HOLY GRAIL ART

Arthur Adams Carnage #2 Variant Spider-Man Cover & Marvel Issued Poster Original Art (Marvel, 2003)

Arthur Adams created this piece in 2003, which was then published as a Marvel issued poster and then in 2010 it was again published as the final variant cover for the Carnage series. Looking at this piece you can see why Adams is one of modern comics' most acclaimed and collectible artists. What a striking Spider-Man portrait from one of the modern masters, and classic Spidey fans will get a kick out of seeing the old-school webbing under the arms and the wide, youthful eyes on Spidey's Ditko-influenced early Silver Age face in this contemporary piece.

Artwork is 9" x 12" and in very good condition. The final published version for both the poster and the variant cover changed the webbing to the feet to the usual Spidey style shoes during editing.

Ross Andru The Amazing Spider-Man #180 Iconic Splash Finale Green Goblin Arc Page 31 Original Art (Marvel, 1978)

From the historic last page of issue 180 the return of Green Goblin arc and the farewell to Len Wein's run on ASM! Reminiscent of the iconic Amazing Spider-Man #50 cover, this superb finale splash features a huge symbolic image of Spider-Man as Peter Parker walks thoughtfully away from the reader. This was published in Amazing Spider-Man #180 (1978) and is the work of the classic Bronze Age Spider-Man art team of Ross Andru (pencils) and Mike Esposito (inks). It really captures the duality of the heroic Spidey and the typically down-on-his-luck Peter.

It’s a nice little happy ending, and as a capstone to his 30-issue run as writer/editor, Len orchestrates things so that the final page of the issue is a splash of Peter Parker walking off into the night with the spectral image of Spider-Man reflected in the skies above him. This was Len’s swansong on AMAZING SPIDER-MAN–like Ross would shortly, he was switching over to DC, where he’d work as both a writer and an editor, helping to bring some much-needed flavor of Marvel to the DC assignments he handled.

Mike Esposito Ink over Ross Andru graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15". Slight toning, tape residue staining on the top, toning, discolored text paste-ups  with residue and oil staining; Good condition.

Jim Aparo “Knightfall Part 15” Batman #498 Bane Splash “Gotham Is Mine!” & Azrael Is Chosen to Take Over The Bat Mantle! The Issue Following "The Broken Bat" Original Art (DC, 1993)

The top panels feature a crippled Bruce Wayne and Tim Drake (aka the third Robin) as they make a fateful decision, with Gotham in despair, and the new Bat mantle is decided on this page to be passed to Jean-Paul Valley better known as Azrael. Tim Drake felt Nightwing would be the obvious choice, as did many of the readers at this time, but Batman denied the request saying he wants him to be his own man. His only wish with Jean-Paul Valley stepping in is by no means to confront… Bane! The bottom splash features our story arc villain Bane, as he gloats over a city in chaos with the classic words to follow “They still call out for their hero and savior…But he is Broken…And GOTHAM IS MINE!” This is the issue we start to really see Bane take over Gotham and bring chaos to the streets and this page really embodies it all. Just an all out tremendous page from this classic story arc, perhaps one of the top pages to follow the breaking of the Bat!

It follows the issue in which Bane broke Batman's back, a story arc heavily influenced the 2012 film The Dark Knight Rises. This page is a memorable one to the movie with Gotham burning, the streets recently taken over by the genius Mercenary and his crew following the disappearance of The Dark Knight. A key, turning point page from this storyline doesn’t get any better than this with the decision of the new Batman, while featuring a crippled Bruce Wayne from his recent breaking of the bat, Tim Drake aka Robin and Bane in a prolific pose over a burning Gotham City! Rick Burchett Inks over legendary Batman artist Jim Aparo pencils on Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15". In Excellent condition. 

Jim Aparo “Knightfall Part 15” Batman #498 Historic Page Azrael's Debut as Batman and Don's The Suit For The First Time! The Issue Following "The Broken Bat" Original Art (DC, 1993)

With our previous page from this story arc having Bruce make the decision for Jean Paul Valley to take over the Bat Mantle, here is the very first page in which he Don's the Bat suit! Of course later in issue #500 Azbats new suit is revealed, where he battles and defeats Bane! Here we have a historic page ending issue #498 with Commissioner Gordon waiting for Batman with the Bat signal over Gotham and JPV and Robin show up swinging as Robin says to “Stick to the shadows and use your horse grating voice Bruce uses.” I love Aparo’s Gotham cityscape with the Bat signal in the sky. The best line has to be the close up of the new Batman at the end panel letting Gordon and the reader know despite Bruce’s wishes, he’s going for Bane! “…Bane will have He’ll itself to pay.” 

Setting up the showdown of what’s to come! A fitting page to match our page from above from the issue following the Breaking of the Bat! A major event that defined Batman for the 90's. A journey from failure of being broken to eventual triumph! Rick Burchett Inks over legendary Batman artist Jim Aparo pencils on Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15". In Excellent condition.

Mark Bagley and Randy Emberlin The Amazing Spider-Man #375 Page 19 Spidey vs. Venom: The Final Confrontation & Anne Weying 1st Appearance Original Art (Marvel, 1993)

Stunning page from the classic 30th anniversary issue, featuring a classic Spidey vs. Venom battle from the story 'The Bride of Venom'. This is an extraordinary page, featuring nonstop action, from the absolute height of Bagley's original ASM run. This page also features Anne Weying in her 1st appearance, Eddie Brock's ex-wife and more importantly and as seen on the MCU, later becomes She-Venom. This key issue is also the very last issue before Venom takes on a new hat as more of an anti-hero and is the lead-in to Venom Lethal Protector #1, his 1st solo issue. 

These pages are held on to as if they were family treasures, and almost never come up for sale. Heritage has only offered 2 pages from this key anniversary issue ever, 1 recently sold and not as good with only 1 true venom battle panel, the rest as Eddie Brock, for $13k+ and one page as good if not better last year for $36K!

Ink and Zipatone over graphite and blue pencil on Marvel Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15". Toned text paste-ups with some losing adherence and residue staining from a missing paste-up in Panel 1, staple holes in the top left corner, with light staining and handling wear. Signed by the art team in the bottom margin. In Very Good condition.

Alan Davis and Paul Neary Excalibur Special Edition #1 Page 7 1st Appearance of Excalibur Birth Page of The Warwolves Original Art (Marvel, 1987)

From the first appearance of the group Excalibur, this is the very page where the story arc's villains, the Warwolves are introduced for the first time (birth page). This one-shot issue was a hit, and #1 of the regular series came about half a year later, starting off a series that would run for a decade where the Warwolves would be the first story arc villains. 

Excalibur's original creative team, writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer Alan Davis, incorporated elements of two Marvel hottest properties, the X-Men and Captain Britain. On this page we see great images Rachel Summers aka Pheonix chained up by the X-Men, then freed by Kitty Pride. Xavier then tells Kitty she's been a naughty girl where we see the X-Men transform into the Warwolves for the first time inching closer to Kitty. An absolute stunning page, a rare occasion from this era where Davis illustrates the X-Men team only to transform them into the monstrous Warwolves!

Huge and iconic, this page is in ink on Marvel Bristol board with a Twice-Up image area of ​​12" x 17". In Excellent condition.

Jack Davis Haunt of Fear #28 From The Pre-Code Horror Final Issue & Last Story On Title "A Work of Art" Page 2 Original Art (EC, 1953)

This page, from Jack Davis's final New Trend horror story, "A Work of Art," concerns an elderly mortician who teaches his ham-handed son-in-law the family business. The old timer, appalled his son-in-law's inability to property embalm a cadaver, invents a do-it-yourself embalming machine and uses it to convert his own carcass into "a work of art."

"Davis's cartoony, brush-heavy style was a perfect match for Feldstein's gruesome but tongue-in-cheek horror tales.... Ultimately, Davis became one of EC's most popular and prolific artists.... his trademark frenetic style became ubiquitous in American popular media and burned itself into the American unconscious." — Home to Stay: The Complete Ray Bradbury EC Stories. 

Ink over pencil on Bristol board, measuring 15 x 22" (image area 13 x 18"), with top margin lightly printed "EC / Entertaining Comics / 225 Lafayette St., N.Y.C., N.Y. CA6-1994 / EC," "Haunt of Fear #28" written in pencil in the bottom margin, and rubberstamps on the verso for William M. Gaines, overall in very good condition.

Tony DeZuñiga Historic Marvel Preview #2 The Punisher First Solo Story & Origin Battle Page 3 Original Art (Marvel, 1975)

From the Punisher's first solo story and his first-ever origin story, Frank Castle interrogates a suspect after failing to assassinate him, who turns out to be a former military member. Pages from this key issue simply never come up as this is the only one that Heritage has offered in their 20+ year tenure and it's a good one at that, with Punisher all over the page in every panel. As a Punisher collector, to me, this issue is the biggest key after ASM #129 (Punisher's 1st Appearance), being the first solo and origin story.

Ink and wash over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 10.5" x 15". Production stamp in the upper left, production notes/marks, whiteout, toning, and handling wear. In Very Good condition.

Mike Dringenberg and Malcolm Jones III Sandman #7 "Listen" Key Page 2 Morpheus Original Art (DC, 1989)

Mike Dringenberg's style vividly captures the ethereal and somber mood of writer Neil Gaiman's story, bringing depth and emotion to the characters. This issue is a pivotal point in the Sandman saga, where Dringenberg melds the surreal with the Gothic, enhancing the dream-like quality of the narrative. Morpheus' profile is seen in the last panel. But what's most striking about this page is the pain and anguish felt throughout the world as Morpheus tells us at the top and bottom of the page, "Listen". A great tie-in page to the issue titled "Sound and Fury" with the final page to the issue brings peace and happiness as Morpheus regains his Ruby and once again tells us to "Listen". 

Ink over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15". The large, top right panel is a printed paste-up, all text are stat paste-ups, one is coming loose, there are blue production marks, small spots of soiling, corner bends, and edge wear. In Very Good condition.

Will Eisner The Spirit #29 Ellen Dolan Wedding Cover Original Art (Kitchen Sink Press, 1987)

Ellen Dolan is giving the squink-eye to the Spirit on this original classic wedding cover created for a reprint issue containing the story from the 4-11-48 newspaper Spirit section. The master draftsman signed his work in the lower right of the image area, dated 1986. The art for these Spirit Kitchen Sink covers are thought to be as good or better than Eisner's original work on the title from 40's and 50's.

Rendered in ink over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 9" x 14". The main image area is lightly sunstruck from a previous framing. Replacement logo and header affixed directly to the art page. In Very Good condition.

Bill Everett Tales to Astonish #95 Sub-Mariner - Dorma - 1st Stingray Page 3 Twice-Up (Large Art) Original Art (Marvel, 1967)

Here was one of my bucket list pieces at the top of my list for quite a while now. Bill Everett is one of the top draftsmen of the Golden Age into the Silver Age (seen here) to his passing in the early Bronze Age (as seen below). 

On this 'Twice-up' (large art) page from #95 (1967), Prince Namor and his great love, Lady Dorma, take lead in this peerless page from "The Power of the Plunderer," as they meet Walter Newell, an oceanographer who a couple of years later becomes the superhero Stingray. This is Newell's first appearance. The character has had a long presence in the Marvel Universe and even joined the Avengers at one point. 

Cool action scene featuring superb images of Prince Namor, the Mighty Sub-Mariner and his Lady Dorma, who investigate a mysterious saucer-sub, piloted by Dr. Walter Newell - the designer of a Domed City near Namor's famed Atlantis. Great multiple full images of Namor and Lady Dorma swimming in their natural environment by the great Golden-Age creator of the Sub-Mariner. Everett first introduced the anti-hero Namor the Sub-Mariner 28 years prior to completing this work in the pages of the seminal Marvel Comics #1 (1939). Lady Dorma also appeared in the Sub-Mariner story in that historic first Marvel comic book published 84 years ago. She was killed in Sub-Mariner #37 (1971) and astonishingly has never been brought back to life during the past 52 years.

Bill Everett (pencils), and Vince Colletta (inks). This Twice-Up Large Art Marvel milestone has an image area approximately 13" x 18.5", tiny fold in left corner and plot notes throughout. Overall in excellent condition.

Frank Frazetta- Robert E. Howard Lone Star Fictioneer #4 Back Cover, (Spring 1976) Conan Pen & Ink Peak Period Original Art (c. 1970's)

The legendary Frank Frazetta illustrated this image of one of his signature characters, Robert E. Howard's Conan, with the world famous barbarian holding a shield in one hand and a battle axe in the other. This work is circa 1970's and was published as the Back Cover to Robert E. Howard's Lone Star Fictioneer #4, Spring 1976. Two years ago, Conan celebrated the 90th Anniversary of his first appearance in a 1932 issue of the Weird Tales pulp magazine. Along the way, he's been illustrated by a significant number of top artists, with the legendary master of fantasy art, Frank Frazetta leading the way. It was Frazetta's masterful Conan cover paintings created for the Lancer line of paperback books starting in 1966 that exposed a new generation of fans to Howard's long-lost pulp stories. Not only did Frazetta establish the design of Conan for the new era, but he created a new way of depicting the overall fantasy genre that inspired so many other great artists along the way. Frazetta's cover paintings captured the attention of Marvel's Roy Thomas, who became a big fan of Howard's stories and brought Conan to Marvel Comics as a licensed property starting in 1970. Conan has gone on to appear in over 1,000 comic books published over the past 50+ years, as well as in some high profile movies and video games.

The original work of Frank Frazetta is some of the most desirable for any discerning collector, and many pieces are valued at six or even seven figures. His illustrations are not only considered the best in the genre of fantasy art, but in the history of illustration as a whole. Frazetta oils are spectacular, commanding some of the highest prices in the medium, but there are something truly special about his pen and ink drawings, which we're showcasing here. Signed by the artist himself, this drawing is a highlight of any collection, an original Frazetta Conan! Previously held in the collection of Frazetta's manager for years, Rob Pistella! A highly coveted original Frank Frazetta drawing, this piece by the artist is in Very Good condition. Signed on the lower right, c. 1970's during Frazetta’s peak period. The art has an image area of approximately 8" x 8" in a 20.5" x 18.5" frame.

Ron Frenz and Kevin Dzuban Marvel Team-Up Annual #6 Page 21 First Spidey With New Mutants and Cloak & Dagger Meeting X-Men Flashback Original Art (Marvel, 1983)

As I'm currently putting together my top Spider-Man artists, it dawned on me that Ron Frenz was most known for not only his run on Spider-Man in the 1980s, but his long tenure on Thor into the mid 1990's, so you'll see with this piece and the piece below, we have an earlier example and a later one not just with Thor, but with Spidey!

Great image of Spidey crawling on a Church wall in panel 1 but I especially love panel 3 with Frenz channeling the original X-Men team and Spidey reminiscing of their first meeting. The bottom panels are exquisite with the New mutants and Cloak and Dagger throughout. From the issue that partnered Spidey with the New Mutants and Cloak & Dagger for the first time. This also marks a very early New Mutants and Cloak & Dagger story, with the team's first appearance less than 6 months prior to this issue.

Ink over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15" and aside from overall paper aging and clipped margin corners, its condition is Very Good. 

Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez Pencils & Inks Superman: Kal Graphic Novel Splash Page 42 Kal (Superman) Original Art (DC, 1995)

The Elseworld graphic novel that shows young Kal-El after learning Luthor has ravaged and brutally murdered his love Lois, is on his way to his castle to confront and battle the evil King Luthor. The Elseworld graphic novel written by Dave Gibbons takes place in medieval England, where Kal is a peasant worker who has Superhuman strength, and Luthor is an evil King. This well detailed splash penciled and ink'd by the master Garcia-Lopez is arguably the best in the book.

This incredible splash page is rendered in ink over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15". Excellent condition.

Michael Golden Punisher War Journal #40 Golden's Only Known Painted Punisher Cover Large Art Original Art (Marvel, 1992)

If you were a Punisher fan like me in the 90's then you were more than likely a fan of Micahel Golden's Punisher cover run and here's a memorable one....

It's a road trip... Punisher style! The Punisher adds a new meaning to the term "road kill" in this eighteen-wheel extravaganza painted by Michael Golden. After further research this is believed to be Golden's only painted Punisher cover from his run and it's super-sized! Not to mention it checks all the boxes you want in a Punisher Golden cover; Punisher blasting, protecting the girl, and even an ode to Optimus Prime (Transformers) with the shot up big rig in the background. Also note the possible Watchmen reference with the smiley face on the driver door! 

A true Marvel Masterpiece! With this one, we now have 4 Punisher painted cover/portfolio plates including the Zeck / Zimelman Portfolio One plate 2, which later became a cover, the Jusko Painted cover to Punisher War Journal 31 (also massive in size), the Stroman wraparound cover to Punisher Classic #1 from 1989 and now this one to complete the set!

Mixed media on board, the twice-up large art art has an image area of 19" x 27". In Excellent condition.

Kelley Jones Red Rain II (Bloodstorm) Diamond Preview Cover (Advance Comics #71) Original Art (DC/Diamond, 1994)

The second part in the vampire trilogy, this cover illustration begins where Batman: Red Rain ended. Batman has destroyed Dracula but at the price of his own humanity. Now the famed protector of Gotham is a vampire himself and must battle his own bloodlust as he attempts to be the savior of the innocent. Struggling with his newly acquired dark nature and desire to kill, Batman must choose between the preservation of his own soul and the survival of Gotham. 

When on the hunt for the right Kelley Jones Batman piece, as much as I  appreciated his Batman (main title) run, and was certainly the darkest period I can remember, I really felt his most memorable and noteworthy works were his Batman Eleworlds graphic novel trilogy. It was from this trilogy, specifically Red Rain where he received both a Harvey Award and Eisner Award for his work. So when this cover came up from this critically acclaimed series, without hesitation I  

There's so much we can say about this cover, but really, does it get any better than this for a Jones Batman cover? Batman is in an incredibly heroic pose ready to stab a vampire with a wooden stake, that happens to also have silver on the inside to ensure it does the trick. Then we focus on Joker in the background with little rain bubbles presumably representing blood, hence the "Bloodstorm". Catwoman aka Selina Kyle is seen fighting off vampires on the left, this is the first time we see her as a Were-Cat, birth page of sorts. All of the covers for these Batman Elseworld stories by Jones are not nearly as detailed and intricate in artistic design. All or most of the covers have Batman coming up from the ground, a detailed macabre Batman face, or Batman perched in the shadows, nothing so dynamic and detailed as this piece. 

What makes this cover even more special is this is the only Batman Elseworlds cover art that has surfaced, as there are no other covers from this sought after trilogy that have reached public auction or even posted on Comic Art Fans. We know this cover was done early as we see the title as "Red Rain II" and not "Bloodstorm" indicating the name for the graphic novel was not fleshed out yet when this scene was created. This dynamic illustration by Jones was used as the cover of Advance Comics #71 & presumably for Diamond Previews / Capital City catalogue cover at that same time. 

From the dream team of Kelley Jones pencils with John Beatty inks. The image area measures 10.25" x 15.5" and the art is in Excellent condition.

Dan Jurgens Justice League America #69 Doomsday's 1st Epic Battle Scene with The JLA! (Death of Superman Part 2 DC, 1992)

This page represents our earliest Death of Superman page and a more important one to the overall series. I remember this issue as a kid being my first introduction to Doomsday and just how destructible he was. Nothing against Man of Steel #18 as Doomsday’s first appearance but we don’t get to see any battle within that issue, instead he arrives on Earth and begins to cause havoc on a highway. We really get a better understanding of how powerful this Kryptonian being is once he encounters the heroes here in Justice League #69. Let’s start at the top, let the battle begin!…

In previous pages just as this one, Superman is being interviewed by Cat Grant and questions are being asked by the audience, none more important than this one. “If there anything out there that really frightens you? I’d get scared facin’ all that stuff if I was you.” Superman responds saying it’s a good question, he’s afraid of failure, hurting innocent people, and of his own death. We may not see his answer on this page, but we do see what is the driving question to the saga and a prelude of what’s to come. The flow of Jurgens story and art is really top notch, with Superman taking questions while the onslaught of the League is currently taking place below. 

The following lower panels take us back to Doomsday’s first battle scene overall, as the monster takes on the JLA, and they’re manhandled one by one with ease. Here’s a memorable scene in which Doomsday punches Bloodwynd (who’s really Martian Manhunter by the way) so hard he explodes the through the oil tanker and catches on fire. We get a strong visual of Doomsdays claws exposed from his containment suit, soon to be slowly ripping off as he gets closer to Metropolis. 

The lower panel showcases nearly all of the team members less of course Superman and Guy Gardner as he was pummeled by Doomsday just a couple pages earlier. Maxima adds “Did you see that punch?”…”Where could a being so powerful have come from?” We get a great front facing visual of Doomsday in a dark eerie like shadow, as Fire blasts him, he’s unphased and Bloodwynd remains on fire. Booster Gold & Blue Beetle look in awe from above and Beetle says “Can Bloodwynd survive something line that?“ We should add this is the only page in the entire issue to feature 5 of the JLA team members present battling Doomsday, along with the cover, which also had 5 of the team members! Most of the battle pages featured 1-2 members with Doomsday present, so this page from a presentation standpoint is a real treat.

For the first time as a reader, based on the visual art, and the dialogue, we’re presented a villain larger than life, almost indestructible. A truly remarkable early Doomsday battle page showcasing the depths of his destruction. 

Joe Jusko The Punisher War Journal #31 "The Kamchatkan Konspiracy" Classic Ski Cover Original Art (Marvel, 1990)

Mixed media painting original art by renowned comic artist Joe Jusko, whose realistic painted fantasy, pin-up, and cover illustrations have graced countless comic book publications. Here we present you cover painting for "Punisher War Journal" Vol. 1 #31, published by Marvel in June 1991. Wonderfully detailed painting shows snowy scene with The Punisher flying through the air on skis, blasting attacker w/revolver as men fire upon him from pursuing snowmobile and other armed skiers give chase.   It almost seems a play on a James Bond spy film scene and is even more remarkable in person. 

With rich, vibrant colors and a smokey background, these characters come alive, thanks to Joe Jusko's awesome talent. This is truly a Marvel masterpiece, and we're honored to have in our collection. With this one, we now have 4 Punisher painted cover/portfolio plates including the Zeck / Zimelman Portfolio One plate 2, which later became a cover, the only Michael Golden Painted Punisher cover to Punisher War Journal 40 (also massive in size), the Stroman wraparound cover to Punisher Classic #1 from 1989 and now this one to complete the set!

Jusko has signed art at lower right and added "90" date. Back of board has had surface removed, but this does not affect art. Originally from the Jason Taulbee Collection. This massive piece has an image area of 18" x 25", and the art is in Excellent condition.

Gil Kane, Mike Esposito, Frank Giacoia, and Dave Hunt The Amazing Spider-Man #150 Anniversary Issue Spidey vs Kingpin Page 17 Original Art (Marvel, 1975)

It's Spidey versus Kingpin as the web-slinging hero thinks he's in the clear before he's wacked by Kingpin with a stick. We see incredible web slinging panels of Spidey throughout, the top panel has Spidey perplexed as Sandman has disappeared, while the bottom panels we get Kingpin entering the scene and "Wam" punching Spidey and saying "Since now you face... The Kingpin!" (on next page) What an exhilarating panel page, which features our webbed hero in every panel vs one of his greatest foes! 

Not to mention this being an ultra rare Gil Kane Spidey vs Kingpin Page, believe it or not this is 1 of only 5 pages of Kingpin vs Spidey Kane drew on his tenure for ASM! And we've all seen what those earlier Romita pre-ASM 100 Kingpin pages have gone for exceeding well into the six figures in recent years, even as small art. It's what I call the Kingpin factor! Even though we do find out later on in the issue these are robot villain clones created by the mad inventor Professor Smythe, but from the art perspective all that matters is Kane is illustrating Kingpin.

Created in ink over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15". The page is toned, In Very Good condition.

Sam Kieth and Dwayne Turner Marvel Comics Presents #121 Page 5 Wolverine & Venom Seek Nightmare Original Art (Marvel, 1993)

I have to say one of the hardest voids to fill is a Marvel Comics Presents Sam Kieth cover and or interior for that matter, they just don't come up and when they do they tend to have a huge price tag attached. Rightfully so, as Sam's Wolverine is so distinct and so nostalgic from this era. Sam's larger than life and musculature physique compliments Venom so well on this page.  

Sam Keith and Turner combine to create this extraordinary page, featuring Wolverine and Venom teaming up to navigate the realm of Nightmare, featuring a vision of Wolverine's former lover Mariko. Kieth's distinctive, unique style shines through with his unmistakable take on the characters, a beautiful page from one of the most collected artists of the era. 

What I found most interesting in Kieth’s second to last issue from his incredible MCP run is he only did 10 issues of interior art on the Wolverine stories, which were only 8 pages each. Interesting fact, if it were from a normal size comic book with 22 pages it would make up less than 4 issues of Kieth art, which is another reason why there’s so little of it on the market. Ink over graphite, Image size 10" x 15" on twice up large 13x19 Marvel board. Art is in excellent condition. 

Fantastic Four Annual #1 Historic 1st Meeting of Spider-Man & The Human Torch (Illustrated Pre-ASM #1) Kirby Pencils, Ditko Inks Original Art (Marvel, 1962)

One of the most significant pieces in our collection and what we've learned in recent years due to various articles and historians research, this small 6 page story hails as one of the earliest Spider-Man original art pieces in existence!   

Marvel's founding fathers Kirby, Ditko & Lee collaborate on this significant first meeting of the Fantastic Four’s Human Torch and Spider-Man, truly historic original art! Not only do the 2 teenagers meet for the first time on this very page, but they square off and battle in both Spider-Man and Torch fashion, fireballs and climbing on walls! Also note panels 3 and 4 where Kirby uses a one off never seen before or later concept for Spider-Man's defense of a slithering web, almost symbiote like. Twice-Up (Large Art 12” x 18.5” signed by Jack Kirby on the lower right.   

Check out our article "The Beginnings of Spider-Man" documenting this early Spider-Man art believed to have been drawn shortly after Amazing Fantasy #15 and before Amazing Spider-Man #1 in 1962, making it the earliest Spider-Man original art story next to Amazing Fantasy #15 interior art in the Library of Congress!

Jack Kirby The Incredible Hulk #3 -- (Earliest Hulk Art Known to Exist) Hulk To The Rescue! Page 20 Original Art (Marvel, 1962)

Here is what represents the earliest art of The Incredible Hulk, as mentioned above it’s widely known the art from issues #1 and #2 do not exist. Art from the first series of 6 issues is exceedingly rare, especially issue #3 being the earliest art of the character, therefore being the most desirable amongst collectors. Not to mention it's one of the best Hulk action pages in the book...

This appeared in the story "The Ringmaster", which features the first appearance of the Ringmaster and his Circus of Crime, supervillains who pose as circus performers. The Ringmaster uses his hypnosis on the crowds that come to see their shows, allowing the other criminals to rob the attendees of their money and jewelry. Rick Jones, the teenage boy responsible for the creation of Hulk due to his carelessly driving his car onto a gamma-bomb test site, has taken a break from helping Bruce Banner with his new monster-changing problem. Rick is attending the circus to get some relaxation time in when the Ringmaster attempts to hypnotize the entire audience. Rick apparently has some telepathic abilities as he's able to resist the Ringmaster's hypnosis and send out a mental distress message to the Hulk asking for help. The monster quickly leaps to the location of the circus tent and makes an entrance. The Ringmaster instructs the Human Cannonball to stop the green goliath. The Cannonball carries a hammer that resembles Thor's enchanted Mjolnir but apparently lacks its powers. One of his cronies aims the Cannonball toward the Hulk, but it appears he bounces right off of him and the force rips through the roof of the tent sending the Cannonball flying. However, on the following page, a firehose turns out to have the ability to down the Hulk for some reason. The Ringmaster captures the Hulk and turns him into a circus clown. 

Needless to say, original artwork from the Hulk's original early Silver Age run is rare on the open market. As all long-time Marvel collectors know, the Hulk initially appeared in just six issues of his own title, Incredible Hulk #1 thru #6, published in 1962 and 1963 during the early days of what came to be known as the Marvel Silver Age. Learn more about the Hulk's history and original art through the link below...

Barry Kitson, Karl Kesel and More Adventures of Superman #518 "Dead Again" Incredibly Detailed Double Page Splash 2-3 Original Art (DC, 1994)

An incredibly detailed Double Page Splash during the infamous Traingle Era and memorable "Dead Again" story arc where Superman is searching for answers from the unexplainable body in his tomb shortly after his return from "The Reign of The Supermen" a year earlier. Superman (sporting his mid 90s mullet style hairdo) heads to Apokolips to confront Darkseid in this story, where he's first confronted by a nice selection of villains including Granny Goodness, Bloody Mary, Bernadeth, and many more including Darseid's own Parademons! 

Kitson, Kesel and team give George Perez (who was known for splashes with details full of characters) a run for his money with this detailed DPS, truly one of the best we've encountered! I especially love the credits featuring "Jack Kirby - The Source" since he created this 4th world cosmic DC Universe where Superman is entering on this page.

Barry Kitson Pencils, with a collaborated effort of Ray McCarthy, Steve Montano and Karl Kesel all credited with inks on this dynamic DPS. Ink over graphite on two conjoined Bristol boards with a combined image area of 20"x 15". Taped together on the backside, text paste-up corrections in left page, stat paste-up correction in right side. Marginal notes, and production marks. In Excellent condition. 

Andy Kubert Pencils & Inks Wolverine: Rahne of Terra (Wolverine Annual #3) Graphic Novel Page 43 "I Am The Beast" Twice Up Original Art (Marvel, 1991)

Here's an extremely rare original art page from the memorable one shot, also recognized as Wolverine Annual #3, "Wolverine: Ragne of Terra" in the hand of 1990s X-Men revered artist Andy Kubert & story be acclaimed writer Peter David! What makes this even more special is this is pencil and inks by Andy in large art format. This was released in August of 1991, the same time Andy was guest penciling X-Men 279-280, which is considered the peak period for the artist. Though published in 1991, this issue takes place just prior to the New Mutants' adventure in Madripoor in New Mutants #93, while Wolverine appears between X-Men #268 and that issue. 

Check out panel 1 with the monster ready to attack Logan and panel 2 where Wolverine is claws out slashing the monster. Panel 3 we get a great close up of Logan as he's "soaking up to elbows in gore..." 

You'd think the knights in the castle would be shooting arrows at the monster calling it a "Beast", but as Logan points out in the final panel, he is "The Beast." An incredibly detailed and gory page, what we'd expect from Andy Kubert in the early 1990s . These pages simply never surface, there is only one other scan I can find, albeit on CAF & not one page has been auctioned to Heritage, Comiclink or ComicConnect. 

Andy Kubert’s pencils and inks on Marvel Bristol board Twice-Up (Large Art) roughly 14" x 20". Signed by Andy Kubert in black pen on lower right. Light handling wear and in Excellent condition.

Andy Kubert X-Men #47 “Big Trouble In Little Italy” (X-Babies, X-Men, Villains & Dazzler!) Splash Page 18 Original Art (Marvel, 1995)

Here’s a great 2/3 splash from Andy Kubert’s run on X-Men featuring all the X-Babies on the top left, X-Men members Jean Grey, Bishop, Gambit and Ice Man on the top right, plus villains Gog & Magog confronted by the Mojoworld Queen— Dazzler in the lower middle splash panel!

The bottom 2 panels show Dazzler once again in the shadows not happy with Gog and Magog when she learned they were planning to eat the X-Babies so she blinds them with a flash of light. On the bottom right, Ice Man and Jean Grey recognize right away who has arrived even being in the shadows. Everything works out in the end as Dazzler sends Gog and Magog back to the Mojoworld. The X-Babies also return to Mojoworld to live with Dazzler and Longshot. 

Jesse Delperdang Inks over Andy Kubert’s pencils on Marvel Bristol board with an image area of 10.25" x 15". Light handling wear and in Excellent condition.

Joe Kubert Sgt Rock #136 Classic "Make Me A Hero" Earliest Known Kubert War Cover Known To Exist Original Art (DC, 1963)

The legendary Joe Kubert spent decades illustrating the gritty adventures of Sgt. Rock and Easy Co., stories that took place in a seemingly endless World War II and published in the pages of DC's Our Army At War (which later changed its name to Sgt. Rock). This 'Twice-up' (large art) cover was published on Our Army At War #136 (1963). It features a full-figured image of Rock firing a machine gun at some enemy soldiers as he attempts to avoid falling through the ice on a frozen body of water. This was the third of four consecutive covers Kubert designed in which the design was divided into three columns, with only the middle column featuring the artwork (with a bit of spill over into the other columns). The two outside columns featured a solid color. Because there are only four covers in the long run that used this unique design, this one is well known to DC war collectors.

Now onto our research, since I thought to look to see if there are any other three column Kubert covers around, and there was nothing. So naturally I looked for earlier war covers by Kubert on all the auction sites, CAF, Google searches and also nothing. I then contacted Charlie Weiss who handles much of the Joe Kubert estate and he concurred he hasn't seen anything earlier as well. We should add DC twice-up covers much like Marvel covers pre-1965 are extremely rare already, this one being from 1963. To put it in perspective, Heritage's earliest Kubert war cover offered was from 1966, three years after this one! Maybe there's earlier Kubert war covers hiding in someone's attic, but for now this looks to be the earliest known example to exist!

The art has an image area of approximately 12.5" x 18.5". The title and Comic Code logo are stats. The center background stat is an art stat aka art over the stat, so the soldiers seen there are original art. Some minor glue staining in center image and paste-ups.The cover is signed by Joe Kubert and is in very good condition, especially considering it's age. 

Harvey Kurtzman Time Magazine "Cop and Radical" Published Illustration Original Art (Time/Life, 1972) 

Kurtzman not only created MAD in 1950, but his work is noted for its satire and parody of popular culture, social critique, and attention to detail. He was also a huge demonstrator of pushing the envelope using his cartoon skills to put messages across in the political circuit. This piece was Kurtzman's only Time Life artwork, in which the radical who was loosely based off a known activist at the time. Despite a "Kill The Pigs" button on her chest, she gets chummy with the cop, though they share distinctive differences, they put them aside during a time to promote peace and love. A beautiful piece showcasing Kurtzman's political satire at that time.

Grey wash and ink illustration on Bristol, with an approximate image area of 3.25" x 5.25", in Excellent condition. Matted to an overall size of 8.75" x 11.25". Comes with a copy of the printed article illustration page. Formerly part of the Kitchen Sink Collection.

Erik Larsen and Mike Machlan The Amazing Spider-Man #331 Splash Page 19 & Cover Scene Punisher & Spider-Man Original Art (Marvel, 1990)

Here was one at the top of my list for a while now, an Erik Larsen ASM Spidey page and teaming up with the Punisher was a huge bonus! On this page we have Spidey swinging & The Punisher (Frank Castle) stands atop a pile of destroyed robot parts as he joins our favorite webhead in pursuit of the world's largest stash of drugs at a U.S. Military Academy. A great splash & cover scene image of the duo just before one of the robots gets a shot in on the Punisher on this action-packed page by Image co-founder Erik Larsen. A rare offering, as pre-1991 Larsen originals are hard to find since a house fire destroyed all of the art still in his possession. 

Ink and screentone over graphite and blue pencil on Marvel Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15.75". Signed by Larsen at the bottom right. Slight toning, pinholes in the margins, yellowing of the shading film, discolored page number paste-up and small spot stain at the bottom, with light smudging and handling wear; otherwise, in Excellent condition. 

Jim Lee and Scott Williams The Uncanny X-Men #275 "Zaladane's Citadel" Magneto Splash Page 23 (From Jim Lee's Personal Collection) Original Art (Marvel, 1991)

This has to be my modern grail. Like many other collectors in todays world, I grew up with Jim Lee’s version of X-Men, I still have this book and many others in a long box since the early 90’s off the shelf. I’ve been searching for the right Jim Lee X-Men page for quite some time now. I’ve had my chances, but most recently with the enormous rise in values, I’ve been on the sidelines or outbid to an ungodly number. When I saw Jim chose a few X-Men pages to be auctioned off from his personal collection I thought once again there was no chance, especially meaningful pages he’d been holding onto for 30+ years. Besides a Wolverine claws out or full team page by Lee, like many of my other modern story arcs in my collection I want the villain, so the obvious choice was a Magneto page. Side note: prior to the auction the month prior I almost came to a deal on Jim Lee X-Men page featuring Magneto, but the seller was reluctant and I couldn’t blame him. But instead, with patience and sheer luck, I was able to pick up this amazing 2/3 splash from the landmark giant sized anniversary issue #275 featuring none other than Master of Magnetism, Magneto! 

Page Breakdown-

Jim Lee provides a powerful 2/3 splash panel establishing the opening scene in Zaladane’s Citadel of villains, who is queen and high priestess of the Sun People, inhabitants of the Savage Land. Magneto has been placed on a glowing platform, and Zaladane stands on a similar device where she attempts to steal Magneto's powers with the help of Brainchild of the Savage Land Mutates. On the bottom panel, Brainchild explains to Semyanov (SHIELD Colonel) that the machine transfers every spark of magnetism inside Magneto into Zaladane. Magneto tries to resist, but can't stop the process.

This incredibly detailed page features futuristic tech facilitating the energy transfer from the Master of Magnetism to the empowered sorceress, as well as a mind-controlled Shanna the She-Devil and Nereel, powerlessly observing in the background. Though powerless, with Lee’s pencils and Williams strong inks you’re immediately drawn to the large Magneto image. It’s a gripping page featuring a rogue of villains with Zaladane at the helm. Ink over graphite and blue pencil on Marvel Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15.25". Punched holes in the side margins. In Excellent condition.

Jim Lee Punisher War Journal #18 Page 3 Classic "Kahuna" Hawaii Issue (Punisher & Microchip) Original Art (Marvel, 1990)

The Punisher and Microchip are in Hawaii to save a little girl from drug dealers. I remember this issue as a kid and loved it, being the "Kahuna" Hawaii issue. I especially love the first panel with the Hawaii mountains in the background while Microchip sets up the scene. This page has it all, a Hawaii setting with Punisher and Microchip guns blazing taking fire from the bad guys! And though you can't see it in this angle of taking fire, The Punisher has his classic skull suit under his Hawaii shirt as shown on the cover! 

An early Jim Lee page that put him on the map as an all-star artist, soon to get the X-Men title! With Al Milgrom inks and Don Hudson background inks over graphite on Marvel Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15.25". Slight toning, text paste-ups and residue staining from missing paste-ups, staple holes in the top left, whiteout corrections, and light handling wear. In Very Good condition.

Jim Lee and Scott Williams Iconic Action Comics #1 Cover From The New 52 Launch (From Jim Lee's Personal Collection) Original Art (DC, 2011)

When you think of Jim Lee’s incredible body of work now spanning over 35+ years, there’s quite a bit to look at, but one could argue his New 52 era was some of his greatest art. While some would say The New 52 overall failed lasting 5 years, others like myself would say it was a huge gamble and overall a success. I believe in years and decades to come we’ll look back at The New 52 as the most revolutionary era for DC since the beginning of Superman and Batman incarnation in 1938/39, similarly to Crisis on Earth in the 80’s and quite possibly as large as The Death of Superman saga in the early '90's. 

We’re talking the first time since 1938 from Action Comics #1 to issue #904, to have a complete reset to an all new Action Comics #1, with an all new Superman look created by none other than Jim Lee! The art was cutting edge, with an all new Superman suit, and a younger look, Jim Lee took all his artistic queues and influences from years earlier and applied it to this art. You can see in the details of the art how important it was to Lee for this launch to be successful. We can’t put into words the importance of this title to the comic book community, and the all new Action Comics #1 Variant Cover by Jim Lee. There were a few different versions of Action Comics #1 for the New 52 by various artists, but this was the Jim Lee version, the most talked about and most sought after, and the only version to showcase Superman in his all new suit and overall look designed by Lee! Lee puts Superman in his classic stoic pose of strength and confidence, and plays homage to the Golden Age era with Max Fleischer’s Mechanical Robots from the 1941 cartoon in the background. 

Many of Jim Lee’s covers become available for purchase shortly after they’re created, while other covers stay with him in his own personal collection, as was the case with this cover. After holding onto the Action #1 cover for over a decade, Jim decided to part with it and I was able to acquire the piece through private sale.

From the great Alex Sinclair (colorist) shed light on this cover on a blog back in 2011: “By now most of you have seen the progression of this cover. Jim went through a few sketches before ending on this composition. Somewhere along the line Robots were suggested and how much we all liked the Fleischer cartoons. Jim threw in his version of them in the background and I did my best to pay an homage to them by simplifying the rendering and going really heavy on atmosphere. Pretty happy with the results--hope you are too.”

Jim Lee Pencils, Scott Williams Inks on 11x17 DC Bristol Board. 

Jim Lee Pencils & Scott Williams Inks Batman Hush 20th Anniversary Page 2 "The Search for Hush" (DC, 2022)

Batman searches the river to come across a lead hull vessel and references in #619 where Clark checked the river with his x-ray vision with no trace of Hush. But the lead hull would block Clark’s scan of the river and Batman goes inside to check it out where he finds dead bodies. He also references this river to be a known mob drop spot for the dead. Then we see a dead Lex Corp employee, apparently stabbed in the eye. Someone once told me the real Jim Lee Batman collectors come out when you can see the lugs on the boots...Well check out panel 1, there you go! Also, check out panel 2 and 3, which is almost Dark Knight Milleresque in look and feel. Great detail and flow throughout this page…

Jim Lee Pencils & Scott Williams Inks Batman Hush 20th Anniversary Semi Splash Page 4 "Hush Surfaces From The Gotham River" (DC, 2022)

Hush is revealed in this half splash exit in the river after being shot, hiding in a sunken ship where he repaired himself. The top half splash not only has Hush getting out of the river for the first time, but showcases a nicely detailed rocky Gotham cityscape by Lee and Williams. The bottom half splash has a great frontal view of Hush, dripping in water, bandaged up with a menacing look only to be greeted by…

Jim Lee Pencils & Scott Williams Inks Justice League #6 Page 6 Splash Cover Scene & Steppenwolf New 52 Birth Page -- “Hail Darkseid!” (DC, 2012)

While Action Comics #1 for the New 52 DC reboot was the flagship title for the last 70+ years, Lee reintroduced the Justice League making it an all new origin story and kicked off the New 52 relaunch with this book. The Justice League New 52 origin lasted 12 issues with Jim Lee as penciler broken up into 2 story arcs, the first being Darkseid (1-6) and Graves (7-12). These 12 issues with Lee at the helm the choice examples have become extremely desirable for collectors and is regarded as some of his greatest work to date. The Justice League movie in 2017 was largely based off Geoff John’s story and Jim Lee’s art. This artwork was chosen and showcased in IDW’s Jim Lee DC Legends Artifact Edition book…

Superman Cover scene splash on DC cover Bristol board. Was this full splash intended to be the cover to the finale issue to arc 1? Another incredibly detailed page featuring Darkseid’s General Steppenwolf and Dasaad draining the energy and life from Superman. This page happens to be Steppenwolf’s 1st appearance and birth page for the New 52 version, the version we know from the Justice League movie. This scene resembles closely similar to the opening scene of Zack Sunder’s Justice League movie with Superman’s energy being drained with similar electricity drawing from him in despair. A truly stunning splash page just before the mother boxes are released and Superman is free’d from the grips of Dasaad, and goes on to battle Darkseid in the first finale story arc. 

Ron Lim Silver Surfer #34 Page 21 Thanos Resurrection Issue (Thanos First Dialogue & First Silver Surfer Encounter Page) Original Art (Marvel, 1990)

Silver Surfer believes this was all a dream, and talks to himself about what dreams mean and his existence. He hears a voice suggesting that his dream was a premonition. The nightmare has just begun…  In this key page by Ron Lim with Surfer in every panel, and great dialogue by Starlin, he questions whether this was all a dream or something more? He begins to reflect on his life and existence as a human underneath the silver shell. “So The question still remains… What was that dream all about?” Surfer says. The last panel a voice says “Perhaps it was a Premonition.” Surfer responds “Who?” And looks to see who it is. The last panel of this page is the first dialogue of Thanos in physical form to Surfer, and this premonition would start his quest for the infinity stones and wiping out half the population of the universe.  

When looking for a Lim / Starlin Surfer page, there are so few pages from this key issue #34, so much so I’ve literally counted the number on my hand in CAF galleries and auction results. Lim’s page layout and surfer images are great, especially of him in the middle on his board. Not to mention Starlin’s dialogue and Surfer’s reflection of himself, and the bottom panel importance of Thanos’ first dialogue in physical form. A Truly historic grail page reintroducing Thanos and the start of the Infinity Gauntlet Starlin/Lim story arc! 

Ron Lim Thanos Quest #2 Page 11 The Origin of The Infinity Gems Revealed For The First Time Original Art (Marvel, 1990)

Ron Lim (pencils) and John Beatty (inks) collaborated on this incredibly important 'Twice-up' page from Thanos Quest #2. Thanos has gone on a quest to obtain six Infinity Gems that together will give him the power to impress his beloved personification of Death by murdering 50% of all living beings in the universe. On this page, Thanos has used his technology to locate the Runner, an Elder who possesses the Space Gem and demands that he turn it over to the Mad Titan. The Runner demands to know why Thanos seeks the Infinity Gems, and Thanos reveals the origin of the gems for the first time...

Prior to this page, we saw but knew little about the origin of the gems and for the first time on this very page we learn about their origin. The gems were once part of an omniscient being who existed before all time and space. This being "was all that was and all that was, was it."  says Thanos. As Ron Lim notates on the right side, to fade "God" into space, which is why there is only a pencil outline of the sentient being (see bottom panel darkened to show from original lighter scan). This being, however, was lonely, and ended its own existence. Its limitless power was reincarnated in the six Infinity Gems. This being we later find out is Nemesis, but here is referred to as God. The published page has a painted space background over the middle and lower panel by Tom Vincent. 

When acquiring this page, the content and context of the page outweighed the art or lack thereof. From the art perspective, I should add you still get a great Thanos image, a great Runner image with the space gem, and the two of them floating in space on the larger middle panel. Not to mention the pencil outline of the sentient being referred to as "God", later recognized as Nemesis! Overall, An incredibly important page to the Infinity Gauntlet saga, as we learn for the first time of the Infinity Gems origin! 

This large art has an image area of approximately 11.75" x 17.75", light smudges and artist notes along the border. 

Infinity Gauntlet #6 Page 37 (Iconic Scarecrow Splash Featured In Endgame Opening Scene)

In the first of these four pages we see the iconic scarecrow armor image, signifying Thanos’ retiring from his old Mad Titan life to being a simple farmer, which was always his end goal once he completed his task at hand. But in this case, different from the movie, he fails the task at hand to wipe out half of existence. The scarecrow image may also have other deeper meanings.  

From Jesse Schnedeen Blog Discussing Avengers 4 Thanos’ Scarecrow Image- The Thanos-crow Symbolism 

“The shot of Thanos' armor forming a bizarre scarecrow may well be the most striking image in the Avengers Endgame trailer. On the surface, this "Thanos-crow" symbolizes the fact that the Mad Titan has left his old life behind. He no longer wants to be the feared tyrant who traveled from world to world and murdered billions. He craves whatever sort of peace and contentment he can find after having sacrificed his own children for his cause. That said, it's interesting to think about what this Thanos-crow might symbolize on a deeper level. Scarecrows are tools used to ward off birds and prevent crops from being devoured. Basically, Thanos is cultivating life on his farm and doing what he can to protect it from predators. That's the exact opposite of what he was attempting to do in Infinity War. Is the Thanos-crow a sign that Thanos has a newfound respect for the preciousness and fragility of life? Is the scourge of the MCU evolving into a defender instead? 

Thanos the Hero- Few would attempt to describe the Thanos of the comics as a hero, but he has experienced some pretty dramatic moral shifts over the decades. Going back to Infinity Gauntlet, that story marked a major shift for the character as he stepped away from villainy and became a more benevolent force in the universe (for a while, anyway). Thanos even allied himself with Adam Warlock and the Infinity Watch, helping them safeguard the Infinity Stones and ensure that no one else could assemble the Infinity Gauntlet and wield unchecked power.”  

This opening “Farmer Thanos” half splash infamous “Scarecrow” page is not only an iconic image from Avengers Endgame opening scene in which Thor beheads Thanos, but also has much deeper meanings behind the image, which makes this original art page by Ron Lim extra special. 

Infinity Gauntlet #6 Page 39 (Thanos Reflection of Power)

Another magnificent page with Pip The Troll and Gamora questioning Warlock why they’re leaving the Mad Titan on this remote planet without being punished. Warlock explains essentially this is how the universe is to be “...Without Thanos, the picture is incomplete.” In the last panel, Thanos looks out to the sky seeing his visitors leave and reflects on his past follies... 

“Power. Such an ephemeral commodity, hard to gain, easy to lose. And I once thought I understood it. What vanity.” These are remarkable reflective words coming from the former Mad Titan, as he questions his life work, accomplishments and most notably his recent failures. 

Joe Madureira and John Dell The Uncanny X-Men #336 Double Page Spread 5-6 Apocalypse Original Art (Marvel, 1996)

Here's a tough one to find , a Joe Mad X-Men page from his run in the mid- 90's! Apocalypse joins the Watcher in observing the chaos erupting in New York City during the coming of Onslaught! An epic double-pager from Phase 2 of the "Onslaught" event storyline, which led into "Heroes Reborn". 

Ink over graphite on two conjoined Marvel Bristol boards with a combined image area of 20.25" x 15.75". Held together by tape on the back tape on the top edge, marginal notes, whiteout touch-ups, with light handling wear. Signed by Madureira in the bottom image area and in Excellent condition.

Todd Mcfarlane Pencils & Inks Amazing Spider-Man #323 Half Splash Spidey Message to MJ Key Page! (Marvel, 1989)

An Incredible Super-stylized 1/2 Splash Spidey art by Todd McFarlane, with a lean-looking Spider-Man, and a cute "big hair" Mary Jane, in this key page from 1989. This tall vertical splash was a one page scene, the only page in the issue featuring MJ and Aunt May! This show-stopper page features Spidey giving an interview where he sends an encrypted message to MJ via a news conference. Once MJ figures out the message, she tells Nathan and Aunt May that Peter reached out earlier and “He’s okay”, and May sasses MJ. It was work like this that made McFarlane a comics industry superstar! 

When I think of Mcfarlane Spidey Art that revolutionized the look of the character, one generally thinks of the intricate webbing and contorting positions, but most notably it’s the elongated eyes, which take up most of his face. When looking for the right page, as much as I’d love a fully webbed contorting McSpidey page, the storytelling and overall flow of this page did it for me, featuring all three of the most beloved characters and the remarkable Spidey bust splash featuring those signature McSpidey eyes! Mcfarlane wisely did a vertical Spidey 1/2 splash to really showcase Spider-Man on the first half of the page. In contrast, if he would’ve done a traditional horizontal splash it would’ve been a wide view lens and Spider-Man would not have been the feature, instead the audience would be. 

The other half of the page layout really focuses on MJ in that middle panel, which Mcfarlane was also famous for. MJ Mcfarlane pages are extremely desirable in the marketplace and recent auction results have seen skyrocketing prices realized. Though many feel Romita drew the best and most memorable MJ, one could argue Mcfarlane’s MJ is a close second, changing her look for the first time form a slimmer 60’s gal to a more 80’s stylized bustier version. This issue was the tail end of Mcfarlane’s historic Amazing Spider-Man run, #324 and #327 interior was penciled by Larsen, #326 pencils by Doran, leaving only #325 and #328 for McSpidey art in which very few of these pages featured MJ, even less with both Spider-Man and MJ on them. Just a truly remarkable McSpidey show piece to have in our collection.   

The artwork is in ink over blue pencil on DC Comics Bristol board, with an image area of 10" x 15", and is in Excellent condition, with only a hint of handling wear in the outer borders. Signed by McFarlane and dated '89, with the most desirable McFarlane ink on Mcfarlane Pencil!

Dave McKean "The Last Sandman Story" Splash Page 13 From Dust Covers: The Collected Sandman Covers Original Art (DC/Vertigo, 1997)

This is Dave McKean's depiction of Dream of the Endless from page 13 of "The Last Sandman Story", a work written by Neil Gaiman and published in 1997. Following the completion of the original 75-issue series The Sandman in 1996, DC/Vertigo published Dust Covers: The Collected Sandman Covers 1989-1997 which collected all of Dave McKean's incredible collage covers from the historic series written by Neil Gaiman including the core series #1-75 and the various specials and collected editions. However, Dust Covers not only collects all of McKean's Sandman covers from The Sandman, but the book also begins with "The Last Sandman Story," a new story written by Gaiman and drawn by McKean that is promoted on the book's cover. "The Last Sandman Story" is a prose story with illustrations by McKean. It's about Gaiman's relationship with The Sandman series and the character of Dream. Gaiman and McKean had agreed that this story should be "Something that had the kind of look that was of a piece with the covers." So, for the first time in the history of The Sandman, the artwork maintains the style of the cover art. They had also agreed the story should have "More prose than comics - one or two illustrations to a page."

"The Last Sandman Story" has been reprinted on a few occasions including Absolute Sandman Vol.5, The Sandman Deluxe Edition Book Five, and the 2022 Black Label Edition of The Sandman Book Four.

While in 1997, Gaiman may have intended this story to truly be the last Sandman story, in the 25+ years since it was published, Gaiman and other creators (with his blessing) have produced several additional stories featuring Dream and his unique family.

This original artwork is executed in black and blue ink on bristol. The art has an image area of approximately 8" x 9". It is signed by Dave McKean. Note: Yellow tape stain in the bottom right corner.

Mike Mignola Iconic Hellboy: The First 20 Years Pin-up, Frontispiece, Afterword, Back Cover & Limited Edition Print Original Art (c. 2013)

I don’t think we have something in our collection that has been published as many times or as an artists featured art during a specific period as this one. This era marked a significant period for Mignola as the artist returned to drawing duties for the first time for Hellboy since 2006 when in 2012 he came back to do the acclaimed “Hellboy in Hell” 10 issue mini-series as well as his “Year of Monsters” covers (as mentioned with our previous art). 

This art became the central Mignola Hellboy piece for that following year in 2013, seeing publication in multiple formats as follows; Hellboy The First 20 Years frontispiece (in color) and Afterword (in non-color original art form), Hellboy 20 Years limited edition print to 1000, Hellboy in Hell Three Gold Whips Back Cover, Hellboy 20 Years Promotional Sampler Comic Back Cover, and possibly as noted on the art itself intended for the Library Edition #6 Title page or Afterword (have not verified). 

Thus, this memorable Hellboy image became one of the most iconic central pieces of art from Mignola of this era and we’re proud to house it in our collection. Rendered in pen and ink on 8 1/2 x 11 paper in excellent condition, signed by Mignola in the lower left with notations.