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Fred Ray and Jerry Robinson - Batman #11 Cover Original Art (DC, 1942). With a surreal, hard-hitting battle between the Clown Prince of Crime and the Dynamic Duo, this unbeatable cover is the earliest Batman, Robin, and Joker cover ever offered for public sale! Two young super-stars of DC Comics' Golden Age teamed to illustrate a spectacular slug-fest spotlighting the Joker in his first cover appearance on the Batman title. Only twenty-two years old when this cover was drawn, Fred Ray was an ace staff artist at DC. He was a naturally gifted artist who counted Howard Pyle, N. C. Wyeth, Hal Foster, and Noel Sickles among his major artistic influences. Fred Ray most likely penciled this scene and then the finished art was "tightened up" and inked by Bob Kane's talented "ghost artist" and assistant, Jerry Robinson. Robinson was a real-life boy wonder, even younger than Fred Ray. At the time he worked on this cover, Jerry was only twenty years old. Jerry Robinson began his comics career at age seventeen, and he recounted how it began: "I'd met Bob Kane the summer after I graduated from high school. In those days white painter's jackets were very popular with the college kids, and students would paint all sorts of razzmatazz on their jackets. I decorated my own as I had been the cartoonist on my high school paper. I was wearing this jacket while waiting to play tennis at a resort when a fellow came up and asked me who had drawn the cartoons. He turned out to be Bob Kane and he offered me a job as his assistant if I was willing to come to New York City. It seemed to be a great way to pay my college expenses, so I moved to New York and transferred to Columbia. I began lettering the strip and inking the backgrounds. After a while, I started to ink the figures as well, and pretty soon Bob would just pencil the strip and I would do the complete inking." In Alter Ego #39, comics historian Jim Amash summed up Jerry Robinson's enormous importance to the Batman feature, "Jerry
Auction 817 | Lot: 6424 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $195,500.00
John Romita Sr. and Mike Esposito - Amazing Spider-Man #41 Cover Original Art (Marvel, 1966). The rampaging Rhino makes his Marvel debut in spectacular fashion, running roughshod, right over the webbed wall-crawler! This dynamic "twice-up" cover shows the "Horns of the Rhino" busting through a concrete wall, while Spidey lies dazed in the background. Any "baby boomer" who bought this issue off the spinner-rack probably has the image firmly fixed in his memory -- it's that iconic. It's worth noting this was only John Romita Sr.'s third cover for the title -- clearly Jazzy Johnny was dedicated to making his own contribution to the legacy left behind by Sturdy Steve Ditko -- and for Marvelmaniacs, it doesn't get much better than this! The image area of the cover measures 13.25" x 20.25". The art is in Very Good condition, with some overall wear; there is a light crease at about the Rhino's eye-level, and two small tears in the left margin, one of which has been repaired with tape. There is a small chip out of the lower left corner which does not affect the artwork, and several pin-holes in the margins. None of this has much effect on the overwhelming power of the image, however -- this is one eye-popping display piece, showcasing John Romita Sr. at the height of his talent. It's not just a cool cover, it's a wonderful piece of Silver Age Marvel lore!
Auction 817 | Lot: 6442 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $58,650.00
Fred Ray - Action Comics #45 Cover Original Art (DC, 1942). This rousing scene recalls the dynamism of Superman's first crime-busting attack on the cover of Action Comics #1! Fred Ray brought his superior draftsmanship to fifteen covers of Action Comics, and his association with the Superman character began when his work appeared on the cover of Superman #8, dated January 1941. Fellow Superman "ghost" Jack Burnley was an admirer of Fred Ray's art and wrote a heart-felt appreciation in the pages of Robin Snyder's The Comics. Burnley wrote warmly of his friend's work: "His Superman covers were drawn in the simple style of, and better than, the Shuster studio. Fred improved rapidly and soon he was doing impressive Superman covers that equaled or surpassed mine. Although Wayne Boring has been credited with changing Superman's image from the cartoony Shuster figure to the more realistic modern hero, actually Fred and I were the first to 'modernize' Superman with our covers in the early forties. Fred's outstanding Superman art is enough to earn him a top spot among artists of the fabulous Golden Age." The art was drawn on illustration board and the image area of the cover measures 12.5" x 17.25". Aside from some glue staining to the original title logo stat and to a pasted-on art correction over the gunman's arm at the lower left, the art is in Excellent condition.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6425 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $51,750.00
Fred Ray - Action Comics #51 Cover Original Art (DC, 1942). Armed only with a squirt gun and a "foolproof plot," the Prankster made his leering debut on this smashing cover. The Prankster was the second major Superman supervillain to grab the limelight on an Action Comics cover. Comics historian Les Daniels wrote about the Mirthful Miscreant's appeal: "A key ingredient in the success of Superman during what is now called the Golden Age of comic books was a sense of humor. 'There was a spirit of fun in the thing' said Jerry Siegel. 'And as a matter of fact, Joe and I, when we first started going into comics, had intended to do a comedy strip. So we were very comedy oriented, and that's why Superman did have this comic flair to it.' Superman couldn't be defeated, but he could be deflated, and many of the most memorable enemies of his early years were clowns. The earliest opponent to really play for laughs was the Prankster. A corny practical joker who considered himself 'the funniest man in the world,' the Prankster had a bulbous body, a scrawny neck, and a goofy gap-toothed grin. Time and again, the Prankster's needling hurt Superman more than a dozen death rays." Fred Ray's portrayal of Superman bursting through a brick wall, drawn using dynamic foreshortening, is magnificent. Ray recalled the day he was hired by DC Comics in 1940: "I took a portfolio to New York and was hired my first day there by Whitney Ellsworth at Detective Comics, Inc." Reportedly, Fred Ray was paid a salary of $35 a week, a sound investment considering all the masterpieces of cover art he ultimately created for key DC titles like Superman, Action Comics, Batman, and World's Finest Comics. This incredible piece was drawn on illustration board and the image area of the cover measures 12.5" x 17.25". Aside from some very mild aging to the original title logo stat, and a missing line of type in the caption box at the lower right, the art is in Excell
Auction 817 | Lot: 6426 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $51,750.00
Jack Kirby and Vince Colletta - Thor #134 Complete 16-page Story, "The People-Breeders" Original Art (Marvel, 1966). "The People-Breeders" was billed as a Stan Lee and Jack Kirby "fantasti-classic," and it was! This epic saga featured appearances by the Mighty Thor, the Recorder, Tana Nile and the colonizers of Rigel, a stunning splash page of Galactus, a knockout of a two-thirds splash page of the High Evolutionary and the New-Men of Wundagore, cameos by the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, Jane Foster, and finally, the birth of the Man-Beast. The image area of each "twice-up" page measures approximately 12.5" x 18", and aside from touches of white-out used for art corrections, the art is in Excellent condition. Stats that read, "Watch Marvel Super-heroes on TV,",are found on the bottom of several of the pages. This truly was a mighty Marvel milestone that will be a prized showpiece for any Marvellite!
Auction 817 | Lot: 6329 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $46,000.00
John Byrne and Terry Austin - X-Men #114 Cover Original Art (Marvel, 1978). This is the first X-Men cover by the team of John Byrne and Terry Austin, one of the most acclaimed penciler/inker combinations of all time. It's also only the second X-Men cover with Byrne pencils. While many fan-favorite artists have drawn the X-Men since Byrne and Austin's run, none have surpassed the efforts of that celebrated twosome. And X-Men covers by the duo are in scant supply, to the chagrin of art collectors. And this is one of the very best covers of the Byrne/Austin run -- though the two were the regular artists on the series for three and a half years, the duo teamed for only sixteen covers, and the majority of those featured scenes spotlighting only a few members of the X-Men. This group portrait is special, as it features not only all of the new X-Men, but also four of the original team -- Cyclops, Jean Grey, the Beast, and Professor X! In this somber scene, the missing X-Men are mourned because the Beast and Phoenix believed themselves to be the sole survivors of an explosion (in the previous issue). As it happened, the rest of the team had escaped destruction by tunneling down to the Savage Land; many issues would pass before Dr. Xavier found out his charges were still alive. Byrne's characterization and use of dramatic light and shadow, all enhanced by Austin's unparalleled embellishments, make this one of the most outstanding Marvel Bronze Age covers ever offered in the marketplace. The image area measures 10" x 15", and the art is in Excellent condition.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6096 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $43,125.00
Bernie Wrightson - Scream Door #1 Cover Original Art (1971). Bernie Wrightson's life-long affection for the Frankenstein mythos proved to be a constant inspiration for the artist. This early page shows the influences of both the Boris Karloff Universal movies and Jack Davis' popular six-foot poster portrait with its humorous take on the creature (often advertised in the Warren magazines). Besides appearing on the cover of the fanzine, Scream Door #1, the bottom panel of this compelling page was printed on page 274 of Christopher Zavisa's superb monograph, Berni Wrightson: A Look Back. In that book Wrightson mused, "Ever since I first started working professionally I drew the monster into various things. You can find him in just about everything from fanzines to Swamp Thing. It seems as though my whole career up to this point has been in preparation for an illustration of the novel." The image area of the page is 15" x 17.5". There are a few very small stains scattered on the page; otherwise the art is in Excellent condition. Bernie Wrightson has signed the page, in the border, at the lower right. Any portrait of the Frankenstein creature is sure to be a prized showpiece of a die-hard Wrightson fan-addict, so bid accordingly!
Auction 817 | Lot: 6533 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $20,700.00
Jim Steranko and John Tartaglione - X-Men #51 Splash Page 1 Original Art (Marvel, 1968). When one of the vanguard of the Silver Age artists unleashed his dynamic "Zap Art" style on the title splash page of one of the most popular comic titles of all time, the results were spectacular! Jim Steranko absorbed many of his influences from a life-long love, and sustained study of, the popular arts, to forge his own electrifying approach to visual storytelling. This scene recalls the power of Jack Kirby's superheroic figures, the graphic innovations of Will Eisner's Spirit title pages, and the surreal architecture of Richard Powers' science fiction paperback covers, yet it remains pure Steranko! His art revived fan interest in the then-stagnating X-Men title. Steranko drew only a little over thirty pages of art for the X-Men title, and "The Devil Had a Daughter" splash is one of the most impressive of that select group. In it, the X-Men are joined by Lorna Dane and Magneto for a complete group-portrait of the major Silver Age players in the title. The art has an image area of 10" x 15". There is a bit of slight paper aging apparent at the bottom of the page; otherwise the art is in Excellent condition.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6493 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $17,250.00
Carl Barks - The Caliph of Bagdad Painting Original Art (1978). No one drew ducks quite as well, or as successfully, as Carl Barks. His series of comic book stories featuring Walt Disney's Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge delighted young and old alike from 1943 until 1966, and it will be remembered (and reprinted) for many years to come. When finally freed from his Disney duties, Barks turned his talents, and his incredible imagination, over to a series of paintings referred to as "Famous figures of history as they might have looked had their genes gotten mixed with waterfowl." Whew! What a winner we have with this fabulous painting! It's been a fan favorite for years, reproduced as a limited-edition print, and was also featured in Barks' book of non-Disney duck paintings, Animal Quackers. This oil-on-masonite illustration measures 14" x 18", and is in Excellent condition. Finding an original piece of art by the late Carl Barks is a chore in itself; finding a piece of this high quality is getting close to impossible! Better bid early and often if you want this remarkable (and quite risque) rendering by the Good Duck Artist hanging in your home!
Auction 817 | Lot: 6010 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $14,375.00
Frank Frazetta - Tim Holt #21 Cover Original Art (Magazine Enterprises, 1951). By issue #21, Tim Holt was less of a vehicle for its title cowboy star, and instead began featuring new, costumed gunslingers on the covers. Chief among them was Ghost Rider, who began in issue #6 as the tamely-named Calico Kid. Well, Tim wasn't going to stand still for this -- he, in turn, became Red Mask, Western vigilante! This iconic cover by Frank Frazetta combines both wild West heroes in a split-cover design, with Ghost Rider and his horse standing out against a jet black background, and Red Mask on a white field, with his smoking pistol. The cover has an image area of 13" x 18". One of the paste-up type stats placed on the bar between the two figures has slipped off the page; otherwise the art is in Excellent condition.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6208 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $13,225.00

Make Offer to Owner
$350,000 or more
Simon Bisley - Bisley's Scrapbook #1 Complete 6-page Story, "Once Upon a Time in the West" Original Art (1990). Published in 1993, Atomeka's Bisley's Scrapbook contained a tale considered by some fans to be the best of the Mad Brit's work to date. That story is our offering in this lot, a six page wild Western saga (written with Alan Grant) of murder, mayhem, and mistaken identity, done in a style Sergio Leone would surely appreciate. The art is completely painted in that unusual intensive style that could only be by the Biz; all type elements are on an acetate overlay. The splattered colors extend beyond the panel borders to the page edges; the pages measure approximately 14.75" x 20.5" with image areas of 11.75" x 18". The last art board is actually two story pages, with an image area of 7.25" x 10.5". The art appears to be mixed media including acrylics, watercolor, and ink, with acetate overlays on bristol. All pages are in Excellent condition. (Total: 6 Original Art)
Auction 817 | Lot: 6033 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $12,650.00
Will Eisner - Spirit, "The Strange Case of Mrs. Paraffin", page 3 Original Art, dated 3-7-48 (Des Moines Register and Tribune Syndicate, 1948). For many Silver and Bronze Age fans, their first exposure to the work of Will Eisner came courtesy of Jim Steranko's superb History Of Comics, volume two. Anyone who's read the chapter on Eisner, titled "Sunday Matinee Idol," will experience a thrill of recognition because the chapter reprinted the entire yarn, "The Strange Case of Mrs. Paraffin." This fantastic page displays many of the hallmarks of Eisner's storytelling -- dynamic points of view, shadowy film noir lighting, a foggy atmosphere, inventive montages to create a "voiceover narration," and a sexy femme fatal -- in short, this page is a sensational example of Eisner's talents, and the story was signed with his distinctive, classic signature! The image area of the page is 15" x 21", and the art is in Excellent condition.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6174 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $12,650.00
Bill Everett - Daredevil #1, page 3 Original Art (Marvel, 1964). Daredevil whallops the stuffing out of a gang of murderous riff-raff in this super-charged scene from Daredevil #1. As Ron Goulart noted in The Great Comic Book Artists, Bill Everett had a highly individualistic style, one that blended illustration and cartoon elements. It was a style influenced by artists such as Dean Cornwell, Floyd Davis, and Milton Caniff. Fellow comics great Gil Kane said Bill Everett was, "an artist of great facility, but more than that he was an unparalleled storyteller." Those perceptions are proven to be accurate, in this beautifully choreographed bit of slam-bang action finished with Bill Everett's sinuous inking. The image area of the page is 12" x 18". The word balloons in each panel were re-lettered and pasted onto the page. The paste-ons in panels one, two, four, and five have slipped off the page to reveal the original lettering, which still manages to carry the story forward. There are a few touches of white-out and some very minor glue stains left behind by the slipped-off lettering changes; otherwise the art is in Excellent condition.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6184 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $11,500.00
Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers - Avengers #1, page 6 Original Art (Marvel, 1963).
Auction 817 | Lot: 6320 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $10,925.00
Harvey Kurtzman and Bill Elder - Little Annie Fanny, Complete 3-page Story Original Art (Playboy, 1975). This mouth-watering three-page romp was unveiled in the March 1975 issue of Playboy. Little Annie Fanny, the risque, and hugely popular character created by Harvey Kurtzman and Bill Elder, showcased her curves each month in Playboy, starting in 1962, and all through the seventies and eighties, before ending in 1988. A trip to the chiropractor may not have helped voluptuous Little Annie Fanny, but it does wonders for Dr. Crankshaft. Later, still seeking relief from her backache, Little Annie Fanny gets "poked" by an acupuncturist downstairs. The Annie yarns took comic art to a new finish with their painstakingly painted stories, rendered for "full process" color. Painted in gouache on board, each page has an image area of 10.5" x 15", and all are in Excellent condition. Also included in the lot is a typed letter from Michelle Urry, Playboy Cartoon Editor. The letter, dated June 26, 1975, and addressed to Harvey Kurtzman, grants Kurtzman the right to: "..sell the artwork as a collector's item to anyone you wish," but notes, "Playboy continues to own all right, title and interest, including all rights of copyright, in and to the cartoon." Satire, political commentary, sexy humor, and artistic innovation are all wrapped up in these, the perkiest pages ever! (Total: 4 items)
Auction 817 | Lot: 6348 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $9,775.00
Bill Everett, Werner Roth, and Vince Colletta - Tales to Astonish #96 Complete 12-page Sub-Mariner story "Somewhere Stands Skull Island" Original Art (Marvel, 1967). Imperious Rex! The regal Namor, Sub-Mariner and Lord of Atlantis, battles the menace of the pilfering Plunderer in this Silver Age masterwork of marine magnificence. Bill Everett penciled the exploits of his famous hero (though Werner Roth guest-penciled panels two through four of page nine and all of page ten) and Vince Colletta laid down the inks for this pulse-pounding thriller. The image area of each page measures 12" x 18.5". Page one has pasted-on caption type and a few pieces have slipped of the caption at the lower left; page two has a pasted-on art correction in the final panel; panel two of page three has a hole where a word balloon was cut out; and there is heavy use of white-out on each page; otherwise the art averages Good condition. Excelsior!
Auction 817 | Lot: 6187 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $8,500.00
Gil Kane and John Romita Sr. - Thor #237 Cover Original Art (Marvel, 1975). Ulik the Troll pile-drives the Thunder God into a city bus, crumpling it like a strip of aluminum foil! This brassy, Bronze Age bonanza is a metal-splintering, tire-popping, glass-shattering cover like no other! With its dazzling delineation by Gil Kane, and body-slamming inks by John Romita Sr., you'd have to go to Asgard to see more spectacular action! The image area measures 10" x 15", and the art includes the original logo, masthead, and title paste-up type. In Excellent condition. John Romita Sr. signed the art at the lower right.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6290 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $8,050.00
Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers - Tales to Astonish #13 Splash Page 1 Original Art (Marvel, 1960).
Auction 817 | Lot: 6314 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $8,050.00
Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers - Avengers #16 Splash Page 1 Original Art (Marvel, 1965).
Auction 817 | Lot: 6326 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $6,612.50

Make Offer to Owner
$30,000 or more
Nick Cardy - The Street Fighter Movie Poster Illustration Original Art (New Line Cinema, 1975). If you've got to fight -- fight dirty! Nick Cardy's incredible hand-painted cover art for the New Line Cinema release of this kung-fu action thriller is a real knock-out! The image area measures 16" x 14," and the art is in Excellent condition. The female figure has been re-worked and a new painted image has been attached over the original. Includes a color reproduction of the poster, a newspaper tear sheet of the original ad, and a DVD of the film.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6108 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $6,325.00
Ken Kelly - Black Canaan Cover Original Art (Berkley, 1978). The Berkley-Medallion Conan book series featured only Robert E. Howard stories, as published in Weird Tales and other magazines. One of the modern masters of the fantasy genre, Ken Kelly, painted the cover art for all the books in the series, and some contain a fold-out poster of the cover art. This striking cover painting, titled "Death at Sea's Edge," depicts Conan pitting his fighting skills against a horrifying crab-like creature. Painted in the rich deep color and gorgeous detail that Kelly is famous for, this oil on board painting has an image area of approximately 40" x 29". The painting's varnish has small spots of mold; the condition is Good. Ken Kelly has signed and dated the painting at the lower right.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6302 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $6,325.00
Gill Fox - Uncle Sam Quarterly #4 Cover Original Art (Quality, 1942). The living embodiment of the American ideal, Uncle Sam, was National Comics's lead feature from his debut in issue #1, until he made his final Golden Age appearance in issue #45. The red, white, and blue clad hero also appeared in his own title, Uncle Sam Quarterly, which ran eight issues between 1941 and 1943. Here, from the cover of his fourth issue, Sam pulls the rug out from under "The Mongrol Man," a poke at Emperor Hirohito, by Gill Fox. The image area measures 13.5" x 18.5", and although the paper exhibits a bit of aging, and there are several glue stains from missing paste-ups, the art is in Very Good condition. From the collection of Gill Fox.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6199 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $6,037.50
George Herriman - Krazy Kat Sunday Comic Strip Original Art (King Features Syndicate, undated). Within the world of George Herriman's Krazy Kat comic strip, the artist immersed his readers in an imaginative plateau which exists locked between visual and verbal poetry, completely invented and in a constant state of flux. While at the foot of the chimney butte, in the umbrage of the old smoke tree, Ignatz Mouse hatches an evil plan to part Mr. K. Kroh from his hard-earned nuts, and gets a life lesson from a rattlesnake named Mr. Rattils. A cameo by Krazy Kat puts the final touch on this remarkable Sunday strip. The image area of the art measures 17" x 19", and the art is in Excellent condition.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6253 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $5,750.00
Bill Everett - Strange Tales #149, Splash Page 1 Original Art (Marvel, 1966). The evil Kaluu, freed from five hundred years of exile in the nameless dimension, has returned to exact vengeance upon his former companion, the wise, venerated Ancient One. This splash page, from the story, "If Kaluu Should Triumph...," written by Denny O'Neil, was penciled and inked by one of the Golden Age masters of comic book art, Bill Everett. Set against a paranormal panorama, the Ancient One and Dr. Strange are seized by unseen forces, all courtesy of one of the industry's legendary artists. The art has a 12.5" x 19" image area, and includes the original title type, and hand-drawn credit art. There is some slight aging apparent, a slight stain along the top edge, and some minimal white-out usage, but otherwise, this work is in Excellent condition.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6185 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $5,462.50
Al Feldstein - "Weird Science-Fantasy #1 Revisited" Painting Original Art (2002). Al Feldstein was a key architect in the success of EC comics. Feldstein was a rare triple-threat -- he served as the editor, writer, and sometimes-artist for the EC science-fiction titles. His stylish science-fiction scenes were influenced by the precise, clean-edged astronomical paintings of Chesley Bonestell, but Feldstein's covers often boasted his own added heavenly body -- one sporting the famed Feldstein "headlights" -- hey now! This superb painting recalls many of the sensational hallmarks that make Feldstein covers so special. The painting measures 30" x 24", and is in Excellent condition. This masterpiece would look stellar in any EC aficionado's' collection!
Auction 817 | Lot: 6189 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $5,462.50
Sheldon Moldoff - Moon Girl #3 Cover Original Art (EC, 1948). "Just once in every 700 years there appears on Earth a woman whose characteristics are so outstanding, so beyond our conception that they actually stagger our imagination!" So it was with EC's only superhero, Claire Lune, the Moon Girl! When Sheldon Moldoff returned from the service after World War II, his former editor, Sheldon Mayer, turned him away from his pre-war assignment on the DC feature, Hawkman. Fortunately for Moldoff, Max Gaines, publisher of EC Comics, called and soon Moldoff was back in the superhero business. In an interview with EC historian Grant Geissman, Moldoff recalled his take on the superheroine, "I wanted the character of Moon Girl to be as real and exotic as possible, so I modeled her after the actress Merle Oberon. She had kind of an Asian quality to her." Moon Girl only ran for seven issues before the "pre-trend" era at EC ended, so don't miss your chance at winning this beauty -- it may be 700 years before another one rolls around! The image area of the piece measures 13.5" x 19.25". The cover art is actually made of two pieces of original art, cut apart, then pasted onto a larger support board. The printed comic book has an entirely different logo treatment than the original art -- the EC logo and the price tag elements are reversed in their positions. The logo treatment on the original art is actually closer to the version used on Moon Girl #4. A title logo strip that ran along the upper left edge is missing; otherwise the art is in Very Good condition.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6378 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $5,175.00

Make Offer to Owner
$10,350 or more
John Stanley - Little Lulu and Tubby Painting Original Art (1979). 2005 marks the sixtieth anniversary of the publication of the first Little Lulu comic book, Dell's Four Color #74. While Marge (Henderson) Buell created the mischievous moppet as a single-panel cartoon feature for the Saturday Evening Post ten years earlier, it was writer/artist John Stanley who guided Lulu's exploits in the Dell comic books. Stanley developed and expanded the personalities of Lulu, Tubby, Alvin, Iggy, Annie, and the rest of the cast of Meadowville characters. Just as Carl Barks was commissioned by his fans to paint specialty pieces of the Duckburg clan, so was John Stanley commissioned to paint fondly remembered images of Little Lulu and Tubby. In this hilarious scene, Tubby has exceeded the weight limit of the tires of Lulu's tricycle, and blown them out -- Yow! Alvin and Annie also co-star in the upper right. The image area of the mixed-media painting is approximately 10.5" x 15.25". The art is in Excellent condition and John Stanley has signed the painting at the lower right. This painting will make a treasured showpiece for the John Stanley or Little Lulu enthusiast!
Auction 817 | Lot: 6484 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $5,175.00
John Romita Sr. and Frank Giacoia - Daredevil #16, page 9 Original Art (Marvel, 1966). When Steve Ditko abruptly left The Amazing Spider-Man with issue #38, Stan Lee had a superb replacement artist in mind. To Stan's delight, "Jazzy Johnny" had proven himself a natural at drawing the wall-crawler in the Daredevil "crossover" yarn, "Enter Spider-Man" -- and as far as Spidey fans are concerned, the tale could have been subtitled "Enter John Romita Sr."! Also starring on this page is the macabre Masked Marauder. The image area of the page is 12.5" x 18.5", and the art is in Excellent condition. The art has been matted alongside an example of the printed page, and also the printed cover of this mighty Marvel milestone.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6443 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $4,887.50
Steve Ditko - Tales to Astonish #35 Complete 5-page Story "The Doorway to Nowhere" Original Art (Marvel, 1962). Celebrated as the artist who brought Spider-Man and Dr. Strange to life, Steve Ditko also excelled at drawing fantasy short stories for "pre-hero" Marvel. Ditko's storytelling and inking on this chiller are flawless, and the large size art is ideal for showcasing his hall-of-fame talent. The image area of the art measures 12.5" x 18.5", and aside from a few whited-out areas used for lettering corrections, the art is in Excellent condition.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6160 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $4,830.00
Jack Kirby - Speed Comics #23 Cover Original Art (Harvey, 1942). This World War II era Jack Kirby cover shows Harvey's response to the other star-spangled superheroes bursting onto the scene, flag-wavers such as Captain America, the Shield, and Captain Flag. Patriotic fervor was all the newsstand rage, and Kirby was a master of this genre. This is as fine a Golden Age cover example as is likely to be offered. Work of this caliber and era does not come to market often. The logo, "film strip" hero portraits, and caption box are photocopied replacements; otherwise, this piece is in Very Good condition. There are moderate white-out touch-ups on the cover that do little to detract from the impact of the image. The image size is 10.5" x 14.25", and this cover has been matted to a size of 16" x 19.5".
Auction 817 | Lot: 6306 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $4,800.00
Norman Nodell - Classics Illustrated #161, Complete 45-page Story, "Cleopatra" Original Art (Gilberton, 1961). Norman Nodell's lushly inked line captures the exotic beauty of H. Rider Haggard's Cleopatra perfectly. The pages each have an image area measuring 12" x 18", and aside from a few lettering and art corrections, they average Excellent condition. Page one is drawn on a different type of paper; it may be scratchboard.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6393 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $4,600.00
Alex Ross - Batman: War on Crime, pages 38 and 39 Original Art (DC, 1999). From the fully painted graphic novel, offered here is a beautiful two-page spread showing Bruce Wayne alone in the Batcave. Measuring approximately 25.5" x 17.5" and in Excellent condition, this painting is watercolor and gouache with brush and airbrush on heavy paper. A truly stunning image from one of today's foremost artistic talents.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6452 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $4,600.00
Rich Buckler and Frank Giacoia - Thor #214 Cover Original Art (Marvel, 1973). In a battle that doth shake the very cosmos, the God of Thunder faces off against the 4-D man, on this tumultuous cover illustration for Thor #214. An immortal image brought to you by penciler Rich Buckler and inker Frank Giacoia, this piece has an image area of 10" x 15", and features all the original logo, title type, and masthead paste-up art. Aside from some white-out usage, the art is in Excellent condition.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6078 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $4,312.50
Jim Starlin and Joe Rubinstein - The Avengers Annual #7, Splash Page 1 Original Art (Marvel, 1977). Anyone who has had the pleasure of reading Jim Starlin's original Warlock series knows that it's a masterful space epic that acts as a metaphor for faith, religion, and the corruption and salvation of the spirit. It is from this place that we arrive at Avengers Annual #7, where Starlin revisits both Adam Warlock and one of his greatest nemeses, Thanos of Titan. The story opens with this moody splash page as Warlock surveys more damage in the wake of Thanos' corruption. Inset with images of the Avengers and Captain Marvel, this is a truly cosmic splash page like no other! The image area measures 10" x 15", and aside from some edges being trimmed during the production process, the art is in Excellent condition.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6487 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $4,312.50
Tim Truman - Miracleman #6 Cover Original Art (Eclipse,1986). Tim Truman details Miracle Man doing a slow burn on this terrific grey tone cover. Tim dedicated this image to the well-known comics draftsman, Reed Crandall, in his signature at the lower left. As Kimota! The Miracleman Companion has so aptly noted, "In 1982, British super-hero Marvelman, previously a mere Captain Marvel knock-off, was resurrected by the then-unknown writer Alan Moore in the pages of Warrior magazine under the premise, 'What if a super-powered human lived in today's world?' The series was an immediate success, establishing Moore as the most important writer to emerge in the field. By 1985, the character was introduced to American readers under the name of Miracleman, and the title was recognized as one of the finest of its genre and an astonishing piece of graphic fiction in its own right." Tim Truman's cover captures the spirit of the series perfectly. The image area of the cover is 10" x 15.25". The title logo is affixed to the back of the art paper; otherwise the art is in Excellent condition. Tim Truman has signed the art at the lower left, and again, at the center right.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6514 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $4,312.50
Bernie Wrightson - Dr. Strange/Silver Dagger Special Edition #1 Cover Original Art (Marvel, 1983). Dr. Strange is seized in the fetid grip of a wall of living dead as the sinister Silver Dagger escapes to another dimension with lady Clea as his helpless hostage. Bernie Wrightson was the perfect artist to illustrate this nightmarish scene, and perhaps he was inspired by the famed Guanajuato mummies. The image area of the wrap-around cover art is 20" x 16", and the art is in Excellent condition.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6547 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $4,312.50
Michael Kaluta - The Shadow #2, page 15 Original Art (DC, 1974). The Shadow reveals the villain in "The Freak Show Murders," written by Denny O'Neil, with one shot from his pistol, in this breathtaking page from The Shadow #2. Michael Kaluta, considered by some to be the definitive Shadow artist, brings a quality, both eerie and sinister, to this dramatic page. The image area measures 10" x 15," and aside from some tape residue staining at all four edges, some minimal blue editorial markings, and a top edge which was trimmed during the production process, the art is in Excellent condition. Signed by Michael Kaluta at the bottom right.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6283 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $4,025.00
Dave Cockrum and Bob Wiacek - The Uncanny X-Men #162, Splash Page 20 Original Art (Marvel, 1982). On the homeworld of the Brood, Wolverine's adamantium skeleton and healing factor keep him going while he trashes a blood-thirsty host of Brood drones, in this venomous splash page by Dave Cockrum. This issue was voted by fans as among the "100 Greatest Marvels of All Time," coming in at #72. Cockrum fills this single panel page to capacity with one of X-fandom's faves taking on a group of malignant monstrosities from Chris Claremont's lethal storyline, "Beyond the Farthest Star." The image area measures 10" x 15", and aside from the trimmed corners (created during the production process), the art is in Excellent condition.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6117 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $3,737.50
Sheldon Moldoff and Joe Giella - Detective Comics #328 Splash Page 1 Original Art (DC, 1964). Batman's co-creator, Bill Finger, wrote this shocking death-trap scene for the bat-yarn "Gotham Gang Line-up." Due to waning sales, newly-appointed Batman editor Julius Schwartz was put in charge of revamping the Batman character for the Silver Age. In the issue before this one, artist Carmine Infantino had re-designed, modernized, and streamlined Batman in order to introduce what was termed the "New Look." The next step in Julius Schwartz's master plan was to kill off Bruce Wayne's butler, Alfred Pennyworth -- and he did just that in this tear-jerker! (This development was reversed when the "Batman" TV series proved to be a hit, and Alfred had to be brought back in the comics, later spawning the "Outsider" storyline.) Joe Giella, a key inker in Julius Schwartz's stable, added the "New Look" streamlined finish to Sheldon Moldoff's pencils. The Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes, Volume 1: Batman recounts the finish to the Tri-State Gang's death-trap: "Furiously gunning the engine of his motorcycle, Alfred manages to knock Batman and Robin out of the path of the plummeting boulder in the nick of time, But Alfred is unable to save himself, and he falls victim to the crushing weight of the mighty boulder." It was a somber moment in the Silver Age! The image area of the splash is 13" x 18", and the art is in Excellent condition.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6380 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $3,737.50
John Severin - Tomb of Dracula #2 Cover Original Art (Marvel, 1972). The Lord of the Undead is caught in flagrante delicto as he rises from the fallen form of his latest victim. John Severin's command of costume and background detail prove so effective, you can practically smell the fear! The cover has an image area of 10" x 15". The cover retains its title logo and caption stats. The background, the figure of Dracula and the fallen girl, and the shocked townsfolk, are each rendered on separate pieces of paper, and have been carefully pasted-up to create the entire spooky mis en scene; the art is in Excellent condition. A John Severin cover for the fan-favorite Bronze Age series?! -- what are you waiting for? -- jump on it!
Auction 817 | Lot: 6469 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $3,737.50
Jim Starlin - Infinity Gauntlet Promotional Poster Original Art (Marvel, 1991). The dark demi-god Thanos controls the fate of the universe with his Infinity Gems. The heroes of Earth band together to stop him, including the X-Men, the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Hulk, Warlock, Silver Surfer, and more. But Thanos has become so powerful that they are like gnats to him. Even the powerful cosmic entities like Eternity, the Watchers, Mephisto, and the Living Tribunal are unable to stop him. Jim Starlin's powerful story, The Infinity Gauntlet, was a landmark 6-issue mini-series published in the early 90s that would pave the way for several sequels. This stunning original painting by Starlin was used as a promotional poster. It has an image area of 18" x 35", and is in Excellent condition.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6490 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $3,737.50
Wally Wood - "Colonial Survey" Book Cover Original Art (Gnome Press, 1957). The legendary Wally Wood offers a cover for the Gnome Press edition of Colonial Survey (also known as The Planet Explorer) by Murray Leinster (the pen name of William Fitzgerald Jenkins). A well-received novel in its day, a portion of this book, "Combat Team", (alternately "Exploration Team") won a Hugo Award in 1956 for Best Novellete. The piece, which measures approximately 13.5" x 19" overall, is rendered in red and white tones on board, with the blacks painted on an acetate overlay. In Excellent condition, there are some editorial marking in the margins, and some masking tape at the top, along with four sets of registration marks, but none of this affects the image in any way. A masterful piece from a very collectible book (Colonial Survey tends to be one of the harder Gnome Press books to find), the piece was signed by the artist at the lower right.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6531 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $3,737.50
Robert Crumb - "A Gurl" Preliminary Sketches Original Art (circa 1971). From Robert Crumb's personal sketchbooks come these four pages of art, which form an early version of the strip published in Big Ass Comics #2. Crumb riffs on the absent-minded musings of his "Ruth Schwartz" character. Perhaps remembering his sisters hanging around the house, Crumb notes every nuance and stray thought as Ruth whiles away the day. Included is the "teeth on the windowsill" sequence which made the strip so memorable in Big Ass. Of course Ruth, as the comic's title indicates, has a rather large posterior, which gets the usual Crumb attention. Of special interest are the crossed-out changes in the text; fun stuff for admirers of the Underground master! The two 7.5" x 10" sketchbook pages have been matted and displayed in a double-glass frame, allowing all four sides of the paper to be seen. The art is in Excellent condition.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6565 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $3,737.50
Jack Kirby and Joe Simon - Stuntman #2, page 13 Original Art (Harvey, 1946). Stuntman searches for the Duke; Dan Dandy, and the denizens of the city are not much help. This superb Stuntman page is notable for several reasons, not the least of which is the dynamic artwork by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon. Note how there are no traditional panel borders, with the edges defined by bits of scenery and architecture. The page also breaks the "fourth wall," with Stuntman stating that he works for Simon-Kirby productions and wants to know when the Duke's going to "get started in our magazine!" To which the cop replies, "Just turn the page and see for yourself!" This subversion of the traditional boundaries between creator and reader was quite innovative at the time. Add the fact that Stuntman appears in costume in every single panel, and you've got yourself one glorious piece of Golden Age artwork. The image area of the page measures 12.5" x 18" and the artwork is in Excellent condition with light blunting at the corners and general overall aging.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6308 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $3,708.75
Wally Wood - Pulp Illustration Original Art (undated). A gorgeous Wally Wood fantasy femme rides a double-headed dragon through a superbly detailed landscape. The Wallace Wood Treasury noted that this piece was "Perhaps one of the strangest drawings Wood has ever done. This pulp drawing shows a strong influence from Virgil Finlay." The drawing spotlights a variety of pen styles and techniques used to create dazzling textures and lighting effects. The drawing also combines Wood's mastery of the humor, "good girl," and fantasy genres into one whimsical image. The image area measures 14.5" x 17". There are a few touches of white-out along the borders of the paper; otherwise the art is in Excellent condition. Wally Wood signed the drawing in the lower right. This is a spectacular piece of early "Woodwork," and a shining example of why Wally Wood is hailed as one of comics' all-time greats!
Auction 817 | Lot: 6530 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $3,680.00
Gill Fox - Feature Comics #58 Cover Original Art (Quality Comics, 1942). Doll Man gums up a cash register heist in this romp of a cover scene drawn by Golden Age great Gill Fox. Doll Man, a full-sized man who could shrink down to the size of a doll, was created by Will Eisner for Feature Comics in 1939. Hopefully Doll Man chewed up those sticks of gum before he shrank! The image area of the art is 8.75" x 12", and it is in Excellent condition. From the collection of Gill Fox.
Auction 817 | Lot: 6200 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $3,450.00
Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers - Fantastic Four #20, page 13 Original Art (Marvel, 1964).
Auction 817 | Lot: 6322 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $3,450.00
Jack Kirby and George Roussos (as George Bell) - Fantastic Four #27, page 7 Original Art (Marvel, 1964). When Mr. Fantastic found out that the Sub-Mariner had kidnapped Sue Storm from the Baxter building to spirit her off to his undersea realm, it took both the Thing and the Human Torch to restrain his explosive anger. And when it came to dramatizing such rage on a comic book page, Jack "King" Kirby was the go-to-guy. An added highlight of this page is the scene featuring Reed's "Kirbytech" gizmos, detailed in panel five. The image area of the page is 12.5" x 18.5", and the art is in Excellent condition. Jack Kirby signed the page at the lower right. Face front and bid, Real Frantic Ones!
Auction 817 | Lot: 6325 | Aug 13, 2005

Sold For: $3,450.00

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