Iconic Buck Rogers Original Cover Art Makes First Auction Appearance in 15 Years at Heritage

Frank Frazetta's 1953 masterpiece is first of eight covers for Famous Funnies

DALLAS, Texas (February 19, 2019) — Artist Frank Frazetta's bombastic original cover art of Buck Rogers saving his love, Wilma Deering, with his trusty Sonic Ray Gun may sell for as much as $300,000 when it crosses the auction block for the first time in 15 years.

Heritage Auctions is offering the artwork, first published on the cover of Famous Funnies #209 in 1953, in its Comics & Comic Art Auction, Feb. 22-23 in Dallas. The piece is one of the most renowned Frazetta comic covers in history, capturing a 1950s "retro" style beloved by today's fans, Heritage Auctions Vice President Todd Hignite said.

"This is a stunning image by one of the most important comic artists of all time," Hignite said. "Frank Frazetta is a celebrated artist whose drawings and paintings have enjoyed enormous popularity and demand among collectors in recent years.

"Not only is this one of just eight Famous Funnies covers he ever did, but it showcases why his drawings of women in comics are as popular as those by any comic artist."

The cover features Buck and Wilma, Rogers' equally smart and assertive adventurer, facing certain peril by space goons blocking the only exit from a cave. The image is considered one of the most jaw-droppingly beautiful and graceful full-figure images of a woman ever to grace a comic book cover. The image justified and cemented Frazetta's legendary status as one of the greatest artists of the female form of all time.

Frazetta's original cover art for the Famous Funnies title is not only is rare in number, but also rarely seen at auction. The sale is the first time in 15 years the piece will be available to collectors, most of whom enjoy them for years on end. As Frazetta's art experiences a resurgence of fan interest, fans may not get another chance to own one of these stunning works of art for some time.



The original artwork, with an image size of 14 by 14-1/2 inches, is in ink over graphite on Bristol board, which has been affixed to a larger illustration board with a recreation of the header/logo added to the top. It is signed by Frazetta at the bottom center.

Online bidding for Frank Frazetta's original Buck Rogers cover art for Famous Funnies #209 is now open at Heritage Auctions' Feb. 22-23 Comics & Comic Art Auction page.

Heritage Auctions is the largest fine art and collectibles auction house founded in the United States, and the world's largest collectibles auctioneer. Heritage maintains offices in New York, Dallas, Beverly Hills, San Francisco, Chicago, Palm Beach, London, Paris, Geneva, Amsterdam and Hong Kong.

The Internet's most popular auction-house website, HA.com, has over one million registered bidder-members and searchable free archives of four million past auction records with prices realized, descriptions and enlargeable photos. Reproduction rights routinely granted to media for photo credit.



Eric Bradley, Director, Public Relations
214-409-1871; EricB@HA.com