Sci-Fi Classics, Certified by CGC, Lift Off in Heritage’s Rocket Age Auction
Posted on 8/6/2025
Strap in and prepare for takeoff, as collectors count down the clock on more than 150 classic science fiction comics that are graded by Certified Guaranty Company® (CGC®) in an upcoming sale. Online bidding is already underway for Heritage Auctions’ Rocket Age Treasurers: A Comics & Pulps Showcase Auction on August 21, 2025.
The Rocket Age of comics, spanning the late 1940s through the 1950s, blasted off in the wake of World War II and the dawn of the Atomic Era, blending Cold War anxieties with wide-eyed optimism about science and space exploration. Superheroes faded into the background while science fiction, horror, crime and romance comics surged in popularity, fueled by a public both fascinated and terrified by the rapid pace of technological change.
Among the CGC-certified comics from the era offered in this auction is a Startling Stories #60 (v20 #3) graded CGC 6.0 (lot 82153). Published in January 1950, Startling Stories #60 is best remembered for its striking cover by Earle Bergey. This kind of sensational, cheesecake-meets-sci-fi imagery became a hallmark of the era, helping define the visual language of mid-century science fiction. The cover was re-created later for Vampirella #68 in 1978.
There are only 43 recorded examples of Startling Stories #60 in the CGC Population Report, and only a dozen graded higher than this example.
Other CGC-certified comics in this auction include:
- an Amazing Stories #29 graded CGC 3.0 (lot 82081)
- a Captain Future #1 graded CGC 6.5 (lot 82088)
- a Dynamic Science Stories #1 graded CGC 7.0 (lot 82089)
- a Marvel Science Stories #4 graded CGC 4.0 (lot 82097)
- a Planet Comics #26 graded CGC 4.5 (lot 82021)
- a Planet Comics #33 graded CGC 6.0 (lot 82026)
- a Planet Stories #9 with a Roy G. Krenkel pedigree graded CGC 8.5 (lot 82104)
- a Planet Stories #18 graded CGC 8.0 (lot 82112)
- a Strange Worlds #4 graded CGC 6.0 (lot 82077)
- a Weird Tales of the Future #5 graded CGC 5.0 (lot 82079)
About CGC
Since revolutionizing comic book grading in 2000, CGC has grown to include certification services for a vast variety of pop culture collectibles. These divisions include CGC Cards, CGC Video Games and CGC Home Video. CGC Cards provides expert card grading for sports cards, TCGs and non-sports cards. CGC Video Games is dedicated to video game grading for the most popular consoles, including Nintendo, Sega, Atari, PlayStation and more. CGC Home Video provides expert VHS grading in addition to other types of videocassettes, DVD, Blu-ray and more. CGC also offers seamless solutions for autograph collectors with CGC Signature Series and JSA Authentic Autograph services.
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