X-MEN set complete, 1974!

So when I first saw the awesome cover to Captain America #173 featuring the original X-men and Nick Fury, I knew I had to add it to my collection of Bronze Age X-men appearances. After reading the X-men portion of the storyline in Captain America #172-#175 (great story by the way?told by the man who has become my favorite writer of the Bronze Age- Steve Englehart), I decided to try and collect all four issues in CGC 9.6 condition.

As it turns out only three other sets in the Registry include all four books, and none of these sets have all White pages. I?m not real particular about page quality so long as it?s at least Off-White (no Cream in my collection), but when I realized the first three issues I bought had White Pages (#172, #173 and #174) I had to make sure the last one (#175) did as well or it would totally bug me. As a result, the only one I could find with White pages had the old CGC label, which I don?t like, but I bought it anyway thinking that I would just pay to have it re-slabbed. Believe it or not, when the book arrived it had the new label?and Off-White/White pages. Yep, I was sent the wrong book (well, right book, but wrong page quality), and the company I bought it from told me they had misplaced the book with the White pages. Sigh. It was actually a blessing in disguise though cause after I sent it back for refund, another copy came up for auction with White pages AND the new label?I won the auction and ended up paying $40 less than I did the first time. Score! In general though I believe White pages are nice, but are really secondary to the grade?I?ve read where some collectors say they would rather have a 9.4 comic with White Pages than a 9.6 comic with Off-White pages (I don?t understand that logic, but to each his own I suppose).

After a LONG journey, here?s a quick recap of how I collected these books?

Captain America #172 (CGC 9.6 w/White Pages): found at the SDCC on 07/24/2009 for $140.00.

Captain America #173 (CGC 9.6 w/White Pages): picked up off eBay on 11/23/2007 for $122.50.

Captain America #174 (CGC 9.6 w/White Pages): snagged from Worldwide Comics on 08/17/2009 for $110.00.

Captain America #175 (CGC 9.6 w/White Pages): scored on Comic Link 03/16/2010 for $72.00.

In closing I?ll leave you with a little excerpt from a Q&A session Steve Englehart did with Comic Book Resources (CBR) back in 2005 (check out my 10/23/2008 journal entry for more on this interview- good stuff!):

Stephane Garrelie: The first story by you that I read was Cap/Falcon/X-Men of your Secret Empire/Watergate story in "Captain America" (#170-#175). Do you think that so political a story would be possible in the comics today?

Brian Cronin: Excellent point, Stephane. It is funny how stuff like Richard Pryor on SNL, or Steve (Englehart)?s Cap, couldn't be done today, and yet we act like we are so "advanced" culturally.

Steve Englehart: I was asked about doing some "Captain America" today-- I said it would have to include politics-- they said "well, never mind."

Steve Englehart: But that specific story? On the one hand, I was writing about events that all of America was interested in, so it wasn't some ad hominem attack on Nixon. On the other hand, a lot of people are interested in what's going on now...

Too bad Steve was never given the opportunity to write that story. Maybe if we?re lucky, we?ll see him write a couple of story arcs now that Steve Rogers has returned! We can only hope.

Til next time?

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