Lesson 16:The Lost Comic Book

The Lost
Comic Book
by Jack Lennox
illustrated by Scott Brooks
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN

y Jack Lennox
illustrated by Scott Brooks
Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
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2
At breakfast, Ava Madera’s father saw a picture
of The Brick on a cereal box. The Brick is a comic book
character. The picture reminded Ava’s father of his comic
book collection. He loved his comic books. He began
telling Ava about his collection.
After breakfast, Ava and her father went to her father’s
study. Ava’s father wanted to show his comic books to her.
He opened a cabinet. He looked through the folders of
comic books.
“I remember the day I got my favorite comic
book,” said Ava’s father. “One of my friends was moving.
He had to sell some things. I found a comic book. It was
one that I didn’t have.”
Ava had heard the story before. But she still loved to
listen to it. Her father told how he fell in love with comic
books as a boy. He began collecting them. At the time, he
had a job delivering newspapers. He saved money to buy
comic books. He was always excited at the launch of a new
series, or set of comic books.

Dad shows Ava comic books from his collection.
Every few minutes, Ava’s father paused in his story. He
showed Ava the comics in one of the folders. Ava knew that
her father was looking for his favorite series. Finally, he found
the folder he wanted. He grinned. “Here’s the folder,” he said.
“I loved this series from the time I saw the first cover.”
Ava knew which comic books her father meant. The
series was called Incognito. Ava’s father told her about this
amazing superhero. Incognito could change his face. He
could change his jaw, nose, forehead, skin color, and mouth.
Incognito could become a square-jawed soldier. He could
become a suntanned cowboy. He could become a long-faced
farmer. Incognito could look like anyone he wanted to
look like.
3

4
Incognito could look older or younger, male or female.
He could change his look in an instant. He could go anywhere.
No one recognized him. That was why he was called
Incognito. His enemies did not notice him. They thought he
was one of them. If someone did notice him, he changed
into someone else. He always defeated the villains.
Ava looked at her father fondly. He loved to talk
about his comic books. He loved to talk about his favorite
episodes. Ava did not feel the same way about comics. She
enjoyed mystery novels.
Still, Ava loved to listen to her father. She sat beside
him on the couch as he looked through the Incognito file.
He took the books out of the file gently, one at a time.
Each book was in a clear plastic envelope.
Ava’s father talked about Tony Revere. Tony had
written the words and drawn the pictures for the Incognito
books. The series only lasted two years. It had only eight
issues. Each issue was worth a lot. Ava’s father had every
issue. His favorite was #3. He had bought #3 from his
friend. That issue featured Incognito stopping jewel
thieves from robbing royal tombs.

A picture on the cover of an issue of Incognito
Ava’s father took each comic out of the folder. Ava
looked at the covers in their plastic envelopes. The cover art
was beautiful, she thought.
“And here…” Ava’s father said. But then he frowned.
He looked at the comic book in Ava’s hands. Then he
looked through the folder again. He counted the books.
There were only seven books! Issue #3 was missing!
Ava’s father leaped up. He ran to the file cabinet. He
thumbed through every folder. Ava held her breath. She
thought, Please let my dad find issue #3! But it was no use.
The precious #3 was gone.
5

6
“That comic must be somewhere,” Ava said. “Did you
look through each folder? Maybe it’s stuck at the bottom of
the drawer.”
Ava’s father shook his head. He sighed. Then he said,
“We probably lost that issue when we moved. I wish I knew
who moved the files.” Ava’s father still held the Incognito file.
He looked incredibly sad.
“Don’t worry,” Ava said. She wanted to comfort her
father. “I’m sure we will find issue #3.”
But they couldn’t find it. Ava’s father looked through his
files many times. Ava’s mother looked, too. Ava’s mother held
the record for finding missing things. But even she couldn’t
find Incognito #3.
Ava wanted to help her father. She decided to find
another Incognito #3. How hard is it to find a comic book? she
thought.
Ava developed her plan that evening. First, she would
talk with Peter. Peter was the older brother of Ava’s friend
Marcy. Peter knew everything about comic books. Ava also
decided to search the Internet. A person could find anything
on the Internet.
Many people sold comic books on the Internet. There
were special sites for selling comics. There must be other
copies of #3 for sale. Assuming Ava did not find #3 on the
Internet, she would go to comic book stores in Galveston.

The next day, Ava went to Marcy’s house. Peter was
home. Ava asked Peter about comic books. Peter told Ava
about some comic book stores in Galveston. Peter also said
he would go to a store with Ava next week.
“Look on the Internet, too,” Peter said. “A million
websites sell comics.” Peter doubted Ava would find the
comic at a garage sale, though.
“Most comics at garage sales are not in good shape,”
Peter said. “The Internet is a better place to look. Try to
find a website you can trust.”
Peter also told Ava about a magazine that listed comic
books for sale. The magazine would show if someone had
sold Incognito #3 recently. It would also list the price.
Ava talks with Peter about comic books.
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8
“Where can I find a magazine like that?” Ava asked.
“I have an issue from last year,” Peter said. “I’ll go get it.”
Peter brought out the magazine. But he could not find #3
listed in the magazine. No copies of Incognito #3 were sold
last year. A copy of #1 was sold, for a lot of money.
“Wow,” Peter said. “A copy of #1 sold for $45. That’s a
lot for an Incognito comic.”
Peter talked more about comic book sales. Ava listened
closely and made mental notes. When she went home, she got
out a notebook. Ava wrote down everything Peter had said.
Peter told her a #3 would probably cost as much as the #1.
That night, Ava finished her homework early. Then she
went online. Ava searched for “comic books.” She was
stunned by what she found. Ava had no idea there were so
many different comic books. She knew about Superbat and
The Brick and Rubberneck and Millidigit.
But there were thousands more. The Internet
described many different comic books—Prototype and
Chrysalizzy, Octopus Eye and Bole the Barbarian, and Blue
Bison and Terminalis. There were also foreign comics with
superheroes like Tout Neuf and Archeo. Then there were
comics from movies, too. There were also thousands of
manga comics from Japan. On the Internet, people bought
comics every hour of every day.

All at once, Ava spotted Incognito. Her heart pounded
with excitement. One icon showed what issues were available.
Ava clicked on that icon. The issues #1, 2, 4, 7, and 8
showed on the screen. But no #3. “Just my luck,” Ava sighed.
She was very disappointed.
Ava went to another website. There were no copies of
Incognito at all on that website.
This website shows the issues of Incognito that are for sale.
Incognito #1 ................... Very Fine $50
Incognito #2 ............................ Fine $32
Incognito #4 ................... Very Fine $27
Incognito #7… ...............Near Mint $25
Incognito #8 ...................Very Good $8
9

10
Ava stayed on the
computer for another
hour. Her brain became
blurry. She finally
stopped and went to bed.
She dreamed about
superheroes flying
around her room.
Every day, Ava went
back on the computer.
She checked every website
she found. She found
several Incognito #1s for
sale. All these sold for about $50. Ava also found several #5s.
But she could not find one #3 for sale. Ava felt discouraged.
On Saturday, she called Marcy. Peter was there, too.
Peter said that he would take Ava and Marcy to his favorite
comic book store. That afternoon, the three friends went to
the comic book store.
The store was called Comix. It was located on Mission
Street in downtown Galveston. The store was busy. The
various shoppers in the store amazed Ava. There were many
kids her own age. But there were older shoppers, too. Some
looked like students from the university. Others looked like
professors. Some seemed about her father’s age. Everyone in
the store looked through stacks and stacks of comic books.
Ava looks online for Incognito #3.

Peter went to look for his favorite comics. Ava and Marcy
waited for the store clerk. The clerk had spiky hair and a
colorful T-shirt. On the T-shirt was a picture of Bole the
Barbarian. Ava and Marcy tried not to giggle. Then the clerk
came over to the girls. Ava told the clerk what she wanted.
“Whoa, Incognito,” the clerk said. He looked at the girls
with curiosity. “I haven’t heard that name in months. Where
did you learn about Incognito?”
“My dad,” Ava said. “Incognito is his favorite series. I want
to get #3 for him.”
“Ah,” the clerk said. “We don’t have #3 in stock right
now. But maybe I could find it for you. It could take several
days to look for that comic. Could you come back next week?”
The store clerk talks to Ava.
11

12
Ava felt hopeful. She said she would come back to the
store in one week.
On the way home, Ava and Marcy talked with Peter.
Peter warned Ava about two things. “First,” Peter said,
“make sure all the pages are there. Second, watch out for
fakes. I’ve never had any trouble with comics from that
store. But these days it’s easy to make fake comics.
Computers and color printers make it easy. Take a good
look at your dad’s comics. Don’t buy anything that isn’t as
good as his books.”
That week, Ava kept looking on the Internet. But she
still had no luck. Ava even went to a garage sale down the
street. There were no comic books for sale. Finding #3 was
going to be very difficult.
On Saturday, Ava and Marcy went by train to downtown
Galveston. They went back to the Comix store. The
store was full of people. The clerk was busy. When the
clerk was free, the girls went up to him. Ava asked the clerk
if he had found Incognito #3 yet. The clerk smiled. He
reached under the counter and pulled out a comic. Like all
the rare comics, it was in a clear plastic envelope.

There it was! Incognito #3! “It’s in mint condition,” the
clerk said. Ava knew what “mint condition” meant. This
copy of #3 was perfect, like a coin just made at the mint.
Ava’s father would be very happy.
“Can I look at it?” she asked.
“Sure,” the clerk said. “Just be careful. No smudges,
huh?” The clerk looked at Ava’s hands.
Ava thumbed through the pages. She tried to follow
the story. Ava wanted to make sure every page was there.
The first two chapters looked complete. But then, in the
third chapter, Ava noticed a gap. There was a break in the
story. Then Ava looked back at the cover. The cover paper
seemed different from the covers in her father’s collection.
Ava looks carefully at the comic book.
13

14
Ava whispered to Marcy, “I think something is wrong
with this comic.” Ava showed Marcy the gap in the story.
Marcy nodded her head.
Earlier, Peter had told the girls that they shouldn’t
accuse people of selling fake comics. So Ava and Marcy had
talked before going to the store. They had agreed to tell the
clerk they needed to think before buying the comic.
“This issue looks pretty good,” Ava said to the clerk.
“But I need time to think it over. It costs a lot of money.”
The clerk looked angry. “Suit yourself,” he said. He
put the comic back under the counter.
Ava and Marcy left the store quickly. A block away,
Ava stopped. She said, “Did you see the look on the clerk’s
face? I thought we were in trouble!”
Marcy said, “Why should we be afraid? The clerk is
the crook!” Then both girls started laughing.
The girls rode the train back home. On the way,
Marcy called her brother, Peter. “Guess what?” she said.
“The clerk at Comix tried to sell us a fake! The story had
gaps. And the cover was printed on cheap paper.”
“That sure sounds like a fake,” Peter said. “It’s a good
thing you looked carefully. It’s hard to return a comic.”
Peter was glad that the girls had followed his advice.

But Ava felt sad. Would
she ever find Incognito #3?
During the next week, Ava
called many other comic
book stores. None had
Incognito #3. Ava also looked
again at the online sites.
None of the comic book
websites had #3 either. Ava
was ready to give up.
Then one evening, Ava’s
mother was looking for
summer clothes. Some of
these clothes were missing.
The clothes were lost during
the family’s move to the new house. “I wonder if we left
some boxes at Grandma’s house,” Ava’s mother said.
Ava had an exciting idea. Grandma’s house! During
the move, Ava’s parents left some boxes in Grandma’s attic.
Marcy calls her brother from
the train.
15

16
That Sunday, Ava and her mother visited Grandma’s
house. Ava’s mother chatted with Grandma. But Ava went
up to the attic. In the attic, she found many boxes from her
old house. The boxes had labels written by Ava’s mother.
One label read, Photos, books, magazines—Keep at Grandma’s.
Ava cut through the tape and opened the box. She
found old travel magazines inside the box. She also saw
some old photos. The photos showed Ava’s father at the
beach. There were other photos, too. And a dead spider.
Ava got near the bottom of the box. Another dead end,
she thought.
Then Ava’s heart skipped a beat. A plastic envelope
was stuck under a bottom flap of the box. Ava carefully
pulled the envelope out. Inside was a comic book.
Ava carefully removed the book from its cover. Her
heart beat fast. It was Incognito #3! The precious comic
wasn’t lost after all! Maybe Mom or Grandma put it in the
wrong box. Ava skipped down the stairs. She held the comic
closely. Ava was very happy.
That night after dinner, Ava went into the kitchen.
Her father was making coffee. Ava held the comic book
behind her back. “Guess what I found today?” she asked.

Ava is going to give her father the comic book.
Her father smiled and joked, “A new galaxy?”
“Better than that,” Ava said.
“Then it must be really special,” said Ava’s father.
“It is,” Ava replied. She slowly took Incognito #3 from
behind her back. She placed it on the table. Ava’s father
looked at the comic book. He was stunned.
17

18
“You bought this?” Ava’s dad asked. “How did you find a
copy? On the Internet? The comic is too expensive. I’ll give
you the money. Just look at this… I forgot how beautiful the
drawings are. Have you looked at the drawings? So much
beautiful detail. I’ve really missed this book!”
“I know,” Ava said.
“But where…? How…?” Ava’s father asked.
“At Grandma’s house,” Ava said, laughing. “It was
there all the time, in Grandma’s attic.”
“At Grandma’s,” Ava’s father repeated. “How simple!
Just like that.”
“Yeah, simple,” Ava grinned. She winked happily at
her mother.
Ava’s father is pleased to have the comic back.

Responding
TARGET SKILL Author’s Purpose Think about
Jack Lennox’s purpose in writing The Lost Comic
Book. Copy and complete the chart below. Add
details from the story that support the author’s
purpose.
Detail
?
Detail
?
Detail
?
Purpose to show that hard work can help
people achieve goals
Write About It
Text to Self Think about a time when you or
someone you know lost and then found a special
item. Write a letter to a friend telling about what
happened.
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20
assuming
developed
episodes
feature
incredibly
TARGET VOCABULARY
launch
mental
record
thumbed
villains
TARGET SKILL Author’s Purpose Use text details
to figure out the author’s viewpoint and reasons for
writing.
TARGET STRATEGY Monitor/Clarify As you read,
notice what isn’t making sense. Find ways to figure out
the parts that are confusing.
GENRE Realistic Fiction is a present-day story with
events that could take place in real life.

Level: S
DRA: 40
Genre:
Realistic Fiction
Strategy:
Monitor/Clarify
Skill:
Author’s Purpose
Word Count: 2,655
5.4.16
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