In Heritage Auctions’ Comics & Comic Art Auction they’ll offer an unrestored copy of Action Comics #1, featuring the first appearance of Superman, could sell for as much as $750,000. The comic, which is one of the most sought after books in the hobby, will be sold on August 4-6, 2016 in Dallas, TX.
“It’s pretty tough to beat this in the comic world,” said Lon Allen, Managing Director of Comics & Comic Art at Heritage. “This is the highest graded copy we’ve ever offered at Heritage so naturally we expect bidding to reach our already high expectations.”
The copy was graded CGC 5.5. “The colors on the cover of this copy are particularly bright, and the staples are rust free,” Allen said. “It really ‘pops’ in the new CGC holder. It's a striking copy that absolutely ‘wows’ when you hold it in your hand.”
Another one of the most coveted comic first appearances in the auction is Amazing Fantasy #15 signed by his creator Stan Lee. It is graded CBCS 8.5 and expected to sell for over $125,000.
Original art includes the rarity At the Earth’s Core by master illustration artist Frank Frazetta. The original cover painting was produced for a paperback edition of a novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs and could reach $900,000.
Bernie Wrightson’s original cover art for Swamp Thing #1 is not only an iconic horror cover but also marks the first cover appearance of the half-man-half-plant version of Alec Holland. Another example of Wrightson’s Swamp Thing work is the wraparound cover original art for DC Special Series #2 from 1977.
Additional original cover art in the sale are Silver Surfer #13 by John Buscema and Dan Adkins and Adkins original art for Strange Tales #164 depicting Doctor Strange.
Vintage and contemporary newspaper comic strip art features an original Calvin & Hobbes daily comic strip dated January 6, 1987, four-panel strip by Bill Waterson. A Flash Gordon Sunday comic strip art dated April 21, 1935 is a large-size example of the period with an image area of 19 inches by 29-1/4 inches.
Additional highlights include Paul Smith’s original cover art for Uncanny X-Men #165, Startling Comics #49 Mile High Pedigree (Better Publications, 1948) CGC 9.6, Batman #11 CGC 9.4, Michael Golden Doctor Strange portfolio envelope cover original art, Gil Kane and Joe Sinnott’s original cover art for Defenders #19 (depicting Hulk, Doctor Strange, and Power Man) from 1975, and a Charles Schulz Peanuts Sunday comic strip original art dated January 27 1963 (United Feature Syndicate, 1963), with classic images of Snoopy dozing on his dog house.