Heritage Auctions has Neal Adams’ original cover art on the auction block, and it is expected to go for at least $300,000.
“This is without a doubt the most memorable and important cover the great Neal Adams ever crafted,” said Joseph Mannarino, Director of Comics & Comic Art, New York for Heritage Auctions. “This comic book ushered in the Bronze Age of comics along with an entirely new approach to socially relevant storytelling. In short, this is one of the most important pieces of comic art to ever appear on the market.”
The sale of this cover has the support of Adams, and while he will share in the proceeds, an additional portion will also be donated to the Hero Initiative, the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need.
Further highlights include, but are not limited to:
- Gil Kane and Frank Giacoia Amazing Spider-Man #98 Cover Original Art (Marvel, 1971): The Green Goblin was shown on just ten covers in the first 100 issues of this series, and this one from the famous anti-drug trilogy is surely one of the most memorable. Estimate: $150,000+.
- Jack Kirby and Wally Wood Journey Into Mystery #122 Odin, Thor, and Crusher Creel Cover Original Art (Marvel, 1965): A titanic twice-up image of the All-Father, Odin, masterfully created, by two titanic talents themselves, Jack “The King” Kirby and “Wandering” Wally Wood. Possibly the best cover image of Odin…ever. Estimate: $100,000+.
- The Amazing Spider-Man #14 (Marvel, 1964) CGC NM/MT 9.8: The one and only CGC 9.8 copy of the first appearance of the Green Goblin! Spider-Man collecting is competitive indeed, so the highest-graded copy of a key issue such as this one should lead to quite a bidding battle. Estimate: $75,000+.
- Action Comics #252 (DC, 1959) CGC NM- 9.2: With Supergirl getting her own TV series, interest in the character may be the highest it’s ever been. This is the highest-graded copy of this super-important super DC key headlining the origin and first appearance of Supergirl. Estimate: $35,000+.
- Alex Raymond Flash Gordon and Jungle Jim Matching Sunday Comic Strip Original Art Group of 2 dated 1-21-34 (King Features Syndicate, 1934): The earliest matching set of Flash Gordon and Jungle Jim strips ever to come to market. These were the third week of each strip. Either would be an incredible find, but a matching set this early is an almost unheard of treasure. Estimate: $30,000+.
- Fantastic Four #2 (Marvel, 1962) CGC NM 9.4: Heritage has offered this grade or better on just three previous occasions. The issue has the first appearance of the Skrulls and the second appearance of the Fantastic Four, who were not yet in costume.
- Bill Everett Cracked #1 Cover Original Art (Major Publications, 1958): Cracked mazagine (sic) was the only real competition that MAD Magazine ever really had. This incredibly detailed and gag-stuffed cover shows that Cracked had the chops for this kind of low-brow comedy. From the Cracked Vault Collection. Estimate: $25,000+.
- Hal Foster Tarzan Sunday Comic Strip Original Art dated 11-6-32 (United Feature Syndicate, 1932): Danger and excitement came easy in this strip, under the pencil of the legendary Hal Foster. Many art historians feel the Foster era was the pinnacle for this long-running strip, in spite of the high caliber artists that were to follow him. The Sunday installments had just begun in early 1931, so this is one of the earliest Tarzan Sundays. From the Al Williamson Collection. Estimate: $25,000+.
The auction runs November 19 through 21, 2015.
