On June 16-19, 2022, Heritage hosted a Comics & Comic Art Signature Auction filled with high grade key comics and desirable original art that realized a grand total of $24,262,303. It was one of their most successful auctions, held just a few months after their April event totaled $27.67 million.
The auction was led by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley’s original cover to Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Book One that hammered for $2.4 million. Reflecting the interior content of the groundbreaking series, The Dark Knight Returns Book One cover is a striking image of a silhouetted Batman illuminated by a white hot bolt of lightning.
“This is an iconic piece of comic art, of comic history,” Heritage Vice President Todd Hignite said. “Even the most casual comic fan identifies this artwork right away; it is one of the most recognizable images of one of the most popular superheroes ever created.”
Wonder Woman became the first leading female comic character to see her debut issue surpass seven figures when All Star Comics #8 CGC 9.4 realized $1.62 million. The Near Mint copy is the finest known example graded by CGC.
Batman took several of the auction’s top spots. Jim Lee and Scott Williams’ triple gatefold variant cover for Batman #619 from the “Hush” event finished at $504,000. Mike Mignola’s Batman #438 original cover art from “A Death in the Family” went for $228,000. Jim Aparo and Mike DeCarlo’s entire 22-page story for that same issue reached $288,000. Detective Comics #29 CGC 8.5, featuring Batman’s second cover, brought $276,000.
Three early comics featuring Marvel’s first family sold for over six figures. Fantastic Four #1 CGC 9.0, housing the first appearance of the team, realized $420,000, and a CGC 8.5 copy grabbed $240,000. Fantastic Four #5 CGC 9.4 with the origin and first appearance of Dr. Doom went for $162,000.
Todd McFarlane’s Spider-Man #16 cover from “X-Force Joins Spider-Man” ended at $408,000. This piece hails from McFarlane’s final book for Marvel and included a guest appearance by X-Force.
The Amazing Spider-Man #677 CGC 9.8 with the Gabrielle Dell’Otto variant cover brought $43,200. The rare variant cover appeared on only 200-500 copies and set a record for a 21st century comic sale.
Additional highlights are Amazing Fantasy #15 CGC 7.5 for $216,000, Don Heck’s Tales of Suspense #39 story page 13 for $216,000, X-Men #1 CGC 9.2 for $204,000, Todd McFarlane’s Spider-Man #16 double-page splash 21-22 for $204,000, Bill Everett’s Daredevil #1 story page 5 for $204,000, Superman #1 CGC 1.5 for $198,600, John Romita Sr. and Mike Esposito’s The Amazing Spider-Man #40 story page 6 for $192,000, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 CGC 9.8 signed by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird for $192,000.