The Best of Comics and Pop Culture Comes to Heritage! Many CGC-Graded Books Among Auction Highlights
On May 3-5, 2007, Heritage Auction Galleries will present their latest offering of rare comic books and original comic art at their world headquarters in Dallas, Texas.
"There's just so much prime material in this auction, I hardly know where to begin," said Ed Jaster, Vice President for Heritage. "Perhaps the best place to start is with the four most valuable books in the hobby, as defined by this year's Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide: Action Comics #1, the origin and first appearance of Superman; Detective Comics #27, in which the world was first introduced to Gotham's guardian, the Batman; Marvel Comics #1, the book that single-handedly launched a brand that would one day be known worldwide and also featured the premieres of both the Human Torch and Sub-Mariner; and Superman #1, the first issue of the Man of Steel in his own title. Any of these books would be enough to headline an auction by themselves, but combined, they afford an opportunity that rarely presents itself.
"Silver Age collectors will have plenty to fight over as well. We're very pleased to present the Janowicz Collection, which contains some of the nicest Silver Age Marvels I've ever seen. It's noteworthy not only for its depth — it boasts many important runs from #1 up — but also for its quality. Rarely does one see so many important Silver Age books with such gleaming white pages. One of the nicest books in the collection is an Amazing Spider-Man #1, CGC-graded VF/NM 9.0 with white pages. Truly a stunning copy of a key book. Overall, this is perhaps the best selection of Silver Age books ever presented in a Heritage auction, with lots of titles from both DC and Marvel that are either the sole highest-graded copies or tied for the highest-graded, along with numerous books bearing the coveted 'White Pages' certification. Once these books are absorbed into private collections, it may be quite some time before we see their like again."
Jaster continued, "Additionally, collectors will have a chance to bid on books from the Warren Hall collection, which includes a nice run of the hard-to-find Atlas superhero revival books from the Atomic Age. Particularly nice from this collection is what might be the finest-known copy of Captain America Comics #76, Cap's comeback issue after the cancellation of his original run.
"For those interested in the history of comic books, we have a rare find, indeed: the earliest known sequential American comic book, published in 1842, entitled The Adventures of Mr. Obadiah Oldbuck, and based on original material by Swiss writer/artist Rodolphe Töpffer. Originally published in Switzerland in 1837 under the title Les Amours de Mr. Vieux Bois (aka Histoire de Mr. Vieux Bois), the work was pirated, translated, and re-drawn by British publisher Tilt and Bogue in 1840. As noted early comics historian Robert Beerbohm observed, 'In a world where international copyright conventions did not exist, this was perfectly legal, if morally questionable.' The British printing plates were re-used for the U.S. version, released by New York's Wilson and Company in 1842.
"The significance of this incredible artifact is hard to overstate. As the first American comic book, this seminal publication set the stage for a four-color revolution that would take hold almost a century later. It's interesting to note that this copy is printed in black-and-white and bound with string, as both color printing and staples had yet to be invented!"
"Speaking of black-and-white," Jaster continued, "collectors of original comic art have plenty to chose from in this auction. Topping the list is Jack Kirby's original cover art for the landmark Fantastic Four #100, making it the first Marvel superhero comic to publish 100 continuous issues. This incredible cover, featuring the FF and some of their most vituperative villains, is one of the greatest covers in a great run, rendered as only ‘The King’ himself could. Bid on this one before it's too late, as you may never get another chance to own this historical treasure.
"On the off-chance that Kirby's not your thing, there's plenty more to choose from, including a glorious Steve Ditko Amazing Spider-Man page from issue #23 (featuring not only old Web-Head but also his arch-nemesis, the Green Goblin), Robert Crumb's original art for his homemade comic, Arcade, some beautiful Mad cover paintings by such well-known artists as the late, great Kelly Freas, one of Carl Barks' last paintings, 'Eureka! A Goose Egg Nugget' featuring Uncle Scrooge, from the collection of Malcolm Willits, and a breathtaking assortment of animation art rarities, including a rare production cel with background from the 'Rite of Spring' sequence of Walt Disney's Fantasia.
"Of course, this barely scratches the surface of this spectacular auction," Jaster said. "I invite everyone to visit our Web site at www.HA.com, where they can view full-color, enlargeable images of each lot, read our complete and informative catalog descriptions, and even place their bids online from the comfort and convenience of their home or office."
Heritage Auction Galleries' upcoming Comics Signature Auction will be held May 3-5, 2007 in their Dallas, Texas world headquarters.
