SW3D

How many years from now will we look back at the arrival of Angela in the Marvel Universe and reminisce about her strange odyssey from Angel/Spawn Killer to Thor's Sister/Asgardian Assassin? In May of 2013, Angela officially returned to the four-color pages with pomp and circumstance in Age of Ultron #10, after she had been declared dead in Spawn #100, 13 years prior. Angela's resurrection meant that the long standing copyright dispute between comic book paragons Neil Gaiman and Todd McFarlane had miraculously come to an end. We can only speculate the reasons behind Gaiman's decision to let Marvel have her; I often wonder how Angela would have fit into the DC Universe if Gaiman went that route, and the countless battles she may have had: Angela vs. Superman; Angela vs. Wonder Woman; Angela vs. Shazam; Angela vs. Etrigan; Angela vs. Lobo; Angela vs. Justice League Dark; Well... you get the picture... but the House of the Mouse got her, and she's there to stay... and probably better off in the long run. I remember when I was miffed at how Marvel initially portrayed Angela in the pages of Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, #'s 5, 6, and 7. It was like Angela had been hit in the head by a space rock and robbed of not only her memory, but her charm and personality. Quite frankly, it was painful to read especially with the way Gamora had pushed her around and shoved a laser gun in her face. WTF?!? What happened to that sassy, kicka$$, take no sh*t and take no prisoners attitude? After her exhumation, did Angela get spayed? And speaking of exhumation... How did Angela return from the dead after Malebolgia impaled her through the chest with her own trident? Here's the short answer to that: Don't ask so many questions and just accept things the way they are. Who needs continuity anyway? In comics it is so overrated. Am I right? But that's all ancient history and water under the bridge now that Angie's been retconned as the legitimate heir to the Asgardian throne. And speaking of ancient history... below is a snapshot of my collection of Angela's initial appearances in Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, #'s 5, 6, 7, and 10. Here's the CGC Yellow Label Rundown: Issue 5: Signed by Sara Pichelli Issue 6: Signed by Sara Pichelli and Justin Ponsor Issue 7: Signed by Sara Pichelli and Justin Ponsor Issue 10: Signed by Justin Ponsor and Kevin MacGuire I would have gotten issues 8 and 9 signed and graded but Francisco Francavelli was a no-show on the one day I attended New York Comic Con. Oh well... perhaps next year. Most of the dupes are going on sale as quad sets on eBay... but if anyone wants a set... just PM me. Thanks for reading and as always... Happy Collecting! To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

There is not much to say about this one except EYE CANDY! What you are seeing is another Angela/Aria variant... the very rare Tower Records Variant. Currently, a total of seven (7) have been graded by the CGC. Although this one is graded an unremarkable 9.4 (considered a low grade by most collectors for a modern tier comic), it just happens to be the only signature series of its kind. Damn!... Angela takes my breath away. If only she could jump off that cover! Based on looks from this illustration, I have to rate Angela up there with the likes of Jean Grey, Carol Danvers, Diana Prince, and Red Sonja. I know I'm forgetting a multitude of gorgeous four-color page women, but I'm sure many of you will submit your opinions on who's the hottest, sexiest, and most beautiful of all. SW3D To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

I'm not a huge fan of variants. In my opinion they are a publishing gimmick to get the vulnerable comic collector into spending more cash. Variants are nothing more than a single comic book clothed in multiple shirts; honestly, it's rather foolish of us to fall for such marketing ploys. And yet, I'm probably one of the biggest fools! Aria/Angela: Heavenly Creatures is a two (2) issue mini-series published by Image Comics nearly 15 years ago. It features my favorite hellion, Angela, before she became Disney/Marvel property, and the Asgardian heir to the throne. Believe it or not, for a two (2) issue set, there were an astonishing thirty-seven (37) variants published. And as gimmicky as these variants are, I have decided I want to collect them all. But I question myself, "Why am I even bothering with it?" Quite frankly, if it wasn't for Angela's appearance, I wouldn't. Okay... that sounds harsh but it is true. However, it's all part of my greater ambition: a complete collection of Angela published appearances, including variants, before her switch to Marvel Comics. It is a collection I will call "Angela Pre-Marvel". The following is a list of the entire set of variants for Aria/Angela: Heavenly Creatures #'s 1 and 2: Aria/Angela #1a, Joe Quesada cover Aria/Angela #1b, Jay Anacleto cover Aria/Angela #1c, Whilce Portacio cover Aria/Angela #1d, J G Jones cover Aria/Angela #1e, Jay Anacleto's 2nd cover for issue 1 Aria/Angela #2a, Jay Anacleto cover Aria/Angela #2b, Chris Bachalo cover Aria/Angela #1a, Limited Edition Holo Foil, J G Jones cover (only 5,000 published) Aria/Angela #1b, Limited Edition Holo Foil, Jay Anacleto cover (only 5,000 published) Aria/Angela #1c, Limited Edition Holo Foil, Whilce Portacio cover (only 5,000 published) Aria/Angela #1d, Limited Edition Holo Foil, Joe Quesada cover (only 5,000 published) Aria/Angela #1a, Museum Edition, Jay Anacleto cover; full color cover (only 100 published) Aria/Angela #1a, Museum Edition, Jay Anacleto cover; blue color cover (only 100 published) Aria/Angela #1a, Museum Edition, Jay Anacleto cover; red color cover (only 100 published) Aria/Angela #1a, Museum Edition, Jay Anacleto cover; black color cover (only 100 published) Aria/Angela #1b, Museum Edition, Whilce Portacio cover; full color cover (only 100 published) Aria/Angela #1b, Museum Edition, Whilce Portacio cover; blue color cover (only 100 published) Aria/Angela #1b, Museum Edition, Whilce Portacio cover; red color cover (only 100 published) Aria/Angela #1b, Museum Edition, Whilce Portacio cover; black color cover (only 100 published) Aria/Angela #1c, Museum Edition, J G Jones cover; full color cover (only 100 published) Aria/Angela #1c, Museum Edition, J G Jones cover; blue color cover (only 100 published) Aria/Angela #1c, Museum Edition, J G Jones cover; red color cover (only 100 published) Aria/Angela #1c, Museum Edition, J G Jones cover; black color cover (only 100 published) Aria/Angela #1d, Museum Edition, Joe Quesada cover; full color cover (only 100 published) Aria/Angela #1d, Museum Edition, Joe Quesada cover; blue color cover (only 100 published) Aria/Angela #1d, Museum Edition, Joe Quesada cover; red color cover (only 100 published) Aria/Angela #1d, Museum Edition, Joe Quesada cover; black color cover (only 100 published) Aria/Angela #1e, Museum Edition, Jay Anacleto's 2nd cover; full color cover (only 100 published) Aria/Angela #1e, Museum Edition, Jay Anacleto's 2nd cover; blue color cover (only 100 published) Aria/Angela #1e, Museum Edition, Jay Anacleto's 2nd cover; red color cover (only 100 published) Aria/Angela #1e, Museum Edition, Jay Anacleto's 2nd cover; black color cover (only 100 published) Aria/Angela Blanc and Noir Edition #1, Jay Anacleto cover ("the black and white pencil edition" presents the entire first issue in its original pencil form) Aria/Angela Gold Edition #1, Jay Anacleto's 3rd cover for issue 1 (Gold Foil Edition) Aria/Angela Gold Edition #2, Jay Anacleto cover (Gold Foil Edition) Aria/Angela Tower Records Gold Edition #1, Jay Anacleto cover (only 500 published) Aria/Angela Tower Records Variant #1, Jay Anacleto cover Aria/Angela European Ashcan Tour #NN (cardstock cover, 5 ½ inches by 8 ½ inches, 12 pages featuring b&w illustrations/art from the comic). Of all these variants, the Museum Editions present the biggest challenge collecting, simply because they are rare due to their low print runs and carry a fairly high price tag even before grading. Funny thing... the CGC has confusingly recorded the title of this series as both Aria/Angela: Heavenly Creatures and simply Aria/Angela. So when you study the census population numbers, you have to search under both titles for the complete graded numbers. Yesterday, a package from the CGC arrived. It was a box containing eight graded comics which were submitted last year at New York Comic Con. The two appearing in the photo are the Aria/Angela European Ashcan Tour which were signed by series artist Jay Anacleto on October 9, 2014. I'm happy to say they each came back graded 9.8; grades achieved sans pressing. In a few days I'll share with you the other variants and the grades they achieved. Until then, thanks for reading and as always, happy collecting! To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

I'm a big fan of Adam Warlock. And I see there are many fans here as well. And it is to those fans, and cosmic philosophers that this question is directed to: Does Adam Warlock have a soul? I ask such a question, because knowing his origin, it begs me to question that he does. For those that are not acquainted with his origin: Adam Warlock (originally known as HIM), is an artificially created superbeing (See Fantastic Four Volume 1, Numbers 66 & 67). Created by a group of scientists calling themselves The Enclave, HIM was meant to be the first of a super race of humanoids to lead mankind to the next step of evolution and beyond. But can humans, scientists, and the greatest minds our world has to offer, replicate, what in my humble opinon, only the Universe can bestow a sentient being?... a Soul? What is a Soul? Is it the guiding spritual life force of all sentient beings? In my limited knowledge and capacity to understand such things, I've come up with my own idea to what a soul is and its function. I believe, the Soul represents a small fabric or sample of the Universe. It is transferred into the body, embuing us with an incorporeal life force and a pre-designed mission that can only be revealed to its unique host. The soul, gathers information, through the host's five senses and other latent psychic senses... information about Emotions, Life, Death, and the Point of View of living beings that are Earthbound and transitory on the Physical Plane. Once our mission is completed, and we face the end of our Physical Life/Death, the Transmigration of the Soul occurs, and this information is fed into the Universe. If unsatisified, the Universe will send the Soul back to be reincarnated, to repeat the cycle. If satiated, the Soul acquiesces with the Universe... the Supreme Reward! and then on to the next journey to another world... a higher spiritual plane of existence (a higher dimension), to gather further information for the Universe. And it goes on and on and on. The ultimate reward... the great knowledge of the Universe and its many secrets which always lie beyond! Anyway... enough of my ramblings. Does Adam Warlock have a Soul? As much as I love him... I find it difficult to believe an artificially created being has a Soul. So initially... my answer is No... he does not. However... if Adam Warlock does not have a Soul, then it represents a HUGE PLOT HOLE!... for how can Adam Warlock be the bearer of The Soul Gem? And if indeed he is a souless artificial being, The Magus Saga, The Annihilation Conquest, and many other Adam Warlock plots can never have really happened. But they did! So how? So here's my answer... Adam Warlock does have a Soul! Yes he does. But it's not a Soul that was created by The Enclave. So who created Adam Warlock's Soul? I posit... Adam Warlock's soul is a traveling fabric of The Universe meant to inhabit the host body which eventually becomes Adam Warlock. Yes, it sounds crazy... but that is my belief. Perhaps it is an idea to be further explored by Marvel Comics as an adjunct revamped origin story much like Alan Moore did for Swamp Thing. I'm curious to know what you think... Does Adam Warlock have a Soul? And if you believe he does... do you believe The Enclave created it? If you don't believe The Enclave created his soul, then how did Adam Warlock obtain a Soul? Please share your opinions, and, if possible, provide anything from his mythology that can support your opinion. Merry Christmas! SW3D To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

I had no idea HA had such a buyers premium. For auctions I generally stick to ComicLink; but I rarely win and get outbid and beyond my value comfort zone. Nowadays, eBay is where I mostly troll, but occasionally I go to Pedigree Comics, Metropolis, World Wide, and Greg Reece. Perhaps HA should split the high buyers premium and make it a fair service charge to both buyer and seller... 10% on each side as opposed to 20% on one side. I know I wouldn't be happy paying 20%, but I could live with 10%. Anyway... nice cover of Alfred. I wonder what the solo is all about. SW3D

On November 30, 2014, I submitted a journal titled, "Adam Warlock Keys: What comic book key issues should be included in this set?". Lamentably, although I poured considerable energy into it and at the time I believed I had all my facts straight... I decided to double-check something that was nagging me in the back of my mind. Well... I discovered I've made an error. What is the error? I mistakenly believed and stated that HIM's Cocoon makes its first appearance in issue 66. That is actually not true. The Cocoon makes its appearance in 67, as does HIM. Nonetheless, Fantastic Four Volume 1, Number 66 is still, in my opinion, an important key, since it does feature the Origin of HIM as well as the first appearance of The Enclave (the scientists who created HIM). I apologize to anyone that was mislead by my slip... and I hope it hasn't caused anyone any inconveniences. SW3D To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

I love the custom set feature recently instituted by the CGC. This registry feature allows us to create unique thematic sets that normally wouldn't make the grade as a competitive set. But who knows, maybe one day the CGC will host a competition for best custom sets. And if I were to enter such a competition, I would enter my unique and prized set: "The Kingdom of the Spawn #9 Newsstand Editions. Yes!... I'm back and at it again! Not only have I created such a custom set, but I have also recently acquired another example of the ultra rare Spawn #9 Newsstand Edition featuring the first appearance of Angela, otherwise known as Aldrif Odinsdottir, Thor's sister and daughter of Odin... the rightful heir of Asgard! Feast your eyes... 7 copies! That's right! I own 7 copies! I know... I know... you must be thinking... 7 copies? Why collect the same comic over and over again? For those of you who are not aware, these newsstand editions are variants of the direct editions and are considered very rare. How rare? There are currently a total of 977 graded direct editions versus only 17 graded newsstand editions. That is 0.0174002047082907%... or less than 2%... making it a very rare comic. Of the 17 graded examples (I'm sure there are raw ones out there), only four (4) have reached the highest grade at 9.8 and eight (8) at 9.6's... for a total of twelve (12) in the top two grades. I own seven (7) of these. Thanks for reading, and as always... Happy Collecting! SW3D To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

From time to time, we all make mistakes... I know I do. But mistakes are lessons and reminders of our imperfections and fragile humanity. We are not machines... we are not perfect... nor were we meant to be. And that is true of any and all government, group, organization, individuals, and even professional third party grading companies. What am I babbling about? Take a look at my latest acquisition. It is a glorious 9.8 example of Warlock Volume 1, Number 9. The cover illustration is what I like to call "The Apotheosis of Adam Warlock". Although I have only the greatest amount of respect and admiration for the geniuses of Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Roy Thomas, and Gil Kane, it is in my humble opinion (an opine shared by many other fans of Adam Warlock) the definitive take of Adam Warlock by the master, Jim Starlin. But that's not what this journal is about. This journal's topic is about the error in the key comments as it appears on the CGC Universal Blue Label. Can anyone guess what the error is? Give up? The error is "New Costume Warlock." Why? The "new" costume, as seen on the cover, actually debuted in Strange Tales Volume 1, Number 180... on its cover no less. But I forgive the CGC and the graders for missing this fact. And I can easily understand why the error occurred. Many collectors are not aware that after The Power of Warlock was cancelled with issue number 8 in October, 1973, Adam Warlock resurfaced a few years later in the pages of Strange Tales Volume 1, Numbers 178 -- 181, under the authorship of Jim Starlin. On the strength and success of those Starlin-led Strange Tales issues, Marvel jumped-started Warlock's main title, beginning with issue 9, continuing the numbering order from the last issue as if nothing happened. I am guessing the graders at CGC must have looked at this issue, made a comparison to issue 8, took notice of the different costumes and automatically assumed the "Pulse-Pounding Premiere Issue" also hailed a new look. But the truly funny thing... the CGC Key Comments for this issue also read, "Story continued from Strange Tales #181". So it's safe to say, the CGC was well aware Adam Warlock had a short run in Strange Tales. And all someone had to do was consult a copy of Strange Tales 180 or 181 and realize the new costume made its debut prior to this issue. But I forgive... things happen... no one is perfect. Neither am I. However, in replace of "New Costume Warlock", I would like to add what I feel are the more accurate Key Comments for Warlock Volume 1, Number 9: *1st Full Appearance of the Magus. *Origin of the Magus. *1st Appearance of the In-Betweener (in a 1-panel Cameo). This graded copy is a gorgeous 9.8 example with a vintage CGC Blue Universal Label (see scan). I'm so very happy with this purchase, and it has been added to my "Keys to the Kingdom" set, resting on the top spot for Adam Warlock keys. Thanks for reading... and as always... Happy Collecting! SW3D To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Recently, the CGC has modified the Adam Warlock Keys Set by adding a number of titles where Adam Warlock has made an appearance (comic books which are mostly concentrated in the Bronze Age). Personally, I do not agree with these new additions, since the theme of the set is Adam Warlock Keys, meaning only those comic books which have key significance related to Adam Warlock should be included in this set. Which comic books you may ask? Well, although I am no comic book historian, nonetheless, I will offer my opinion about the keys which I feel have historical and canonical significance not only to Adam Warlock but to the greater Marvel Universe at large. But the first question should be, "What defines a comic book key issue?" Here is my definition: Comic Book Key Issue: a Comic Book Key Issue is a comic book which has historical significance and marks a special event in the canon of a Character, a Title, a Publisher, or even a Genre. Such keys include but are not exclusive to: 1st Appearance(s); Origin(s), Death(s); the Return; 1st Costume; New or Altered Costume; Altered Physical Appearance; New or Altered Powers and Abilities; New Secret Identity or Alter-ego; Secret Identity or Alter-ego Revealed; Revelations, the 1st Professional Work of a Writer or Artist; Premiere Issue or 1st Issue of a Title Run, the Last Issue of a Title Run, Anniversary Issue; etc. So, if I follow my definition, what are the comic books that should be included in the Adam Warlock Keys set? In order to determine this, I decided to research and reread all the comics which the CGC has included in Adam Warlock Keys set and some others that were not in the set (Thor 163 and 164 where the Cocoon makes a cameo appearance). I read not from the original sources, but from various reprints collecting many of Adam Warlock appearances in the Silver and Bronze Ages. I believe these reprints to be faithful to the source material. The books I've consulted are: Essential Fantastic Four Volume 4 *Reprints Fantastic Four 66 and 67 Marvel Masterworks The Mighty Thor Volume 8: *Reprints The Mighty Thor 163, 164, 165, and 166 Marvel Masterworks Warlock Volume 1: Reprints: *Marvel Premiere Volume 1, Numbers 1 and 2 *Warlock Volume 1, Numbers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 *The Incredible Hulk Volume 1, Numbers 176, 177, and 178 Marvel Masterworks Warlock Volume 2: Reprints: *Strange Tales Volume 1, Numbers: 178, 179, 180, and 181 *Warlock Volume 1, Numbers: 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 *Marvel Team-Up Volume 1, Number 55 *Avengers Annual Volume 1, Number 7 *Marvel Two-In-One Annual Volume 1, Number 2 And after re-reading these collected editions, I also decided to include my own key comments which I believe merit inclusion and may have been overlooked by CGC graders and comic book historians. These additional key comments, denoted by me as "overlooked key comments", will follow the CGC key comments quoted from the CGC graded labels of the key issues listed. Other "overlooked key comments" will appear for issues which previously had no key comments; these examples can be considered overlooked keys. Please let me know if you agree or disagree, and preferably, with an explanation as to your opinion. So here it its... ...The following is my list of those comic book keys which I believe should be included in the Adam Warlock Keys set, with a brief explanation of why they are comic book keys issues: Fantastic Four Volume 1, Number 66 CGC Key Comments: *2 part Origin of HIM (Warlock).* *HIM does not appear. *Should be modified to read, "Origin of HIM (Warlock)": contrary to popular belief, HIM's origin is not discussed in Fantastic Four 67, therefore, technically, it is not a 2 part Origin story. Overlooked Key Comment: *1st Appearance of the Cocoon. Fantastic Four Volume 1, Number 67 CGC Key Comment: *Origin* and 1st Appearance of HIM (Warlock) in cameo. *Contrary to popular belief, HIM's origin is not discussed in this issue and should be omitted from the key notes. Overlooked Key Comments: *1st Incarnation of Adam Warlock: Officially, it is the first of three (3) Adam Warlock incarnations in the span of a decade. In this initial depiction, HIM is very much an innocent child-like being, pure of heart, with the urge to understand his purpose of creation and to gain knowledge of the universe at large; HIM can be considered neither villain nor hero. *1st Appearance of HIM (Warlock) in the Silver Age. Thor Volume 1, Number 165 CGC Key Comments: *1st Full Appearance of HIM* *Watcher appearance. *Last 12 cents issue. *Not to be confused as HIM's/Adam Warlock's 1st appearance; see Fantastic Four Volume 1, Number 67 for Adam Warlock's 1st appearance. Overlooked Key Comment: *1st Appearance of Thor succumb by Warrior Madness aka Berserker's Rage (2-panel Cameo last page). Thor Volume 1, Number 166 CGC Key Comments: *2nd Full Appearance of HIM (Warlock). *Thor vs. HIM. Overlooked Key Comment: *1st Full Appearance of Thor succumb by Warrior Madness aka Berserker's Rage. Marvel Premiere Volume 1, Number 1 CGC Key Comments: *Origin of Warlock. *Thor, Hulk and Fantastic Four appearances in Flashback. Overlooked Key Comments: *2nd Incarnation of Adam Warlock: HIM is given the name Warlock by the High Evolutionary and becomes a Messiah-like superhero. *1st Costume Incarnation: a playful homage to Fawcett's Shazam which incorporates Captain Marvel's jagged lightning emblem and red and yellow colors. *1st Appearance of the Soul Gem (green colored): this is first of the six (6) colored Soul Gems, aka Infinity Gems or Infinity Stones. *1st Appearance of Counter-Earth. *1st Issue of Marvel Premiere. *1st Appearance of Warlock in the Bronze Age. *Altered Physical Appearance: the first depiction of Adam Warlock without eyes; no explanation given (Note: Adam Warlock is frequently illustrated without eyes; this can be seen over the course of his appearances throughout various titles including his own, and with no explanation offered). Marvel Premiere Volume 1, Number 2 CGC Key Comment: *Warlock* *Not a key note in my opinion; it should be omitted from the key notes. Overlooked Key Comments: *Warlock is given the first name Adam by a group of children on Counter-Earth, thus he is now known officially as Adam Warlock. *1st time Adam Warlock uses the Soul Gem. *New or Altered Powers and Abilities: Adam Warlock, through use of the Soul Gem, can devolve a sentient being. *Altered Physical Appearance: Adam Warlock is once again illustrated with eyes (Note: Adam Warlock's eye color is undetermined as the colors of his eyes frequently change over the course of his appearances throughout various titles including his own, and with no explanation offered. The colors of his eyes have been depicted as blue, brown, black, white, red, and yellow. I speculate the variance in eye color may represent subtle changes in his energy levels, moods and emotions, or quite simply, for reasons unknown made by the artist or colorist). The Power of Warlock Volume 1, Number 1: CGC Key Comments: *Origin of Warlock *Letters from J. M. DeMatteis and Richard Pini. Overlooked Key Comments: *Premiere issue or 1st issue of Warlock's solo title. *Story continuation from Marvel Premiere Volume 1: Numbers 1 and 2. Strange Tales Volume 1, Number 178 CGC Key Comments: *1st Appearance of Magus.* *Warlock begins. *Clarification is required: Technically, one can argue, this is the first appearance of the Magus (Adam Warlock's future evil self). And although I agree with that statement, however, if you read the story, it is more accurate and To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

When they became available, I was slow in pulling the trigger on a two or three day pass for NYComicCon. Time passed and I completely forgot about it. Like SDCC, tickets sold quickly. In late summer, a new job came along, and Thursday became the only day I could find a ticket and committ... so I took it... one day is better than none. Sadly, with my signature ambitions, one day is/was not enough, especially with the truncated hours Thursday has to offer. If I had Friday, Saturday, and/or Sunday, I know I would have accomplished what I set out to do. For example, last year, what I couldn't finish on the first day, I left open invoices behind with the CGC and picked up right where I left off the following day. And I got most everything accomplished. This time around, I had no such luxury. I was looking forward to getting Francisco Francavilla's inscription on three (3) different comic titles: Afterlife with Archie #1, and Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, #'s 8 and 9. I had multiple copies of each and would have asked him to sign a total of 9 comics. I also wanted to score the signatures of Mark Morales and Olivier Coipel, and was hoping to achieve my first quad signature piece on GOTG 6, but they were either conducting business elsewhere... perhaps somewhere on the main exhibitor floor or in comic panels... or they were no-shows. For the most part, I was a denizen of Artist Alley and chose to stay away from the mayhem of the upper level or the adjacent lower level where the panels and celebrity signings take place. I only ventured to see the main floor when i closed my invoices... which i had to do when the Francavilla booth had quietly materialized a handwritten signage reading "Cancelled". Oh well, that's life. I hope to have the opportunity next year to meet the man, and finish what I started. What I did get done, I'm really happy with. Coincidentally, the comics i got signatures for and submitted for grading, have one theme in common: an appearance by Angela, aka Aldriff Odinsdotter, Thor's long lost sister, and Asgards newest citizen. So this is what the day yielded: Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, #5: 4 copies signed by Sara Pichelli. Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, #6: 5 copies signed by Sara Pichelli and Justin Ponsor. Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, #7: 4 copies signed by Sara Pichelli and Justin Ponsor. Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, #10: 4 copies signed by Kevin Maguire and Justin Ponsor. Aria Angela European Tour Ashcan: 2 copies signed by Jay Anacleto. Aria Angela #1 Tower Records Variant: 1 copy signed by Jay Anacleto. Aria Angela #1 Whilce Portacio Variant Cover: 1 copy signed by Jay Anacleto. Aria Angela #1 Whilce Portacio Holo Foil Variant Cover: 1 copy signed by Jay Anacleto. Aria Angela #2 Gold Edition Variant: 1 copy signed by Jay Anacleto. Aria Angela #2 Chris Bachalo Variant Cover: 1 copy signed by Jay Anacleto. and lastly... Aria #4 Glow in the Dark Cover: 1 copy signed by Jay Anacleto. The last comic, for some absurd reason, features Angela on the cover, yet in no way does she appear in the actual story or subsequent issue(s). So why bother to put her on the cover? It kinda acts like a one page preview of the Aria Angela two-issue series, and it happens to be the same cover featured on the Aria Angela European Ashcan Tour. As far as a prediction of grades, I am always hoping for the higgest possible example, but realistically, I doubt any of the comics will grade at 9.8. I'm guessing they'll garner grade ranges between 9.0 - 9.6, but I'm hoping fate proves me wrong and gifts me some 9.8's or higher. A big shout out goes to the hardest working man at the CGC Signature booth, Michael Balent... you make every year coming back a pleasure! Kudos to Bree for her hard work. And lastly, a big thank you to all the red shirt witnesses... thanks for being there for us. Although I head back to work tomorrow, I'm already looking forward to next year and hopefully a three (3) days attendance pass. I'll leave you tonight with an image of a free comic book given away by energy drink makers SK. Best of luck to all those submitting comics this weekend at NYCC. Thanks for reading and happy collecting! To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Wow!... the redhead in VG#2 is simply gorgeous. Why do I think of Sucker Punch? Did Scott Snyder get inspired by Dave Stevens work like James Cameron to Roger Dean for Avatar? The cover to RA#1 is a work of art! Damn DS makes his women so sexy and provocative! This collection would keep me up at night. And I totally see the LB Cole influence. Thanks for posting these beautiful covers. SW3D

Stevens was an amazing artist. Although his art is an 80's institution, utilizing modern tools of the trade like air brushing, his style was reminiscent of the Golden Age comic art featuring fantastic damsels and heroines in pin-up fashion. I also see the fabulous illustrations done for the war effort in the 40's as well as commercial advertising artwork of the 30's to 50's represented in his style. It is brilliant and deserves to be collected and immortalized. I hope you manage to obtain the elusive high grades you are searching for, and I also wish you much success in building the set. SW3D

We all read and collect comic books, but how many of us dare to live the dream? What dream you ask...?... Creating and publishing your very own comic book. Think of the thrill to see a comic book you've written or illustrated, in the hands of a child, teen or adult? Imagine the rush when you discover a fellow collector submitting your comic book on a CGC invoice? And what delirious heights of euphoria will you reach when your comic book is encapsulated and immortalized in a brand spanking new CGC protective holder? Do you dream of such a day, to behold your very own comic book creation, graded a 9.8, with your name credited in a Universal Blue or Yellow Label? I know I do! With vision, passion, and dedication, living the dream can become a reality. In my quest to "live the dream", I have sought out the advice of an individual who's doing just that, Bradley Potts. Bradley Potts is the owner of Gateway Comics: a web based comic book publisher and the creative force behind Sunday Superheroes, which features several ongoing titles published weekly, as you guessed, every Sunday. We're privileged today to get a sneak peek at Gateway Comics latest publication: Stalker: Donning the Mask; a graphic novel written by Potts with artwork by comic legend Trevor von Eeden. In addition, Potts shares his comic book wisdom and gives us keen insights on the in's and out's of publishing your very own comic book. SW3D: I understand you have a background in RPG gaming. In the 80's growing up as a adolescent, I never gravitated towards RPG's that were all the rave like Dungeons and Dragons... however... in the mid to late 90's, I discovered RPG games on PC platforms, but at least for me, it never translated to sparking my own story or character development. I would guess the roll-of-the-dice game board RPG's emphasizes imagination and creativity... How have you parlayed that experience into comic book publishing? Bradley Potts: It's safe to say that without RPG's there would be no Stalker today. My early writing was born out of wanting to tell stories in my RPG worlds that were not being explored by the players' characters. I have two unpublished fantasy novels and a number of short stories from those worlds. Stalker began life in late 1990 as an RPG character, in the HERO System game, Champions. Stalker, Eric Dorian, Revolver, Argent, Black Fury, Eclipse, Sidekick and September can trace their origins to that same RPG campaign. Oddly enough, Public Defender, perhaps the most important hero of my comic universe, has no analog in the old RPG game. SW3D: Has any comic book professional... living or dead... given you any words of advice that still resonate with you today? Bradley Potts: I've had the privileged to work with Jamal Igle and Trevor Von Eeden, but in both cases, they were contractors working for me. For the most part, I've had to find my own way, and it has been a matter of trial and error; fortunately usually forward. I have taken a certain amount of inspiration from various comic professionals. I began reading comics during the Chris Claremont X-Men days, which gave me a certain love for that style of storytelling. My own writing style, pacing of stories and fights, owes a lot to the Silver Age production of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. You can see that change in my writing style if you compare the Stalker: Donning the Mask pages to the older First Night story. The books have a very different pacing and storytelling style. SW3D: Can you walk us through a typical day in the life a comic book writer? Bradley Potts: I am not a professional writer. I have a day job in IT, so I don't really know what the life of a professional writer looks like. Maybe someday, Gateway Comics will reach the point where it can be my profession; that would be nice. My writing process, however, I can tell you about. My comics typically start as an idea about a scene or a villain the hero will face. Slowly, I let the ideas build around that idea until I have enough to write down a plot outline. The plot outline becomes the core of the story, and I let it sit for a while. Ideas come to me, and I add them to the notes of the story. Eventually, perhaps after a few days or weeks, the plot reaches a point in my head where it demands to be written. Then, and perhaps this is the oddest part, I set those notes aside and start writing. The --script for such a story often comes together quickly, four or five hours, usually with no reference to the notes. It's at this point that I've become so heavily invested in the story and characters, that the notes are no longer needed. Some stories never reach this point; they don't inspire me... they are set aside. If I still need to complete that story, for a deadline or something, the writing is then very difficult. SW3D: As an unknown writer looking to get published, it's reassuring and encouraging to know that you have a day job and yet manage to balance and keep a steady schedule writing and publishing comics. Your writing process also speaks to me on so many levels, and I'm sure it also echoes with novice and veteran writers alike. So who is Stalker? What are her powers and what's her motivation? Bradley Potts: Powers? What are those? Carrie Stane was a young athlete, training for the Olympics, when her parents were murdered. In the aftermath, she discovered that her mother had a secret. She had been the masked crime fighter: Stalker. Carrie doesn't want to see her mother die, and decides to preserve her legacy by becoming the new Stalker and bring justice to her parents' killers. Stalker seeks out her mother's former partner, Public Defender, and he agrees to train and equip her to be the new Stalker; so as for powers, she has none... she's a masked crime fighter, more on the lines of Batman. Some heroes punish the bad guys, and at the outset, that was Carrie's goal: find the people who killed her parents and see they pay for it. But in the years since, Carrie's outlook has mellowed; she's changed, become less angry... her focus has really shifted to protecting the innocent. SW3D: Can you offer a glimpse into the current Stalker storyline? Bradley Potts: What we're seeing in "Donning the Mask" is a Stalker who's been betrayed by her friend and mentor, Public Defender. Carrie's angry and tired of his, "I know best" attitude. Stalker's looking back at events in her life that have brought her to this point... so it's an origin story... each chapter is a stand alone story that looks at one of those key moments in her life that led her to this day. SW3D: What real life sources do you utilize to draw inspiration for Stalker's trials and tribulations? Bradley Potts: Chapter 3 digs into a very real problem in the world and in America: sex trafficking. Slavery is alive and well in this country with young girls forced against their will to work as prostitutes. Through drugs, coercion and violence, these girls are unlawfully held captive for years, forced to have sex several times a day. They're prisoners, moved secretly from brothel to brothel; tortured victims who suffer under horrible conditions. In Issue 3, Stalker goes undercover to save a girl abducted by sex traffickers. SW3D: I've had the opportunity to preview Chapter 3 of the graphic novel... originally published in Stalker #3... which is a gritty and shocking depiction of the seedy underbelly of sex trafficking, and Stalker's caught right in the middle of it. You explored mature themes rarely seen in comics. It's bold and impressive. What's around the corner for Stalker? Bradley Potts: Stalker's alone now; she's no longer part of Public Defender's organization. Carrie has to find her way, all on her own... How is she going to operate? What is she going to do? She'll face new dangers and villains and find new friends and allies. SW3D: Legendary comic book artist Trevor Von Eeden is the main illustrator on Stalker. What dynamic does Trevor bring to Stalker? Bradley To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Spoiler Alert: Plot Details from Original Sin: Thor & Loki: The Tenth Realm #1 Hello Boys and Girls, tis me again, your humble Angela fanatic with another exciting installment of "For the Love of Angela". I have a confession... after Guardians of the Galaxy 10, I completely lost track of Angela. I recently skimmed through copies of GOTG 11 - 13, and All-New X-Men 22 -- 24, at my local LCS, to see what my fair lady was up to, but the whole "Trial of Jean Grey" just didn't do it for me. And that's crazy since two of my favorite redheads were in the same crossover event; what's not to love? I know it's ignorant and unfair of me to say, but truth be told, I compared it to Claremont's and Byrne's classic "Dark Phoenix Saga", which I grew up with... and there's just no comparison. Back in late May, I read the press release regarding Angela's all new origin due to come out in Original Sin and related titles. I don't want to pass premature judgment on Original Sin, but, vaguely, the complex plotline reads like some crazy cosmic murder mystery reminiscent of Alan Moore's classic murder mystery conspiracy fable, The Watchmen. Is anyone else getting that vibe too? "Who Killed the Comedian?" is now, "Who Killed the Watcher?" Ironic isn't it? Watchmen... The Watcher? Or, once again, am I making a superficial and unsubstantiated connection between the two? Or maybe I just miss, "The Author" who refused to be given any credit for his work on Marvelman aka Miracleman (see Marvel reprints of said works). Anyway... before I cause some controversy between Moore, DC and Marvel, let me stir another by revealing the plot details of Original Sin: Thor & Loki: The Tenth Realm #1. WARNING: SPOILER ALERT: DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO KNOW THE PLOT DETAILS TO ORIGINAL SIN: THOR & LOKI: THE TENTH REALM #1 Original Sin: Thor & Loki: The Tenth Realm #1 was released on July 8th. I've waited nearly two weeks to post this journal to avoid spoiling it for anybody intending to read it who hasn't yet read it. So If you haven't and don't want to know, look away and move on! Yes... you have been warned: I will discuss in detail, the all-new origin of Angela, which in my opinion, is both an Angela and Thor key worthy of collecting for it has major ramifications for the Odinson and possibly the Marvel Universe proper. I am also going to say I'm very excited about the whole thing! Yes, you read that right! I'm giving Marvel its due by saying Angela has finally been given a legitimate back-story. And boy what a doosey it is! In my humble opinion, Marvel has effectively retconned Angela's Image origin (last seen in Curse of the Spawn #9), out of existence save for those fans (like me) who still cling on to it like an amalgam of six tragic female souls made into an angel... or an Angela. Yes, I'll continue to treasure and never forget Angela's lush history as seen in various Image titles, but I'm happy to say I am finally ready to move on. It's no secret I'm building, or attempting to build, a complete collection of Angela comics from her Image days. This lofty goal has been in the works since February 2012 when I accidentally discovered I was the sole bearer of a Spawn #9 Newsstand Variant. Little by little, I've been amassing a set (both raw and graded), a set I am calling "Angela Pre-Marvel": basically Angela's entire publication history across all Image titles (save TBP's, reprints or foreign variants). Some of them are very rare and difficult to obtain. But I'm getting there, slowly but surely, however there's still plenty more to go. And I'm delighted to say, without revealing anyone's identity, there is another CGC Boardie who is also on a mission of equal import... another who is equally as passionate of Angela, and perhaps... more ambitious than I. This collector I predict will have a magnanimous collection, one which will encompass Angela appearances in both Image and Marvel. We have been in contact, and I will be at this collector's disposal in any way I can to support and assist in achieving his/her collecting goals. We have discussed splitting Angela into two distinct CGC Collections: (1)Angela Image (2)Angela Marvel. Angela Image: From my research, Angela has made 25 distinct appearances in comic books published by Image (not including TBPs, collected editions or foreign variants). In addition, these 25 comics have 16 variant covers (not including foreign variants), which would bring the total collection to 41. Angela Marvel: It goes without saying, in no time, this will be the bigger of the two collections (especially with the sickening amount of variant covers which already exist), with Angela having already made appearances in Age of Ultron, Guardians of the Galaxy, All New X-Men and now Tenth Realm. Also, I've read the latest rumors through Bleeding Cool, that on or about the upcoming San Diego Comic Con (July 24th -- 27th), Marvel will announce an Angela solo series to be helmed by Kieron Gillen and Marguerite Bennett; I'm so keeping my fingers crossed on that one. If there is anyone else out there looking to build an Angela collection, and who has no clue where to start, allow me to recap a list of the Angela keys worthy of collecting: Image Comics: Spawn #9 (Angela's 1st Appearance) Curse of the Spawn #9 (Origin of Angela) Angela #1 (Angela's 2nd Appearance: 1st Greg Capullo art on Angela) Spawn #100 (Death of Angela) Marvel Comics: Age of Ultron #10 (The Return of Angela: 1st Appearance of Angela in the Marvel Universe) Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, #5 (2nd Appearance of Angela in the Marvel Universe; joins in the following issue) And now let's add to this growing list: Original Sin: Thor & Loki: The Tenth Realm #1 (the all-New Origin of Angela) Okay... so on to the show: In this exciting first issue, The Orb (a kooky Ghost Rider villain with a gigantic eyeball for a head), holding one of the murdered Watcher's eye balls, purposely reveals its secrets to Thor, Luke Cage, the Hulk and Spider-Man. Each superhero see's a unique revelation specific and significant to their lives. In Thor's case, he discovers the existence of a Tenth Realm (previously believe to be nine), and, most importantly, he discovers has a sister. With do haste, Thor returns to Asgard, to confront Queen Freyja (Thor's Mother, Loki's Foster Mother, and current ruler of Asgard in place of the missing Odin). In this confrontation, Queen Freyja reveals the truth (transcribed and formatted in screenplay-comic book -script hybrid form, with dialogue in quotes since I didn't write it): Page 8, Panel 1: Ext. Ancient Asgard -- Day Extreme Wide Shot: Ancient Asgard: a full-scale war between Asgardians and winged Angels. Flashback: Caption: "Long Ago." Queen Freyja (Off Panel) "You spoke of fire. Of blood. Of a war that makes all conflict since seem like the shadows of a child's game. A war with Angels. You caught the smallest glimpse of that war..." Flying Angel "Death to Asgard! Death to the nothing ones! Nothing for nothing!" Page 8, Panel 2: Continuous Medium Shot: Queen Freyja and Odin, side-by-side in ferocious battle. Queen Freyja (Off Panel) "But I lived it. And it cost me all." Queen Freyja "Hold hard husband! If we fall now... Asgard dies forever!" Odin To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

In answer to my own question, I found three comics which are nearly equivalent to my entire registry points (23,426): Comic #1: Avengers Volume 1, No. 4, 9.6: Yellow Label: 23,100 Registry Points Comic #2: Daredevil Volume 1, No. 1, 9.4: Universal: 22,500. Comic #3: Phantom Stranger Volume 1, No. 1: 9.8: Yellow Label: 22,000 Hmmm... which one would I trade for? I love Daredevil more than Cap, but Cap is a hot commodity right now. But I also love the mysticism of Phantom Stranger... and a Golden Age. Tough decision. SW3D

You should follow-up with "Registry Points for Dummies!". Seriously, you made me feel like my math skills are in desperate need of a schooling... if it wasn't for your summary towards the end, I would have remained completely lost and in a mental conundrum. Sadly, when I was young, Math was one of my stronger points, that all ended with Pre-Cal and College Calculus. As for my registry points... 23,426... well... I'm way down in the bottom. But dear lord the numbers for AC#1 8.5 or AF#15 9.4... they're incredible! Just curious, how would I find out which one comic is equivalent or near equivalent to my entire collection? SW3D

Congrats on this beautiful pick-up, and an equal congrats on making the move to Belgium. I hope you suceed in your endeavors there... and keep the scans coming... this is an awesome thread and your collection is so unique and inspiring (even if it is excluding EC's). SW3D

"The Blood-Hued Sun sets slowly this eve, painting the Louisiana Bayous in tones of ominous crimson. On the shore, men and women already prepare for the midnight ritual to come. Wood is gathered, a bonfire ignited! Now, the moon rises... and it begins! Drums pound out strange sensual rhythms, recalling the pulsation of hearts that once beat in primordial Africa. Clothes are discarded... and naked bodies jerk and writhe, spasmodically, held fast in the throes of ancient passions. Then, she appears... the Voodoo Queen, her supple, subtly muscular form bending and swaying in serpentine splendor! Held above her head, its silver shape gleaming in the moonlight... the ceremonial blade! Eyes lifted to the heavens, the voodoo woman takes seven slow, measured steps to the stone slab where you lie! And... you are afraid! For you... You!... Are the central figure in this baleful rite! You... Simon Garth... the Human Sacrifice!! You, whose panic-stricken stare lances upward at that woman... that flesh-rending blade, poised maddening above... The Altar of the Damned!" And with those beautifully crafted words by the legendary Steve Gerber (co-creator of Howard the Duck), we are reintroduced to the world of Simon Garth... the coffee king of Louisiana... the man who had it all and lost it all... the man who would lose his soul and take us on a journey to reclaim his soul... the man who would become a Zombie! In my humble opinion, Tales of the Zombie #1 is a forgotten key issue. Not only is it the second published appearance of Simon Garth (who first appeared in a one-shot story written by Stan Lee), but it is an Origin Issue. Steve Gerber craftily weaves a complete landscape for Simon Garth, revealing how he fell into the supernatural predicament which became his curse. The original Golden Age one-shot written by Stan Lee and handsomely illustrated by Bill Everett (which first appeared in Atlas Comics Menace #5 and has been reprinted in the pages of Tales of the Zombie #1 and in Tales of the Zombie Annual #1), introduced the three main players: Simon Garth, Gyps the Gardener, and Simon Garth's daughter, Donna, but gave readers no indication how Simon Garth became a zombie nor how he fell under the machinations of Gyps (the slimy bearer of the amulet which controls the Zombie). Lee's macabre story offers only vague and murky hints as to such... but it's up to the reader to fill in the blanks. Nonetheless, Stan Lee's mini is a well-crafted and effective horror piece, albeit a quickie. And it may be presumptuous for me to say this, but I sense this 7-page story may have served as a muse for Len Wein, who told a similar tale in nearly equal length, with Alec Olsen's plight (as seen in DC's House of Secrets Volume 1, No. 92: the first appearance of the Swamp Thing). When Tales of the Zombie #1 first hit the stands in the Spring/Summer of 1973, it was part of cultural torrent which flooded movies and television: Exploitation Cinema (sometime known as Grindhouse Flicks, Cult Films, and another cloth coined by Michael Weldon: Psychotronic Movies). Exploitation is a label derogatorily cast on many low-budget films, both Domestic and International. I see Exploitation as having a vague philosophy akin to an Anti-Dogma, for most exploitation films have broad themes deeply embedded in existentialism, anti-heroes and vigilantism, anti-religion, rebellion, alienation, anti-slavery, civil rights, crime, violence, sex, drugs and the downfall of an oppressive government and/or civilization, where anarchy and chaos is the order of the day even within the confines of society. I see it as a legitimate movement, a sub-culture, perhaps counter-culture, which pulp magazines and comic books inevitably belong to. Just to clarify, I don't subscribe to such a philosophy, for I am a civilized man and prefer the safety and comforts of a lawful society, but from time-to-time, when the banality and the mundane of everyday life sets in, I find myself exploring such bizarre themes which can be readily found in cinema and literature, and that is as far as it goes for me. Horror is exploitation by design... for it is created to exploit our most base emotion: fear, and amplifies it to draw an intended reaction. In the broader scope of things, we are nothing more than Guinea Pigs in the Hands of Our Creators...the World Weavers... and that's true exploitation. George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead (1968), is a cult classic and considered one of the most critical and successful horror films of all time; having broke-ground as the movie to usher in the Zombie-Apocalypse genre. It is also considered an Exploitation Film. On the heels of the success of NOTLD, countless zombie movies, horror and gore-splatter movies, Apocalyptic-themed B-movies bombarded the silver screens across the globe for decades to come. Undoubtedly, Marvel, Steve Gerber and Company capitalized on this make-a-quick-buck movement. They brought back Simon Garth, wrenching him from the pages of his Menace #5 one-shot casket, and I suspect, had Gerber read-up a chock-full of Robert E. Howard horror pulps ("Black Canaan", "Out of the Deep", "Hills of the Dead", "The Black Stone", and "Pigeons from Hell"), Howard Phillips Lovecraft ("Robert West: Re-Animator"), and probably Mary Shelley's The Modern Prometheus to get into the proper mood to write an undead fable. And with all that, Gerber took Lee and Everett's fantastic little tale, loaded fresh paper into the typewriter, and with a few keystrokes from the master's fingertips, Simon Garth was resurrected. And for nine glorious issues (really ten, but Simon Garth doesn't appear in the last issue save on the cover... go figure), we followed Simon Garth on his odyssey to reclaim his soul and his humanity: a violent and gory journey which culminated in the pages of Tales of the Zombie #9. But it all started in Tales of the Zombie #1, where we discovered Simon Garth, elitist extraordinaire, the king of a coffee empire, laid supine and helpless, bound and gagged on rotting earth, as he watched in sheer terror as a heathen Voodoo Priestess waved a deadly dagger over his heart. And we watched with equal tremor as Simon Garth made his unlikely escape through the deadly swamps, only to meet his untimely end, as former and disgraced employee, Gyps the Gardener, now sworn enemy, plunged the twin blades of sharpened garden shears into his bloodied chest. But even in death, the story didn't end there, for Gyps, ever the conniver, forced the Voodoo Priestess to perform the ritual... the taboo ritual that brings a man back from the dead, as a mindless, walking Zombie. And under the power of twin Amulets, one worn by the Zombie, and the other in the hands of the Master, the Zombie is magically compelled to do the bidding of whoever controls one of the twin amulets. If we peel back the cyanotic skin to Gerber's story, it is replete with several themes commonly found in Exploitation Cinema. First, on a superficial level, the themes of Slavery, Rebellion and Uprising is addressed: Simon Garth, Wealthy Industrialist and the Master of Men, has now become a Slave to a man beneath his station. For in this story, the tables are turned: Gyps, once the disgruntled and disgraced employee, fired for misconduct (Gyps was caught being a Peeping-Tom when he watched Garth's daughter, Donna, skinny dip in the pool from behind the bushes he was shearing), is now in control of one of the twin Amulet's, and thus becomes the Master to Simon Garth, his former Employer and former Master... but To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

I was bummed when WW didn't materialize in NYC! And I contemplated Philly, but the roster of artists didn't inspire me. And like you, I am going crazy on eBay with multiply bids for comics that I haven't seen in a long time just pop up out of the woodworks shouting at me "Buy me! Buy me!" Dear Lord, what's a poor collector on a budget to do? Have a great time at WW! SW3D

BTW... Just curious... why is issue 12 scarce in photo availability? Is it a rare comic? SW3D

Incredible! Simply incredible! This took a lot of work. It's beautiful. You are one passionate collector! Bravo! SW3D

Ditto! That story is truly fantastic! Whoever Modelmaker is... he's a really cool guy! And Emma Stone is HOT! SW3D

AKA: Another exciting installment of "For the Love of Angela!" SPOILER WARNING: Contains information about the upcoming The Tenth Realm and Angela.Yeah... It's been a while. Comics haven't been my thing of late... supplanted by the love for my acoustic and classical guitars I recently bought. I'm practicing two hours daily. My fingers are starting to get numb, tingly, and raw from plucking and fretting the nylon strings. And my left wrist has developed a light swelling and ache... is it arthritis or carpal tunnel? I really don't know as I persevere and play through the discomfort as best as I can. And on weekdays, on the train ride to and from work, I do finger stretching and coordination exercises... regardless of how people look at me like I am some kind of nut. But this journal isn't about any of that. It's about my comic book lady love... the very dull as a brick redhead named Angela. Neil Gaiman... wherever you are... she needs you man! You got mad writing skills... bring her back to life like Ye Olden Image days!Anyway... some big Angela news... for some, this may be a spoiler... for others, this news is old since it was announced nearly a month ago at the C2E2 Con in late April 2014. So what's the BFD?Apparently, it will soon be revealed, as part of the Tenth Realm mini-series (connected to the greater arch Original Sin): Angela is the daughter of the Asgardian All-Father: Odin! Yep... that is right! That one-eyed Norse horn-dog sired a daughter! Which means... Angela is Thor and Loki's sister! Holy Sh*t! How cool is that? Can you imagine this brood gathering for the holidays? Read all about this latest development: http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&;id=52410(this link may not work... and if it doesn't, please Google search C2E2: Ewing Leads Thor, Loki and Angela into Marvel's "Tenth Realm"Back in October, I prophesized about a possible Thor Vs Angela arc. My exact words were: "First off, Angela will have a throw down with Thor and give Odinson a run for his money! Why? To establish Angela as Marvel's version of Wonder Woman. As I see it, Thor is to Superman, as Angela is to Wonder Woman, as Captain America is to Batman. And the romantic chemistry between Thor and Angela will be obvious. But, lamentably... it doesn't quite work out."See the original journal, "Angela, Fallen Angel in the Marvel U", I published right here on October 17, 2013: http://comics.www.collectors-society.com/JournalDetail.aspx?JournalEntryID=14465 Well... I doubt there is going to be any romance between the two... being Brother and Sister... like Luke and Leia, but who knows? I'm wondering if the Norse Gods have heard my prayers!?! There were other ideas I batted around... imagine if they come true? Okay... I'm dreaming... but what's wrong with that?So now that Angela is officially a God... I'm just going to reiterate... like I mentioned in a ranting journal from last year... Angela can kick Gamora's ! Yes, with out-a-doubt! So let's go back and rewrite the events of GOTG 5 & 6 and have Angela kick the living daylights of Gamora and the rest of her GoTG cronies... or better yet... kick Bendis' for giving her the personality of a dull brick wimp! Okay... that's enough of my ranting!With the revelation of Angela's kinship to both the God of Thunder and God of Mischief, the spotlight on Angela's origins and its ramifications are going to take center stage beginning in July. So it stands to reason, this is pretty big... big enough that I wouldn't come as a surprise if a movie appearance might be in Angela's future... either in a Thor sequel or some other cosmic themed movie. Anyway... I'm no Oracle of Comics... but it doesn't take anyone with a crystal ball to see there may be some investment value in Spawn 9 (Angela's 1st Appearance). So keep an eye on it. Angela's 1st solo series is also something worth grabbing. In addition, Age of Ultron 10 (Angela's 1st appearance in the Marvel U), also has potential. And lastly, I see GOTG Volume 3, No. 5 (Angela's 1st Appearance in GoTG) as another investment.Funny thing... as fate would have it... earlier this month, a very rare Spawn 9, Newsstand Edition became available... so I grabbed it and added it to my "Kingdom of Spawn 9 Newsstand Editions". How rare is very rare? There are only 9 graded Newsstand Editions versus 808 Direct Editions... that's less than 0.01113861386% or only 1 graded Newsstand Edition for every 80.8 graded Direct Editions. However, the graded copy I bought through MyComicShop, has an error on the CGC label. Can you tell what the error is? Give up? If you take a look at the picture I provided, you will note, it is missing a notation "Newsstand Edition" as well as "Manufactured without Angela poster. Newsprint paper interior." Instead, the CGC has mistakenly labeled this comic as if it is a Direct Edition... which clearly it is not. How do I know this for sure? Direct Editions of Spawn 9 do not have a UPC box on the lower left corner... this one as you can plainly see... does. This also means the current CGC Census Population for Spawn 9 is also incorrect. If we are to include this comic as a Newsstand Edition, then the total population of Newsstand Editions should be at 10 and the Direct Editions should be one less at 807. So there remain four (4) graded Newsstand Editions I wish to acquire. I own I own six (6) of ten (10)... and I'm hoping to find the other four (4). Soon... so very soon... the entire Kingdom shall be mine! And for those who own the other four... PM me if you are interested in selling. Now just imagine if Angela were to some day rule Asgard?... inheriting a throne which may be rightfully hers? "Queen Angela... Ruler of Asgard!" Wouldn't that make for some interesting story? From such humble beginnings, killing Spawns to becoming Asgardian royalty. Who would have thunk it? But I find this turn of events both interesting and rather ludicrous. How can Marvel simply explain away Angela's link to the Image Universe... or in this case... the McFarlane/Spawnverse?... where Angela was truly Angela? And how do they explain Angela's lack of pupil's if she be Asgardian? Do they assume a legion of fans will simply accept things as they are and that's that? Well, sadly... yes. I have to admit, it's fairly obvious... no one really gives a sh*t about Angela and her "Image" origins. The real Angela died in 2000, in Spawn 100. And that's the reality of it. May she rest in peace. I for one will not forget Angela's past and her glory years.Marvel's Angela, however... is like some weird zombie clone. I can't figure her out. It's like she is devoid of a soul... and some much needed personality. But I have hope... because Marvel has talent... deep talent... and some genius writer is going to come along and bring back Angela's bada$$ essence... recapturing Angela's former glory... and then maybe... maybe... Angela will be Angela again... maybe.Here's hoping.Until next time.SW3DTo see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

I totally understand where you are coming from. I relate to the fact that comic book characters can seem like the only people we can relate to... especially when life socks us with a punch to the gut. I'll admit, I had a tough childhood too... and comics filled a void for me in many ways. Your wife sounds way cool! She digs you and supports you... That's the greatest thing when the person you love understands you through and through! You should have a sketch cover made where your wife poses as Gwen and you play the role of Pete. SW3D

Does your wife know about your obsession with Gwen Stacy? But seriously, nice sketch covers! SW3D