comic book

Archie Comic Book Sets New World Record

Filed under: Auctions

He's no Superman or Batman but Archie Andrews, the lead character of the Archie comic books, proved he can hold his own on the auction floor. At Heritage Auctions' Feb. 24-25 Signature Vintage Comics & Comics Art Auction a CGC-certified 8.5 copy of Archie Comics #1 brought a world record price of $167,300 (including 19.5% Buyer's Premium). It's a record for Archie but is also the highest price ever paid for a non-superhero comic book. It sold to a West Coast collector who has been collecting Archie comic books for decades and was looking for a copy of Archie Comics #1 in top condition.

"Archie may have a ways to go to catch the likes of Superman and Batman, his Golden Age counterparts," said Lon Allen, Managing Director of Comics at Heritage, "but you can bet that collectors sat up and took notice when this comic brought that price. This amount exceeds the priciest of Spidey and Hulk comic books we've sold, which brought in excess of $125,000 each."

There's more in store for Archie Comics. Jon Goldwater, CEO of Archie Comics, recently gave an interview about the future of the brand saying he wants to make Archie and the gang a reflection of what's going on with kids today in high school. The comic introduced a gay character, an interracial romance and other changes. Perhaps most interesting is the fact that Archie Comics is also working with the legendary Stan Lee, co-creator of most of Marvel's superheroes, on a secret project. Keeping the brand in the public eye is also good for the value of the earlier comic books.

The Heritage auction reached a total of $4,270,483, with more than 2,375 bidders vying for 1,262 lots. More of the original artwork of Scrooge McDuck, done by his creator, Carl Barks,was also up for sale. Barks' Business as Usual, 1976, a painting of Uncle Scrooge in his massive money bin went for $179,250 and other Bark's paintings including also sold well.

Other items that sold well included R. Crumb's original art for the two-page story, "Kitchen Kut-Outs," from Zap Comics #1 which went for $47,800. The five original production proof pages from Detective Comics #27, the first appearance of "The Bat-Man" in 1939, found in 1975, in an old steamer trunk destined for the landfill brought $69,011 altogether, with the proof for Page 3 – the first time we see "The Bat-Man" – bringing the most at $19,120.

Tags: archie comics, batman, comic book, comic book collecting, comic books, heritage auctions

Superhero Museum Collection Up For Sale

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions

In 2007, the American Superheroes Museum opened in Indianapolis, Indiana. Unfortunately, it didn't stay open long. it closed within a year amid financial difficulties and since that time the collection has been offered and then removed from auction twice. Antique Helper Auctions in Indianapolis has announced a special session featuring select items from this collection on January 22. A notice on ArtFix Daily says that this is considered to be the second largest collection of Superman-related objects and memorabilia in the world. The collection was started more than 50 years ago when the founder of the museum first started collecting. It contains Superman costumes worn by George Reeves, Christopher Reeve and Dean Cain. Some of the Superman costumes from this collection were displayed at the Indiana State Museum in 2006, during the IMAX screening of Superman Returns.

The items that are up for sale have come to the auction house after seizure by court order. The oldest costume was reportedly worn by George Reeves (1914-1959) in the old Superman television series. Although it has been estimated at over $100,000 in past auctions, it will be auctioned off without reserve as will all of the lots. Along with the costumes, film stills, movie posters and collectibles will also be sold including a large assortment of other superhero-related memorabilia, including Batman, Spiderman, and Wonder Woman.

Tags: american superheroes museum, christopher reeve, comic book, comic books, george reeves, superman

Comic Bought For 10¢ Sells For Over $492,000

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions

We've seen a couple copies of Detective Comics #27, the first appearance of Batman, fetch big prices at auction but they usually go through the hands of several collectors before the big payday. Not this one. Sacramento, California resident Robert Irwin, 84, bought his copy of the first appearance of Batman for the cover price, 10 cents, back in 1939 when he was 13 years old. The comic book sold at Heritage Auctions in Dallas, Texas on November 18, 2010 for $492,937. The price exceeded pre-auction estimates by 20%. When the bidding ended Irwin joked, "I wish that I had one more book." The copy was purchased in a telephone bid by a buyer who wishes to remain anonymous.

Irwin discovered the comic book was still in his possession six years ago and turned down a $100,000 offer for it from a collector. It's the only comic book he kept from his youth. The winning bid, $492,937.50, includes the 19.5 percent buyer's premium paid by all winning bidders in the auction.

Tags: batman, comic book, comic book collecting, comic books, detective comics, Detective Comics 27

Another Rare Batman Comic Up For Auction

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions

Lately it seems like rare comic books might just be the best investment of all. A Batman comic bought for $1,200 could sell for over $400,000 in an August 5-7 auction at Heritage Auction Galleries. The CGC Certified VF-7.5 Detective #27 was bought by college student in Hawaii in 1974 at a bookstore. He later tracked down the woman who had sold the comic to the bookstore and found out that she had bought it off a local newsstand in 1939, before Hawaii was even a state. The comic book is in an unrestored condition and has had just these two owners.

Earlier this year, Heritage sold another comic book documenting Batman's first appearance for $1,075,000. That blockbuster price brought forward the anonymous consignor of this most recent version. He plans to use the proceeds to help pay for his son's college education. "We think this could become just the second comic to top $400,000 at auction," said Ed Jaster, Vice President of Heritage Auctions.

Tags: batman comic, comic book, comic book collecting, comic books, detective comics, rare comic, rare comic books

New Fragrance Gets An Iron Man Makeover

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance

Want to smell like a superhero? In a unique comic-book-turned-movie tie-in, Diesel is giving the fragrance Only The Brave, an Iron Man makeover hoping for a boost from "Iron Man 2" which opens on May 7. The scent is the same but the fist-shaped bottle has been given a red and gold paint job to match the main character's fancy suit. The limited edition run will come in boxes decorated with scenes from early Iron Man Marvel Comics.

The scent is described as having top notes of lemon blossom, mandarin and coriander leaves, a heart of labdanum, black rose and lavender, and a dry down of amber, tolu wood and ebony wood. Might be an act of bravery just to wear it. The 2.5-ounce size will sell for $67.50 and will be available in mid April.

[via the LA Times All the Rage]

Tags: comic book, Comic Book Movies, diesel, mens fragrance, only the brave, perfume

Rare Comic Book Sale Puts Superman Back On Top

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions

A rare copy of the first comic book to feature Superman sold this week for a record breaking $1 million. Considered by many in the market to be the "Holy Grail" of comic books, the 1938 edition Action Comics #1 was in excellent condition and was originally sold for just 10 cents. It features Superman lifting a car on its front cover.

The sale went through the website ComicConnect.com and was between a private seller and private buyer. The $1 million sale price smashes the previous record of $317,000 set last year for another Action Comics #1 issue (in lesser condition) and looks like it will hold its own against the Batman auction coming up soon.

Source

Tags: comic book, comic book collecting, comic books, ComicBook, ComicBookCollecting, ComicBooks, rare comic books, RareComicBooks, superman

Batman Tops Superman's Rare Comic Book Record

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions

Batman beats Superman at least when it comes to the rare comic book market right now. A rare copy of the first Batman comic book has surpassed the previous comic book record price, $317,000, paid for a first Superman comic by John Dolmayan, drummer for the rock band System of a Down last year. The bidding at Heritage Auctions for a comic that marks the first appearance of Batman has already reached a total of $418,250 including buyer's premium and the auction is still two weeks way. Heritage Auctions will be selling the Detective Comics #27, cover date of May 1939 on February 25. The comic is one of the finest known surviving copies of the issue and is being sold on behalf of an anonymous consignor who purchased it for $100 more than 40 years ago.

Tags: batman, comic book, comic book auction, comic book collecting, ComicBook, ComicBookAuction, ComicBookCollecting, rare comic, rare comic books, RareComic, RareComicBooks

Musician Pays Big Bucks For Rare Comic

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Books

John Dolmayan, drummer for the rock band System of a Down and owner of Torpedo Comics, just picked up a rare copy of the first edition of Action Comics. The comic book from June 1938 marks the debut of Superman. Dolmayan paid $317,200 in an internet auction, setting a record for the comic book which some estimated to sell for as much as $500,000. This particular copy was in the same hands since the 1950s when he purchased it for just 35 cents. Only about 100 copies of Action Comics No. 1 are said to be in existence.

According to the LA Times, Dolymayan bought the comic book on behalf of a client whom he did not name. He referred to the comic book as the "Holy Grail of comic books."

Source

Tags: comic book, comic book collecting, ComicBook, ComicBookCollecting, comics, john dolmayan, JohnDolmayan, superman

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