this time aided by the inks of Dick Ayers. This Stan lee story is why Marvel was dominating the industry at the time. Stan's Stories were always reflective of the times, and this one was pretty obvious to me. The storyline from August 1970 was obviously drawn from the events that occurred only a few months earlier on December 6, 1969 at the now infamous Altamont Speedway Free Music Festival featuring many of the day's top rock acts including the Rolling Stones. The "Saten Angels" in Stan Lee's story were surely in reference to the Hell's Angels incident that occurred at the Altamont Speedway Music Festival. See link below. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altamont_Free_Concert While many collectors spend so much time focusing on "first Appearance's and Origin Issues" for mostly monetary reasons, they often miss out on, what I consider to be much more KEY issues like #128. Stories that are much more meaningful and reflective of socity and events of the times in which they were created. While Captain America surely has many high dollar "Key" books in his illustrious history. My first recommendation to any casual Captain America Fan looking for Great Cap Book would be an Issue Like #128. NOT for any monetary reasons, but for the content. This was a book I was having trouble finding in the higher grade conditions I was seeking for my Cap Run. I finally run across this beauty on Ebay at a very reasonable price and Promptly Freed it from its plastic prison. Upon my inspection of the book I was in agreement with CGC on the 9.2 NM Grade. An absolutely beatutiful book that I am blessed to own in my Cap Run. Captain America #129  Cover pencils by Gene Colan, inks by Frank Giacoia. "The Vengeance of the Red Skull," script by Stan Lee, pencils by Gene Colan, inks by Dick Ayers; Steve Rogers continues to ride his motorcycle around the countryside; The Red Skull sees that he is passing near King Hassab of Irabias motorcade of; Red Skull reroutes Cap and the King to arrive in a small town at about the same time; Skull lets Cap watch his abduction of the King and leads him into a trap; Cap escapes the trap and rescues Hassab; Skull gets stuck in the rocket he had intended to use to launch the King into outer space. Gene Colan and Frank Giacoia turn out an all-time Great Captain America Cover! Most definitely one of MY favorites! The cover embodies everything a Comic book cover should be! From Cap's desperate outstretched attempt to reach the car, to the awe struck crowd witnessing the scence, to the diabolical Red Skull inset! It's everthing a cover should be! Gene Colan, assisted by the ink work of Dick Ayers, also continues his legendary Artwork run on the title. Stan Lee also turns in another Mighty Marvel Story. The Book itself is in ABSOULTELY amazing high grade condition coming in at a beautiful 9.2 NM- Maybe even a 9.4. Im always SUPER STOKED when ever I have the opportunity to add a book of this caliber to my Cap Run! Captain America #130  Cover pencils by Marie Severin, inks by Joe Sinnott. Batroc, Whirlwind, and Porcupine team up against Captain America in "Up Against the Wall," script by Stan Lee, pencils by Gene Colan, inks by Dick Ayers; Captain America stumbles onto the Hood's plan to convince students to riot at a Midwestern university; After rescuing a dean from said riot, Cap is asked to make public service announcement condemning the students; While he mentions that violence shouldn't be the answer, Cap mostly condemns the dean; The Hood hires Batroc's Brigade to attack Cap. Cameos by the Hulk and Peter Parker (Spider-Man). As a comic book enthusiast it's hard to criticize any of the hard working creator's, but I felt the cover here was just too "Wordy" and Cluttered. After the masterful cover turned in by Gene Colan last issue maybe my expectations were high. While not one of my favorite covers, the Stan Lee story once again draws from the events of the time. With the brain dead snowflakes and faculty currently entrenched in our academic communities a visit from the Star Spangled Avenger is most definitely needed. The book itself is another Outstanding high grade book that I cracked from a CGC slab. I had other high grade opportunities, but they all fell victum to the dreaded Mis-Wrapped covers, which I ABSOLUTELY hate and will avoid ever adding to my collection at all cost. After thoroughly inspecting the book I was in agreement with the CGC Grade. Captain America #131  Cover pencils by Marie Severin, inks by Joe Sinnott. "Bucky Reborn!", script by Stan Lee, pencils by Gene Colan, inks by Dick Ayers; Baron Strucker finds an amnesiac young man in the gyms of San Francisco and hypnotizes him into thinking he is Bucky; Strucker uses "Bucky" to lure Captain America into a trap; Cap and "Bucky" battle and defeat Strucker. Red Skull cameo A much better cover output by Marie Severin and Joe Sinnot. Stan Lee's story is kind of a "filler", But I always found it amusing that if your looking to hypnotize someone's brain & thinking, San Francisco is definitely the place to go to find the easiest victims. The book is a Super Nice 8.5 (Maybe a 9.0) and is well within my minimum 8.0 grade I try to require for earlier books in the Run. Captain America #132  Cover pencils by Marie Severin and John Romita (alterations), inks by Frank Giacoia and John Romita (alterations). "The Fearful Secret of Bucky Barnes!", script by Stan Lee, pencils by Gene Colan, inks by Dick Ayers; Captain America and the public at large believe Bucky Barnes has returned; It is revealed that Modok had Dr. Doom create a robot duplicate of Bucky; Modok makes Bucky attack Captain America. But the robot is unable to kill Cap leading Modok to destroy it. Walter Cronkite cameo. Brief appearances by the Falcon, Nick Fury, and Sharon Carter A much more well defined cover by Marie Severin! The John Romita alterations are really apparent here. Stan Lee continues with his "Evil Bucky" storylines. A great looking book with minimal wear and I was very happy to have obtained it. Captain America #133  Cover pencils by Marie Severin, inks by Sal Buscema. The Falcon becomes Cap's partner in "Madness in the Slums!", script by Stan Lee, pencils by Gene Colan, inks by Dick Ayers; Modok's origin is revealed as a former AIM scientist who was turned against his will into the grotesque living computer; Modok creates the Bulldozer robot and sends it to Harlem to tear down the slums in order to gain the residents' favor while discrediting Captain America; Cap and the Falcon defeat the Bulldozer and Modok. Brief appearance by Tony Stark (Iron Man). Marie Severin turns in a nice cover, this time aided by, the one and only John Buscema. Although it's still a bit "wordy" for my tastes, Buscema's inks work really well with Marie's artwork. While I always much preferred solo heroe's, as opposed to any of the Team books like X-Men, Avengers, etc. I was ok with a side kick such as the Falcon becoming Cap's partner in this issue. As we discussed in some of the previous issues, Stan Lee was always creating storylines that mirrored the political and Social landscape of the time. The addition of the Falcon would allow Stan Lee to explore many of the racial events evolving in the country at the time. Also note that in many of Stan Lee's Falcon storyline's that dealt with the inner city problems many blacks faced at the time, His portrayal of them often seemed VERY stereotypical. While I believe Stan Lee had nothing but the best intentions for these Falcon stories dealing with the racial issues. Im afraid that today's Race baiting brain dead political snowflakes would likely be calling Lee a racist pig, an burning Marvel Comics in the streets. Its a shame how hateful and ignorant people who engage in "Racial Politics" really are. Captain America #134  Cover pencils by Marie Severin and John Romita (alterations), inks by Herb Trimpe and John Romita (alterations). "They Call Him - Stone-Face!", script by Stan Lee, pencils by Gene Colan, inks by Dick Ayers; Captain America and the Falcon defeat two punks who are running a protection racket on a Harlem shopkeeper; Their boss is Stone-Face, a gang lord nicknamed for his partially paralyzed face; Falcons nephew Jody Casper works as a numbers runner for the crime lord; Jody stops by Sam Wilsons office and rejects his uncles advice to avoid the racket; Jody gets arrested, and Cap joins Sam and Jodys mom in recommending leniency; Jody is given a suspended sentence and believes that Captain America works for Stone-Face; Cap and the Falcon battle Stone-Face Another SUPER nice High Grade book I was able to pick up for my Cap collection. As we discussed in the previous issue, The Stan Lee storyline centers around some of the social and racial issues facing black youths at the time. As I stated previously, Lee's Portrayal of many ethnic and minority groups can often times seem very stereotypical, in what I feel was always a well intended attempt to make sure his black character's didn't come off as just "White Characters", who just happened to have black skin. Even so, Marvel and Stan Lee were never afraid to explore the social issues of the time. Which is again one of the main reasons Marvel was dominating the comic book industry. |
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| We last left off with Issues #134 entering the year 1971. Economy President: Richard M. Nixon Vice President: Spiro T. Agnew Population: 207,660,677 Life expectancy: 71.1 years Dow-Jones High: 950 Low: 790 Federal spending: $210.17 billion Federal debt: $408.2 billion Inflation: 5.7% Consumer Price Index: 40.5 Unemployment: 4.9% Prices Cost of a new home: $28,300.00 Cost of a new car: $ Median Household Income: $9,028.00 Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.06 ($0.08 as of 5/16/71) Cost of a gallon of regular gas: $0.36 Cost of a dozen eggs: $0.53 Cost of a gallon of Milk: $1.18 but more importantly....... The price of Captain America #135 is Only .15 cents! Captain America #135  Cover by John Romita. "More Monster Than Man!", script by Stan Lee, pencils by Gene Colan, inks by Tom Palmer (Palmer is generally acknowledged as Colan's best inker, but this is his only work with Colan on Cap); Captain America takes Falcon to SHIELD headquarters to meet Nick Fury; Falcon battles Dum-Dum Dugan in the gym; Cap tries to talk to Sharon, but she brushes him off, citing the new Project Earth-Dig; Cap and the Falcon battle Dr. Erik Gorbo, a SHIELD scientist who has gone on a crime spree after turning himself into a monster ape. An All-Star Issue! Gene Colan continues his historical art run! John Romita Sr. Crafts an Outanding Cover and Stan "the Man" Lee delivers another Mighty Marvel Story. I was experiencing great success on my Cap run in 1971. This was another super nice book I was able to obtain once again from a Canadian Seller. Just something about those Canadians AAY Captain America #136  Cover pencils by John Buscema, inks by John Verpoorten. The origin of the Mole Man is retold in "The World Below," script by Stan Lee, pencils by Gene Colan, inks by Bill Everett; SHIELD agents believe Captain America is dead after he and a huge gorilla (actually SHIELD biochemist Dr. Erik Gorbo) fall into a huge hole in the Earth; Their fall is slowed and halted by an anti-gravity beam wielded by the Mole-Man; Gorbo relates to the villain because they are both outcasts because of their appearance; The Mole-Man and his minions capture Cap and the gorilla; Gorbo dies, reverts to human, and confesses that he lied to start a war. Brief appearances by Nick Fury, Sharon Carter, and Tony Stark (Iron Man). Just an all around fantastic issue! The Mole Man has always been a favorite of mine every since I seen him as a kid in The Spiderman cartoon. The Action Cover layout on the Bold Red Backdrop by John Buscema is just beautiful! I could sit around looking at John Buscema's work all day long. A work horse at Marvel and a Very under appreciated talent. I was on a roll and starting to get spoiled landing so my gorgeous high grade books for my run. I started trying to up my Minimum grade from 8.0 to 9.0's or better. My luck would eventually run out on that quest. One other note: I believe this might have been the first time the Falcon appeared in the Marvel Logo box with Cap. Captain America #137  Cover art by Sal Buscema. "To Stalk the Spider-Man," script by Stan Lee, pencils by Gene Colan, inks by Bill Everett; Mole Man raises Captain America and the Falcon to the surface with his levitation beam; The Falcon sees Spider-Man, who is currently wanted by the police, swinging through the city; He decides to capture the Web-Slinger; Falcon stops a mugging, but continues his pursuit of Spidey; Falcon thinks Harry Osborne is Spider-Man and captures him; Peter Parker changes into his Spidey suit goes to rescue Harry; Spidey defeats the Falcon and plants a Spider-Tracer on him; The gangster Stone Face is out on bail and seeking revenge. Brief appearances by Nick Fury and Sharon Carter I could be mistaken, but I believe this might be the first time Spidey cross over in to the Cap Title. Not to be out done by brother John, Sal Buscema treats us to his own unique Cover. The book was king of an impulse buy because the price was right. the cover is a slight mis-wrap, which I always destest with a passion. At least it is uniform through out the spine. I chose not to crack this one out (yet) NOTE: Gene Colan's Outstanding Art run on the Title comes to an end with this issue Captain America #138  Cover by John Romita. "It Happens In Harlem," script by Stan Lee, pencils by John Romita, inks by John Romita and Tony Mortellaro; Captain America leaves the Falcon, who Cap thinks is hiding something from him; Stone Faces minions attack Falcon and drive off with him; Spidey searches for the Falcon, who has a Spider-Tracer on him; Spidey follows the Falcon in Stone Faces limo to the gang lords hideout; Falcon attacks Spidey, who webs him to a bridge; Cap faces Spider-Man, but they along with Falcon resolve matters and go back to Stone Faces lair; Our heroes foil Stone Face's plans for Glory Grants building. While all good thing came to an end with Gene Colan's run on the title, A New begining starts out with a BANG here in Issue #138! Romita cover conveys the story perfectly without using a single Caption. And to land the book is this Super High Grade Quality is nothing short of AMAZING! SUPER Stoaked when ever I can land books of this quality. |
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Quote:Originally Posted by BigRedOne1944 Is that a subscription crease on #135? What do you place n the back of the label? What about the grader's notes? Were do you store them? |
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I'm a #2.
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BigRedOne1944 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Tim No, That is not a Sub Crease, it is a print line, for lack of a better term. Keep in mind that my cyber slabs do not physically Exist. They are simply a photoshop designed Frame to display my books online. Here is the generic Frame I use. All my books are Raw unless otherwise noted.  I do Not have specific grader notes stored anywhere. If I have a specific book in question such as #135 I will pull the filed book from my Book cabinet (see photo below) in order to review it.  |
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Quote:Originally Posted by BigRedOne1944 Have you seen the slabs they sell in which you can store your own comics in? You still can open them and that label could actually physically exist! clickable text |
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I'm a #2.
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BigRedOne1944 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Tim Yes I have seen those slab kits. Way to pricey for me though. Might as well just have it slabbed by CBCS or CGC for the price. One of the biggest problems with slabbed books is storage. 355 plus books in the Cap run. 355 slabs would weigh a TON! Not to mention you would need an airplane hanger to store them in, as well as making it virtually impossible to flip through and organize the books. Other than if I wanted to sell some of the books, everything else about slabs is Negative IMHO. . Storage, who could store that much dead weight plastic (Negative) . Renders the book's interior unviewable. (Negative) . Cost, for the cost of one slab I can store 100 books in Nice mylars and full backs (Negative) That is the beauty of the hobby. One can choose to collect however they want in order to enjoy the hobby. I get the most enjoyment out of having the majority of my books Raw. John |
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Captain America #139 Cover by John Romita. "The Badge and the Betrayal," script by Stan Lee, pencils by John Romita, inks by John Romita and Tony Mortellaro; The Police Commissioner tells Cap about the mysterious disappearances of seven patrolmen and other city officials and asks him to go undercover as a rookie cop and be bait for the killer; Cap agrees, hoping this will allow him to start a normal life as a cop as Steve Rogers; While testing his new grappling tool the Hawk-Hook, Falcon is grabbed by a force beam and pulled into SHIELDs heli-cruiser; Nick Fury asks Falcon happened to Captain America; Steve begins as a rookie police officer under the tough Sergeant Muldoon, who reminds him of his World War II Army Sergeant Duffy; While patrolling as Captain America, Steve goes to a stonecutters storage yard and finds statues made of missing policemen; The Grey Gargoyle is responsible. Brief appearance by Sharon Carter While I always prefer the Epic Battle covers, John Romita's cover here Portrays the story beautifully. Stan Lee spins a beautifully crafted 4-part Grey Gargoyle storyline that flows perfectly. The book itself was purchased from Metropolis Comics. It is certainly a beautiful book that is well within my required grade range. I felt it was more likely a 9.0 than the 9.2 Grade Metropolis Comics graded it at. Captain America #140  Cover by John Romita. Grey Gargoyle origin is retold in "In the Grip of the Gargoyle!", script by Stan Lee, pencils by John Romita, inks by George Roussos; Captain America traces the missing policemen to a graveyard and with the Falcon's help barely escapes the Gargoyle's stone touch; Falcon then follows the Gargoyle to the villain's headquarters while Cap meets with Nick Fury and Sharon Carter in SHIELD's helicarrier. Thor and Iron Man cameos This Time Romita does turn in an all out battle cover, as Stan Lee's Grey Gargoyle storyline continues. Yet another book I had to resort to cracking out of a GCG slab. The CGC book was super strong and Every bit the 8.5 Captain America #141  Cover by John Romita. "The Unholy Alliance!", script by Stan Lee, pencils by John Romita, inks by Joe Sinnott; Using the Falcon as his stone slave, The Gargoyle tricks SHIELD into taking him--via the helicarrier - to SHIELD's mountain fortress where Element X is stored; This planet-destroying compound has only one weakness--stone. Guest starring Nick Fury and Sharon Carter Wow! Just look at that John Romita Sr Cover! It absolutely doesn't getting any better than that for a comic book fan, and to have it teamed up with the Epic Stan Lee Grey Gargoyle storyline is absolute comic book Gold! I will admit I have scored a lot of overgraded junk on Ebay, But this book was certainly NOT one of them! A beautiful high grade book that I was OVERJOYED to add to the run! Captain America #142  Cover by John Romita. "And In the End," script by Gary Friedrich, pencils by John Romita, inks by Joe Sinnott; Captain America and the Falcon wait for the Grey Gargoyles petrifying touch to wear off of Nick Fury and Sharon Carter; Cap and the Falcon make their way into the Grey Gargoyles lab, battling his security forces to get to Element X; The Gargoyle grabs the deadly element and turns it to stone to further protect it; Cap and the Falcon battle the Grey Gargoyle; Fury and Carter launch the rocket containing the element into orbit around the Earth, ending the threat of Element X and the Grey Gargoyle Romita does it again! Once again showing the Epic struggle Cap faces! And that's just the Cover! Stan Lee's masterful Grey Gargoyle storyline concludes with an all out battle for Element X. Its no small wonder why these guys(Lee, Romita) are comic book royalty. There are many legendary Cap storylines in his illustrious career. I highly recommend this to be one well worth the read. I think it is kind of ironic that the cover included the "Still 15c" blurb, as this was actually the Last .15c Cover price book. I guess all good thing come to and End |
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BigRedOne1944 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Captain America #143 52-page giant. The Red Skull returns in "Power To the People!" Script by Gary Friedrich, art by John Romita Sr. Grey Gargoyle cameo An "in your face" cover from John Romita sr. I really love the deep purple and bold colors on it. This 52 page giant and the next few Issues went with different style lettering on the main "Captain America" Title lettering. Im glad this didn't last but a few issues, as I always preferred the Red,White and Blue style much better. These 52-page giant size books are always very tough to find with nice straight spines. Not a hugh key book, but as soon as I seen that straight spine I had to have the book. Captain America #144  First 20-cent issue. Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew make appearances in "HYDRA Over All!" Script by Gary Friedrich, art by John Romita Sr. Guest starring Nick Fury and Sharon Carter. The Falcon gets a new costume in the back-up story, "The Falcon Fights Alone!" Script by Friedrich, art by Gray Morrow (with significant touch-ups by Romita; talk about a clash of styles...!). Romita cover. It seems Stan the Man has handed over the writing reins to Gary Friedrich. While I will sorely miss Stan's classic writing style, Friedrich does do an admiral job. Following a Marvel Legend is not an easy task. The Falcon gets his New costume this issue. The book is getting kind of pricey in high grade. Luckily I was able to snag a Nice one for my run. Captain America #145  Cover art by John Romita. "Skyjacked!", script by Gary Friedrich, pencils by Gil Kane (pages 1-14) and John Romita (pages 15-21), inks by John Romita; It's the most cataclysmic climax of all when Cap and the Femme Force face off with HYDRA aboard a plane!; But will they prevail over the forces of evil?; Or will Steve Rogers lose the love of his life?; Find out in this shocking issue! Romita continues to carry the title with another fantastic cover, although I still don't like the "Captain America" Lettering with the yellow backdrop on the cover. While I felt the book was a Solid 9.0, I docked it a bit for the slight off centered cover. Captain America #146  Cover art by John Romita. "Mission: Destroy the Femme Force!" starring Captain America, Hydra; SHIELD, Kingpin (in shadows), Falcon, Redwing, and Red Skull (in film footage), script by Gary Friedrich, pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by John Verpoorten; Hydra kidnaps Sharon Carter from the hospital to force Captain America to become their prisoner; Will the Star Spangled Avenger finally put an end to HYDRA?; Or will anger consume him in his pursuit for revenge?; Plus, find out who's been pulling the strings all along! Romita FINALLY answers my prayers by returning to the Red,White & Blue Captain America Lettering on the cover, and what a splendid cover it is! The cover alone is worth the price of admission! Sal Buscema's interior art flows beautifully as usual and let's give credit where credit is do, Gary Friedrich scripts a fantastic story. |
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| Congrats! Looks great | ||
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BigRedOne1944 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Thanks for stopping by to have a look  |
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| My Captain America Run has now entered the year 1972 Economy President: Richard M. Nixon Vice President: Spiro T. Agnew Population: 207,660,677 Life expectancy: 71.1 years Dow-Jones High: 950 Low: 790 Federal spending: $210.17 billion Federal debt: $408.2 billion Inflation: 5.7% Consumer Price Index: 40.5 Unemployment: 4.9% Prices Cost of a new home: $28,300.00 Cost of a new car: $ Median Household Income: $9,028.00 Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.06 ($0.08 as of 5/16/71) Cost of a gallon of regular gas: $0.36 Cost of a dozen eggs: $0.53 Cost of a gallon of Milk: $1.18 Captain America #147  Cover pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Joe Sinnott. "And Behold the Hordes of HYDRA," script by Gary Friedrich, pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by John Verpoorten; While Cap and the SHIELD Femme Force battle to destroy the forces of Hydra in an underground fortress near Las Vegas, a sinister figure watches the melee and prepares to press the button which will destroy the combatants on both sides;The identity of the Supreme Hydra is revealed, along with the identity of the true power behind Hydra Gary Friedrich storyline continues to hold us in suspense, while Sal Buscema continues to grace the book with more of his beautiful art. So what's new? The issue is sporting a Beautiful cover by one of the all-time greats (and one of my favorites) the one and only Gil Kane. Joe Sinnott's inks are the added bonus that brings it all together. The Black cover make's it a very tough find in the higher grades. Even the smallest hint of a miswrap really sticks out and ruins the book for me. I managed to track down this beauty which I think is most likely an 8.5 VFN+, but with the black cover I stayed a bit conservative with the 8.0 on it. Either way its a beautiful book that I feel lucky to have found. Captain America #148  Cover art by John Romita. "The Big Sleep," script by Gary Friedrich, pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by John Romita (uncredited); Battling the Kingpin in the Las Vegas suite of mysterious industrialist Harold Howard, the Red, White, and Blue Avengers and the Fighting Falcon are suddenly stunned by the sight of the Red Skull, who activates the Fifth Sleeper and attacks Las Vegas KingPin! RedSkull! Vegas! and a classic John Romita Cover! Beautiful Sal Buscema Interior! Who could ask for anything more in a Comic book! Look at the Deep Rich color on that cover! 8.0 VFN? Im going to have to pull the book and check it out again. Captain America #149  Cover pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Frank Giacoia. "All the Colors of Evil," script by Gerry Conway, pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by Jim Mooney; Teenagers are disappearing and Captain America and the Falcon track down Batroc and his Brigade Hot Damn! Another Masterpiece cover from Gil Kane! This time Frank Giacoia does the pleasure of inking it. Batroc has always been a favorite Cap villain of mine. Another SUPER tough black cover! Captain America #150  Cover pencils by Gil Kane, inks by John Romita. "Mirror, Mirror," script by Gerry Conway, pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by John Verpoorten and Tony Mortellaro; Captain America, Falcon and Batroc stop Jakar from trying to use the souls of the people he kidnapped to reanimate his race; Cameos by the Thing, the Human Torch, Reed Richards, and the Scorpion Well, We've reached the landmark #150! Gil Kane once again seals the deal with his cover work. Veteran writer Gerry Conway scripts continues to script a nice Batroc Story. With a litle luck and some help along the way, I have pretty much been able to keep with my 8.0 VFN grade minimum up to now. From this point on, Im going to try and up grade minimum to 9.0 or better. Wish me Luck! My wallet is about to take a pounding! Captain America #151  Cap and the Falcon battle Mr. Hyde and the Scorpion in "Panic On Park Avenue." Script by Gerry Conway, pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by Vince Colletta. Cameos by Daredevil, the Black Widow, Iron Man, and the Owl. Brief appearances by Nick Fury and Sharon Carter. Buscema cover Well, trying to keep with my new goal of 9.0 or better books I promptly cracked out this CGC book. With the Scorpion appearance and Sal Buscema giving us the full Monty inside and out, this book seemed to be getting kind of pricy. The tough black cover doesn't make it an easy find either. It is a gorgeous book. The CGC grade is accurate, but now that Im looking at it, I should go back and change the grade to 9.2 NM- for that slight mis-wrap by the top. |
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| Continuing with the year 1972 Captain America #152  Cover pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by Vince Colletta. "Terror in the Night," script by Gerry Conway, pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by Frank Giacoia; Cap and the Falcon try to save Sharon from the clutches of Mr. Hyde and the Scorpion; Appearances by Nick Fury and Sharon Carter; Cameos by Spider-Man and J. Jonah Jameson; Debut of The Harlem Crime boss Morgan; Morgan has taken over the crime territory of Stone-Face, who Captain America, the Falcon, and Spider-Man had defeated in Captain America 138. editorial explaining "The Story Behind The Cover. Sal Buscema turns in another outstanding effort with beautiful inks by Frank Giacoia. I broke one of my cardinal rules buying this book online with a crappy photo. Seller was touting the book as a 9.4 NM, so I took a chance on it, as the price was reasonable. I was quite surprised at the quality of the book. I don't dispute the book can likely pull a 9.4 NM, but Im pretty critical on grading and put the book at a Very solid 9.2 NM-. Either way it's a book I was extremely happy to add to my Cap run! Captain America #153  Cover pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by Frank Giacoia. First appearance (cameo) of Jack Monroe (Nomad) in "Captain America--Hero or Hoax?", script by Steve Englehart, pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by Jim Mooney; Cap and Nick come to blows when Fury is feeling his age and he thinks Cap has made a play for Val. Sharon quits SHIELD and she and Steve leave for an overdue vacation; Falcon patrols the streets when he finds Captain America bullying men based on their skin color; As Cap and Falcon fight, Bucky clubs Falcon from behind; Appearances by Nick Fury and Sharon Carter This book is widely known for the First Appearance of Jack Monroe(Nomad), which is cool and all, but more important to me is the fact the issue is the start of Steve Englehart's writing run on the title. More Sal Buscema magic graces the book and its another very tough black cover. The book is pretty nice and with in my grade tolerance. I know it pulls a 8.5, maybe 9.0 with any grading company. I docked the book for the slight miswrap on the bottom of the cover. I Know, I Know! The so called "Professionals" don't dock the book for the miswrap, But I do. Captain America #154  Cover pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by Frank Giacoia. "The Falcon Fights Alone," script by Steve Englehart, pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by John Verpoorten and Tony Mortellaro; The phony Captain America and Bucky kidnap the Falcon and torture him to learn the whereabouts of the real Captain America. Falcon is aided in escaping the two with the help of Rafe, Leila, and several other people Falcon has helped over time; Falcon then journeys to Avengers Mansion to let the Avengers know of the phony Cap, only to find out he's been monitoring them and learns where Steve and Sharon are vacationing Wow! If Sal Buscema's Cover doesn't embody everything a Captain America Comic should be, I don't know what does! The book definitely has to be in consideration as one of the best Cap covers of all-time to me! Plus the fact that it is the first full appearance of Jack Monroe(Nomad) A super Key Cap book to me and one I knew I would need to have in high grade. While I have cracked out many books for the run, this one remains slabbed which obviously now makes it a pure commodity rather than a comic book that can be read and enjoyed, that being the biggest down fall of Graded books. I'll have to pick up a reader copy. Captain America #155  Cover pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by Jim Mooney. "The Incredible Origin of the Other Captain America," script by Steve Englehart and Stan Lee (page 13, panels 3-5; pages 14 and 16), pencils by Sal Buscema and John Romita (page 13, panels 3-5; pages 14 and 16), inks by Frank McLaughlin and John Romita (page 13, panels 3-5; pages 14 and 16); After defeating Steve, Falcon and Sharon through deceit and brute strength, the phony Captain America reveals his and Bucky's secret origin to the captive trio. Marvel Bullpen Bulletins; Stan Lee's Soapbox. Red Skull cameo. Partial reprint from Young Men 24 by Stan Lee and John Romita Sr. Just another truly outstanding cover by Sal! Another super tough Black cover book to obtain. I acquired this beauty from another Canadian Seller and probably overpaid for it, but it was well worth it to add a tough book of this caliber to the run. You know the ole sayin "Its only worth what someone's willing to pay for it" I was more than willing and unlike the previous CGC graded book I can enjoy the interior and story as well! NOTHING beats High Grade RAW! Captain America #156  Cover pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by Dave Cockrum. "Two Into One Won't Go!" starring Captain America, Falcon, Sharon Carter, 1950's Captain America, Bucky (Jack Monroe), Bob Courtney, Brian Muldoon, and Mr. Trimble (Steve Roger's landlord), script by Steve Englehart, pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by Frank McLaughlin; It's the final showdown between Captain America and his greatest fan, the insane Captain America from the 1950s The AWSOME train rolls on! And what a way to end the year of 1972! Steve Englehart and Sal Buscema's last three Cap issues to end the year is quite possibly the best three issue Cap run of the title. I know they are some of my all-time favorite Cap issues. This was another CGC crack out book. A beautiful high grade book that I thought could have pulled a 9.6 NM+ I choose to stay conservative and stay with the 9.4 grade, although I added a (+) to note how strong the book was. It was a sheer joy to free the book from its Plastic Commodity prison and return it to a comic book once again. There's just nothing like being able to touch, see and Smell a comic book. NEXT UP........ 1973! |
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BigRedOne1944 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| OK lets now enter 1973 Cost of Living 1973 How Much things cost in 1973 Yearly Inflation Rate USA 6.16% Yearly Inflation Rate UK 8.4% Year End Close Dow Jones Industrial Average 850 Average Cost of new house $32,500.00 Average Income per year $12,900.00 Average Monthly Rent $175.00 Cost of a gallon of Gas 40 cents AMC Javelin car$2,900.00 A Dozen Eggs 45 cents Below are some Prices for UK guides in Pounds Sterling Average House Price 9,942 Gallon of Petrol 0.35 A few More Examples Ford Galaxie 500 $3,883 Pork Roast Lb 59 cents Mortons TV Dinner 36 cents Walkie Talkie Sets $13.88 Dozen Medium Eggs 25 cents Component-type 8-track stereo tape player $44.50 OPEC oil to increase by 200% •Arab members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), announce they will restrict flow of crude oil to countries supporting Israel on October 17th causing price of oil to increase by 200% Alaska Oil Pipeline • Alaska Oil Pipeline bill is passed to allow construction of a pipeline to access oil from the North Slope of Alaska Roe v. Wade •Supreme Court of the United States rules on Roe v. Wade. January 22nd •Roe v. Wade makes abortion a US constitutional right United States -- Battle of the Sexes Tennis Match 1. Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs competed in “The Battle of the Sexes” exhibition tennis match during September of 1973. 2. 29-year-old King, who had already won 10 Grand Slam titles and was a pioneer in women’s tennis, went up against 55-year-old Riggs, who was at one point considered the best tennis player in the world, and defeated him handily winning three sets 6-4, 6-3, and 6-3. 3. King expressed relief at the end of the match, stating that she was worried losing it would have set women back. 4. She also took home the $100,000 prize. 5. Over 30,000 spectators attended it in Houston and an estimated 90 million people viewed the televised match worldwide, making it the most viewed tennis match in history. In the World of Comic Books Captain America starts out his year by facing off against the VIPER! Captain America #157  Cover pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by John Verpoorten. "Veni, Vidi, Vici: Viper," script by Steve Englehart and Steve Gerber, pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by John Verpoorten; Captain America and the Falcon battle the Viper, who has been ordered to kill them at the request of The Cowled Commander; The two heroes battle the Viper on a New York rooftop and the Viper poisons them. Steve Englehart and Sal Buscema continue their run on the title. After ending 1972 with three iconic Cap issues, it was hard to match those classic books. none the less Sal turns in a nice cover to start the year. I was pretty content with the books nice condition. I believe the book pulls a 9.0 from TPGers, but I docked it 1/2 grade for the light date stamp. I know, I know.... Many do not down grade for date stamps, but I do, especially if its on the front cover. On the back I would likely let it go. Anyway the book was more than acceptable in meeting the standards I was looking for in my Cap run. Captain America #158  Cover pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by Frank Giacoia. "The Crime Wave Breaks!" starring Viper, Captain America, Falcon, Redwing, Mrs. Muldoon, Sergeant Muldoon, Morgan, Bim, Quint, Billie, Courtney, and Mr. Trimble, script by Steve Englehart, pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by John Verpoorten; It's Round 2 for the Falcon, and the Viper; This time, the antidote for the Viper's poison is a swift kick to the face; Captain America gains super-strength Englehart's Viper storyline continues and is a quite enjoyable read as the Falcon gets his revenge! Buscema's cover work really pops with the Frank Giacoia inks. I always preferred a full action cover, as opposed to the "ghostly Cap" looking over the Falcon. The book is in beautiful condition and a likely 9.0 from TPGers. I did dock it for the ever so slight miswrap cover. Captain America #159  Cover pencils by Sal Buscema. "Turning Point," script by Steve Englehart, pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by John Verpoorten; Still sick from the effects of the Viper's venom, Steven Rogers gets kidnapped by NYPD Sgt. Brian Muldoon and his patrol partner Bob Coutney; Because Rogers has disappeared several times on patrol for missions as Captain America, they believe him to be a criminal, maybe The Cowled Commander; Cap breaks free as his strength has greatly increased; He ichanges into Captain America and goes to confront the super-powered crime wave; Falcon also joins him, but the Eel blasts Falcon. Steve Engleharts Conclusion to the Viper Storyline! I highly recommend the three issue Story to any Cap fan. While Sal Buscema delivers a nice action cover, I much prefer his work when inked by Frank Giacoia. Another extremely difficult black cover to find in acceptable grade, so I was once again very happy to have found this super nice book to add to my Cap Run! |
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BigRedOne1944 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Let us now continue with the year 1973 Captain America #160  First appearance of Solarr in "Enter: Solarr!" Script by Steve Englehart, pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by Frank McLaughlin. Gil Kane-Alan Weiss/Frank Giacoia cover Gil Kane is one of my All-Time favorite cover Artist, and his cover work here along with Alan Weiss and beautiful inking by Frank Giacoia is the highlight of the book! Captain America #161  Cap faces Dr. Faustus in "If He Loseth His Soul!" Script by Steve Englehart, pencisl by Sal Buscema, inks by John Verpoorten. Buscema-John Romita Sr./Verpoorten cover. Buscema and Romita's Cover didn't really do it for me on this issue. Luckily Steve Englehart crafts a pretty cool Dr. Faustus Storyline. This book is also one of the few that still remain on my "Upgrade List". A 6.5 is simply not going to cut the mustard. Captain America #162  Dr. Faustus continues tormenting Cap in "This Way Lies Madness!" Script by Steve Englehart, pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by John Verpoorten. Cameos by the Red Skull, Baron Zemo, Modok, and Bucky Barnes. Jim Starlin/Joe Sinnott cover. Englehart's Dr.Faustus storyline continues with and all-star cast of Cap characters! The Jim Starlin/Joe Sinnott cover is the cherry on top! If your looking to read a classic Captain America Story without having to break the bank, I highly recommend Cap 161 & 162. |
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Captain America #163 The Serpent Squad guest stars in "Beware of Serpents!" Script by Steve Englehart, pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by John Verpoorten and Tony Mortellaro. Buscema/Verpoorten cover Englehart spins another exciting tale as Sal Buscema continues his outstanding run on the title. Another tough to find Black cover. Very Happy to have been able to add this Super Nice book to the run! Captain America #164  First appearance of Nightshade, who turns the Falcon into a werewolf in "Queen of the Werewolves!" Script by Steve Englehart, art by Alan Weiss. (Many of Cap's heads retouched by John Romita Sr., creating quite a clash of styles!) Nick Fury cameo; brief Yellow Claw appearance. John Romita Sr. cover Nightshade makes his debut in this, "Howling" Steve Englehart Story. Alan Weiss does an admiral job filling in for Sal Buscema on this issue. As a big fan of John Romita, this cover just didn't seem to be my cup of tea. I think it's the "Split Scene" style on the cover I didn't much care for. Captain America #165  Cover by Sal Buscema. "The Yellow Claw Strikes," script by Steve Englehart, pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by Frank McLaughlin; After defeating Deadly Nightshade, Queen of the Werewolves, the Star-Spangled Avengers uncovers the identity of Nightshade's hidden leader--The Yellow Cat! Sal Buscema returns to bring the Steve Engelhart story to life! Yellow Claw showing up give Cap and Sam all they can handle. Another outstanding looking high grade book that I may have given a 9.0, If not for the slight off center cover on the top left. Even so there's no way this book doesn't make it into my run! |
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I'm a #2.
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Captain America #166 Cover pencils by Rich Buckler, inks by Frank Giacoia. "Night of the Lurking Dead!" starring Captain America, Falcon, Redwing, Leila Taylor, SHIELD (Nick Fury, Dum Dum Dugan, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, and Sharon Carter), Peggy Carter, Yellow Claw, Suwan, and Hop Sung, script by Steve Englehart, pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by Frank McLaughlin; Cap, Fury, and the Falcon face off with the seemingly never ending horde of zombies!; Who will survive the night of the lurking dead? A super cool cover by Rich Buckler! Cap and the Falcon facing off against hordes of zombies? You gotta just love it! Sal Buscema turns in another outstanding effort. Just a great issue to read. Beautiful High grade book that again, I may have graded higher if not for the very slight miswrap. Captain America #167  The final showdown between Cap and the Yellow Claw in "Ashes to Ashes!' Script by Steve Englehart, pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by Frank Giacoia. Buscema cover Steve Englehart weaves the thrilling conclusion to the Yellow Claw Story. Sal Buscema is runs the gambit on the Cover and Art with beautiful inks by Frank Giacoia. Its a very nice looking book, but another tough black cover. It does come in about a half grade lower than the 8.0 VFN minimum grade I desire. I'll have an eye out for a possible upgrade if one presents itself. Captain America #168  Read about the origin of Baron Zemo and his family in "And a Phoenix Shall Arise!" Script by Tony Isabella, pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by John Tartaglione and George Roussos. Red Skull cameo. Buscema/John Verpoorten cover The creative team gets a bit of a shake up here in this Classic Cap Issue! Tony Isabella spins a masterful story featuring the Origin of one of Cap's greatest foe's, Baron Zemon. Buscema's Cover represents Everything a comic book cover should..... Cap in great peril over a boiling pot of chemicals, the Falcon swooping in to save the day! It just doesn't get any better than this! A book I would highly recommend for anybody looking for an entry point into the Captain America Series. While I was still maintaining my minimum 8.0 Grade requirement, I was really trying to focus on obtaining Higher grade books at this point. Especially Key issues such as this. I was Extremely happy to find a super high quality copy of this book to add to my Captain America Run! |
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