Original Art Highlights in ComicLink's August Featured Auction

[dgillock]

Hi guys,

 

I thought it might be fun to start a thread featuring some of the art highlights in our upcoming August Featured Auction.

 

First up, a couple of EC "whoppers":

Tales from the Crypt #33 cover by Jack Davis (Crypt-Keeper Origin story!):

 

and Wally Wood's Shock Suspenstories #14 cover:

 

I'll post some more as time allows today. Lot's to do before I hop on a plane for SD tomorrow!

 

-Douglas Gillock

Consignment Director, ComicLink

 

 

 

 

[dgillock]

Here are a couple of other goodies. These have been locked away in a collection since the 1970s, so it is pretty exciting that they are back out -- both listed with no reserve as well!

 

Amazing Spider-Man #18 page 15 (great FF appearance!):

 

 

and Amazing Spider-Man #18 page 21 (great character content): :

 

Obviously Ditko ASM pages are a highlight in any auction, but there's even more to come on the Web-Slinger front...

[dgillock]

Some like Ditko, some like Romita... I can't imagine any Spidey Fan not liking these:

 

Amazing Spider-Man #69 title splash:

 

 

and the finale page from the same issue!

 

 

This are both really amazing (pun intended) in person. The page 20 is remarkable not only for the beautifully inked background on the lower splash, but also because it has absolutely zero paste-ups (even the text blurbs are direct on the board); really a sight to behold. The title splash has to be one of the largest full figures of Spider-Man on any standard size page of the era. Great perspective in both too!

 

 

 

 

 

[dgillock]

Thanks! There's a lot more to come too. How about this for a shift of gears:

 

Murphy Anderson Planet Comics #40 complete 6 page story

 

I love Anderson's early work (you can so see the Lou Fine and Will Eisner influence!) and these pages are downright rare on the market. A complete story is a really fun thing to be able to offer.

 

 

[comix4fun]

Love those Spidey #69 pages.

 

Based on what I have seen and read weren't pages from this issue laid out by Romita and then fully penciled and inked by Mooney?

 

The description doesn't mention the specific attribution of credits other than to call Mooney the inker.

[Bronty]

nice pages!

[dgillock]

Here's another favorite of mine:

 

 

Brave and the Bold #30 chapter splash:

 

3rd ever JLA, HUGE figure of Green Lantern and this piece pre-dates Green Lantern #1 . Nice Aquaman images too.

 

 

[dgillock]

Not the "highest end" item in the auction, but pretty cool.

 

Boris Vallejo 12 page Fight the Enemy story

 

 

First and only (?!) "mainstream" comic book art by Vallejo. Funny thing -- I'd always heard about this story -- that Boris had done 1 story for Tower in the 1960s, but since Fight the Enemy #2 is not a book you are likely to come across unless you specifically sought it out, I had never seen it until the consignor pulled out the art to show me. Great to read a story for the very first time as an "artist edition"... I wouldn't have thought that Boris was influenced by Russ Heath, until I saw this story. Really a treat.

[dgillock]

Tons of great Kirby pieces in this auction, but this is a stand-out (IMO):

 

Fantastic Four #90 page 8:

 

 

This is just a sick page - full team appearance, some really nice Kirby/Sinnott tech in the 2nd panel and an appearance by the Mole Man (the 1st FF villain!). Great stuff and again, a no reserve auction.

[dgillock]

Here's a cool piece. Showcase #35 page by Gil Kane. Second SA Atom, but what's really fun is that the center panel is the spitting image of the cover image --

 

Showcase #35 page 18

 

 

[dgillock]

Working hard in San Diego, but I wanted to keep this thread rolling! Here's another great DC piece, this time from the 1970s -

 

Bernie Wrightson Swamp Thing #5 page:

 

 

Not only is this just a great example in general with Swamp Thing in every panel, but it is also significant because it is the first time that Swamp Thing regrows a limb -- pretty important to the character.

[aardvark88]

douglas,

Glad to meet the ComicLink team at SDCC accepting choice vintage comics, original art, good girl art consignments.

[dgillock]

It's always good to get out there and meet some current (and future!) clients. The face-time is reason #1 for doing the shows.

 

Here's a little something we added to the auction haul while in San Diego BTW:

 

Frank Miller Batman & Robin Pin-Up

 

 

Penciled and inked by Miller on standard DC art board, signed and inscribed to Julius Schwartz for his 75th Bday in 1990. It's a really great image, wonderfully executed and really quite rare for the size of the figures (there is very little to compare in the published art) and the fact it features Batman and Robin together in the image. This should definitely be fun to watch in the auction.

 

 

[dgillock]

This one is a bit more "off the beaten path", but it is a really nice early Underground piece:

 

1968 Kim Deitch East Village Other page

 

Oversized and full of content. Also a very early appearance of Waldo, probably Deitch's best-known character.

 

Hope you guys are enjoying this. It's fun for me if nothing else!

[dgillock]

Love those Spidey #69 pages.

 

Based on what I have seen and read weren't pages from this issue laid out by Romita and then fully penciled and inked by Mooney?

 

The description doesn't mention the specific attribution of credits other than to call Mooney the inker.

 

I didn't want anyone to think that I was avoiding this question. We just wanted to answer it properly. That said, we got in touch with Mr Romita himself and this was his reply (ellipses are his, btw -- this was his complete reply):

 

"I plotted with Stan...

 

I blue penciled EVERY panel and figure...

 

Mooney added fingernails and webbing in pencil and inked it...

 

I did this with Sinnott and others once in a while...

 

JVR"

 

I am not going to say 'case closed' here, but I think that this underscores that there has been a fair amount of debate over the years over this question. It seems like Romita's involvement in the art for this issue (and others) was much more extensive than has sometimes been acknowledged. We kept this in mind when writing the description and we feel that it is balanced.

[comix4fun]

Thanks for going the extra mile, that makes the pages far more desirable to me than with the traditional Mooney attribution.

 

Good info,

[dgillock]

1970's Kirby goodness:

 

Jack Kirby Omac #2 cover

 

"Rent A City for Assassination"? How can you not love this cover art?

[dgillock]

This has to be one of the best Romita Jr / Bob Layton Iron Man pieces I have seen come available at auction:

 

Iron Man #123 splash