Around $50,000 worth of Platinum, Golden, and Silver Age comics were taken from Friendly Frank's Comic Cavern of Kansas City, Missouri in a daring daylight burglary on Sunday, December 6th.  Among the numerous high quality books taken were a Showcase #4, priced at $2,100, and a Young Allies #1 at $3,000.  Owner Frank Mangiaracina has offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible and the return of the books. 

 

Mangiaracina took the call from his alarm monitoring company at around 9:30 a.m. Sunday, December 6th.  By the time he met police at the store, the three boxes of '$100 and up' books were gone, along with the burglars.  This is the sixth break-in at this store, the third with merchandise stolen, since November of 2001 (see 'Kansas City Comic Store Robbed').  In addition to the primarily Marvel books taken in April 2001 (above), another burglary in September of last year netted the thieves a Vampirella run and some high quality Marvel and DC treasuries. 

 

Mangiaracina told us that he has beefed up the security system at the store with additional devices, thinking with each one added, 'Maybe this will gain me a minute and make a difference.'  But police have still not been able to arrive at the store in time to catch the burglars in the act.  

 

Mangiaracina said that he had experienced a similar streak in the 80s, when his store in Hobart, Indiana was repeatedly burglarized.  In that case, the burglar was caught and all of the thefts were solved. 

 

The list of books taken is below.  Anyone with information on these books or the burglary are asked to contact Frank Mangiaracina or Joe Green of Friendly Frank's Comic Cavern at 816-746-4569 or robbery@friendlyfranks.com, or Detective Rund of the Kansas City police at 916-437-6224.

 

DC

ACTION

91g    75

144vg-    90

ADVENTURE

156vg    80

194vg    75

ALL AMERICAN

33fr    80

ALL AMERICAN WESTERN

118vg    35

ALL STAR

54g    114

AQUAMAN

1vg-    80

ATOM

s 1f    200

BATMAN

12vg    550

s 15vg    500

18g  Hitler, Hirohito, Mussolini cover    250

25g    200

26vg+, 30vg    270

38g    110

39vg  Catwoman;  last pg has 3/4' trimmed off.  Doesn't touch story

panels.    150

40gvg    175

53fr    45

109vg    75

111fr    25

114g, 115g    35

119vg+    75

127vg  vs Thor    50

128vg  Batwoman    50

137vg    35

140g  Batwoman, Superman    18

140vg  Joker    36

s 142g+vg-    20

143vg    35

150vg    20

s 3D ('53) vg, no glasses    80

BOY COMMANDOES

s 3vgf  45pgs; Simon &Kirby ; WWII cover    225

BRAVE & THE BOLD

s 29vg-    250

30g    110

30gvg    175

34frg  1st SA Hawkman    110

CHALLENGERS UNKNOWN

s 1vgf    350

COMIC CAVALCADE

3vg- coupon out; doesn't affect any story    225

DETECTIVE COMICS

126vg Penguin cover    175

s 159vg    100

175vg    100

219vg    75

265vg  origin retold    70

s 291vfnm    120

s 293vf Aquaman begins    90

296vg    27

s 296vf    90

299vf    70

FLASH

107vg+ (#3)    135

137vg  Vs GA Flash; 1st SA JSA    80

Annual 1vg+    70

GREEN LANTERN (2nd)

1gvg    350

s 40vg+ (2 copies)    80

HOUSE OF MYSTERY

8vg    80

HOUSE OF SECRETS

92vg 1st Swamp Thing    90

92f-    110

JIMMY WAKELY

1g  Toth    110

8vg+ Toth    75

JUSTICE LEAGUE

1fr    175

1g    250

1vg    500

2vg+    125

3vg    90

5vg    60

7vg    50

7vg-    43, vg    90

5vg    60

7vg    50

7vg-    40

21vg, 22vg+  both JSA    60

MYSTERY IN SPACE

s 3vg+    130

7f Toth    130

s 53gvg    150

OUR FIGHTING FORCES

4f    75

SCRIBBLY

8vg    90

SEA DEVILS

s 1vg+    85

SGT BILKO (TV)

5vg    60

16vg    50

SHOWCASE

s 4vg  1st SA Flash    2100

s 14vg signed by Infantino    550

s 15vg  1st Space Rang    225

s 18f  2nd Adam Strange    225

s 19vgf    175

s 20gvg  1st Rip Hunter    75

23f 2nd Green Lantern    300

STAR SPANGLED

115vg  Batman    67

121vg    60

STAR SPANGLED WAR

113vf    60

STRANGE ADVENTURES

3vg+    150

4vg    125

SUGAR & SPIKE

All Mayer, hard to find.

6vg, 10vg    90

SUPERMAN

24fr  classic Flag cover    150

44vg+    150

s 53gvg  origin retold; 10th Anniversary issue    350

55g  SOTI    65

73gvg    80

74vg  2nd Luthor cvr    110

98vg    70

s 3D vgf, no glasses    100

Annual 1g    80

SUPERMAN TIM

5/48f-  rare    85

WESTERN COMICS

4f-  last Vigilante    85

WONDER WOMAN

2vg    750

5f    400

33gvg    90

105vg scarce    200

 

 

PLATINUM AGE

DONALD DUCK

Linen Book 978vg  1935 some light coloring inside; 1st Donald Duck    650

978g    325

 

 

GOLDEN AGE

ADVENTURES INTO TERROR

43vg (#1)    150

AIRBOY

s 6/7vf+nm    110

AIRFIGHTERS

v2/3f/+ glossy cvr    160

ALL WINNERS

1vg  Simon & Kirby, Everett, Stan Lee    3000

ANIMATED COMICS

s 1f  EC, rare    175

ARCHIE GIANT

s 1vg (2 copies)    150

BLACKHAWK

s 32vf  Crandall    175

BOY

s 3vg (#1)    495

CAPT. AMERICA

14f-    1400

CAPT. MARVEL ADV.

28f-    135

s 51 DOUBLE COVER - outside c vf, inside nm    400

CAPT. MARVEL JR.

23vg    80

CAPT. MIDNIGHT

20f-    135

CAVE GIRL

11vg  all Powell art    100

 

CLASSICS

Originals unless noted

6g    110

11vgf    160

12f    200

22f (1C)    100

24f+    110

27f    100

s 40vgf (2 copies)    110

COMMANDER BATTLE & THE ATOMIC SUB

1vg+  3D effect; Moldoff flying saucer cover    125

CRIMEFIGHTERS

1f    70

DARING MYSTERY

6gvg  Origin, 1st Marvel Boy; only by Simon & Kirby    575

DOLL MAN

8fr  1st Torchy; Ward    110

DONALD DUCK

s FC 159vg  Barks    100

s FC189vg--  Barks    80

EXPOSED

6vgf Ingels, SOTI    125

FIGHTIN' MARINES

7vg  Baker Canteen Kate    60

11vg  Baker Canteen Kate cvr & story; not in Photojournal    75

FORBIDDEN WORLDS

2gvg    75

FRANKENSTEIN (Prize)

3f+vf-    150

GHOST BREAKERS

1f-  Powell cover/art    120

GREEN MASK

s 1vg  Lou Fine cover    650

HAND OF FATE

18fvf    70

HUMAN TORCH

5vg (#4)  1st Torch Nazi cover; Sub-Mariner    750

7vg  1st Japanese WWII_cover (by Schomburg)    575

JACK ARMSTRONG

1vg  scarce    75

JUMBO

98vf+    120

JUNGLE

113vf+    125

LAUGH COMICS

23f  Katy Keene    95

MAD

s 2vgf    250

s 10fvf   200

12fvf      150

MARVEL MYSTERY

17vg/-  classic Torch/Sub-Mariner battle    600

66vgf, color xerox CF  Last Japanese WWII_cover.  One of 5 covers

Schomburg recreated as a poster.    250

MARVEL TALES

98vg+  Krigstein, Everett    135

111vg  Everett cvr, Maneely    80

MARY MARVEL

1vg    375

MILITARY

s 19vg+f  Crandall    150

MISTER MYSTERY

1vg    200

MYSTERIOUS ADVENTURES

1vg    110

MYSTERY TALES

3f    110

MYSTICAL TALES

8f Krigstein, Check    75

NATIONAL

2vg-  Lou Fine cover    395

OUR GANG

11vg+ Barks    90

OUTER SPACE

21vg  Ditko cover    25

PHANTOM LADY

15g    300

PINOCCHIO

FC 92vg  All Kelly    100

PLANET

51vg  Anderson; last Star Pirate    110

54vg  Baker    110

PLASTIC MAN

2g-    110

6vg, 8vg    100

15vg, 16vg    90

POGO

s 2f-    80

16vf-    85

POGO PARADE

1vg+    40

POLICE COMICS

236vg, 37vg, 38vg    95

40vg-    80

41vg    95

44vgf    100

POPULAR TEENAGERS

s 5vf (#1)  LBCole cover    175

PUNCH

18f+  bondage cover; hypodermic panels    250

RAGGEDY ANN

s 3vf    75

SEVEN SEAS

1vg  Baker    200

SHIELD-WIZARD

s 1vg    775

8vg+f- Hitler bondage cvr    350

SPACE BUSTERS

1g+  Krigstein    85

SPACE WESTERN

41vg+  Saucer cvr    95

SPEED

2g  Powell; 1939    100

7vg  Powell    90

SPY SMASHER

6vg  Raboy    175

STRANGE MYSTERIES

1vg    115

10f++ SOTI    100

STRANGE TALES OF THE UNUSUAL

1vg  Powell    90

STRANGE WORLDS

2vg  classic Wood; SOTI; Injury to the Eye    175

3vg  Wood, Williamson, Frazetta, Krenkle; Slave Girl    350

SUSPENSE

(50s) 14vg  classic Hypo cover, A-Bomb panels    100

SUSPENSE COMICS

(40s) 9vg  Classic LB Cole eyeball cover    450

TALES FROM THE CRYPT

33vg  origin Crypt Keeper    105

42vgf    75

TALES of the MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER

1vf    225

TERRIFYING TALES

12gvg  classic LB_Cole bondage cover and splash    100

14vg  LB_Cole bondage cover    135

TERRORS OF THE JUNGLE

21vg  LB_Cole bondage cover; POP    150

THING

16vf  Injury to Eye    150

THIS MAGAZINE IS HAUNTED 

9f    80

21vg  cf loose    75

3-D COMICS 3 STOOGES

2f Kubert    100

THRILLING

66VG  Schomburg cover    80

UNCLE $CROOGE

FC 386 (#1) g    80

UNDERWORLD

1vg-  Moldoff cvr; excessive violence    90

VOODOO

10vg    75

WALT DISNEY'S COMICS & STORIES

s 50vgf  Barks    70

WAMBI

1vgf    200

1g    80

WEB OF EVIL

1g SOTI; Jack Cole morphine story    75

WEIRD COMICS

1g-  Classic Lou Fine cvr    600

WEIRD HORRORS

1vg+  Tuska    120

WEIRD THRILLERS

1f    250

WESTERN OUTLAWS

62vf    70

WHIZ

62f    80

WINGS

2vg+    190

19vg    75

23vg+    80

107vfnm  1 page has 1' tear, o/w nm    150

110nm-    250

WITCHCRAFT

1vg  Kubert    130

WONDER

9vg  Schomburg cover    100

YOUNG ALLIES

1vg  classic S&K    2000

 

 

TV/MOVIE

BOB COLT

s 2vf    125

CAPT. VIDEO

2vg+vgf  SOTI    135

LASH LARUE

10f    80

MAN FROM UNCLE

1vf    100

MOVIE CLASSICS

both feature JOHN WAYNE!

Circus World vf+    60

Sons of Katie Elder    vf 75

 

VARIOUS

BONE

2nmm (1st ed)    125

3nmm (1st ed)    90

CALIBER PRESENTS

1nm  1st Crow    75

CASTLE OF FRANKESTEIN

1vf.    75

CEREBUS

21nm/m  Scarce    35

CROW

1vf (1st)  see Caliber    75

2nm (1st)    50

JOURNAL OF FRANKENSTEIN

1f    50

OMEGA PREMIERE

1f  1st Faust. Only 1000 printed. Vigil    50

1nm    125

QUADRANT

1vf  Hsu    50