Mastro Auctions’ June Sale Loaded with CGC'd Treasures
Classic Collector event offers huge assortment of high-quality sports items, CGC’d comic books, and Americana

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Mastro Auctions, the world’s leading Sports and Americana auction house is preparing for another of its increasingly popular Classic Collector events. Since they were first introduced, the Classic Collector auctions have continually grown in terms of bidding action, the actual number of lots, and the sheer quality of the material being offered. According to Doug Allen, president of Mastro Auctions, the Classic Collector events are experiencing expansion into markets outside the sports collecting arena. “Originally our Classic Collector auctions were very much a sports oriented offering,” said Allen. “But they now seem to follow suit with our Premier auctions by attracting increasingly diverse items, especially in the CGC comics market and other Americana collecting genres.”

Over 1,800 lots in the June Classic Collector auction will open with a minimum bid of $100. Bidding, conducted entirely over the Internet, will begin on June 4 and conclude on June 20 and 21. Specific highlights include:

1963-1975 “X-Men” Near-Complete Run of Earliest Issues #2-#93 (92 Issues)
This offering is comprised of all but #1 of the title's first 93 issues. There are some very memorable story lines included in these numbers, as well as the efforts of some of the best talents to ever work for Marvel. In addition to Lee and Kirby, there is also quality art and stories by Alex Toth, Werner Roth, Jim Steranko, Neal Adams, Roy Thomas, even the earliest published comic book work of a very young Barry Smith. The title is also important for its introduction of quite a few new characters for the Marvel Universe, particularly those characters of the mutant variety — Sunfire, Banshee, Polaris, and Havok.

1955 “Detective Comics” #225 – CGC 4.0 – The First Appearance of J’onn J’onzz, the Martian Manhunter Comics
Off-white to white pages (story by Edmond Hamilton, cover by Win Mortimer and interior art by Moldoff and Certa)
In an attempt to revitalize their line after the comics code had killed the industry's sales, DC overhauled some of their older creations that were no longer being published. One of these targeted properties was altered so drastically in his recreation that even his name of "Paul Kirk, Manhunter" was affected. Manhunter was not so much "revamped" as recreated from whole cloth. The most drastic change to his character was that he became a green extraterrestrial with a full arsenal of superpowers, with no relation to the human detective we once knew. This new version was called the Martian Manhunter, and he made his debut in Detective Comics #225. The issue of Detective Comics is still accepted by some fans as the starting point of the Silver Age.

1946-1948 “Planet Comics” Middle Period Issues
Before Will Eisner dissolved his partnership with Jerry Iger (to start work on his Spirit Sunday comics section), their shop produced some of the most outstanding work that the comics have ever seen, with their work on Fiction House's Planet Comics being among their finest. By the time issue #6 of that sci-fi title was in production, Eisner and Fine were gone and already working on The Spirit, but Planet Comics kept on rolling along without them. It didn't take long for Jerry Iger to firmly guide Planet Comics to a winning format, one that propelled it through its 73-issue run. It was the first of the comics that was dedicated solely to science fiction features. 

1958 “Adventure Comics” #247 – CGC 5.5 – The First Appearance of the Legion of Super-Heroes
Off-white pages (story by Binder, cover by Swan and Kaye, and interior art by Swan and Plastino)
As the long-time editor for DC's line of superhero titles, Mort Weisinger oversaw the mid-1950s expansion and redefinition of the Superman universe of characters and concepts. The lion's share of the changes that Weisinger brought about was first introduced in the two books he edited that dealt with Superman's younger years — Superboy and Adventure Comics. By introducing a story element within the main character's youthful period, it could be referenced again in stories of Superman's adult life. Weisinger also did the reverse of this, introducing Superboy to younger versions of Green Arrow, Robin, Supergirl, Lori Lemaris and other established DC characters). The Phantom Zone, Bizarro, various forms of Kryptonite, Krypto, and numerous other supporting cast members all made their debut in the Superboy stories. The most successful and far-reaching of these newer creations was the superhero team of the future, the Legion of Super-Heroes, first introduced in the Superboy story in Adventure Comics #247. The Legion started in this issue with just three members, with Superboy becoming the fourth in the same story. But over the ensuing years, the team's membership grew and grew.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
To register for Mastro Auctions’ June 2007 Classic Collector auction or to get more information, go to www.mastroauctions.com or call 630-472,1200. Bidding begins on June 4 and ends June 20 and 21.

About Mastro Auctions, Inc.
Mastro Auctions of Burr Ridge, IL, is part of the Silkroad Equity family of companies. It is the leading high-value collectibles auction company. The company has sold many of the most famous and valuable sports and Americana collectibles ever offered to the public, including the most expensive baseball card in history, the T206 Honus Wagner which sold for nearly $1.3 million, Norman Rockwell’s “The Dugout” for $355,000, Roger Maris’ 1961 jersey he wore when he hit home run #61 for $302,000, the bus Rosa Parks rode on when she refused to stand for segregation for nearly $500,000, and the famous Steve Bartman Cubs foul ball for over $100,000.

This is a guest article. The thoughts and opinions in this piece are those of their author and are not necessarily the thoughts of the Certified Collectibles Group.