What the...

...what the hell did Penny do to her hair. Don't normally comments on stuff like this but Holy S---

Comic Counter Today

678 Books Owned - Value $6,263.00

Fan Expo Comic Haul 2014

I posted my entire comic book Haul in the video below. Also included some cool video I shot at this years Fan Expo. All in all a really amazing event, although it's certainly getting more and more expensive each year. As much as I enjoy it, I think I'll be doing most of my book buying at many of the smaller cons and trade shows in the future, it's getting increasingly hard to find those really great bargain we're all looking for. The great thing about the Toronto Fan Expo is that if you're looking for a really rare book chances are  you'll find it at this show. However the bad side is that you'll pay a pretty penny to get it.

My best pick up of the weekend was definitely the Korak Son of Tarzan number 21. A near mint copy that lists on Comic Book Realm for $60.00 and I found this little gem in the $3.00 dumping bin. This issue was published in February 1968, a nice surprise to be sure. I love the Gold Key painted covers and I have no doubt that these books will continue to appreciate in value going forward. Slowly, and I do mean slowly, my Gold Key collection is taking shape, a long way to go though. Right now I have approximately 10 Gold Key issues in all, as my collection grows I'll keep you updated.

The Future of Superman + Zack Snyder's Batmobile

The latest Episode of DC All Access. The first images of Zack Snyder's Batmobile, the Batman: Arkham Knight release date and Dwayne Johnson's announcement in his new role as a villain in the upcoming Shazam movie. There also some discussion regarding the Futures End books, the 5 years later stories which  I just picked up this week. These really cool 3D covers  are available throughout September and I've grabbed a copy of each and every one. These books are to be the conclusion of a major story DC line that concludes 5 years from now so starting this October DC comics will start publishing the beginning of these stories we've just read. Some very interesting and exciting times ahead, I for one can't wait.
 

The Futures End 3D Covers. Simply Spectacular...

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By Far my favorite cover so far is the Detective Comic Futures End #1. Featuring Batman and the Riddler. Click on the images and you get to see a full size and far better rendering of the cover. Also love the Green Arrow cover, a simply amazing image although also very bleak, could it really be the Green Arrow is Dead !? Honorable mention to the Swamp Thing as well, also a really cool cover and certainly a favorite.  Looking forward to the Harley Quinn release as well. No clue what it will look like, but I'm sure it will be spectacular as well.

I believe the best story line so far is in the New Suicide Squad. This issue above all other thus far seems to provide a pretty clear indication of what is to come, and it aint good. Definitely some rough road ahead for the Suicide Squad.

 

Big fan of the Aquaman story line as well, this issue continues on in a later issue unlike many other Future End books which are one shots.  All in all it wasn't cheap buying all these books at $3.99 a piece they represent a significant financial outlay. So far I've spent $65.00 bucks and there are still more issues to come. Ahh well...it's just money right?

2001 A Space Odessy #3

It's amazing what you can find in the $3.00 bin at some of these comic book conventions. I found a near mint copy of 2001 A Space Odyssey #3. I absolutely love the Jack Kirby covers and for three buck you can't really go wrong. Set aside the fact the entire book is done by Kirby, its also almost 40 years old and in pristine condition. Not a whole lotta respect from the comic book community for this wonderfully illustrated adaptions of one of the most monumental Sci-Fi films of all time. I believe with time this will change so if you can find this book it's definitely worth picking up.

 

 

February 1977

Cover Artist: Jack Kirby and John Verpoorten

Writer: Jack Kirby

Penciler: Jack Kirby

Inker: Mike Royer

Colorist: George Roussos

 

 

 

X-men #129

I picked a lot of books at the Fan Expo last weekend,  the nicest of which was my X-Men #129.  This is latest pick up as I endeavor to acquire  the entire John Byrne X-men run. The copy I purchased was rated as Fine but I believe it's a bit better that that. It was listed at $40.00 but I managed a bit of a discount so it ended up costing me $35.00. They had a N/M copy on display but the asking price was $100.00, still not a bad price considering Comic Book Realm has it listed for #180.00. This is a pretty seminal book so it's unlikely that you'll find a copy cheap. In addition to it being the first appearance of Kitty Pryde, it's also the first appearance of the Hellfire Club, the White Queen (Emma Frost) the Black King (Sebastian Shaw) and many others. I'm extremely excited about owning this book.

 

January 1980

Cover Artists: John Byrne, Terry Austin and Jim Costanza.

Writer: Chis Claremont and John Byrne

 

Katherine "Kitty" Pryde (First appearance)
Carmen Pryde (First appearance)
Theresa "Terri" Pryde (First appearance)
Hellfire Club (First appearance as Hellfire Club)
White Queen (Emma Frost) (First appearance)
Black King (Sebastian Shaw) (First appearance) (Appears in shadow only)
Harry Leland (First appearance) (Appears in shadow only)
Donald Pierce(First appearance) (Appears in shadow only)
Hellfire Club Soldiers (First appearance)
Hellfire Knights (First appearance)
Massachusetts Academy (First mention)

Fan Expo 2014

I've been so busy I'm like a week and a half behind writing this, but better late than never. August 28th - 31st was this years Toronto Fan Expo. an annual multi-genre fan convention and I spent an amazing four days there. It was founded as the Canadian National Comic Book Expo in 1994 by Hobby Star Marketing Inc. It's a four-day event (Thursday through Sunday) held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Up until two years ago they use to use just the North Hall but starting last year they started using both the North and South buildings to accommodate the more that one hundred and fifty thousand fan that are now attending each year. Below I've included some the pictures that I took this year.

 

The Doctor Who society was there in full force. The cast of doctor Who including Matt Smith, Karen Gillian and Arthur Darvill were there to meet and greet fan in a special event Saturday evening at Constitution Hall in Toronto.

 

 

The 501st Legion was also there, one of the biggest and most well organized costuming clubs in the world. Now number well over 6000 member, these guys are among the coolest costumers at the event.

 

 

As impressive as the costumes of the 501st Legion are, I think their display booth was even more impressive. It included two movie accurate Death Star sets which appear to be right off the movie set. Also the hallway form Princess Lea's diplomatic ship was created in every detail.

 

 

 

Although the final attendance number have yet to be released, I'm guessing that they final tally will exceed one hundred and fifty thousand.

 

 

 

As far as comic books are concerned I found the bargains fewer and far in between this year . Comics are starting to get hot again and as a result the prices are going up while the quality is coming down. I still spent some cash mind you, just not as much as I normally do. I found people spending more than they probably should on books of lesser quality.

 

 

 

OK, I just had to throw this one in there, for obvious reasons. For those that have no interest in Star Wars perhaps this will change your mind.

 

 

 

The Horror genre was of course well represented at this year event. Among the guest for this year were Robert England, Ray Wise, Bruce Campbell and the Cast of the Walking Dead.  Rue Morgue Magazine and Anchor Bay Entertainment also had might impressive booth and some really cool free swag.

 

 

This year marked the 20th anniversary of the Fan Expo with more vendors, more artists and more cool stuff for sale than ever before. What ever your into, its at the Fan Expo.

 

 

Like every Comic Con in every city, it's the people and the costumes that make the event so memorable and this year was no exception.

 

 

Another amazing year has come and gone, with the end of the Fan Expo comes the end of the convention season as summer draws to a close. Next year event runs from August 27th to August 30th, I'm already counting the days.