ComicLink's Summer Featured Auction begins on August 25, 2016 and the Summer Auction Preview is already filled with an impressive list of vintage comic books and quality original art. If you are interested in selling in this auction, ComicLink encourages you to get in touch with them as soon as possible to reserve placement for your items. ComicLink is also taking consignments for its upcoming September Focused Auction, a preview of which will post soon. To reserve your auction placement for either auction email buysell@comiclink.com or phone (617) 517-0062 (option 1) to speak with Josh Nathanson, Jason Crosby, or Ross Kearney about consigning. As always, upfront cash advances are being offered for both auctions.

Note that ComicLink Founder/CEO Josh Nathanson, Vice President/Senior Consignment Director Douglas Gillock, and Sales Consultants Jon Signorelli and Ross Kearney will be at Comic-Con International in San Diego this weekend, meeting with clients and accepting consignments for the Summer Featured Auction and other upcoming auctions. If you will be in attendance, the firm looks forward to seeing you at the ComicLink booth 1100.

It’s still early in the consignment process, and much more is incoming, but the Summer Featured Auction already has some amazing vintage comic book and art highlights lined up. You’ll find major Golden Age keys like Whiz Comics #1 (first appearance and origin of Captain Marvel) CGC 6.5, Detective Comics #33 (first origin of Batman) CGC 6.5, Sensation Comics #1 (first Wonder Woman cover) CGC 5.0; Silver Age keys such as Amazing Fantasy #15 (first Spider-Man) CGC 4.5, Fantastic Four #48 (first Silver Surfer and Galactus) CGC 9.6SS, #52 (first Black Panther) CGC 9.6; Bronze Age keys including Hero For Hire #1 (first Luke Cage) CGC 9.8, Amazing Spider-Man #129 (first Punisher) CGC 9.8, Conan #1 (first Conan in comics) CGC 9.8, Iron Man #55 (first Thanos and Drax) CBCS 9.8, and Incredible Hulk #181 (first full Wolverine) CGC 9.6 Signature Series.

You’ll also find some incredible groupings of high grade Golden Age runs including Jungle Comics, Black Cat Comics and the first wave of the most incredible collection of rare Canadian Whites from the early 1940s to ever surface. Original art highlights include Gil Kane's cover to Giant-Size X-Men #2, Dave Gibbons' cover to Watchmen #8, John Romita's cover to Amazing Spider-Man #164 and John Byrne's cover to Legends #3 featuring the first appearance anywhere of the modern Suicide Squad. You'll also find incredible interior art including a Steve Ditko page from Amazing Spider-Man #10 featuring Spider-Man in action in all six panels, Jack Kirby pages from Fantastic Four #39 featuring Doctor Doom (plus Matt Murdock inked Wally Wood) and Tales of Suspense #60 featuring Captain America vs. Zemo, and a rarely available Todd McFarlane Spawn page as Todd has kept virtually all of his Spawn work for his own library.

Golden Age keys include Whiz Comics #1 CGC (first appearance and origin of Captain Marvel, first Billy Batson, the wizard Shazam, Dr. Sivana, Ibis and Spy Smasher) CGC 6.5, Detective Comics #33 (origin of Batman) CGC 6.5, Sensation Comics #1 (first Wonder Woman cover, second Wonder Woman appearance overall, after All Star Comics #8, predates Wonder Woman #1, also first appearance of two Justice Society members, Wildcat and Mr. Terrific) CGC 5.0.

Key and high grade Silver and early Bronze Age highlights include Amazing Fantasy #15 (first Spider-Man/Peter Parker, origin) CGC 4.5, Amazing Spider-Man #1 (series begins, first J. Jonah Jameson) CGC 7.5, #5 CGC 9.6 (Doctor Doom), #39 (first John Romita, Green Goblin’s identity revealed) CGC 9.6, #40 (origin of the Green Goblin) CGC 9.6 Signature Series, #129 (first Punisher) CGC 9.8 and many others from this ever popular title, Avengers #57 (first Vision) CGC 9.6, Action Comics #242 (first Brainiac) CGC 4.0, Batman #189 (first Silver Age Scarecrow) CGC 9.6, #232 (first Ra’s Al Ghul) CGC 9.8, #234 (first Modern Two-Face) CGC 9.8, and #251 (classic Joker cover) CGC 9.4, Brave and the Bold #25 (first Suicide Squad) CBCS 5.5, #28 (first Justice League) CGC 7.0, and #57 (first Metamorpho) CGC 9.4, Captain America #100 (first Silver Age issue) CGC 9.8, Captain Marvel #18 (Carol Danvers, the future Ms. Marvel/Captain Marvel and star of the upcoming Captain Marvel movie receives her powers) CGC 9.8, Conan #1 (first Conan in comics) CGC 9.8, #23 (first Red Sonja) CGC 9.8, and #24 (first full Red Sonja) CGC 9.8, and Daredevil #105 (origin of Moondragon) CGC 9.8.

Additional Silver and early Bronze Age titles are Fantastic Four #48 (first Silver Surfer and Galactus) CGC 9.6 Signature Series and #52 (first Black Panther) CGC 9.6 and CBCS 9.0, Giant-Size X-Men #1 (first Storm, Nightcrawler, and second full Wolverine) CGC 9.8 and 9.6, Hero For Hire #1 (first Luke Cage) CGC 9.8 and 9.6, Incredible Hulk #102 (first issue) CGC 9.8, #180 (first Wolverine) CGC 9.8, and #181 (first full Wolverine) CGC 9.6 Signature Series, Iron Fist #14 (first Sabretooth) CGC 9.8 Signature Series, Iron Man #55 (first Thanos and Drax) CGC 9.8, Justice League of America #1 CGC 5.0 and #39 (first 80-page Giant in title, highest graded, only three CGC examples have reached 9.6 level) CBCS 9.6.

Other Silver and early Bronze Age comics are Marvel Premiere #15 (first Iron Fist) CGC 9.8, Sgt. Fury #13 CGC 9.4 (Captain America and Bucky crossover, classic cover), Star Wars #4 (single highest graded) CGC 9.9, Strange Tales #89 (first Fin Fang Foom) CGC 7.5, Tales of Asgard #1 CGC 9.8, Tales of Suspense #64 (early Hawkeye and Black Widow, rare in high grade) CGC 9.6, Tales to Astonish #7 CGC 9.0 white pages, #27 (first Hank Pym who becomes Ant-Man) CGC 4.5, and #44 (first Wasp) CGC 7.0, Tomb of Dracula #10 (first Blade) CGC 9.8, Vampirella (1972) #19 CGC 9.9 single highest graded, Werewolf By Night #32 CGC 9.6, and X-Men #78 CGC 9.8 and #89 CGC 9.8.

In Golden Age comics there are 50 examples from the best existing run of Jungle Comics and over 50 examples from the best existing run of Wings Comics, all are among the highest or the highest graded and many examples are from pedigree collections such as the Mile High pedigree collection. They have the best existing run of Black Cat Comics including #1 CGC 9.4 (single highest graded) and multiple file copies in CGC 9.6; and a group of Golden Age Detective Comics including #37 (Larson Pedigree) CGC 7.0, #48 (first mention of Gotham City in title, first time roadster called "Batmobile"), #54 CGC 9.4, and #80 (rare Two-Face cover) CGC 9.0.

Golden Age Canadian comic cooks (Canadian Whites) including numerous examples from Active Comics, Dime Comics, Speed Savage, Triumph Comics, Wow Comics, and more. The Nelvana issue is also included. Many are highest graded and some of these so rare that they have never even been seen before.

Other highlights are Action Comics #5 CGC 4.0, #18 CGC 8.0, #34 CGC 8.5, #63 CGC 9.0, and #96 CGC 9.4, Wonder Woman #1 CGC 7.5R, All Winners Comics #5 CGC 9.2, Captain America Comics #40 CGC 9.0 and #46 (holocaust cover) CGC 3.0, Captain Marvel Adventures #4 (classic Shazam! cover) CGC 7.0, #6 (one of top four graded) CGC 8.5, and #18 (first Mary Marvel and origin with classic Marvel Family cover), Mary Marvel #1 CGC 8.0, Flash Comics #51 (Davis Crippen Pedigree) CGC 9.4 and #55 (single highest graded) CGC 9.2, Fight Against Crime #20 (decapitation cover) CGC 7.0, exceptional examples from the Jumbo Comics run, Marvel Mystery Comics #44 (classic WWII Schomburg cover) CGC 4.0, More Fun Comics #54 (classic Spectre cover) CGC 8.5, and Crypt of Terror #17 (first issue, Gaines File Copy, highest graded one of three) CGC 9.8. 

Early original art highlights in the Summer Featured Auction include Gil Kane’s cover to Giant-Size X-Men #2 featuring the original X-Men vs. the Sentinels; Dave Gibbons’ cover to Watchmen #8 – the only cover featuring heroes from the series; John Romita Amazing Spider-Man #164 cover featuring Spider-Man vs. the Kingpin; Steve Ditko Amazing Spider-Man #10 page, House of Mystery #258 rare complete six-page story, and Tales to Astonish #25 page 1 title splash; Gene Colan 1968 cover to Doctor Strange #172 featuring the first major Doctor Strange vs. Dormammu battle cover; and John Byrne cover to Legends #3 featuring the first ever appearance of the modern Suicide Squad that is in the new movie plus Superman, Batman, Flash, and Beast Boy/Changeling.

Mike Grell Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters #2 wraparound cover, one of only three covers for this landmark series that reestablished Green Arrow post-Crisis, and the first cover featuring Green Arrow and Shado together; Todd McFarlane and Greg Capullo Spawn art, a rarely seen McFarlane specimen featuring Spawn vs. Violator from Spawn #33 and Amazing Spider-Man #312 page with Spider-Man and Green Goblin battling Hobgoblin; Barry Windsor-Smith Poetry Illustration Opus #2 – a stunning example of the artist’s fine art paintings in the tradition of Romantic Art; Greg Capullo's first public artwork on Batman used for a published print he distributed to promote the New 52 Batman title launch; Jack Kirby Fantastic Four #39 page featuring Doctor Doom as well as Wally Wood inked panels of Matt (Daredevil) Murdock, a Tales of Suspense #60 page featuring early Kirby Captain America artwork, a finale page where Cap defeats and humiliates Baron Zemo, Captain America #200 page featuring the Falcon from a key anniversary issue, Black Cat #60 complete 5-page story, and Prisoner complete 17-page story from 1976 are in the auction.

They have Frank Miller Wolverine #2 page featuring Wolverine in costume; Jim Lee and Scott Williams artwork for Batman #612 splash page featuring Batman vs. Superman from the landmark "Hush" story, All Star Batman and Robin (a splash) and Justice League (a battle page vs. Darkseid); Neal Adams Kree-Skrull War pages from Avengers #95 and #96 and a Deadman page from Strange Adventures #210; John Buscema Silver Surfer #7 page featuring the Surfer in space; Don Heck Avengers #9 page featuring Captain America and Wonder Man (in his very first appearance) vs. Zemo and the Masters of Evil, Tales to Astonish #45 page featuring the second appearance of the Wasp; Alex Ross Flash Gordon Zeitgeist #5A cover featuring Hitler; Michael Kaluta Weird Worlds #4 cover; Wally Wood Haunt of Fear #6 page 1 title splash, Confessions Illustrated #1 page 1 splash from EC picto-fiction line, Vampirella #9 page 1 title splash featuring classic horror art; and Frank Brunner Marvel Premiere #10 two key Dr. Strange pages (sold separately) from the important story where the Ancient One dies and Dr. Strange becomes the Sorcerer Supreme at last.

Frank Thorne Marvel Feature (V2) #4 and Red Sonja #10 both featuring rarely available Red Sonja pages; Michael Golden Punisher War Zone #18 cover art and color guide; John Cassaday Star Wars #2 two pages (sold separately), one featuring Han and Leia and one featuring Darth Vader and Astonishing X-Men #1 page featuring a battle between Wolverine and Cyclops; Bill Sienkiewicz Elektra: Assassin pages from #2 and #4 of his acclaimed collaboration with Frank Miller; David Petersen Star Wars #1 (2014) variant cover featuring the creatures of Mos Eisley; Mike Zeck Web of Spider-Man #32 page from the classic “Kraven’s Last Hunt” story featuring Spider-Man escaping the grave where Kraven held him prisoner; Kevin Maguire Justice League #4 cover featuring a memorable early cover from the classic ’80s JLI era; and Adam Hughes Justice League America #40 cover featuring Mister Miracle's funeral from 1990 are offered.

Jae Lee Batman #1 variant cover from 2016 and the Namor, the Sub-Mariner #37 cover featuring a stunning image of Namor turned savage; Jim Aparo Phantom Stranger #9 complete 20-page story; Jackson "Butch" Guice Action Comics #684 title splash from a key chapter in the acclaimed "Death of Superman" saga; Tom Sutton Marvel Spotlight (Vol. 2) #6 featuring a page from the first color comic book story starring Starlord, a/k/a Peter Quill from the Guardians of the Galaxy; Dale Keown Incredible Hulk #381 cover; and Ron Lim Infinity Gauntlet #6 key climatic page featuring Warlock, Thanos and other key characters from one of the most popular Marvel stories ever will be sold.

Additional highlights are Ernie Chan and José Luis García-López Superman Family #171 1975 cover featuring Batgirl, Supergirl, and the Justice League of America; Gary Frank Action Comics #8 Superman cover from the New 52 era; Adi Granov Agents of Atlas #3 cover featuring Captain America vs. the AOA; Steve McNiven Civil War #3 double page spread featuring several key players from the landmark series; Al Williamson Shock Illustrated #2 half splash; Bernie Wrightson Badtime Stories contents page; Dick Ayers Strange Tales #125 page featuring the Thing and the Human Torch vs. the Sub-Mariner; Russ Manning Korak Son of Tarzan #8 page 1 title splash; Larry Lieber Tales of Suspense #52 complete 5-page Tales of the Watcher story; and Sergio Aragones Groo trade paperback (Spanish edition) featuring an insanely detailed wrap-around cover and self-portrait.

This large list is just a few of the highlights within the auction preview and much, much more is to come. As mentioned above, ComicLink will be at Comic-Con International in San Diego this weekend, meeting with clients and accepting consignments for the Summer Featured Auction and other upcoming auctions. If you will be in attendance, the firm looks forward to seeing you at the ComicLink booth 1100. If you won’t be at the show, and want to reserve upcoming auction placement, you can reach ComicLink by emailing buysell@comiclink.com or by calling (617) 517-0062 (option 1) to speak with Josh Nathanson, Douglas Gillock, Jason Crosby, Jon Signorelli, or other sales associates. In addition to auctioning items for consignors, ComicLink is also always accepting new sellers for the ComicLink exchange marketplaces, brokering private placement deals, and buying outright.