Blind Adam's Hidden Gems Vol 85, 9/11 Memorial Edition

Today is September 11th. Unless you’re an too young to have been alive, you know and remember what happened seventeen years ago today. The World Trade Center, the Twin Towers were attacked and destroyed. Nearly 3,000 people died with many more being injured, coupled with more, especially the first responders, becoming sick and dying from cancer. As a native New Yorker, those events changed my life. They taught me the value of the simple, the small, and to always tell the people that matter that you love them because you never know. Being a comic book fan, collector, investor, store owner, and convention dealer, those events have been showcased in comics, even though we never thought they would happen in real life. In today’s speculating from the streets, I want to point out a few comics either paying tribute to 9/11 or showcasing the world trade cent on a cover on in a story. Please, if you make money on any of these books, think to donate some of it to the first responders fund. Some of these brave men and woman are really sick and have a hard time making ends meet so every penny counts for them.  Now on to the comics that feature the World Trade Center

1. Amazing Spiderman #36 – Out of all the tribute comics. This is the most famous and most sought after. The black cover, the silent nature of the issue, the way it ends with the villains paying respect. Yes, Dr. Doom would cry. Dr. Doom is not a villain just someone trying to rule the world. The Kingpin is a New York boy. This book really makes the money in cgc graded. 9.8’s are tough but this is a book that every Spiderman fan should own
2. Spiderman Newspaper Strip the Spiderman newspaper strip did a 911 tribute as well. Written by Stan the Man Lee and his brother Larry Leiber it is under $10 but is a pain to find, had to do a google search
3. Spidey Super Stories #18 – Kingpin crushing the Twin Towers right on the cover. Weird for a kids comic but so cool to see the Kingpin being a villain. High grade copies of any Spidey Super Stories are tough, always beat up
4. Captain America #383 – this cover screams America, f yeah. Cap standing under the World Trade Center, foil cover, which makes it pop. Can be found in dollar boxes but can be as high as $20 online. Just a great cover
5. Spiderman #16 – last issue in the classic Todd McFarlane run. Crossover with X-Force #3-4. Juggernaut and Black Tom bomb the World Trade Center this issue and the editorial interference made McFarlane leave Marvel. This is so cheap and can be found in bins
6. I love New York – this was written and drawn by dawn creator Joseph Michael linser. Will not break the bank and is such a cool peace to own.
7. Uncanny X-men #189 – features a destroyed World Trade Center years before 9/11
8. Sesame Street Magazine October 1976 – this is the toughest book on the list. Can’t find it on eBay or any of the big online comic book stores. Cookie Monster climbing and eating the World Trade Center like a giant cookie. That Cookie Monster is f-ing crazy
8. Marvel Two-in-One #59 – the World Trade Center on fire cover. The Thing and the Human Torch. Have not been able to find this at the last two conventions I was at.
9. A Moment of Silence – a $5 tribute comic featuring a great story by Bryan M. Bendis and has work by Kevin “Silent Bob” Smith
10. Heroes Magazine – 1st and 2nd prints – this was the first tribute to come out I remember this being a $20 book back in 2001-2002
11. The Superman 2 movie poster – O.k. this is not a comic book, however it is a piece of comic book movie history. Superman flying over the world trade center nuff said
12. Marvel Tales Flipbook #7 reprints Amazing Spiderman #36 as well as the Runaways #1 very low print run new cover of Spiderman swinging through the towers
Well that is all I have for this installment. So please never forget the events of 9/11. Let’s show the world that New York City is the greatest city in the world. Let’s show the world you can destroy a few buildings but never the heart and the spirit of America. America is the land of opportunity. Where the streets are paved with gold. Where if you work hard enough, fight hard enough, hustle hard enough, bleed, sweat, and just keep on trying, then you can make any dream a reality. I love New York City. Have a blessed day
Blind Adam out