August Featured Auction Closes Tuesday thru Thursday

[COMICLINK]

August Featured Auction Closes Tuesday thru Thursday

The Best in Vintage Comics andOriginal Art

 

 

There are just two days left until ComicLink's August Featured Auction starts closing! Auction lots will end Tuesday thru Thursday starting at 7:30pm Eastern Time but there is no time like the present to review lots, place bids, and mark your territory so you don't miss anything! The auction includes an incredible number ofhighlights, spanning all genres and eras. Every single lot was hand picked for quality andcollector appeal, with a strong offering of vintage comic books and comic art.  The Featured Auctions are limited to the best in vintage comicbooks and original art by design.  Though some of the very best items are mentionedwithin this writing, it is important to note that if we were going to list all thehighlights, nearly every single lot within this auction would be included. 

Among the top Golden Age highlights is an impressive Superman#1 CGC 4.5, the first issue of the iconic Superman title run and the comicthat solidified the importance of the most popular super-hero ever introduced to theworld. This significant premiere issue is rarely offered in any unrestored grade, letalone a mid-grade unrestored, making this a very unusual opportunity for the advancedcollector. Another major Superman offering within this auction, which we would also dub anincredible find, is the single highest graded example by far of ActionComics #5.  The grade of CGC 8.5 does not tell the full story here asthis issue has both Mile High quality cover colors and page preservation.  It isshocking to look at considering that the highest graded example prior to this was a FN+CGC 6.5.  Also included in the auction is a Batman#1 in unrestored CGC 3.0 condition, a respectable, solid grade for thislandmark Golden Age key  issue from 1940 which tells the origin of the Batman, and alsohouses the first appearances of both the Joker and Catwoman.  Other Golden Agerarities include Action Comics #34 CGC 9.2 (Highest, 1 of 2), Batman #38 CGC 9.4 (Penguincover, Highest, 1 of 2), Detective Comics #44 & 46 CGC 8.5 (both top 4 overall),Superman #36 CGC 9.2 (Highest, 1 of 2), and Wonder Woman #22 CGC 9.0 (Single Highest). Timely issues are well represented within this auction including items such as CaptainAmerica Comics #46 CGC 7.0 (Classic Cover) and MarvelMystery #30 CGC 8.0, and there are also some rare Pep Comics and Archie Comics issueswithin this auction, including an unbelievably scarce Pep Comics #23 (2nd Archie in title)and the 2nd highest graded unrestored Archie Comics #4. Other exciting esoteric examplesare also represented such as Black Terror #1 CGC 9.0 (Single Highest), Rangers Comics #26CGC 9.4 (Highest, Classic cover), Famous Funnies #211 CGC 9.4 (Highest, Frazetta cover),and Crime Does Not Pay #22 CGC 7.0 (1st issue) as are a plethora of strikingly high-grade,impeccably sharp, ECGaines File copies in the Near Mint to Mint range.  The corners andedges are so sharp on these issues that they truly must be seen to be believed!  TheGaines File copies are among the nearly 300examples within this auction from pedigrees and special collections.

One of the major early Silver Age highlights is Daredevil#1 CGC 9.6, the second highest grade for an example of this introduction of Daredevil, 1 of just 10 at this impressive, upper Near Mint tier with just 2 nearunfathomable 9.8s having certified higher. Another major Marvel key is FantasticFour #1 CGC 8.0 - this first appearance of the Fantastic Four (and first MarvelSilver Age super-hero issue) is uncommon in the VF range and higher. The offered Flash#105 CGC 9.2 is the 2nd highest grade ever assigned to an example of this 1stSilver Age Flash title issue, and is a rarity at 1 of only 3 in this condition.  Withonly 2 certified higher, it counts as one of the top 5 certified overall in the entireworld.  This issue also hails from the #2Flash CGC Registry set, all of which are housed within the August Featured Auction.Rarities such as the single highest graded examples of Flash #107, #109, and #113 are includedin this set, as is the Flash #110 CGC 9.2 (1 of 2 highest graded examples for this key,1st Kid Flash issue) and many other rare highest graded examples. Other incredible SilverAge issues are represented within this auction, such as X-men#6 CGC 9.8 (1 of 3), AmazingSpider-Man #13 CGC 9.6 (White Pages), TeenTitans #1 CGC 9.8 (Single Highest Graded) and DetectiveComics #359 CGC 9.8 (1 of 2).  Rarely seen CGC 9.6 Fantastic Four issues areoffered within this auction, such as FantasticFour #26 CGC 9.6 and FantasticFour #52 CGC 9.6.  Avengers is very well represented in this auction with notonly a high grade example of the team's first appearance Avengers#1 CGC 8.5 included, but also rarities such as #3 CGC 9.6 sig series (vs Hulk/Subby)(single highest signature series), Avengers#7 CGC 9.6 (vs Thor) (highest, 1 of only 5), and #15 & #18 CGC 9.8 (both 1 of 3)included.  Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is also very well represented.  Aside from the ASM #13, highlights range from #1 CGC 7.5 to #14 & #15in CGC 9.4 with White Pages (1st Goblin and Kraven appearances) to a plethora of scarcer9.6s (such as #'s 18, 25, 26, 30, 35, 37, & 50) to pristine 9.8s (such as #'s 33, 34,45, 47, 61, 67, 69, 79 and others).  Impressive items from the Tales ofSuspense and X-men runs are also included, such as Talesof Suspense #39 CGC 9.0 (1st Iron Man) (and a 7.5), #53 CGC 9.6, and #59 CGC 9.8, aswell as X-men#4 CGC 9.6 (White Pages), the aforementioned X-men #6 CGC 9.8, #16 CGC 9.8(Sentinels), #29 CGC 9.8 (1 of 2), and many others. Many Strange Tales issues that yourarely see in the grades represented are included, such as StrangeTales #107 CGC 9.6 (vs Sub-Mariner, 1 of 3) and StrangeTales #135 CGC 9.6 (1st Nick Fury, 1 of 3). There is also an impressive high-gradepre-hero Marvel selection, anchored by the Talesof Suspense #1 CGC 9.0, which is the single highest graded example for this importantpremiere issue. Many other nice Silver Age keys are also included within this auction innumerous conditions, including examples such as +IssueNumber%+VolumeNumber&ODire2=ASC&f3=MaxBid&ODire3=DESC">GreenLantern #1 CGC 8.5 (and others) and +IssueNumber%+VolumeNumber&ODire2=ASC&f3=MaxBid&ODire3=DESC">JourneyInto Mystery #83 CGC 7.0, just to name a couple, and other Silver Age esotericrarities such as Richie Rich #1 CGC 9.2, Vampirella #1 CGC 9.6 (1 of 2), and Phantom #1CGC 9.6 (Highest, 1 of 2) are also represented.

There are also many later Silver Age and early Bronze Age Marvel and DC highlightsthat are noteworthy within this auction.  Pristine quality later Silver Age Marvelkeys include CGC 9.8 examples of Iron Man #1, Iron Man and Sub-Mariner #1, Incredible Hulk#102, Sub-Mariner #1, Silver Surfer #4, Captain America #117 and Nick Fury #1, as well asa CGC 9.6 Silver Surfer #1 and Sub-Mariner #8 (also the Pacific Coast pedigree example).  Among the Bronze Age standouts are Green Lantern #76 CGC 9.6 and Witching Hour #1CGC 9.8 published by DC, and pristine CGC 9.8 Marvel examples of Marvel Feature #1 (1stDefenders, 1 of 5), Ghost Rider #1, Giant-Size X-men #1 (1st "NewX-men") and Hero For Hire #1 (1st Luke Cage).  From the Copper Age, Gobbledygook#1 and #2 in extremely high grade with publisher and creator provenance are included withinthis auction -- these are true rarities from this time period.  

There are alsonumerous impressive Original Artitems within the August Featured Auction.  Two of the most impressive items come fromEC's line of comic books, with Jack Davis’ incredible cover art to TalesFrom the Crypt #33 (the issue which featured the origin of the Crypt-Keeper) up for auction, as well as the impressive Wally Wood cover art to ShockSuspenstories #14.  EC coversare among the most coveted comic art in the world and these are two exceptional examplesby two of the publisher’s most important contributors. Two noteworthy SteveDitko  Spider-Man original art consignmentsare pages 15 and 20 from Amazing Spider-Man #18. These Steve Ditko pages have been off themarket for decades, so it is very exciting to see them get back out on the market. A MillerDark Knight Returns Pin-Up including rare full figured images of Batman and Robin isincluded within this auction. Also offered are 2 striking JohnRomita/Jim Mooney Amazing Spider-Man splash pages.  The title splash and the finalpage from issue #69 are both includedand they are each extraordinary examples in their own right by this fan-favorite team onthe Web-Slinger. Another importantpiece is a BernieWrightson Swamp Thing #5 page. This page is significant because it features the firsttime that Swamp Thing realizes that he can re-grow a limb. It is also a wonderfully drawnpiece by Wrightson at the height of his prowess. With Swamp Thing making his return to theDC Universe, it is a great time for this piece to be offered. Additional highlights in thepreview include numerous art pages from Jack"the King" Kirby, an important early Justice League page from Braveand the Bold #30 featuring huge images of Green Lantern and Aquaman (this issue housesthe 5^th Silver Age Green Lantern appearance and the 3^rd JLAappearance), a Gil Kane Showcase#35 (2^nd S.A. Atom) featuring the cover scene , a rare full 6 page MurphyAnderson Planet Comics #40 story (as well as 2 pages from issue #37 in a separatelot), and some memorable MikeZeck pages. 

Now that the AugustFeatured Auction is underway, we turn our consignment gathering attention to Septemberthru November auctions.  Up next are the September Focused and September eBetterAuctions, followed by an October Focused Auction and a November Featured Auction that willbe similar in quality to this August Featured Auction.  If you would like to sell inany of these upcoming ComicLink auctions, there is no time like the present to gather yourthoughts and things, and e-mailComicLink your prospective auction list, or phone Douglas Gillock, JoshNathanson, Jason Crosby or Sean Goodrich on Monday thru Friday at (617) 517-0062 (pressoption 1) to discuss your selling options and determine your preferences.

Registered sellers may also add items to the ComicBook Exchange and the Comic Art Exchange at any time, andthese sections are updated throughout every day. Record sales prices are frequentlyrealized and pricing experts, at your option, can be of assistance in setting prices. Ifyou are not already a registered ComicLink Exchange seller, and would like to be, http://www.comiclink.com/ComicTrack/Seller/add_item.asp">click here.