Hake’s Auctions’ latest premier event of 2019 opened on June 18 with over 2,000 impressive lots of pop culture memorabilia crossing the auction block in Auction #227. An extensive selection of collectibles geared toward the comic book superhero Captain Marvel are among the choice lots featured in the sale.
One major highlight to this grouping is a large 79” x 79” linen-backed six-sheet poster for the 12-chapter Republic Pictures 1941 serial Adventures of Captain Marvel. Directed by John English, the film starred Tom Tyler as Captain Marvel and Frank Coghlan Jr. as his alter ego Billy Batson. The poster, estimated at $10,000-20,000, features an action shot of Captain Marvel hoisting a large gold scorpion figure above his head The Scorpion battles in the lower right. This dynamic poster is the only known copy of the production’s six-sheet.
The subsequent lot features a pair of 11” x 14” lobby cards for the original release of Republic’s Adventures of Captain Marvel. Each card is from Chapter 6 “Lens of Death,” and features a comic book illustration of Captain Marvel. One card sees him throwing a man while the other depicts him in flight.
Aside from his big screen appearances, Captain Marvel also shines in select comic book offerings from Hake’s. This includes a Captain Marvel Adventures CGC 6.5 from 1945 released as part of a Fawcett/Wheaties promotional giveaway. As well as a Captain Marvel Adventures #125 CGC 7.0 featuring the origin and first appearance of King Kull and Captain Marvel Adventures #128 CGC 6.0 with a classic Golden Age cover by C.C. Beck.
From the Aaron Goodman Collection, the grandson of Marvel Comics founder Martin Goodman, comes a complete Captain Marvel #16 cover progressive proofs set. The pages include full color, black and white and individual cover break downs.
Another exciting offering is a high grade boxed 6-1/2” tall painted plastic statuette of Captain Marvel, released by the R.W. Kerr Company in 1946 as part of the Marvel Family Statuettes series. Also from this series is a 6-1/4” tall painted plastic statuette of Captain Marvel Jr. The box for both figures features art by C.C. Beck of Captain Marvel holding the Mary Marvel statuette, while the back depicts all four statuettes in the series.
Featured together in one lot are two Captain Marvel school bags from two different eras. The 1947 canvas bag showcases a classic scene of Captain Marvel throwing a fighter plane, while the 1977 canvas bag features a full color/full body appliqué of Captain Marvel.
The classic image of Captain Marvel throwing a fighter plane is also seen on a child’s size 14 “Spring Needle Knit Quality Fabric” heavy long-sleeved sweatshirt from 1945. Along with the silk-screened image on the chest, the sweatshirt includes the original “Flagg Sweatshirt” label.
Last, but certainly not least, is a Captain Marvel Family glow in the dark picture trio. These 8” x 10” pieces of stiff cardboard feature full figure color images of Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel Jr. and Mary Marvel. Produced in 1946, all of the images still glow to some degree.
Bidding for these collectible treasures has already begun and closes on July 10-11, 2019. Head over to hakes.com to browse through further selections in Auction #227 and get started on bidding today.
