Heritage Auctions Search

Skip to main content

Go to accessibility options

More Fun Comics #52 Larson pedigree (DC, 1940) CGC NM- 9.2 Off-white to white pages. This comic is so sought-after that any unrestored copy in even decent condition brings a hefty sum at auction, and the few such specimens we had seen to date are all easily topped by this pedigreed NM- jaw-dropper. Not only is it tied for the highest grade CGC has assigned to date, it's one of only five unrestored copies graded above FR 1.0! No wonder Gerber's Photo-Journal gave this issue a scarcity rating of "8," or "rare." What earned the book a spot among the ten most valuable comics in Overstreet's ranking is the origin and first appearance of the Spectre, which brought a whole new direction to the anthology title that was DC's first comic book series. The Spectre was an ideal complement to other stars of the DC line - as Overstreet put it, "This frightening ethereal hero... gave DC an exciting alternative to their swelling ranks of wondermen." The Spectre tale was written by the co-creator of one of those wondermen, Jerry Siegel, and drawn by Bernard Baily. The eerie, ultra-powerful Spectre, in addition to starring in this series, was so popular that he was made a charter member of the Justice Society in All-Star Comics. He went on to have his own title in the 1960s, a memorable run in Adventure Comics in the 1970s, and his own series in the 1980s and once more in the 1990s! This debut appearance was the only time that the Spectre wore a bluish-gray cape - it was changed to the familiar green shortly thereafter. This copy is from the collection of a comic-loving Nebraska youngster named Lamont Larson. The hoard he assembled way back when has gained no small amount of recognition thanks to having many major key books in high grade. Most copies have the collector's first or last name written on the cover, but the "Lamont" here is very unobtrusive, visible onlyupon close inspection. This comic's significance, grade, and pedigree rank it among the finest c
Auction 821 | Lot: 42543 | Aug 12, 2006

Sold For: $119,500.00
Suspense Comics #3 Davis Crippen ('D" Copy) pedigree (Continental Magazines, 1944) CGC VF 8.0 Off-white pages. The sole highest-graded copy of the book everybody wants... do we have your attention? The classic bondage cover by Alex Schomburg is what all the fuss is about, and there's a lot of fuss indeed about #3, which is a Gerber "9" that Overstreet calls "scarce." This comic was a well-kept secret until it appeared on the frontispiece of Gerber's Photo-Journal a decade and a half ago, causing demand to skyrocket thereafter (in the 1992 Overstreet guide it had the same price as issue #2, namely $235... by the 1995 Overstreet update, "top of Guide" had hit $7,000!). It seems every longtime collector has a Suspense #3 story, with the upshot usually being that a beaten-up copy was sold for a small fortune, or that someone got his hands on one only to find that the six-pager "83 Days On A Life Raft" at the center of the comic was missing. No such worries with this high-grade copy. Also of note is that there is no Edgar Church/Mile High copy of this issue, and almost all of the other famous pedigree runs are missing it as well! We suspect that the issue may not have made it to many newsstands because of the controversial cover, accounting for its absence in other famous comic hoards. We've heard different estimates of how many copies exist, but all of them are very low numbers, and the chances of a nicer copy ever surfacing strike us as extremely slim. This book is one of Overstreet's 100 most valuable comic books, and it's one of the highlights of the Crippen collection and of our auction. Overstreet 2006 VF 8.0 value = $12,000. CGC census 6/06: 1 in 8.0, none higher. From the Crippen Collection.
Auction 821 | Lot: 43266 | Aug 12, 2006

Sold For: $47,800.00
Jim Steranko - The Shadow Painting Original Art (undated). Here's a show-stopping scarcity - a Jim Steranko Shadow painting. These paintings rarely come onto the open marketplace. Jim Steranko has recaptured the gun-blazing glory of the dirty thirties with this Shadow portrait based on the cover for the The Shadow Magazine "Partners of Peril" pulp, originally dated November 1, 1936. Not content to slavishly replicate the cover scene, Steranko instead brought his own superb graphic sensibilities and treatment to this painting and signed his homage, "Steranko After Rozen." Also included in this lot is a "Lamont Award" plaque that showcased a reproduction of the original George Rozen painting. Steranko's spectacular painting, rendered in marker and gouache, has an overall size that measures approximately 20" x 30", and the art is in Excellent condition. Don't miss out on your opportunity to win this scintillating Steranko masterpiece!
Auction 821 | Lot: 44500 | Aug 12, 2006

Sold For: $34,057.50
Charles Schulz - Peanuts Sunday Comic Strip Original Art, dated 9-23-62 (United Feature Syndicate, 1962). Snoopy appears in every panel of this superb Sunday! Everyone's favorite Peanuts character executes a perfect 10.0 straight dive into a bucket of water from his doghouse roof... fortunately, good ol' Charlie Brown is nearby to lend the pooch a helping hand. From baseball to hockey, Snoopy proved himself to be a versatile, top-notch sports dog, and this Sunday is sure to delight any Snoopy fan. The image area of this Sunday measures 22.5" x 15.25". The artwork was mounted to a backing board; there is some slight paper aging and some white-out touch-ups to the title logo stat; otherwise, the art is in Very Good condition. Peanuts art from the sixties is highly coveted, and this strip will make a splendid addition to any art collection.
Auction 821 | Lot: 44473 | Aug 12, 2006

Sold For: $31,070.00
Floyd Gottfredson and Al Taliaferro - Silly Symphonies Matching Donald Duck Topper and Mickey Mouse Sunday Comic Strip Original Art, dated 3-7-37 (Walt Disney Enterprises, 1937).
Auction 821 | Lot: 44221 | Aug 12, 2006

Sold For: $23,900.00
Charles Schulz - Peanuts Sunday Comic Strip Original Art, dated 6-28-64 (United Feature Syndicate, 1964). Determined baseball pitcher/manager Charlie Brown's best efforts are undermined once again by that capricious cutie, outfielder Lucy Van Pelt. Poor ol' Charlie Brown. The image area of this wonderful sandlot Sunday measures 22.5" x 15" and the art is in Excellent condition. The strip was signed in the first panel and inscribed, "For Allan - our best friend, Charles M. Schulz."
Auction 821 | Lot: 44474 | Aug 12, 2006

Sold For: $17,925.00
Charles Schulz - Peanuts Sunday Comic Strip Original Art, dated 10-17-82 (United Features Syndicate, 1982). The ever-athletic Snoopy joined the jogging boom of the eighties and he was looking good with his stylish headband. You go, beagle! Linus co-stars and is on hand in this scene to cheer Snoopy on. The image area of this sensational Sunday measures 22.5" x 15" and the art is in Excellent condition. The strip was signed in the second panel and inscribed, "For Dan, with friendship. Every best wish, Charles M. Schulz." Don't miss your chance to own a classic example of American art.
Auction 821 | Lot: 44475 | Aug 12, 2006

Sold For: $14,340.00
Frank R. Paul - Wonder Stories V6#10 Cover Original Art (Gernsback, 1935). Frank R. Paul was the dean of the pulp science fiction artists and he began painting scores of fantastic covers for the Gernsback pulps starting in the twenties. Paul's rocket ships, weapons, and other-worldly creatures were so wildly imaginative that he became the trailblazer for many of the pulp artists that followed. Covers such as this one for "The Eternal Cycle" no doubt inspired the men who became the rocket scientists who finally conquered space flight. Note that Paul's spacecraft is quite similar in size and has several features in common with John Glenn's Friendship 7 capsule. Glenn orbited the earth on February 20, 1962, only twenty-seven years after Frank R. Paul's image of these astronauts hit the newsstands in March, 1935. This oil on canvas painting has an image area of 17" x 23", and the piece is framed. There is some crazing on the painting's surface; otherwise, the art is in Very Good condition. The painting is signed at the lower left, and a copy of the pulp magazine is included with this lot. (Total: 2 Items)
Auction 821 | Lot: 44411 | Aug 12, 2006

Sold For: $11,950.00
Alex Schomburg - Marvel Mystery Comics #43 Cover Recreation Painting Original Art (undated). Alex Schomburg was one of the finest cartoonists of the Golden Age of comics and he drew super-spectacular comic book covers for approximately 600 issues. Later in life, he did sensational recreations of his classic Golden Age covers. This smoking hot scene is a superb color recreation of a Human Torch and Toro WWII cover. Beautifully painted in gouache and ink, this will be a true treasure for the winning bidder. The overall size of the piece and image is approximately 17.5" x 21.5".
Auction 821 | Lot: 44463 | Aug 12, 2006

Sold For: $10,755.00

1

Results per page: 24 48 72