WIZARD WORLD AUSTIN COMIC CON TREASURES: THE FINAL CHAPTER

I've saved the best for last. The two beauties pictured above were the last books I bought at the recent Wizard World Austin Comic Con. They are SPACE MAN #9 from July 1972 (top) and SPACE MAN #10 from October 1972 (bottom). SPACE MAN was published by Dell Comics and debuted in FOUR COLOR COMICS #1253 in 1962. He received his own title (beginning with issue #2) in May of that year. The series ran nine issues (#2-10) ending in October 1972. Issue #9 reprints FOUR COLOR COMICS #1253 while #10 reprints SPACE MAN #2, so I effectively have the last two issues and the first two issues of this series.

These books are in gorgeous condition. The covers really pop and my lovely wife Judy thinks I should have them framed and hung on the wall of my man cave. That's not a bad idea.

As mentioned above, these were the last two books I bought at the con. I stopped at a booth with comics for sale and asked the dealer if he had any Dell and/or Gold Key comics for sale.

"I've got two of them right here," he said, immediately going to a long box where the two issues of SPACE MAN were. "They're the only ones I brought."

He wanted $25.00 apiece for them. I asked him if he'd take $20.00 each.

"Cash?" he asked.

"You bet, " I replied.

"Deal."

I gave him the money and walked away with two really cool comics at a fair price. If the dealer had brought more material like this, I would have certainly spent more money with him but as is, I'm thrilled to have these books.