You knew that I would eventually post a comment.  I own the page just after this one, and everything about this storyline and artwork resonated with Avengers fans.  Congrats on adding another 'super' page to your collection.

Thank you so much for the comment.  I purchased this page from another Premium collector back in 2003, and I made a tragic mistake of selling it 10 years later.  However, good fortune prevailed when the previous owner made this page available again a couple of years ago, albeit at a much higher price to pay than what I paid in 2003.  Like you wrote, I really enjoyed/still enjoy the raw drama for how Claremont/Byrne/Austin developed this page to show Phoenix's raw power as he took out each X-Man prior to this confrontation.  Only Wolverine was left after Magneto took out Phoenix on the next page.

First, this is a great McFarlane page from a seminal issue that fully introduced a great new villain that was not too cheesy in the 200s.  The one villain prior to that with a lot of staying power that I can think of was the first appearance and development of the Hobgoblin.  Second, I have to dispute that this was the first full appearance of Venom.  That was in the prior issue on the last page.  While ASM 298 had Eddie Brock on several panels in the last page pounding his fist as the symbiote took over, ASM 299 truly revealed the full character on the last page when he appeared in front of MJ.  Kwan Chang posted that page years ago, but I am not sure if he is still the owner.  Regardless, ASM 300 was a great issue with many, many pages featuring Venom and the ASM in full battle.  David Michelinie wrote one great story, and Todd McFarlans so complemented it with his visuals.  Finally, if you are still awake, then thank you for posting this gem.

I remember when this page was on the 'old spinner racks'.  This cover screamed "BUY ME".  I cannot think of a better way to sell the New Mutants with one of the X-Men's older villains attacking the newest mutant team that Marvel created.  Thanks much for posting and for keeping me in awe of your museum collection.

I should have posted on this page last year, but, alas, better late than never.  What can I write that others have not already expressed or written?  As the owner of the page previous to this one from X-Men 101, it is much appreciated that you posted this page so that others can truly see Cockrum's and Grainger's beautiful artistry on an old X-Men villain battling the new X-Men crossing these two issues.  The readers truly had a great ride with this three issue mini-arc within a larger arc that finally ended in X-Men 108.  The dastardly Eric the Red hired Black Tom and Juggernaut to kill the X-Men after he was in direct combat with the X-Men and lost in issue 97.  Thanks much for posting this incredible splash.

It is not often that I get to make a correction.  This was not the last issue of Avengers that Perez pencilled.  It was issue 202 that concluded with the Avengers defeating Ultron once again.  My two references?  I own the comic book and the GCD.  Check it out.  

In just three plus days, you have generated over 67 comments.  You know that you have a great posting when you have that many comments.  I thought that you might have been the winning bidder for the Avengers 161 cover on the most recent HA Signature event, and I was looking forward to your hopefully winning that cover.  That cover would have looked great in your collection and would have been a spectacular acquisition.  Enough of that - this is a great Grim Reaper cover.

It it interesting in the previous comments that no one acknowledged or confirmed the significance of this cover as you wrote in your description,  This is just the second cover that Gene drew for Daredevil as he would take on the duties after John Romita, Sr. shifted over to the ASM title.  He had by far one of the longest runs on this title.  More importantly, Gene also dropped his 'Adam Austin' persona in 1965 that Marvel had tagged him with when he was pencilling the Tales to Astonish title to avoid DC going after him for free-lancing with Marvel.

Good banter abounds on these comments.  Has anybody mentioned that this is a first appearance issue for Black Goliath (also the origin page of Black Goliath in costume)?  You are wise to hold onto this page.

I agree with your comment about this week's auction.  There were nice pages across this auction.  Hammer pricing was high on most of the pages where I had an interest.  It is a surprise that this page went well below for what I projected, and I should have been a stronger bidder.

Same comment - While this is totally your call, I recommend that you mention or tag this two-page battle sequence as a first appearance for your favorite character.  Pages like this have gained considerable interest in the past six years.  Thanks much for posting.

While this is totally your call, I recommend that you mention or tag this two-page battle sequence as a first appearance for your favorite character.  Pages like this have gained considerable interest in the past six years.  Thanks much for posting.

This story arc was an interesting one as it covered four issues from 12-15 of the series and introduced Razorback as a new hero.  You should have no trouble selling this page.

You will crimp my collecting ability if you keep adding Byrne pages like this to your collection.  JK - congrats on adding this page to your collection.

I love this issue, and I remember the "Rotsa Ruck, Cluck" saying that the Beast uttered with this page as the he avoids the deadly strike in the bottom panel.  I own the two battle pages before this page, and I would love for you to consider me as a potential new owner if you ever look to sell/trade this page.

Counselor, I am guilty of aiding and helping to drive this price higher.  I am more aggressive going after pages that I can pair together since I already own page 2.  These two pages would have been nice paired together, but, alas, that is not meant to be.  I agree with your description.  This is one of those issues where it was a great stand-alone inventory story that really had no cohesion between Perez and Byrne.  These are great images of the Black Widow in action that Tuska drew, and I thank you for posting.

Thank you as always for leaving such a gracious comment, Bill.  I am humbled by this comment from one of the premier cover collectors in our investment hobby.

I commend you for not selling this great cover to another serious Miller collector also in California with the initials DM.  It is amazing that you have resisted offers and temptations for over 40 years.  I feel that this is one of Miller's more dynamic compositions during his prime run.  His minimalist to no backgrounds approach always had the reader/viewer focusing on the characters and the story that he wanted to tell inside the comic.  This is a prime DD cover that I love coming back to your gallery to see over and over.

What information can other collectors provide about Sandy Blatt?  When I started collecting in 1990, I do not recall his still being around at the SDCC.  BTW, long live the old San Diego Civic Center.  My first very show was the last year this site hosted the SDCC.

Posted for over 15 years with no comments?  I must correct this travesty.  How often is it that you get to see nearly 1,000 comments on a page and that you get a hero beating up a rabid dog?  Only on CAF......

From a fellow vintage Byrne collector, congratulations with adding this unusual "What If"-style cover to your collection.  It would have been interesting to see the new original X-Men in the old X-Men garb for a complete story (like What If), especially if Thunderbird had survived beyond issue 95.

You definitely know that you have struck a nerve when you post such an incredible item from other serious Perez collectors by the posting of their comments.  Perez further cemented his legacy after he left Marvel to progress into the next stage of his career with DC.  Few artists can rival his ability to render entire teams, whether it was DC, Marvel, or for another publisher.  

Congratulations on joining the Omega Men cover ownership club.  These covers were well drawn, and the years were not kind to the pricing.  However, the last few years have seen these prices elevate along with all other original comic artwork from this period.

You had a great eye back in the late 1970s/early 1980s for artists.  Like Mark wrote, prepare yourself for the inquiries to sell or trade this page.  They will come if they have not already.  Thanks much for posting.

Like Tom and Steve just wrote, it is awesome to see a page show up on the CAF that has resided in a private collection for this long.  While X-Men 107 and 108 revealed the linkage between Corsair and Cyclops, it was nice to see Claremont go back to re-vist this part of Cyclops' past.  Claremont, Byrne, and Austin really showed their chops on this page all around with the interaction between Cyclops and Storm.

First, I get to be commenter No. 75.  Second, this is one of those covers that scream to be in a museum-like collection.  You have outdone yourself by placing this one into your collection.

I had my eye on this page as well, but, alas, I was too slow to pull the trigger.  It disappeared, but congratulations are in order with adding this page to your collection.

Wow, it has only taken me 14 years to comment on this excellent page.  Finding these pages are only becoming harder (and pricier).  Congrats on landing this IF page from only his second appearance.

This page deserves a little more love than just one comment for being a "Birth Page."  How do you rank the Dreadknight as a villain?  One can debate the virtues of his being a major/minor villain for IM, but you cannot debate the entrance that Tuska created with this page.  Stay tuned, you have to buy IM 102 to see how this plays out, true believer!

I agree with many of the comments, but, what I recommend here from my perspective, is different from the other posts.  You desperately need a description.  This cover deserves one.  It does not have to be elaborate.  This is the only Byrne interior issue that he did for IM prior to issue 200.  Marvel introduces Randy Rhodes in this issue.  SHIELD becomes a villainous organization trying to take out our hero.  To top it all off, you have a Layon cover depiction that screams "BUY ME" over other covers on the spinner racks at that time.  Thoughts to at least consider?

Hey, I get to be the first to comment?  Awesome!  Great score at Heritage during their weekly auction.  

Posted since 2012 (over ten years) and just one comment?  I hope to remedy this travesty as I am one of many to not have commented properly.  It is so fun to these 1970s origin pages.  It is scary to see the exponential price run up on these pages.  I would love to see this page in person.  Maybe SDCC? 

You have made quite the splash with your postings, Tom.  You have posted some tremendous pages.  Is there more under the iceberg?

As I wrote in my other post for the front of this page, I just want to write a huge THANK YOU for posting this incredible page with showing the back side characters.  Cockrum was hilarious with some of the images that he created behind the published art page.  I know.  I own several pages where Dave did character designs or other humourous items like what he did with Juggy and Maggy with this drawing.  With no dialogue spoken, one cannot help but laugh at this image.  I just wished this had made Cockrum's IDW edition as this would have been a great addition to the other images that Dunbier capture for this publication.

I just want to write a huge THANK YOU for posting this incredible page.  This issue was Dave's huge method of capturing as many characters as possible as he exited the title due to his challenge with meeting Marvel's deadlines.  Green's inks were very complimentary as well.  Cockrum was meticulous with the way that he developed these early stories, and he nailed it with this final issue from his first run.  While this is a condensed recap page from X-Men 97 to 105, I agree with what you wrote in that it was neat to see how he brought back Havok, Polaris, Eric the Red, Black Tom and Juggernaut, Magneto, and Firelord as spot characters, even though they had nothing to do with the ongoing battle. 

Thanks much to all of the CAF posters for this recent 'POP' activity.  It is interesting to see that Artemis' comment from 2016 generated discussion six years later where the USA political climate has shifted tremedously to the right and left, but has all been in good fun.....hopefully, the Donald and fam will continue to remain outside of this collecting/investing realm. 

There is not much that I can add to the 70 comments already posted for this incredible cover.  However, I can add this - this is the type of cover layout and positioning that screamed buy me off the early 1970s comic rack for which Marvel artists were so great at creating.  Another great add to your collection!

So, here we are 17 years later - over 6,670 views and yet we have only five comments?  No mention of a grievous title spelling error on the part of Marvel in the previous comments?  Type in Gantlet into any dictionary search - reply back with how many hits you have.  Zero?  Zero!  As everyone knows, the focus here is not words, but the visual.  O', the visual here is incredible.  Frank and Klaus drew the Elektra female form with tremendous aplomb as this title shifted to a monthly status four issues prior (171).  Thank you so much for keeping this posted all these years, Mr. Mandel.

It is always interesting the way that this current marketplace generates interest in certain issues and pages.  After what happened earlier this year with the alien symbiote pages that came up for sale on HA, it appears that interest in this issue is even higher.  You have done well to secure the four pages that you already have, but I wonder what your thoughts are on trying to acquire more.

This was definitely a great decision on Marvel's part to generate a new combination by pairing Sal with Ernie.  I know that many people are partial to Joe Staton's inking style on Sal when he started with issue 194, but Ernie brought another dynamic with his style to Sal's pencils.  This was the prime period when I collected the Incredible Hulk, and these issues are quite memorable.

While my comment here is somewhat off from promoting how important this new costume design change was, I am just glad that Marvel editiorial, David Michelinie, and John Byrne did not destroy this new costume design from Dave Cockrum when they brought Ms. Marvel back for her brief stint with the Avengers from issues 181 to 184.  For those that know the Avengers history, they (Marvel editorial and Jim Shooter) destroyed Wonder-Man's revampled costume from Avengers 161 in just four issues with Byrne and Marcos pencilling and inking that story arc.

As Jonathan wrote back in 2014 (and it is hard to believe that there has not been a comment posted since 2014), Colossus more than validated his position within the X-Men in this stunning page.  Claremont, like Shooter before him with Wonder Man, had worked up a lot of self doubt relayed through Colossus' actions and thoughts since he started writing the character in GS Xmen 1.  Good luck on your quest to acquire more pages from this issue as it will only become more expensive.  

I debated long and hard about my commitment to go after this page when it was on the auction block at ComicConnect years ago since I own page 2 right behind your page.  In the end, I came to an understanding that I would be content with admiring it in someone else's collection.  Thanks much for posting this gem and congratulations with adding it to your collection.

Congratulations on a 'successful' hunt.  Pages from this issue are indeed hard to find.  Starlin did a good job as a fill-in for Frank Brunner following P Craig Russell's work on MP 7, and it is great to see his cosmic goodness on a non-CM story during this timeframe.

Hmmm, it has taken me 13 years to post a comment on such a momentous page?  To quote the Beast, 'Oh my Stars and Garters!'  This was such a great three-issue storyline that introduced a new villain set with this being the Sentinels third appearance.  Great action and many Sentinels galore.  What more could you ask for in a page?

I remember well many of our engagements at the Baltimore and Philadelphia shows back in the mid-2000s.  I still kick myself in the butt for not purchasing that CM 33 page that you offered me in one of our aisle meetings.  Those were fun times remembering a bygone era where eBay dominated then-current market pricing and the auction houses were just another venue for consideration.

Death pages are now becoming even more en vogue with today's market trends.  Stabbing pages where the blade actually goes through the unfortunate victim without piercing the clothing brings a certain sense of foreboding and impending, painful death.  When the hero/villian removes the blade, it further signifies the death as they will suffer the punctured/obliterated organs and more than likely bleed out.  While this sequence is not as dramatic as Bullseye's stabbing of Elektra where she lived long enough to struggle to Matt's door and to die in his arms in DD 181, it is excellent storytelling in that Conan sees his dying, vanquished foe as a mere afterhought.

I must sincerely apologize for taking this long to write an appropriate comment.  As a fellow collector of early Cockrum X-Men pages, this one is a great example of Claremont's storytelling.  Do not get me wrong - Cockrum and Grainger did an incredible job pencilling and inking this page - as I do not mean to disparage the two people who visually created this masterpiece.  The identification of a new evil mutant left many wondering where this last panel would go for future stories.  It would not be until issue 122 that we fans would have an inkling that Mutant X (Proteus) would become one of the X-Men's most challenging foes.  Issues 125 through 128 provided us with one great story arc where we, the readers, would realize the full potential of Claremont's new villain.  This story arc also more fully developed the characters with their fears and insecurities when confronting Proteus, both as individuals and as a team.  Regardless, I digress into the future.  This page is Awesome!  Thanks much for sharing.

To Heritage:

I normally do not try to post minor corrections in write-ups, but your reference people have some glaring misinformation presented in your write-up concerning the Starjammers.  This is NOT the first appearance of Corsair and Ch'od.  These two characters first appeared in X-Men 104 on page 31 (published page) as an epilogue to the story arc that would come in X-Men 107.  That page is posted by another CAF member in their gallery.  Your team is correct in that it is the first appearance of Hepzibah and Raza and members of the Imperial Guard.  It is also the first appearance of the Soul Drinker.  First appearances, birth pages, and death pages have become the new sub-set of collecting rage among many collectors.  It is important now, more than ever, to correctly identify those items of interest to the collecting public. 

While this is a minor character for a first appearance page, it is hard to believe that this page has not scored more than one comment over the years.  Let me change this as the owner of the page immediately following.  I agree with Kirk:  this sequence was rather 'chilling' in that a superhero could lose their essence to a cyberkinetic being.  This is what made Marvel great in the 1970s with story arcs like this one.