Heritage’s Comics & Comic Art Signature Auction on September 14-17, 2023, was a nearly sold out event that totaled $13,021,591. It contained 19 sales over six figures and set new records, including for a low grade copy of Superman’s debut.
Action Comics #1 CGC 0.5, featuring the first appearance of the Man of Steel, hammered for $408,000. Not only did it set a new record for most valuable copy in that grade, it is also the first comic graded CGC 0.5 to sell for over six figures.
Multiple comics set new records, like Punch Comics #12 CGC 8.0 Crowley Copy Pedigree, which brought $204,000. This is the highest graded copy in CGC’s registry and set a new record.
Original art was led by Alex Raymond’s Flash Gordon/Jungle Jim Sunday comic strip dated June 18, 1939, with Flash Gordon on a mission in the jungle. It sparked a bidding war that pushed it to $312,000.
“This was one of my favorite pieces of art in the auction,” Heritage Executive Vice President Todd Hignite said. “Not only has it never been on the market, but it’s pretty much perfect in every way.”
Fred Ray and Jerry Robinson’s Detective Comics #58 cover which showcases Batman and Robin and comes from the issue that introduced Penguin, hammered for $270,000. Jim Starlin, Al Milgrom, and John Romita Sr.’s Captain Marvel #31 cover showcasing Black Panther, Captain America, Thor, Vision, Iron Man, Drax, and others hammered for $180,000.
Mort Meskin’s Leading Comics #1 original cover with the Seven Soldiers of Victory realized $150,000. Dave Stevens’ homage to Wally Wood on the cover of World of Wood #1 sparked a bidding war before it landed at $114,000.
Rick Hoberg and Dave Cockrum’s Star Wars #5 original cover from the penultimate issue of Marvel’s adaptation of the movie flew to $102,000. John Romita and Dan Green’s The Uncanny X-Men #200 cover from “The Trial of Magneto,” which is considered one of the most important X-Men stories of the 1980s, went for $102,000. Barry Windsor-Smith’s cover for Conan the Barbarian #11 instigated a bidding war before the striking work also hammered for $102,000.
