Friday, September 28

My Birthday Books - 4


Hey thanks for checking out my blog, every Friday I will be going into a bit more depth about a few of my 'Birthday Books' which are comic books cover dated September 1969, these babies were born at the same time as me. Most of them are graded higher than I am though 😆

The Brave and the Bold #85
Story - Bob Haney
Art - Neal Adams/Dick Giordano
Cover - Neal Adams
Grade - VG

The Senator's Been Shot!

Green Arrow is completely redesigned in this issue, featuring a new costume and his trademark goatee for the first time.

When Bruce Wayne's friend senator Paul Cathcart is shot the Governor asks Bruce to replace him in the role so he can cast the deciding vote in an important Anti-crime Bill. The bill targets crime organisations like that of Mr Minotaur, the #1 suspect for organising the assassination attempt. Meanwhile Green Arrow as Oliver Queen is working on plans for the 'New Island' building project, his main rival for the deal is Argonaut Unlimited, the construction company ran by Minotaur. If Minotaur wins he'd be able to control crime in the state and have influence over state finances & the Government. Bruce & Oliver are both considering that their real identities should perhaps take precedence over their alter-egos, maybe as a senator and financier they can do more than Batman & Green Arrow can. Both heroes reveal their identities to Senator Cathcart's son psychiatrist Edmund, wanting his opinion if they should abandon their hero lives to do good in their real identities.

Our hero's team-up and get trapped in Minotaur's labyrinth but manage to escape in time for Ollie to tender his plans for the development and arrest Minotaur and Bruce arrives at the senate just in time to pass the important bill. Bruce and Oliver both conclude to Edmund that their aliases are too important to give up on and Edmund self-hypnotises to forget their secret identities!!

World's Finest Comics #187
Grade - 4.5
Cover - Curt Swan, Murphy Anderson, Gaspar Saladino

Two stories in this book - 

The Demon Superman!
Story - Robert Kanigher
Art - Ross Andru/Mike Esposito
This is a bit of Silver Age madness which made my head ache 😂. We start off straight in the action, in colonial era Salem Superman has convinced the populace to have Batman burnt at the stake as a demon, as pictured in the cover he uses his heat ray eyes to start the fire. Flashing back to the beginning of the adventure in modern day we see Batman & Superman intrigued by an old bust's likeness to Bruce, so the pair travel back in time by means of Superman's time barrier busting flight. The 1st thing they do in the past is rescue Sylvia a woman being ducked into the river accused of being a witch. Back to our story, Batman accuses Superman of being a demon and challenges the townsfolk to cut a lock of his hair which they can not as it's as strong as steel. Superman flies away and joins the British forces, Batman is released and he and Sylvia meet up with Bruce's revolutionary ancestor 'Mad' Anthony Wayne just in time to be captured alongside him by Superman. Anthony's bugler, young Robby Douglas follows them to the British camp where 'Mad' Anthony has refused to talk and he and Wayne were to be executed and Superman orders them to fight each other to the death. Robby charges in and Batman gives him a small rock of Kryptonite to catapault at Superman, this hits him and brings him back to his senses. After the British are sent fleeing the real story of events emerge. Superman had noticed that Batman is casting no shadow and realised he was possessed by an Afreet, an evil spirit, so he had him put on the stake to 'scare' the spirit out but then it possesses him until the kryptonite bonk on the head makes it flee. We also discover that the bust they saw that prompted the adventure was made by Sylvia of Batman adding a time paradox to the already brain hurting tale.

The Green Arrow's First Case
Story - Jack Kirby/Ed Herron
Art - Jack Kirby/Roz Kirby
In this tale we follow Green Arrow (in his original costume) and Speedy as they travel to Starfish Island to stop an expedition there from discovering his secret identity. In flashback we learn of Oliver getting marooned there and honing his archery skills and creating his 1st trick arrows. He created a diary of sorts, chiselling his progress on the wall of a cave which if found will give away his secret identity. He takes advantage of nuclear bomb testing in the area to use a fake uranium arrow that sets off their geiger counter and forces them to leave the island and Arrow's secret behind them.

The House of Secrets #81
Grade - VG
Cover - Neal Adams
This features another character who shares a birthday with me!! I am kind of happy about this but wary too!! Why is that you may ask? Well the character is Abel, this book shows his 1st appearance and later he becomes the book's host. If you know Abel you know he is the 1st murder victim, cursed to be killed over & over again by his brother Cain! So it's cool to share a birthday with another cool DC character but that one is quite.... hmmm! 💀

Don't Move It!
Story - Mike Friedrich
Art - Jerry Grandenetti/George Roussos
The new owner of the House of Secrets, Mr Barkus, is in the process of relocating it from Kentucky but the house doesn't want to leave, it was build by hand with all Kentuckian resources, and a wailing noise is heard the closer it reaches the state line. Going to investigate the source of the noise, we learn the original owner's wife went mad in the house and all owners after the original never stayed for longer than 3 months, we also hear about the locked room. Barkus gets spooked and flees from the house, just then the trailer breaks and the house rolls down hill with Barkus running before it. He runs off a cliff's edge but the house stops short mysteriously of plunging over the precipice.

House of Secrets
Art - Bill Draut
Following on from the last story we see Abel being shown around the house by a realtor, he is to be the new caretaker saying it 'runs in the family' (His murderous brother Cain caretakes/presents the House of Mystery comic). He gets a fright from his brother Cain who asks Abel who he's talking to, he cannot see the realtor who becomes a spirit and merges with the house. Cain accuses him of cowardice and seeking to prove he isn't Abel proceeds to tell a story....

Aaron Philips' Photo Finish
Story - Gerry Conway
Art - Jack Sparling
There is a one-page text only story called "Burn This House" just before this one where a paranormal investigator stops townsfolk from burning down the house by proving the house has no ghosts, then when they leave he's revealed to be a ghost faking the results.

In this story presented by Abel we hear about Aaron Philips a sleezy photographer who takes damaging pictures of people and extorts them for money and if they can't pay he publishes and ruins them. He even has leverage on the newspaper editor he sells to. This editor sends him to get dirt on Senator Sandsfield, Philips plans to break into his house whilst he is out. He is spooked when an exterior polaroid shot doesn't show the house when he takes a photo of it but he still ventures in becoming more spooked as he goes. He goes into a room (is it the locked room?) and there is a click and we see Philips sheilding his face. The story cuts back to Abel standing by the fireplace who tells Cain that Philips was never seen again. Cain leaves inviting Abel to come visit him sometime on his house on the other side of the cemetary and Abel retires to bed, we see a photo of Philips captured in fear poking out from under a door. (Again I think it's the locked room)


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'Birthday Books' openings - 2

Once again here is a blog to store a few videos of my opening and 1st reactions to any comic packages I receive in the post. I will also be going more into depth with my books every Friday, blogging about 3 'birthday books' at a time until they are all done.





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Wednesday, September 26

Counting Comics - 12

Welcome again to my weekly look at my collection, from last week my totals were at -

DC = 3150
Marvel = 59
Others = 53

So on to today's look at my books


I hope you enjoyed the video, below is a little more information about the comics in this week's count

Batman (2005 - 11)
640 - 713
This has got to be maybe the 3rd longest running DC title I should think after Action & Detective Comics. Starting out in 1940 and ending October 2011 with the events of Flashpoint and the launch of the New 52. I think Detective comics went back to the old numbering with Rebirth but I'm not sure about Action and this book. I personally think it's a real shame that they messed with these books numbering at all.

Batman Annual
11, 14, 15, 18 - 22, 24, 25, 26, 28
OK so this guy is Clayface III, I couldn't remember in the video, so I looked it up. Preston Payne was born with acromegaly and was bullied for his looks, seeking to cure himself with a serum created from the blood of Clayface (Matt Hagen), it didn't work, nope not one bit and now his touch melts people!! 😒

Batman 80-Page Giant
2010 x 2
2011
Who doesn't love an extra big sized book with multiple self-contained stories in it??

Batman: Blackest Night (2009)
1 - 3
Dead villains, dead parents and with Bruce Wayne currently dead himself, Dick Grayson is Batman aided by Robins Tim Drake & Damian Wayne in a battle against the Black Lanterns.

Batman: The Widening Gyre (2009 - 10)
1 - 6
Kevin Smith's controversial and often delayed 6 parter that was meant to have a follow up book sometime later which did not emerge, or at least it hasn't yet anyway!

Batman: The Return One Shot (2011)

Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne (2010)
1 - 6
This series picks up from Final Crisis #6. It details the journey Bruce Wayne takes through the timestream of the DC Universe after being deposited in the distant past by Darkseid in Final Crisis. Wayne has to overcome amnesia and "history itself" in order to make his way back to present-day Gotham City and retake his rightful place as Batman.

Batman and the Mad Monk (2006 - 07)
1 - 6
Written  by Matt Wagner this is set in Year One era Batman continuity, the 2nd part of Wagner's Dark Moon Rising series which retells classic Golden Age stories, expanding and modernising them for contemporary readers.

Batman: Journey into Knight (2005 - 06)
1 - 12
A 12-issue-maxi-series by Andrew "Andy" Helfer and Tan Eng Huat that shows how Batman turns from an optimistic crimefighter into the cynical dark knight.

Superman & Batman Vs Vampires & Werewolves (2008 - 09)
1 - 6
Written by Kevin Van Hook with art by the masterful Tom Mandrake. The plot is... fairly self-explanatory. Superman and Batman team up against Vampires and Werewolves.

Superman and Batman 
Versus
Aliens and Predator
1 - 2
LOL same as above really, the plot is fairly self explanatory but this time it's by Mark Schultz & Ariel Olivetti. There is an interesting video review of it here by Comic Tropes YouTube channel.


The Creeper (2006 - 07)
1 - 6
Creeper is one of those characters that I really like and can't work out how he's not been able to sustain a long run in a book. The guy is funny and more than a bit mad and chilling, he needs an Alan Moore with Swamp Thing style revamp if you ask me. Creeper is outspoken TV host Jack Ryder and was created by Steve Ditko in Showcase #73 in 1968.

Black Canary/Oracle: Birds of Prey (1996)
This is the 1st Birds of Prey book, conceived by Jordan B Gorfinkel and written by Chuck Dixon it brought together the partnership of Black Canary and Oracle. The team has grown over the years and take on menaces internationally and are financed by Batman as an extension of the Batman Family. In this 1st adventure Oracle recruits Black Canary to look into the dealings of industrialist Nick Devine whose projects seem to be the target of sabotage.

Birds of Prey: Manhunt (1996)
1 - 4
Black Canary, Huntress & Catwoman are all chasing after a guy named Archer Braun for various reasons. The chase leads them to Kazakhstan and into battle with the deadly Lady Shiva and Braun too proves to be no pushover as he is able to predict all their fighting moves somehow.

Birds of Prey: Revolution (1997)
Black Canary goes to Santa Prisca to put an end to their slave trade racket and gets into very hot water, fortunately she finds an allay in a guy named Galiant who helps her take down President Jefe Del Mundo.
Birds of Prey: Wolves (1997)
After some friction hinted at in Revolution Oracle and Black Canary decide to break up the team. They then each go on to a dangerous encounter separately and after winning through they decide that perhaps they were better off together and reach a new understanding.

Birds of Prey (1999 - 2009)
1 - 127
After the one-shots and 4-parter the Birds got their own on-going title starting out with Chuck Dixon writing then replaced with Gail Simone for quite a popular run I believe. It ran for over 10 years which is pretty succesfull if you ask me!

Birds of Prey: Secret Files & Origins (2003)
A woman claiming to be pregnant with The Penguin's baby gets protection from Black Canary as she is on the run from an angry Penguin and his crew.

Battle for the Cowl
Oracle: The Cure (2009)
1 - 3
Oracle tangles with The Calculator, both are searching for parts of the Anti-Life Equation that is stored in clusters on the World Wide Web. There is a virtual online chat world named Alta Viva, a place in which the Calculater is able to influnce it's visitors in the real world causing one of Oracle's agents heads to explode!!


Birds of Prey (2010 - 2011)
1 - 15
The Birds of Prey returned for a short run leading up to the Flashpoint/New 52 and to be honest I have no idea if they had any reappearance in the New 52 or in Rebirth* but I am sure the characters are still around in one form or another. Actally isn't Barabara Gordon/Oracle now back as Batwoman in Rebirth? I think I read that she was, that's kind of cool if she is, even though the Oracle role she played was pretty important in the Bat-books. Maybe there is a new Oracle now, also in a wheelchair as I am sure she was an inspiration for disabled comic book fans.

*I just found out that Birds of Prey teamed up with Batgirl in Rebirth, might be a cool read!

So that's another 289 DC comics, making the running totals


DC = 3439
Marvel = 59
Others = 53

Come back next week and we'll look at a few more books

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Friday, September 21

'Birthday Book' openings - 1

These videos are the initial opening and reaction to any comics I get in the mail. It's mostly going to be 'birthday books' most likely as these are my main focus right now, but there will be a couple of little Ebay purchases here and there too most likely.






Look at my happy little joyful face 😄



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My Birthday Books - 3


I aim to make my 'Birthday Books' blog a weekly event as I have been picking them up pretty steadily for the past few weeks. I will showcase 3 books per week on Friday here until I have run out, maybe go down to 1 book a week once they stop coming in so fast. 

So just to remind you or enlighten new readers, my 'birthday books' are comics with cover dates of September 1969 as these were born into the world the same time that I was!
I am also considering moving through the years too, so my 1st year 'birthday books' from 1970, 2nd 'birthday books' from 1971 etc, up to 1979 my 10th birthday. I think that's a cool long-term project goal 😍

Marvel Tales #22
Grade - FN-
Cover - Steve Ditko

This anthology has 3 classic Marvel tales in it - 

Bring Back my Goblin to Me!
Reprinted from Amazing Spider-Man #27
Story - Stan Lee
Art - Steve Ditko
In this story Spidey (Peter Parker) is captured by Green Goblin and presented unconscious in chains to the Crime Master and his mob. He comes to and manages to battle his way free. Goblin escapes so he tries to chase down the Crime Master. An ex-gangster, Frederick Foswell is now working as a reporter for the Daily Bugle and Peter suspects him to be alter-ego of one of these two villains. I have definitely read this story before and I know I don't own Amazing Spider-Man #27 (if only!), so my guess is I've read it reprinted elsewhere, perhaps in a annual.

When Magneto Strikes!
Reprinted from Journey Into Mystery #109
Story - Stan Lee
Art - Jack Kirby/Chic Stone
Hiding in a sub-marine, Magneto sends his Brotherhood of Evil out to find the hidden base of the X-Men. His magnetic powers are noticed by Thor in his secret identity of Dr Donald Blake so he goes out to investigate. Whilst battling the megalomaniac Magneto he forgets himself and loses contact with his hammer Mjolnir for longer than a minute and reverts back to the lame Doctor! He struggles to get back to his hammer, (now transformed into Blake's humble walking cane), as Magneto's magnetism threatens him at every turn. Off panel he is aided by the arrival of the X-Men, who are not seen in person but are integral as they chase Magneto away and disable a thermo-nuclear proton bomb! The last panel has Donald cosying up with a simpering Jane Foster, the woman who eventually takes over the mantle of Thor!

The Torch Meets Iceman!
Reprinted from Strange Tales #120
Story - Stan Lee
Art - Jack Kirby/Dick Ayers
A reprint of the 1st meet-up of the Human Torch of the Fantastic Four and the X-Men's Iceman. Human Torch, Johnny Storm is with his date Doris on board a cruise boat. Bobby Drake, Iceman is on the cruise too hoping to meet some "swingin' teens". The duo are forced into action when Barracuda and his team of modern day pirates target the boat to plunder. It's a cool, (or perhaps a hot), story, we see how their powers counter-act and perhaps compliment each other.

The Unexpected #114
Grade - Fine
Cover - Neal Adams

This book was Tales of the Unexpected up to #104 focusing more on science-fiction/fantasy, with the name change it became a horror/weird mystery book. Over it's run other folded titles were merged into it such as House of Secrets, Witching Hour, Doorway to Nightmare, and Time Warp. Recurring characters (including hosts in framing sequences) include Johnny Peril, the Mad Mod Witch, Judge Gallows, Abel, the Three Witches, and Madame Xanadu.

There's 2 short stories in this one - 

My Self -- My Enemy
Story - George Kashdan
Art - Ed Robbins/Vince Colletta
In this book we have a character named Johnny Peril who I had never heard of before. Also known as Mr Nobody he is a detective of the occult and an "adventurer of the weird." He debuted in Comic Cavalcade #19 in 1947 and had back up stories in All-Star Comics, Sensation Comics, and Sensation Mystery. He was relaunched in the Silver Age with #106 of this book and appeared as a member of A.R.G.U.S. in the modern day in Justice League Dark. 
This tale pits Peril against a golem of sorts that is stealing his lifeforce away from him.

Tales of the Mad Mod Witch: The Well of Second Chances
Story - Dave Wood
Art - Art Saaf
The Mad Mod Witch is a kooky character, she is a witch who is abreast of the current fashion it seems! 1st appearing in Unexpected #108, as a storyteller she was later added to The Dreaming of the Sandman comics where she is called the Fashion Thing, a personification of style & design! In the past, she has been a flapper, a mod, a punk, and even described as a "Mad Madonna Witch". In 1988, she began referring to herself as the Mad Yuppie Witch.
This story tells of a wishing well that allows you to go back in time. Von Krupt, a Nazi on the run after the war comes across the well, 3 others use it and see visions of their lives if they made changes to it and they all turn out to be disastrous. In desperation with the war crimes commission snapping at his heels he tosses a coin in and nothing happens, he over balances and falls in and drowns. The Mad Mod Witch explains of his coin that "it was a queer-- a counterfeit!" and that's why it never worked.

Challengers of the Unknown #69
Story - Dennis O'Neil
Art - Jack Sparling
Cover - Joe Kubert
Grade - VG (4.0)

The Challengers of the Unknown are Olympic wrestling champion Lester "Rocky" Davis, master skin diver Walter "Prof" Haley, circus daredevil Matthew "Red" Ryan and War hero and jet pilot Kyle "Ace" Morgan. After surviving a plane crash together they conclude that they are living on borrowed time and should form a team to challenge the unknown!! The team were created by Jack Kirby and Dave Wood and debuted in Showcase #6 in 1957.

The Secret of Skull Mountain
Is this a crossover with Skeletor a decade before he was created?! No of course not! 😋 
An ongoing plot thread here is that Prof is secretly possessed and tries to hurt his colleagues surreptitiously throughout this story. Investigating the disappearance of a scientist the Challenger quartet are met with a hulking brute in the forest. They find a castle where the ruthless Algernon Stark is experimenting with finding immortality. When they discover his secret he threatens to kill them all and Prof suicidal and looking to atone for his actions draws Stark's fire so they can take him out. Mortally wounded they put Prof in a cryogenic pod to sustain his life and Corinna, Stark's daughter vows to takes Prof's place.

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So that's my 3 'birthday books' this week, what did you think of these beauties?

Come back next week for 3 more of my books

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Wednesday, September 19

Counting Comics - 11

So after last week's count I had 


DC = 2859
Marvel = 59
Others = 53

For today's comics count, watch the video 👍😀



Flash 
0 - 247 (2x165)
Wizard - The Flash 1/2
This is Flash Vol 2, featuring the 3rd Flash Wally West, starring in his own book after the death of Barry Allen in Crisis on Infinite Earths. It ran 233 issues (Counting "#0," "#1/2," and "#1,000,000") from June 1987 through March 2006. The title was replaced with Flash: The Fastest Man alive, where Bart Allen was the eponymous star for too short a time before getting murdered. Afterwards Vol 2 was restarted as of issue #231 in 2007. It ended in February 2009 with issue #247.

There is a key with Impulse's 1st appearance in #92. 

All Flash # 1 (Sep 07)
Wally West learns of the death of his cousin Bart and seeks justice against The Rogues, who afraid of the repercussions of their actions from the superhero community have turned on Inertia, Bart's killer. Wally catches and drains Inertia completely of speed leaving him statue-like in the Flash Museum staring at an exhibit honouring Bart's life.

The Flash Our Worlds At War (2001) # 1
Flash and Cyborg battle against a horde of Parademons attacking New York when to make matters worse the Black Racer turns up to claim souls. When he targets a young girl Flash picks her up and starts running pursued by the Apokaliptian reaper.

Wonder Woman # 214
This crossed over with the Flash for one story

The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive (2006 - 07)
1 - 13
During "One Year Later," Flash Vol 2 ended and made way for this series, which starred Wally's successor, Bart Allen. He started as Impulse, before becoming Kid Flash then he eventually got the promotion and then pretty much promptly got killed by The Rogues. 😭

The Flash - Secret Files & Origins # 1 (2010)

Blackest Night - The Flash (2010)
1 - 3
The living members of the Rogues gallery are up against their dead ex-members and Flash gains a Blue Lantern ring using the power of hope to counter the Black Lantern power trying to recruit Kid Flash (Bart Allen)

The Flash - Rebirth (2009 - 2010)
1 - 6
After being dead for a REALLY long time (in comic book terms anyway), Barry Allen returns from the Speedforce! Some people say that he went to the Marvel universe for a time and engaged in a great race in Quasar #17 (1990). Writer of Crisis Marv Wolfman said many times that he left a back door in the plot to allow Barry to be resurrected at any time.

The Flash
The Road to Flashpoint (2010 - 11)
1 - 12

Flashpoint (2011)
1 - 3
Barry Allen wakes up in a new reality, one where Wonder Woman's Amazons are at war with Aquaman & the Atlanteans, Superman is nowhere to be seen with Cyborg taking his place as the world's premier hero and where Thomas Wayne is Batman! This 5 parter was kind of the central book in the Flashpoint story with many other stories told in relation to it. There were sixteen 3-parters and a few one-shots totalling 61 issues in total. I'm not too sure how many I actually collected of them. This was the kickstarter for the New 52 I think, you know what I can't even remember now, all these storylines are merging into one in my head!!

So that's 291 DC comics today, making the new totals


DC = 3150
Marvel = 59
Others = 53

Come back next week and we'll look at a few more books

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Monday, September 17

YouTube comic competition videos - 2

I did another round of channel competitions on YouTube, it'd be nice to win some cool freebies!

1st up for Ethan Hunt's channel
1. Which hero can you relate to the most?
2. Which Universe has the best battles?

JPLFlash Comics Geekdom wanted to know of a comic you want to see made into a film.

The Simply Incredible Podcast asked to see "one of your favourite comic things"




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Thursday, September 13

Counting Comics - Part 10

My count at the moment is - 
DC = 2249
Marvel = 53
Others = 27

There's a heck of a lot of comics in this batch, these were the last regular books I bought back in 2013 and they were never sorted into their proper piles so it's a bit of a mish-mash of titles. Some of them got a bit damaged and curled up. I went to a comic shop I never knew was nearby and bought a couple of longboxes and some comic covers. I also bought a couple of new 'birthday books' see my blog about them HERE

My mate gave me some old comics he owned too and I got an Ebay buy which I take a look at HERE

I did a lucky dip buy on Ebay too HERE

After adding the books from these 3 blogs to my count I get
DC = 2286
Marvel = 59
Others = 53



Flash (2011 - 2013)
0 - 9, 11 - 14, 16, 17
Barry Allen is Flash is this New 52 book, I don't really have many memories of this era of DC comics, I was losing interest thanks to various factors going on at the time, not all comics related. I'll have to give these another read sometime I think. The art as ever is cool still.

Flash Annual (2012)

Captain Atom (2011 - 2012)
0 - 12
This seems to have been the full run of Captain Atom here, it's a shame such a well know character couldn't run to a longer story arc. Mind you this is a new take on the hero with a new origin and slightly different powers. It's not the 1st reimagining he's had though, starting out as scientist Allen Adam in Charlton comics created by writer Joe Gill and artist/co-writer Steve Ditko, and first appearing in Space Adventures #33 (March 1960). When DC acquired the rights he became Airforce pilot Nathaniel Adam, when he had his own book following on from Crisis on Infinite Earths, he also became the villain Monarch for a while and was even reimagined entirely as the character Breach.


Batman Unseen (2010)
3, 4

Batgirl (2000 - 2006)
1 -  73
The Cassandra Cain character was created by writer Kelley Puckett and penciler Damion Scott. She first appeared in Batman #567 (July 1999). Apparently this was the 1st on-going Batgirl book.

Batgirl Annual # 1 (2000)

Batgirl (2008 - 2009)
1 - 6

Batgirl
14, 15, 16
Cassandra Cain is the fourth Batgirl. Born with the assassins David Cain and Lady Shiva as her parents, she was conceived and trained from birth with the intention of creating the perfect bodyguard for Ra's al Ghul. Her father deprived her of speech so she would learn movement and physicality as her first language. Batman adopted her into the Batman Family during No Man's Land, to replace Helena Bertinelli as Batgirl. Cassandra would eventually turn her Batgirl costume over to Stephanie Brown, and become a member of Batman Incorporated as Black Bat. She later takes up the name Orphan.

DC Universe Presents:
Deadman/Challengers of the Unknown (2011 - 2012)
1 - 8
This was a bit confusing, I thought I had 2 titles there Deadman and Challengers but I realise now that both were under the DCU Presents banner. With the New 52 Deadman's story has a few tweaks to it, in this he had led a selfish life and after being killed he is made to atone by possessing people and setting things right in their lives to avoid being sent to Hell.

Nightmaster: Monsters of Rock (2011)
Nightmaster is forced to confront his enemy Lord Meh for the fate of Myrra and his Shadowpact teammates. Unfortunately Nightmaster is followed by an annoying, aging fan from his hippie rock star days. haha this makes me laugh as a big heavy metal fan my 1st ever gig was the Monsters of Rock 1988 with Iron Maiden headlining!!


Reign of Doomsday: Steel #1 (2011)
A plot by Lex Luthor to use some Doomsdays to hunt down the 4 Supers who stood in for Superman when he died; Steel, Superboy, Eradicator and the Cyborg Superman. I'm not sure if I ever got the rest of the story of this arc as it crossed into quite a few books.


I, Vampire (2012)
7, 8
These characters 1st appeared in House of Mystery, this New 52 book ran for 20 issues. I can't remember anything about it I am sure I only got these as they crossed over with a book I was reading.


Brightest Day Aftermath: The Search for Swamp Thing (2011)
1 - 3
I don't recall this comic at all, apparently Alec Holland is back alive and Constantine wants to find and reunite him with The Green as Swamp Thing.

Flashpoint (2011)
4, 5
I think the rest of these must be in my Flash pile, which I am sure will be in the next Counting Comics video, I will go into some detail about it then.

Green Latern: New Guardians (2011 - 2013)
0 - 16
The team consists of representatives of each of the Corps that tap into a particular portion of the emotional spectrum. Its original members were Kyle Rayner (Green Lantern Corps), Arkillo (Sinestro Corps), Bleez (Red Lantern Corps), Glomulus (Orange Lantern Corps), Munk (Indigo Tribe), Saint Walker(Blue Lantern Corps) and Fatality (Star Sapphires). The group disbands in issue #0 (September 2012), and reforms in issue #13 with Kyle Rayner, Arkillo and new members Carol Ferris and Atrocitus. Larfleeze joins in issue #15.

War of the Green Lanterns: Aftermath (2011)
1 - 2

Green Lantern (2011)
67

Green Lantern Emerald Warriors (2011)
7, 12
There's a few books here that should have been put away properly a long time ago instead of sitting on a shelf for 5 years!!

Green Lantern Corps (2011 - 2013)
old - 61 - 63
new 52 - 0 - 16
Annual #1

Green Lantern (2011 - 2013)
0 - 16
Annual #1 (2012)
This comes after Flashpoint and a war of Green Lanterns I think and Hal Jordan is kicked out of the Corps and replaced by Sinestro!! What??!! Really!! Guardians of Oa, you really are rather silly little blue twits aren't you??!!


Red Lanterns (2011 - 2013)
0 - 16 (2x#12)
I love Dex-Starr the Rage Lanterns cat, but I wouldn't want to get on it's bad side!!

Teen Titans (2011)
91

Titans (2010)
27

Teen Titans  (2013)
15, 16
I don't know where all my Titans books are, they must've gone into a long box somewhere, but I'll get to them soon enough and put these lone books with their families!

Secret Six (2011)
29, 32 - 36

Jusice Society of America (2011)
53, 54

Justice League of America (2011)
59, 60
These are another bunch of books that should have been put in with the rest of their run years ago, but I finally got around to it now,

Justice League (2011 - 2013)
0 - 14

Justice League Dark (2011 - 2013)
0 - 1, 3 - 16
Annual # 1 (2012)
Justice League Dark originally featured John Constantine, Madame Xanadu, Deadman, Shade, the Changing Man, and Zatanna. The team consists of the more supernatural members of the DC Universe, handling situations deemed outside the scope of the traditional Justice League.


JLA + The 99 (2010 - 2011)
1 - 6
Teshkeel Media Group, is a company that has been publishing select Arabic translations of DC Comics since 2006. The 99 is a superteam, created by Naif Al-Mutawa and published by Teshkeel Comics, featuring a team of superheroes with special abilities based on the 99 attributes of Allah in Islam. The 2 teams join up to help out when a series of earthquakes rock the City of Tomorrow in the Arabian peninsula.


Before Watchmen (2012 - 2013)
Ozymandias 1 - 6
Silk Spectre 1 - 4
Rorschach 1 - 4
Moloch 1- 2
Dollar Bill  1
Nite Owl 1 - 4
Minutemen 1 - 6
Dr. Manhatten 1 - 4
Comedian 1 - 6
This set totals to 37 books with a set of mini-series all based as prequels to the 1986 12-issue Watchmen series. There was some controversary with people thinking that the Watchmen series was sacrosanct and shouldn't ever be messed with, I suspect more people were excited to see these characters in brand new stories. I was kind of excited but I'm not too sure they lived up to the hype but that just might've been my over expectation of them.

Earth 2 (2012 - 2013)
0 - 9
This series takes place in a parallel Earth known as Earth 2, where super-heroes are known as Wonders of the World. Additionally, the people of Earth 2 have re-imagined back-stories, powers, and characteristics to that of their Prime Earth counterparts.


Batman Detective Comics (2011 - 2013)
old run
879 - 881
New 52
0 - 16 (2x#15)
Annual

Batman (2011 - 2013)
0 - 2, 4 - 14, 16, 17
Annual

Brightest Day (2010 - 2011)
0 - 24
The Atom Special (2010)
Green Arrow #7
Untold Tales of Blackest Night # 1 (2010)
The series follows the thirteen heroes and villains who were resurrected at the end of the Blackest Night readjusting to returning to life. This includes Aquaman, Captain Boomerang, Deadman, Firestorm, Hawk, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Jade, Martian Manhunter, Max Lord, Osiris and Professor Zoom.

Justice League International (2011 - 2012)
1 - 12
Annual (2012)
I think this is the whole run of this book.


Hellblazer 
276, 281 - 299
Annual 2011
I went through some of these books in an earlier video/blog and here is the ending of this series although I don't have 300!! Grrrrr!!! I can only imagine my comic shop messed up my books, I have a few doubles from this era too thanks to them. 😕


Blue Beetle (2011 - 2013)
0 - 2, 4 - 16
This is volume 9 of Blue Beetle!! There've certainly been quite a few runs of Beetle books, he's probably had more that some of the more well know heroes. This is the 3rd BB Jaime Reyes, I'm not sure if Ted Kord is around in the New 52 I think he might've been another Blue Beetle in a Charlton Comics universe. I'd like to have seen a set of books starring those guys, BB, The Question, Captain Atom, Judo Master, Nightshade, Peace Maker and Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt.


The Savage Hawkman (2011 - 2013)
0 - 14
Carter Hall is Hawkman here.


Red Hood and the Outlaws # 1

Stormwatch
3, 7

DC Comics The New 52 # 1

The New 52 # 1

The New 52 
DC Universe Presents # 0

Suicide Squad # 14

Batman and Robin (2011 - 2013)
0 - 1, 3 - 16
From 18 onwards the book had Batman teaming up with other members of the Bat-family after Robin, his son Damien Wayne is killed in Batman, Inc #8 battling the Heretic.

Knight & Squire (2010 - 2011)
1 - 6
This is a great look at the United Kingdom in the DC Universe. Hey it's a book based in my city, London!! Yay!! There are some cool, slightly hokey characters involed but it's a bit of fun, there is a team of evil cricketers called the 1st Eleven 😄 Shame this isn't an ongoing series!!

Demon Knights (2011 - 2013)
0 - 14 (2x#13)
Hey this has got Etrigan the Demon in it, damn right I had to buy it.
Set in ancient times this group of fantastic adventurers led by Madam Xanadu and Jason Blood (Etrigan's host), is the beginning of the modern day team Stormwatch. The team also had Vandal Savage, Shining Knight, The Horsewoman, Al Jabr and Exoristos.



Batman Hidden Treasures

Batman/Catwoman: Follow the Money

Batman Incorporated #1

Hawk & Dove (2011)
1, 2
This book only ran for 8 issues, which is really bad, but I have no idea why I only have the 2 issues? I didn't cancel it as I loved those characters, so I have no idea what went on there!


Batman/Superman
86, 87

Futurama Comics #31

Joker's Asylum: Two-Face #1
I am sure I got the whole set of these, so why I only have one here is a mystery and why it was dirty in a sleeve with a Futurama comic that I never collected is an even bigger mystery!


Catwoman #14

Batwoman
0, 7

Batman Orphans
1, 2


Batman Gotham Knights (2000 - 2006)

1 - 74
The original intent of this book was to feature the exploits of Batman and his extended family, such as Alfred Pennyworth, Batgirl, Nightwing, Robin, Oracle, and Catwoman, among others. The latter section of the run, however, came to focus much more upon his enemies.

The series also featured the popular "Batman: Black and White" back-up strip, which allowed various artists with widely varying styles to do their take on the Dark Knight in a black and white format. These back-up strips are also collected in trade paperbackform.

So my calculator makes that 573 DC comics, though to be honest I came up with 3 different answers thanks to all the doubles and 0 numbers! I gave up and just decided that number is close enough!

So that leaves me with a total so far of

DC = 2859
Marvel = 59
Others = 53

Come back next week when I'll be fudging figures and talking about more of my comics!!

My wants list

I just thought I'd put this online so I can check it on my phone if I ever need to. Also if anyone is looking to trade or anything. ...