Original Art by Artist Page 2 (Continued A-Z)...

Frank Miller and Klaus Janson Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #3 "Hunt The Dark Knight" 1st Superman "Dark Superman" In Costume Key Introduction Page 16 Original Art (DC, 1986)

Frank Miller's 1980's Batman tale The Dark Knight Returns is the graphic novel responsible for redefining the depth, tone, and range of storytelling possibilities for the entire super-hero genre, in the process paving the way as primary influence on the filmic universe that has taken over worldwide popular culture. The dystopian future-epic was the lightning strike that revitalized the Caped Crusader's place in the DC Universe, and any  original artwork from this series is highly prized. To find a key page introducing a key character in costume as his introductory page, being Superman, is a "Grail" type page for any collector. This page is our first look of Miller's "Dark Superman", for the first time Superman is viewed in a dark light, the government's lethal weapon as seen on the bottom panel, exploding two Soviet fighter jets, a shocking moment in the series. Miller wanted to create an impact on this 4 panel page, outside of the 10 full splash pages, this is one of only three 4 panel or less pages out of nearly 200 pages in the Acclaimed 4 issue miniseries. Most of the pages from the series are at least 10 to 20+ panel packed pages with both imagery and content. 

This high impact introductory page of the major antagonist to Batman being Superman, is closely similar to Batman's entry to the cover of #1 (see collage right images). When I did a Google image search for the Superman image, the Batman image came up as a match. Both images have the left hand pointing out, right hand in a fist behind the body, also in silhouette form. While the differences are stark, Batman as a "man" is leaping or falling down so the cape flows back, while Superman portrayed as a "God-Like" figure, flies and in this case "floats" so his legs are positioned forward along with the cape. As far as image size, based on the same board size, both images are roughly the same dimensions, again creating an impact, while artistically creating negative space on both boards. Thus, it seems Miller wanted to create a very similar impactful image in silhouette introducing "Dark Superman", similarly to how he introduced "The Dark Knight" on the cover to #1!

Dark Knight Returns is easily one of the most revered comic stories from any era of all time, the series, defining the entire superhero genre from the 1980's to now, not only in comics, but the broader culture, including the popular and acclaimed Batman movie franchise, which included Zack Snyder's interpretation of Batman vs Superman, later depicted on the cover of issue 4 and the climactic ending to the series. Miller's award-winning career as a wildly innovative creator reached its apex with this four-issue story, which was immediately recognized as one of the most important graphic novels of all time, and which has remained continually in print as a modern classic. As author of comic book and film properties such as Sin City and 300, all of Miller's formidable storytelling and artistic skill are in full display in this gritty, realistic, and emotionally moving tale, which transports the superhero from the world of adolescent fantasy into an increasingly realistic contemporary urban climate, single-handedly transforming Batman into one of fiction's most resonant characters within American culture.

In conclusion, any original from this series is among the most desirable original art from the history of comics, but a page of this magnitude - the key introductory image of a major character from a series with so much influence on the entire comic industry is truly incredible. In 2005, Time magazine ranked The Dark Knight Returns as one of the top ten graphic novels ever created. As Alan Moore wrote about the series: "Beyond the imagery, themes, and essential romance of Dark Knight, Miller has also managed to shape the Batman into a true legend by introducing that element without which all true legends are incomplete and yet which for some reason hardly seems to exist in the world depicted in the average comic book, and that element is time... time has come to the Batman and the capstone that makes legends what they are has finally been fitted. In his engrossing story of a great man's final and greatest battle, Miller has managed to create something radiant which should hopefully illuminate things for the rest of the comic book field, casting a new light upon the problems which face all of us working within the industry and perhaps even guiding us towards some fresh solutions."

In short, this is one of the most important pieces of original comic book art Holy Grail Collectibles has ever had the pleasure to own. This iconic masterpiece from "Hunt the Dark Knight" has an image area of roughly 12" x 18", and aside from the typical four tape residue stains in the borders, some passages of white-out, and glue staining in panel three where an art correction stat had been glued over the original art (now revealed), the art is in Very Good condition. The original removed art stat is also included with the lot. 

Frank Miller Pencils and Inks Elektra Lives Again Graphic Novel Half Splash Elektra Battles Ninjas Classic Scene Page 29 Original Art (Marvel/Epic, 1990) 

This is a stunning piece by Miller from his acclaimed Elektra graphic novel. This splash page is from the classic sequence depicting Elektra fighting a horde of ninjas in a cemetery. This epic scene, is one of 5 pages in which Elektra appears in the book for the first time rising from the grave, which also marks the first battle scene in the acclaimed graphic novel. The movement and energy on display is staggering, truly the work of a genius at the top of his game. This very page was actually used as promotional material as seen on the cover of “Entertainment This Month #15”, and quite possibly other publications of the era. This scene is so memorable, as the page before this one, closely similar, was used as the promotional poster for the novel.

Miller's artwork in this book is considered by many as the best of his career, which is saying something. This prime era Miller art was done in between his acclaimed Dark Knight saga and a year before his Sin City work. Many believe he began drawing and writing this novel shortly after he left the Daredevil Series from issue #191, and took years for him to perfect and finish the work. As mentioned above, many critics believe this is Miller's greatest work of all time!

“Frank Miller was at the top of his game with Elektra Lives Again. This may be the best single work that Miller has done for Marvel. Written and with all line art by Miller, and with exquisite colors by Lynn Varley, it takes us back to the damaged life of Matt Murdock/Daredevil, haunted now by the ghost of the woman he loves. Elegant panel work. Sharp story telling.”-- Bud's Art Review

Pen and ink by Miller on vellum. Art is in excellent condition, there is a light horizontal stain about halfway up the page, this is the result of the previous page having been torn in half by Miller and taped back together with carpet tape which bled through into several of the pages underneath. Large Art, image size 12" x 16".

Check out this CBR Article in which it not only discusses the time frame importance in which this story was created (right after his acclaimed Daredevil run and same time as Dark Knight Returns, but also this story being his Goodbye to both the character and Marvel overall. Plus as an added bonus our very page is featured!

Jean Giraud (Moebius) Blueberry Fort Navajo #1 Blueberry 1st Appearance Historic Opening Battle Scene Page 1/2 Tier Page 3A Original Art (Pilote 211, 1963) 

This key page dates from the very first major creative endeavor that the artist Jean Giraud (1938-2012), later known to many readers as Moebius, took on as an artist in his own right, having recently emerged from an apprenticeship with the great Belgian creator Joseph "Jije" Gillain. Blueberry was foundational to Giraud's emergence as one of the most popular and esteemed artists of the Franco-Belgian bandes dessinees tradition and the collected stories are considered one of the great achievements in the world of international comics. This example comes from the very first story and opening scene featuring Blueberry (1st Appearance), known as Fort Navajo. It has Blueberry himself drawing a gun for the very 1st time and meeting Lt. Craig another key member in the story and series. It is an outstanding example from this key entry in the career of one of the most storied creators in the history of comics. 

Furthermore, according to the below page at time of auction, which was a later Pilote issue, though collected from the same 1st story issue, there's a lot of firsts on this half tier page for Blueberry.... 1st battle scene, 1st page meeting the other Star of the series Lt. Craig and of course both of their 1st appearances from this European landmark series!

Recently, in 2025, the 1st page from this landmark issue, just a mere 2 pages from our page here, sold for not only a Blueberry record, but an overall Moebius record at auction, with an incredible $175,000 result from Heritage! 

This Museum quality page is Ink on Bristol paper with an image area of 11.5" x 8", half tier. Traces of tape residues in the margins. Signed 'Gir'. In Very Good condition.

Jean Giraud (Moebius) Blueberry Fort Navajo #1 Blueberry 1st Appearance Issue Page 36 Original Art (Pilote 227, 1963) 

This key page dates from the very first major creative endeavor that the artist Jean Giraud (1938-2012), later known to many readers as Moebius, took on as an artist in his own right, having recently emerged from an apprenticeship with the great Belgian creator Joseph "Jije" Gillain. Blueberry was foundational to Giraud's emergence as one of the most popular and esteemed artists of the Franco-Belgian bandes dessinees tradition and the collected stories are considered one of the great achievements in the world of international comics. The offered example comes from the very first story series featuring Blueberry (1st Appearance), known as Fort Navajo. It has Blueberry himself in 8 of the 10 panels and the presented scene combines a bit of interpersonal conflict at the start and closes with an action sequence in the final four panels. It is an outstanding example from this key entry in the career of one of the most storied creators in the history of comics. 

Recently, in 2025, the 1st page from this landmark issue, sold for not only a Blueberry record, but an overall Moebius record at auction, with an incredible $175,000 result from Heritage!

This Museum quality page is Ink on Bristol paper with an image area of 11.5" x 15.5". Composed of two panels assembled on the back by paper tape. Traces of tape residues in the margins. Signed 'Gir'. In Very Good condition.

Jean Giraud (Moebius) - Cyborg Sci-Fi Illustration Original Art (c. 1993)

The creator of The Incal and The Airtight Garage produced this remarkable and intricate Cyborg science fiction piece for famed writer Harlan Ellison. This illustration is the original pencils and inks to the Ellison piece. A printed blueline copy of this original rendering was colored and used as the finished version and published in a German art book Moebius Zeichenwelt pages 290-291 in 2003. The colored version was auctioned and recently sold for $20,000 via art dealer Albert Moy!

Created in ink over graphite on paper with an image size of 10" x 13", much larger then the color copied version. Slight crease and handling. Comes with COA by Moebius' long time friend and colleague Jean-Marc Lofficier. In Very Good condition.

Graham Nolan and Eduardo Barreto Batman: Vengeance of Bane Special #1 Splash Page 17 1st Appearance Page of Bane The Man Who Broke The Bat Original Art (DC, 1993)

This splash page features the very first appearance of The Man called Bane, as he sees his future self. Bane, the Man Who Broke the Bat, as an apparition offering encouragement to his younger self. Although he is not depicted in his now-classic luchador-inspired costume, the notes in the right margin indicate that the villain's co-creator, Graham Nolan, initially penciled the page as such, with the editor requesting that inker Eduardo Barreto "put him in regular jail clothes and without the wires into his head." 

Looking at the page closely, you can see erased pencil lines for the belt, tank top, and Venom-injecting device that comprise his iconic look, making this an incredible piece of Batman history! So not only was this splash page the "reveal" of Bane the Man, but also was intended to be the first Bane costume page, making this page truly special to our collection. 

Ink over graphite, with some blue pencil lines laying out the word balloons, on Bristol board with a 10" x 15" image area. Adult Bane's word balloons in the first panel are paste-up with white tape behind them, apparently covering incorrect dialogue lettered directly on the board. Whiteout corrections, minor corner/edge wear, marginal notes, and a stylized signature from Nolan in the bottom margin. In Excellent condition.

Graham Nolan and Tom Palmer Batman: Bane of the Demon #2 Story Pages 1-8 (Bane and Talia Meet For The 1st Time) Original Art (DC, 1998)

Original artwork featuring Bane by his creator Graham Nolan is rare, especially with the villain in costume, as he's seen here in nearly every page, with the exception of only 2 pages! 

Here is the incredible first eight pages from the Chuck Dixon story "Bane of the Demon", which features epic imagery of the popular and deadly villain known as the one who broke Batman's back, alongside Talia and Ra's Al Ghul! These particular pages are extra special as they mark the historic 1st meeting of Bane and Talia, who not only end up having a long history in comics, but were the memorable villain duo in the acclaimed Batman movie Dark Knight Rises. An incredible sequence of pages featuring Bane throughout, from the opening splash page (page 1), then meeting Talia for the first time jumping out at her (page 4), to the ensuing battle of her goons while holding her hostage (pages 5-7) before the League of Assassins jump to their death (title splash page 8)!

Ink over graphite on Bristol board with image areas of 10" x 15". There is light toning, marginal tape residue, staple holes, corner bends, and marginal notes, with some pages having stat paste-up text corrections. In Very Good condition.
From The Tom Palmer Collection.

Irv Novick and Dick Giordano Batman #235 "Swamp Sinister" Ra's Al Ghul's 1st Ever Title Splash -- 2nd Appearance Page 2 Original Art (DC, 1971)

Here's another historic complete story from our collection, which marks what we believe is the earliest complete issue of a major Batman villain, the diabolical Ra's Al Ghul! Though Ra's first appeared in Batman #232, he remained a mysterious character throughout, with no real mention of his past or abilities until this issue. Talia, also appeared in Batman #232 (her 2nd Appearance) for only 3 panels at the end (1 1/2) pages in which she is ultimately the prize at the end, with Batman receiving a kiss. It wasn't until this issue, we not only learn more about Ra's, but also the daughter of the Demon, Talia (3rd appearance). This issue marked some important firsts to the Ra's Al Ghul / Batman mythos, which we'll get into with some of the later pages. Speaking of firsts, this historic title Splash is Ra's' first, as his 1st appearance in #232 only had an image of Robin kidnapped. Furthermore, Ra's does of course appear on the cover of #232 in the background in which Neal Adams at one point discussed he was only penciled on that cover and not inked to be a mysterious, shaded background figure behind Batman and Robin. Ra's does not appear on the cover of #235 as well, which makes this title Splash his first pencil and inked cover or title page ever in his early 2nd appearance! 

In this classic story Batman tracks down a secret formula stolen from Ra's al Ghul that has the power to kill in this Dennis O'Neil-penned tale, featuring engaging art from Novick and Giordano. As the Dark Detective attempts to recover the poison, he receives a little help from the lovely Talia al Ghul. 

Ink over graphite on Bristol boards with an average image area of 10" x 15". Lightly toned, with title and indicia stat paste-ups, whiteout corrections, tape and adhesive residue in the margins from tape, a few stripped-in text corrections, and handling wear. In Very Good condition.
From the Irv Novick Family Collection.

Irv Novick and Dick Giordano Batman #235 "Swamp Sinister" Ra's Al Ghul's 2nd Appearance 1st Ever Regeneration Image and Mention (Early Lazarus Pit) and Talia Al Ghul Page 4 Original Art (DC, 1971)

Here is another page we're choosing to put up from our 15 page complete story from Ra's Al Ghul's historic 2nd appearance, believed to be the earliest complete story of any major Batman villain known to exist! 

The reason why we chose this page is simple and no it's not because the beautiful Talia is on the first panel. It's quite simple really, this page is the first time we learn and see Ra's regenerating extending his life, or in this case, coming back to life! 

Ra's narrating from panel 3-

"However, my personal physicians were able to revive me, as they have so often before! Yes, it was not the first time I had tasted Death!" 

From the article linked below about the Early Lazarus Pits-

"The Lazarus Pits have been around nearly as long as Ra's and Talia have been, and even before they appeared, it was clear that Ra's had some method of extending his life. (subject image shown)...In these early versions, the Lazarus Pit is portrayed as a medical invention that Ra's has used to extend his life." 

This page is key as his previous 1st appearance there was no mention of his past or being brought back to life etc, making this a truly important page that sets up the future historic Lazarus Pit!

In this classic story Batman tracks down a secret formula stolen from Ra's al Ghul that has the power to kill in this Dennis O'Neil-penned tale, featuring engaging art from Novick and Giordano. As the Dark Detective attempts to recover the poison, he receives a little help from the lovely Talia al Ghul. 

Ink over graphite on Bristol boards with an average image area of 10" x 15". Lightly toned, with title and indicia stat paste-ups, whiteout corrections, tape and adhesive residue in the margins from tape, a few stripped-in text corrections, and handling wear. Several boards are trimmed. In Very Good condition.
From the Irv Novick Family Collection.

Irv Novick and Dick Giordano Batman #242 End Page 14 Batman's War Against Ra's Al Ghul Begins -- Key Moment In Batman Mythos Original Art (DC, 1972)

Batman fakes his own death by rigging a lifelike dummy, ready to take on the identity of Matches Malone and hunt down Ra's Al Ghul. This is the defining moment that starts the legendary battle between Ra's and Batman..."You have just witnessed the beginning.... Soon you are destined to witness--- The End!"

Ink over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15". Discolored production tape, production marks, whiteout, toning, and handling wear. In Excellent condition.
From the Irv Novick Family Collection.

George Pérez and Bruce Patterson Wonder Woman #3 "Deadly Arrival" Splash Page 1 Post-Crisis Wonder Woman 1st Arrival to "Man's World" Original Art (DC, 1987)

Hermes and Diana (Wonder Woman) are flying above Boston on this beautiful opening splash page as Diana (Wonder Woman) Returns to Earth (Man's World) for the first time Post Crisis on Infinite Earth. In this opening scene Diana will question why man can create such great cities yet create their own destruction. Hermes tells her not to judge too harshly, as Diana was put on Earth to put an end to Ares' mad plans.

The Post-Crisis Wonder Woman was one of the most radically altered characters in the wake of Crisis, with her title relaunched and her origin completely retold in a run by George Perez that remains critically acclaimed to this day. This opening splash is part 3 of 6 "Deadly Arrival" from story Arc 1 called "Gods and Mortals". 

Created in ink over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15" (including credit stat paste-up). The page is missing multiple text paste-ups, and the remaining text paste-up has been re-glued in a different spot than it was in the printed version. There are production marks and notes, adhesive staining, toning, and handling wear. In Good condition.

George Perez Infinity Gauntlet #4 Half Splash Page 9 (Final Perez Page From Series) Key First Thanos Battle Page From Saga (Marvel, 1991)

For many of us proud owners of Infinity Gauntlet original art pages this speaks to the nostalgia of our childhood, perhaps our first moment of a saga or story arc that remains classic to this day. It simply doesn’t get much better than this.       

This is the George Perez finale page to Infinity Gauntlet saga, a 6-part event series that has gone down in comic book history as one of the greatest Marvel stories ever told. It served, of course, as the basis for two of the biggest movies ever, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Infinity Gauntlet was a sequel of sorts to the "Thanos Saga" of the 1970s, written and illustrated by the master of cosmic sagas, Jim Starlin. This time Starlin served as the writer with the incredible George Perez drawing the first three issues and part of issue four, as seen here this being his final art page. Perez, having drawn DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths five years earlier, was the go-to “Rockstar” artist for huge events featuring dozens of characters. This momentous key page, which not only marks the first attack on Thanos (first true battle page in the saga), as mentioned above served as Perez’s last page.       

It’s public knowledge Perez left the project due to time constraints on other projects with DC, and perhaps creative differences. Perez was also a storyteller, but we must remember this was Starlin and Lim’s show leading up to the saga. With that said, Marvel brought on Perez to be the lead, the rockstar artist if you will for such a grand project. With Perez’s departure midway through Issue 4, it makes us wonder why leave after this page? One can guess after a slower paced, content driven first 3 issues, issue 4 is the battle issue and he wanted to go out with a bang! It’s no coincidence this being the first Thanos battle page in the series and happens to be Perez’s last one, making this great page the only Perez Thanos battle page in the entire saga!     

The cover says it all, “Let The Games Begin”. The subsequent 2 prior pages to this page has the second snap, essentially unfreezing the heroes in time to follow through with their attack, and Thanos says the classic line “Let the Battle Begin”, which leads us to this epic battle page. The top half splash is the heroes very first strike atempt at Thanos, it’s a clash of titans! You have both Hulk and Drax the Destroyer sneaking up and knocking the mad titan Thanos down. “Love and Godhood truly have befuddled his reason.” This is the first time what seems to be a full on successful assault on Thanos. Though in the ensuing lower panels we see Thanos is simply playing with them, as he blasts Drax with one devastating look. “They are but bothersome fleas to Thanos”.       

Perez leaves his mark with a character-filled bottom panel with literally a dozen characters in total including Thanos, Hulk, Drax, Captain America, Iron Man, She-Hulk, Wolverine, Namor, Spider-Man, Nova, Quasar and even Mistress Death is there on the side watching on. One can only imagine after drawing this action filled battle page, he felt it was time to move on and pass the torch to Lim. Sure there are significant pages in the saga, but how about drawing the first Thanos battle page in the entire run and this being his final penciled page? If you want to see a Perez Gauntlet battle page with Thanos, well, look no further, as this is it! Not to mention Perez obviously loved the top splash panel so much he paid homage to the image again in 1993 for the acclaimed series Future Imperfect #2 double splash title page this time Hulk in Thanos' same pose being blasted by Maestro, his future self. Ink over graphite on Bristol board Large “Twice-Up” art 13x19, signed by both Perez & Rubinstein at bottom center. In Very Good condition. 

H.G. Peter Wonder Woman #31 (Wonder Woman Co-Creator) Rare Golden Age Complete Page (Originally Unpublished, Later Published) Original Art (DC, 1948) 

Illustrated by Wonder Woman's co-creator H.G. Peter (1880-1958). Very little H. G. Peter original art is known to exist, despite the fact that the artist and co-creator drew Wonder Woman for more than 15 years. This is a rare full page by H.G. Peter originally slated for Wonder Woman #31 (1948), though unpublished at the time it was published later in a 'Then & Now' backup story in Wonder Woman #196 in 1971. 

A completed Wonder Woman original art page is beyond exceedingly rare, as there are only a handful of full pages that are known to exist. This page is the second earliest story to surface, as one page from Wonder Woman #28 is known to exist. And I should add this full page is exquisite featuring the three entire tiers of Wonder Woman saving the day and Captain Trevor on the lower two panels. 

It appears likely that art is among the Golden Age original art that was saved from oblivion by DC interns during the 1960’s. Story goes, like many other unpublished stories, it lay in DC's storeroom for many years. Sometime in the 1960s, some DC interns were asked to cut up these old stories and put them in the trash. The dutiful comic-fan interns followed the letter if not the intent of the order. They cut each page between tiers and put it in a trash can, which they returned to later and cleaned out before the trash pick-up came around. That is all that rescued this and other examples of fantastic late Golden Age material. This page, along with a handful of others looked to be kept in tact or rescued prior to completely cutting apart and lost forever. 

Ink over graphite on Bristol board with a large image area of 13" x 17.75". Cut into three tiers that are taped together on the back. Typical handling wear. Very Good condition. From the Ethan Roberts Estate Collection.
 

Mike Ploog Frankenstein #6 Page 10 Exceedingly Rare Original Art (Marvel, 1973) 

 Mike Ploog illustrated Marvel's Frankenstein #1-6 in 1973 and his originals are extremely rare on the open market, Ploog's artwork is both bold and exquisitely detailed, and given that he produced relatively little artwork in the course of his short time in comics, this preservation of his original art  is an all-too-rare treasure. When we acquired and to our knowledge, this was the first time time in over 15+ years an auction house offered a Ploog Frankenstein page. Just to give you an idea of the rarity factor, we are only aware of two other Ploog Frankenstein pages that have ever come up for public auction and those were in 2002 and 2008!

On this page, the Frankenstein Monster has traveled to Ingolstadt, the land of his creation, in search of members of the Frankenstein family that might still be alive. While visiting Castle Frankenstein, he's taken prisoner after the castle's owner orders his misshapen horde of mindless servants to subdue him. It's a very well executed page, with an outstanding final panel depicting the Frankenstein Monster.

The art has an image area of approximately 10" x 15" The artwork is signed by Mike Ploog and is in very good condition.

Whilce Portacio and Scott Williams Punisher #18 Kingpin Finale Page 31 From Portacio's Memorable Run On Title & Story Arc "Bye Whilce" Original Art (Marvel, 1989)

From the classic issue "Face Off With The Kingpin" The Punisher makes a deal with one of his greatest adversaries, which I believe was their first battle issue ever! This page also marks the end of Whilce's memorable run on title, as the 4th panel Scott Williams wrote on the side of the building "Bye Whilce". While Zeck and Janson from this time were great, I was blown away by Whilce's detailed linework and thought he was one of the best from the era. This page is is a great sign off from Whilce, showcasing that great detail with both Punisher, Kingpin and the NYC skyline to "End" in panel 6.

Ink over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15.25". Slight toning, top edge is irregularly trimmed, and production tape holding on the page number. In Very Good condition.

Joe Quesada and Jimmy Palmiotti Daredevil #6 Double Page Title Splash "Guardian Devil Part 6" (Night of Karen Page's Death) Original Art (Marvel, 1999) 

I’ve always wanted a page from Smith and Quesada’s “Guardian Devil Run”, these pages rarely come up let alone a double page title splash! This scene is quite memorable to the run as just a few pages earlier Matt's love, Karen is killed by Bullseye and now Daredevil must decide if he wants his life to continue. Literally the page earlier Matt has a gun to his head. The level of detail Quesada and Palmiotti are able to convey on this page is just incredible. Daredevil’s billy clubs are slammed into the shattered mirror and even stabbing the pillow of the bed they shared is alarming. We see Matt half in costume, arched over wrapped up in their sheets, while gripping the pillows and seemingly tearing them apart. Speaking of which, look at the extreme detail Quesada and Palmiotti put on the bed sheets— It’s all there— Everything is shattered— the window is shattered— the lamp is shattered— the computer is shattered— even the plant and pillows are torn to shreds and turned upside down, just as it is for Matt’s life with Karen gone. 

On the published page (shown for comparison to the black and white art) other than the “Guardian Devil Part 6” and art / writing contributions the only content to the story reads a flashback from Karen in this very bed they lay saying— “When are you going to stop?” The following page she continues “Don’t ever quit… Never stop Matt… No matter what!” Matt repeats this to himself enough to get the courage again to put the mask back on and avenge Karen’s death. Truly an incredible piece of art from an epic run showcasing in one DPS the grief and anguish Matt is going through.

Heritage description:

An epic double-page title splash giving an overview of the results of Matt's grief over Karen's death. A poignant scene from the acclaimed art team of Quesada/Palmiotti created in 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, with light smudging and handling wear. Signed at the bottom by Palmiotti and writer Kevin Smith. In Excellent condition.

Frank Quitely "E Is For Extinction - Part 2" New X-Men #115 Story Page 4 Wolverine & Cyclops Original Art (Marvel, 2001)

From “E For Extinction Part 2” from Grant Morrison story & Frank Quitely’s art. This is the second issue of the acclaimed run that showcased Quitely’s storytelling mastery that brought a vital new vision to the fan-favorite mutants! This issue features Sentinels in the skies, which is the first page showcasing the deadly robots attacking the X ship. On the previous title page the hidden Ecuadorian Master Mold factory unit, Donald Trask (inspired by the radical ideas of Cassandra Nova) instructs the giant Wild Sentinels to commit mass mutant genocide. 

Here we see Cyclops, Wolverine and the innocent civilian Ugly John fly above the factory on-board the X-Wing. They are then attacked by various miniature Sentinels and are soon brought forth to Cassandra Nova. With racial paranoia at an all-time high, the villain known only as Cassandra unleashes a legion of transfigured Sentinels on the world's mutant population! Their first target? The island nation of Genosha! Caught in the maelstrom are Cyclops and Wolverine—and one of them will have to make a terrible choice! 

Frank Quitely pencils with Tim Townsend credited inks. The image are is 10.5" x 14", and the art is in Excellent condition. X-ceptional art! 

Humberto Ramos Peter Parker Spider-Man #45 “A Death in the Family Part Two” Spider-Man Implicated Key Page 12 Original Art (Marvel, 2002)

Here was a tough one to find… From the acclaimed Jenkins/Ramos run from “A Death in The Family” Spider-Man confronts Jonah Jameson in a rainstorm as he’s implicated for the murder of Gwen Stacy. At this time, Bagley was doing Ultimate, Romita Jr. was doing Amazing and Ramos was on Peter Parker. I felt Ramos at this time was breaking new walls with his fresh innovative styling of Spider-Man and I really wanted a prime example of his work. For some reason I really took to this page layout with great shots of Spidey hanging in the rain. 

In "Chasing Amazing" Top 10 Green Goblin Storylines, this issue and story arc is ranked #4, which says the following about the events leading up to and directly discussing the importance of this magnificent page...

"And that’s when this story kicks into high gear and really ratchets up the emotional torment. Peter Parker #45 opens with a video Osborn released to the news media about the night Gwen Stacy died. During his narration, Norman talks about how he kidnapped Gwen due to a “business dispute” with Spider-Man, and that she was knocked off the Brooklyn Bridge accidentally during the confrontation. Goblin claims he tried to course correct on her glider, but Spider-Man instead makes the stupid mistake of using his webbing and snapping her neck.

The infamous neck “snap” is one of the great points of debate for Spider-Man fans. Was Gwen already dead when she was thrown off the bridge, or did Spider-Man actually provided the fatal blow to his beloved, innocent girlfriend when he used his webbing? Jenkins’s script manages to violently grab this debate by the throat and make both Peter and readers realize their worst fears about it. Not only is Norman traumatizing Peter by making him relive this horrible moment, but he is forcing him to accept his role in Gwen’s death. Sure, Peter could just dismiss Norman as a madman trying to make trouble, but because of that iconic “snap,” we all know that beneath his insanity, Osborn has hit upon some semblance of truth with this video."

Ramos Pencils and Faucher inks. The art has an image area of approximately 10" X 15" and is in excellent condition.

Paolo Rivera Mythos: X-Men #1 Origin Retold Magneto vs X-Men Painted Page 22 Large Original Art (Marvel, 2006)

This gorgeous painted page adapts the original five X-Men's first encounter with Magneto at Cape Citadel, as first depicted in The X-Men #1 (1963). Following an intense battle, the mutant Master of Magnetism is shown raising his hands in a moment of apparent retreat before suddenly departing. His wicked smile in the fifth panel, along with sixty years of comic history, suggests we haven't seen the last of him. Marvel Girl (Jean Grey), Iceman, Angel, and the Beast appear alongside their mentor, Professor X, with Cyclops just off-panel. 

Rendered in oil, over graphite on masonite with an oversized image area of 16" x 24". Artist Paolo Rivera has stated that only the X-Men and Hulk issues of Mythos were painted in oil, making this a rare opportunity to own a uniquely rendered piece of comic book art. Minor scuffing and handling wear. In Excellent condition.

Jerry Robinson Detective Comics #76 1st Robinson Penciled Joker Story & 1st Battle Page of Batman vs Joker From The Classic "Slay 'Em With Flowers" Story Original Art (DC, 1943)

This Historic page showcasing the Clown Prince of Crime was published in Detective Comics #76 (1943), and is both penciled and inked by Joker and Robin co-creator Jerry Robinson. This page marks a couple of firsts for Robinson. First off, this was Robinson's first pencil and ink'd Joker story from the creator and second, this is the very first battle page from that first story he ever drew of the Clown Prince vs Batman, making it truly historic! Check out that 2nd panel where Batman punches joker and says "This is no bed of roses for you, Joker!"

Panel pages from this or any era in which Robinson inked over his own pencils are rare enough, but those with the Joker are near non-existent. To date, this is the only one that we have seen. The fact that it is a battle page between Batman and Robin and the Joker is icing on the proverbial cake and it could very well be one of the best Batman battle page that has survived from the Golden Age. The illustrated scene is integral to the dynamic duo's battle with the Joker and his cronies from the 12-page story entitled "Slay 'Em with Flowers". The issue is revered within the comic book hobby for its classic Joker cover image representing this very story. Robinson was one of only a handful of artists working in the Golden Age era who had interest in preserving some of their original artwork, which is why there are still a small number of early Batman pages around 80+ years post-production.

Detective Comics #76 is one of the most in-demand Batman comic books from the early 1940s thanks to its stunning Robinson cover. The cover depicts a giant, sinister image of the Joker emerging from a flower while using a gardener's spray-gun filled with poison weed killer to take out a miniaturized Batman and Robin before their giant scissors can cut the flower from a potted plant.

"Slay 'Em With Flowers" tells the story of the Joker's latest crime spree. The Joker poses as a florist to gain access to the wealthiest homes in Gotham City. He and his cronies deliver flowers to targeted mansions and use chloroform in the flower stems to put their victims to sleep so they can rob their treasure-filled homes. Batman and Robin are called in by the GCPD to investigate and battle the Joker and his henchmen.

The art has an image area of approximately 13" x 18" on a 15" x 20" board. All of the artwork on the board is original as is all of the lettering. The art board shows wear consistent with its age, with some chipping present at the margins of the board. There are pencil and ink smudges, very minor staining, and the artist's use of white-out remains on the board. Overall in good condition.

Marshall Rogers Pencils, Bob Wiacek, and John Cebolerro Inks Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #136 Batman Reveal Page 9 Original Art (DC Comics, 2000)

 Here is one of my favorite Batman artists, Marshall Rogers in the finale issue (Part 5) of "Siege" depicting The Dark Knight coming face to face with Colonel Brass in the depths of Wayne Manor, who knows more about the Wayne family secrets than Bruce. I especially love Batman's entry to the scene in panel 3 and the cape flowing full image in panel 4. Panel 5 Batman is face to face with the villain who now knows Bruce Wayne is Batman! As shown on the cover, this was the reveal of Thomas Wayne as an earlier Batman! St. Cloud explains the flashback from the 1930's shows Thomas Wayne also dressed as a Bat and infers Thomas Wayne as the original Batman. 

Created in ink and Zipatone over graphite on DC Comics Bristol board with an image area of 10.5" x 15.5" on a twice-up board. The page is slightly toned, all text is paste-up, with a few stat paste-up text corrections. The Zipatone is mildly discolored. There is light smudging and soft creasing. Signed and inscribed in the lower right by Rogers. In Very Good condition.

John Romita Jr. Spider-Man #67 Spider-Man Splash Page From The Issue Titled "Who Am I?" (Referenced on Page) Original Art (Marvel, 1996)

A stunning and memorable splash page of Spider-Man swinging through the city as Peter Parker tries to find himself now that he is powerless and no longer Spider-Man. An emotional key page with the top left panel quoting the issues title "Who Am I?" a reflection period for Peter Parker overlooking the city, playing to an almost "Spider-Man No More" homage. The original art vs the published version shows the Spidey splash image as a silhouette flashback, brilliantly done by Romita Jr. as the outline of the buildings background is seen through Spider-Man in his glory days. This is the first time Romita draws the classic red and blue Spider-Man on his famed Mackey run, taking over the series a few issues earlier with #64 where Ben Reilly is now Spider-Man in a different suit in the clone saga. This is considered Romita Jr's peak period drawing the character with his all new style different from the house style of Spider-Man in the 80's.

Romita Jr. Pencils with Al Williamson Inks on Marvel Bristol board with an image area of 10.25" x 15.75", matted and Plexiglas-front framed to 15.25" x 21.25". Frame wear. Signed by Romita Jr. at the bottom. In Excellent condition.

John Romita Sr. Amazing Spider-Man #59 Page 13 1st Mary Jane Cover & Feature Issue (MJ on all 5 Panels!) Original Art (Marvel, 1968)

From Mary Jane's first issue on the cover and her first featured issue from Amazing Spiderman. Issue #59 is widely considered MJ’s breakthrough issue in look and style and this is one of the best pages in the entire book to feature her in all 5 panels by her co-creator John Romita Sr! And there’s only 1 other page in this MJ feature that has her on all panels, which is page 19, a 4 panel page. This issue ranks in CBR’s top 10 Best Spider-Man Comics Drawn By John Romita Sr., coming in at #9. Also take note, this is 1 of only 2 pages in this landmark issue to have Peter “Spider-Man” Parker, MJ, Gwen Stacy, Harry Osbourn along with Captain Stacy all featured on one page! — Face it, tigers, it's an art jackpot!

I confess that, when I re-read the old Lee/Romita Spidey stories, I generally skip over the Spidey fight scenes and focus on the drama in Peter's life that made his character so sympathetic and relatable to generations. In this case to see the ongoing love triangle between Peter, Gwen & MJ was more entertaining than Spidey battling the Brainwasher a few pages later. 

Page Breakdown- Mary Jane plays photographer during her debut at the Gloom Room A-Go-Go, acting as an unknowing accomplice of the Brainwasher, who we later find out is really Kingpin! All of MJ’s friends come out to support her including Peter “Spider-Man” Parker, Gwen Stacy, and Harry Osborn. Plus, the city councilman and Captain Stacy are in attendance and are zinged by MJ’s camera, feeling ill instantly. 

The trademark Romita style is on full display, with beautiful shots of Mary Jane and Gwen Stacy, coming through in the legendary artist's layouts for Don Heck, with finishes by Mike Esposito. Or as Marvel at the time put it; art by John Romita, enchantment by Don Heck and embellishment by Mickey Dimeo aka Mike Esposito. 

Ink over graphite and blue pencil on Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15". Slight toning, trimmed right side edge, punched holes in the top and bottom margins, tape abrasion on the bottom left corner into Panel 4, marginal notes, whiteout corrections, taped paste-up at the bottom right, with spot staining and handling wear. In Very Good condition.

John Romita Sr. Amazing Spider-Man #75 "Death Without Warning" Classic Battle Scene Spidey vs. Man Mountain Marko Original Art (Marvel, 1969) 

Spider-Man battles the Maggia enforcer super-villain known as Man Mountain Marko in the well remembered classic story titled "Death Without Warning!" from Amazing Spider-Man #75 (1969) in four large panels on this original artwork page. It's the work of the legendary John Romita, and Jim Mooney, who many consider the best inker of Spider-Man of this era, as Mooney's inks are so incredibly detailed, complimenting Romita. Romita's work on Spider-Man from the late Silver Age is among the most revered by original art collectors. This is an excellent example of his prime era work featuring a Great Spider-Man battle scene, including three full-body images of the world's most popular superhero in motion battling Marko. In the Amazing final panel we hear an unseen character exclaiming that he's getting younger. This was Marko's elderly mob boss, Silvermane, after he has taken a potion that de-ages him. In a memorable scene in this story featuring this page, Silvermane de-ages past infancy and ceases to exist! Absolutely great content from a classic story and some of the best action art panels in the book! Heritage has only offered 2 other pages from this issue at auction over the last couple years, one of which was the page prior to this one, which sold for $43,200 on 4/22 and page 18 on 6/21 for $45,600! But most recently and eye opening, a similar 4 panel battle page with Kingpin from issue #69 sold for a record $143,000! This page and issue #75's art is featured in John Romita's Amazing Spider-Man Artist's Edition.

John Romita, along with Spider-Man co-creator Steve Ditko, is considered one of the two most important artists to ever work on Spider-Man, the #1 Marvel character now for over five decades. Romita famously took over the Amazing Spider-Man title with 1966's issue #39, providing Spider-Man and Peter Parker with a fresh, more optimistic look that vaulted the character to a new level of popularity, assuring that Spidey would become arguably the biggest character in the history of the industry. Amazing Spider-Man is by far the most collected title in the hobby and Romita is a big part of the reason for that. Romita, who is now 93, is retired from comic books.

This art has an image area of approximately 10" x 15", an approximate 1" tear is located in the upper right corner. Minor staining is present in panels 2, 3, and 4. Opaque white is utilized in all four panels to make minor to moderate corrections. An approximate 3.5" piece of tape has been affixed to the board and slightly enters the art area in panel 4. This tape is less than 0.5". Art is in Excellent condition.

Alex Ross Super Friends Classic Trade Paperback Cover, Poster & Print Original Art (DC, 2001)

Master comic art painter Alex Ross created this joyful cover painting with a Pop Art feel in Acrylic on board. It was published as the cover to the 2001 Super Friends Trade Paperback collection as an homage to the work of another legendary Alex--Alex Toth. It was also published as a poster in recent years as well as a print. Ross, who is well known for his love of superheroes of the 1970s, recreated Toth's cover to the 1976 Super Friends DC Treasury Edition, which was the first time the Super Friends versions of DC's most famous heroes appeared in a comic book. Soon after that the Super Friends received their own ongoing comic book series and it was several issues of that series that were reprinted in the trade paperback collection featuring Ross' tribute cover.

This is the earliest incarnation of the Super Friends featuring Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman and Aquaman, along with their mascots, Wendy, Marvin and Wonder Dog. This latter trio served as comedy relief in the series and were likely inspired by the success of the Scooby-Doo cartoon, which also featured teenagers and a semi-intelligent canine. When DC's human encyclopedia E. Nelson Bridwell wrote the ongoing Super Friends comic book he revealed that Wendy was the niece of Harvey Harris, the man who trained a young Bruce Wayne in how to become a master detective. Marvin, who always wore a cape and a shirt with a big 'M' on it, was revealed to be the son of Diana Prince White, the nurse whose name Wonder Woman took when she came to "Man's World", allowing the real Diana Prince to elope with her new husband. The trio was later replaced by the Wonder Twins, aliens Zan and Jayna who had actual super powers. ('Wonder Twins powers activate! Form of... an Alex Ross painting!').

The art has an image area of approximately 11" x 16" in an 18.5" x 22.5" frame. Inscribed "Alex After Alex", in excellent conditon.

Stan Sakai Usagi Yojimbo #66 Cover "Sumi-E Part 1" A Tribute To Giant Japanese Monsters Original Art (Dark Horse, 2003)

Something that rarely comes to market are Stan Sakai Usagi Yojimbo covers from this period, especially one with both of Usagi's swords drawn and a large full figure such as this one. Stan Sakai's bold strokes depict Usagi's fearless stand against Giant Monster Centipedes, creating a striking cover alive with action and tension. This 3 part story arc "Sumi-E" is noted in ClassicsComics.org (Usagi Yojimbo Forum) Sumi-e as one of their favorite Usagi stories. 

Dark Horse notes for issue and as beautifully depicted on the cover- 

"The first part of renowned storyteller Stan Sakai's tribute to giant Japanese monsters begins here! There's a new evil in the area--

a cursed ink box with the ability to bring its pictures from Japanese mythology to a horrifying reality. However, the inks are running low, and the box's owner is driven to replenish his supply. Unfortunately, there's only one source from which the sinister painter can draw, and that's the blood of young children! Before long, wandering ronin Usagi's young charge Jotaro is targeted, and even Usagi might not be strong enough to protect his companion from the horrors that await!"

From The Michael Hoskin Blog- Presenting: Sasuke, the Demon Queller!

"In "Sumi-E" (found in vol.18: "Travels With Jotaro"), Sasuke not only knows Jotaro's name before it is given to him, he also surmises Usagi is Jotaro's father... "Sumi-E" is an absolute delight, containing a loving tribute to Japanese giant monster movies such as Gamera and Godzilla."

Crafted by Stan Sakai in ink over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15.5". Signed by Sakai in the lower margin. In Excellent condition.

Tim Sale Batman: Madness A Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Special Splash Page 13 (Best Batman Full Splash In Book) Original Art (DC, 1994)

This story "Madness" takes place during Batman's early career, and focuses on the Mad Hatter's (Jervis Tetch) abduction of a young Barbara Gordon, taking her to a house filled with all of his bizarrely warped reenactments and interpretations of Lewis Carrol's Alice in Wonderland. Writer Jeph Loeb created an eerie environment for this story and his frequent collaborator and legendary artist, the late Tim Sale, provided the suspenseful scenery in his trademark chiaroscuro style. On this splash page, we find Batman fallen from the train tracks after he’s shot by Hatter, battered and bruised as he puts together the pieces of this maddening tale. This is arguably the best Batman splash pages in the book, the playing cards in the background are a wonderful addition by Sale. Shortly after this Halloween Special, Loeb and Sale teamed up again for The Long Halloween. 

An incredible piece from an award-winning comic book artist that created stunning imagery for every series he touched. Sale passed away suddenly on June 16th, 2022. Ink over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 10.5" x 15.5". in Excellent condition.

Tim Sale Daredevil: Yellow #2 "The Man Without Fear" (Referenced For First Time In Series) Fixer Confirmed Dead Half Splash Page Original Art (Marvel, 2001)

A stunning origin splash page confirming the man who killed his father (The Fixer) is in fact dead and in his ode to Karen Page writing, "Karen. You were the first one to call me "The Man Without Fear". The brilliant second panel shows Daredevil lifting the dead Fixer (different angle from panel 1) in the shadows with the large "D" focused and the subway train moving in the background elaborating more about Karen's calling him The Man Without Fear adding, "I liked that -- even reveled in it." The bottom half splash depicts an extremely well detailed portrait of Daredevil, with the subway train in the background, stating his similarities to his father, after finally getting justice for his murder writing a chilling line, "I was -- am -- will always be -- so much like my Dad.". Two great shots of Daredevil in his original costume and all important Daredevil dialogue on this page from the Jeph Loeb/Tim Sale series telling the origin story of the blind lawyer Matt Murdock becoming the costumed crimefighter. 

An incredible piece from an award-winning comic book artist that created stunning imagery for every series he touched. Sale passed away suddenly on June 16th, 2022. Ink and wash over graphite on Marvel Bristol board with an image area of 9" x 14". Signed by Sale in the top right. In Excellent condition.

Javier Saltares and Mark Texeira Ghost Rider #5 Punisher Meets Ghost Rider Historic Anti-Heroes 1st Battle Page Original Art (Marvel, 1990)

The Punisher battles Ghost Rider for the first time on this very page, but his attacks have little effect on the Spirit of Vengeance on this page from the two antiheros first meeting on this historic Battle page. On the opening vertical panel as Punisher blasts Ghost Rider for the very first time he says "What is he?" Ghost Rider responds smacking the gun out of his hand and the battle ensues. This was a very memorable scene for me as a child, as these two characters were my favorites from this period. As a bonus, this is not only Saltares pencils, but Texeira inks! So when this came to market, this page was a must have in my eyes.

Ink over graphite on oversized Marvel Bristol board with an image area of 10.25" x 16.5". Slight toning, text paste-ups and residue staining from a missing paste-up at the top left, pinholes in the top margin, whiteout corrections, with staining, creasing, and edge/handling wear. Inscribed by Saltares in the lower left image area. In Very Good condition.

Alex Schomburg Amazing Science Fiction Stories Combined with Fantastic Stories Nov-1984 "One Final Dragon" Cover Study Original Art (Dragon Publishing, 1984)

A piece titled "One Final Dragon" shows the mythical creature enraged at a thief after his treasure. This cover study painting was created for the cover of the Sci-fi/fantasy digest and is nearly identical to the finished piece (see subject art left and finished right). The finished piece was selected and Exhibited in the Smithsonian that same year it was created in 1984 (see bottom image), an absolutely exquisite painted piece even as the cover study!

Gouache over graphite on illustration board with an image area of 5.25" x 7.5". Slight toning and light handling wear. Signed by Schomburg in the top image area and in Excellent condition. Includes a newspaper article about Schomburg, gallery show poster, and a copy of the publish book.

Charles Schulz Snoopy Peanuts Historic "Flying Ace" Birth Year Specialty Drawing Original Art (United Feature Syndicate, 1965)

Schulz dedicated many self-contained drawings and Peanuts episodes to his cartoonist friend Bill Mauldin, whom Schulz called "the Greatest Cartoonist of World War II." Here, Snoopy the Beagle (in "Flying Ace" costume), raises a toast to "my ol' buddy, Bill." Pulitzer Medalist Mauldin was properly appreciative. 

We should add being a 1965 piece and the birth year of the famed "Flying Ace" persona first airing October 10th, 1965, makes this a truly historic piece of art from Schulz of Snoopy in his most famed and desirable persona! Seeing that the first strip aired so late in the year of 1965 (4th quarter), it begs to question how close it was done within the very first "Flying Ace Strip", also being a 1965 piece of the same era and certainly the earliest known outside of the Schulz Museum. To put the desirability in perspective for a "Flying Ace" Snoopy Schulz illustration, though larger, it was undated and sold for whopping $36,000 at auction in 2024!

Ink over graphite on Peanuts Sunday Bristol board measuring 12" x 8.25", with an image area of 6.5" x 8.5". Excellent condition.

Mike Sekowsky Justice League of America #16 Title Page 13 Rare All 10 Members Portraits Original Art (DC, 1962)

Mike Sekowsky, co-founder and artist of the Justice League provides detailed portraits of all 10 members of the early Silver Age iteration of the Justice League are featured on this 'Twice-up' (large art) chapter 2 title page from Justice League of America #16 (1962). Artwork is by the team of Mike Sekowsky (pencils) and Bernard Sachs (inks). The DC heroes are bringing each other up to speed on their encounters with the Maestro, a villain that uses music to force people to dance, including the heroes themselves. Present are the original seven members of the JLA: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman and the Martian Manhunter, J'onn J'onzz. Joining them are the two later additions to the team, Green Arrow and the Atom, along with honorary member and teen team mascot Snapper Carr.

This was a memorable issue of Justice League of America because the third chapter revealed a major twist. It turns out that this wasn't an actual adventure of the Justice League, but instead was a comic book story created and sent to the actual JLA by their greatest fan, "Jerry Thomas". Fans of comic fandom history will recognize that "Jerry Thomas" was a fictionalized tribute to two adult comic book fans who did much to create the comic book fan movement in the early 1960s, Jerry Bails and Roy Thomas. Bails and Thomas launched the seminal fanzine Alter-Ego. Bails would go on to publish key comic book history reference guides including Who Who of American Comic Books. Thomas, of course, would go on to become one of the most important comic book writers in the history of the medium. 

The image area is 13" x 18", and the art is in Excellent condition. A sensational piece of DC fan memorabilia and Silver Age art.

Bill Sienkiewicz Pencils and Inks Moon Knight #33 Memorable Cover Moon Knight Battling The Druid - 1st Joy Mercado Original Art (Marvel, 1983)

Joy Mercado’s (1st Appearance on this very cover, who later became a regular as a reporter with Peter Parker for many Spider-Man related issues) investigation of Druid Walsh heats up in the story: “Exploding Myths”. Published September 1, 1983, Bill Sienkiewicz’s crème de la crème Moon Knight! This stunning work features Moon Knight battling The Druid and showcases Sienkiewicz's masterful design and execution. To our knowledge, the previous Moon Knight covers were all pencil and ink, no mixed media, so this is likely the first cover he experimented on using mixed media (white paint), which he became even more famous for during his New Mutants run just months later. This creation was the artist’s second-to-last cover he produced from his run on the groundbreaking series! Sienkiewicz produced only 25 of the series’ 38 covers, making this a prized possession in our collection.

Bill Sienkiewicz was a relative unknown when he began his stint on Moon Knight in 1980. By the end of the series only a few short years later, he had become one of his generation’s most influential artists. To this day, his original Moon Knight Covers are amongst the most-desired works of his illustrious career, so we feel quite honored to hold this in our collection.

The art is accomplished in mixed-media with ink over graphite and white paint for effect on 11" x 17" Bristol board. It is professionally framed to 18 x 24 inches and is in excellent condition. The work is signed by Sienkiewicz in the image as well as in the UPC box. Extraordinary!

Bill Sienkiewicz The New Mutants #24 Magneto Key Plus Wolfsbane and Sunspot Page 9 Original Art (Marvel, 1985)

Here is a striking page from Bill Sienkiewicz's revolutionary New Mutants run, where his expressionistic art blended surrealism and psychological depth, transforming superhero storytelling forever. Magneto's heartfelt apology stuns Lee Forrester. Meanwhile, chaos erupts at St. Anne's as Wolfsbane and Sunspot disrupt Father Bowen's tranquil evening vigil. Check out the page below this one, only one page off (nearly consecutive), continuing the scene here shown on the bottom tier at St. Anne's.

Drafted in ink over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15". Signed by Sienkiewicz in the lower margin. Panel 5 is an original art paste-up with discoloration and Panel 6 is stat paste-up. Toned, with an irregularly trimmed top edge and right corners, discolored hand-lettered text paste-ups, whiteout touch-ups, whiteout text correction in Panel 3, adhesive residue from missing paste-up, and handling wear. In Very Good condition.

Bill Sienkiewicz Pencils and Inks The New Mutants #24 Story Page 11 (Cloak & Dagger with Sunspot) Original Art (Marvel, 1985)

What Sienkiewicz is most known for or acclaimed for is his run on New Mutants where his style really evolved doing mixed media painted covers, and really pushed the envelope with his expressionist art style. Here’s a great example of his work on that run with a charged up panel page featuring Cloak and Dagger and Sunspot. A very important page to the issue and run as Cloak and Dagger are powerless but want to help out those in need at the bus terminal. While at the bus terminal Tyrone & Tandy shooed away a pimp who was scouting for lost runaways. They realised how powerless they were, leaving him to recruit other children. The last panel shows New Mutant Sunspot aka Roberto at St. Anne’s crying to Father Bowen as he thinks he killed Colossus! But don’t worry, in the following pages we soon find out Colossus lives! Great example of Sienkiewicz body of work at this time. I especially love his thick, scratchy inks over his pencils, and the emotions he’s able to convey through his art. 

Ink over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15". Some toning, chopped corners, irregular trimming on upper margin, paste-up text balloons, staining, and light smudging/handling wear. In Very Good condition.

Bill Sienkiewicz Elektra Assassin #2 Page 7 Elektra Origin Flashback Sensei Battle Page Original Art (Marvel/Epic, 1986)

Elektra first appeared during the famed Frank Miller run on Daredevil, and was later defined in the iconic Elektra: Assassin, a 1986 masterpiece limited series by artist Bill Sienkiewicz and his avant-garde approach to mixed media materials. 

This painted Bill Sienkiewicz page featuring Elektra in action comes from Elektra: Assassin #2, with breathtaking artwork by Sienkiewicz, and is one of the best-remembered accomplishments of its era. Stunning sequential art from Bill Sienkiewicz for the iconic eight-issue limited series taking place before her introduction in Daredevil #168, focusing on Elektra trying to recover her memory while at the same time being chased by S.H.I.E.L.D. This flashback battle shows her strength... and weakness. After her escape from a South American asylum, she experiences the beauty and harshness of the jungle, while trying to shut out the teachings of the Hand. The third panel (blankness) is when she lapses consciousness from being part or removed from her surroundings, with the following panels flashing back to a battle and training in become a ninja. The following page continues the battle and shows the man (presuming a Hand Sensei) losing and presenting her his sword in shame. A remarkable page from the limited series of Elektra in battle, and her origins in becoming the ninja as we all know her.   

Sienkiewicz is one of the most distinctive and acclaimed creators in Modern comic art and this series is an important example from the height of his career. Mixed Media crafted in ink and gouache over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15". Toned adhesive tape in the margins.. In Excellent condition.

Joe Shuster Historic Superman Character Study From The Beginnings of Superman (DC, c. 1937-1938) 

Superman figure study Original Art by Creator Joe Shuster. This piece was found in a hidden space behind a false wall in a newly purchased home. After much research we believe this incredible art piece is from the Beginnings of Superman, pre-Action #1 as a working study leading up to the book, the only such art known to exist from this period. 

Originally sold by Metropolis / ComicConnect, who is one of the leading Superman comic auction houses setting multiple record sales for both Action Comics #1 and Superman #1. Accompanied by a Metropolis/ComicConnect COA. Image on 10.75"x12" brown paper mounted on heavy black board. Signed by Shuster. See our link below as we go into detail on this piece as we break it down scientifically down to the characteristics of the suit and even to the paper to determine the era of this incredibly rare piece of art.

Joe Shuster Rare Early Superman Sketch Signed by Both Creators and More From Their Hometown Original Art (1942)

Here is a rare early piece drawn by his creator, Joe Shuster, with an accompanying autograph by co-creator Jerry Siegel. An amazing piece of spontaneous work by a pioneer in the comic-book industry, true to Shuster's initial conception of Superman as a barrel-chested carnival strongman. Not to mention, one of the finest Shuster Superman sketches we have seen. What struck me is how few actual dated Superman drawings there are by Joe Shuster, even fewer dated this early from the 1940's (less than a handful known to exist dated this early), and one of the only one's we've seen featuring signatures by both creators, making this piece extra special!

The medium places the drawing squarely within Siegel and Shuster's hometown territory -- a menu from Cleveland's Southern Tavern, boasting a $2.50 steak dinner and a 40-cent shot of Old Granddad Bonded Bourbon. Additional signatures include those of Frank Shuster (Joe's cousin) and Bella Siegel (Jerry's wife). 

The pure-graphite drawing (back cover of menu) measures 8" x 13". Toned, with edge wear and light smudging. Very Good condition. Accompanied by an older COA when previously sold.

Marc Silvestri, Dan Green, Hilary Barta and Tom PalmerWolverine #50 Key End Page Death of Professor Hudson Weapon X Page 36 Original Art (Marvel, 1992)

The dramatic End story page of the key issue #50 as things with Logan will never be the same! This key page and finale to the Weapon X sequel features Wolverine, Jean Gray, Cyclops, Jubilee, and Professor X finding Carol Hines next to the lifeless body of Professor Andre / Truett Hudson, former director of the Weapon X program. This page also goes well with our finale page to the Mutant Genesis in X-Men #7 issue by Jim Lee featuring the death of Dr. Cornelius, the other key member of the Weapon X program. I especially love the final team panel discussing the changes with Wolverine from here on out- "I fear, my X-Men, that the Wolverine that was reborn tonight may be a far different man than the one we have known." Xavier. Such a key page to one of the most important Wolverine issues of this era.

Ink over graphite on Marvel Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15". Discoloration to the pasted word balloons. Text balloon missing in Panel 3. Glue residue staining. Signed by Marc Silvestri. Minor handling wear. In Very Good condition.

Joe Simon Historic Captain America / Sentinels of Liberty Ad Illustration Original Art (Marvel/Timely, c. 1939-41)

Here is a truly Historic piece of Captain America and Marvel history from the beginnings of Captain America c. 1939-40. Joe Simon has previously examined this piece and verified that it is his artwork and lettering, and said "It must have been done in 1939" in a direct email to Joe Mannarino (collector/dealer) in 2004, suggesting this was not only one of the very first ad renderings, but one of the earliest illustrations of Captain America. Simon stated that he did this same piece several times and different versions, one of which showed up in Captain America Comics #1, which hit newsstands in late 1940 and would also suggest he did these ads as early as mentioned above in 1939 into 1940 prior to Cap's first appearance in Captain America #1! This ad art is nearly identical to the ad that ran in All-Winners Comics #1, Captain America Comics #5, and USA Comics #1 all published in 1941.

Created in ink on Bristol board, personalized and signed by Joe Simon just below the 7.5" x 6" image area. After winning the item via Heritage Auctions, I decided to have it removed from the frame for a closer inspection. My Heritage rep who is an original art expert, went a step further, personally examined the piece and discovered it’s on thick artist board. He looked at the line work and the detail in the art to find it as mentioned above, nearly identical to the printed version, but with some slight variations. One big missing piece is the shield, but the straps are present. Prior to the co-creator Simon statement above we already thought this may be the preliminary ad piece or the art was more than likely an ad to be printed in another comic or magazine for USO propaganda purposes. The paper is consistent for the era as well as the blue editor pencil notation on the right corner. After his examination, my rep discovered a misplaced letter documenting the ownership of this piece as well as an original xerox copy of the art showing "4/18/43" post auction. The artist board is toned and soiled in spots, also consistent for the era. We believe the blue pencil "4/18/43" date in the right corner was from the date it was returned or filed / marked by the publisher, or was added later by an unknown hand.

This piece was not only was examined thoroughly by Heritage Auctions experts, but also has great provenance with the inscription from Joe Simon to "Vince", being Vince Oliva, one of the largest collectors in the medium who received this piece and letter from European collector Gerry Langley, who detailed the earlier ownership including the email correspondence with Joe & Nadia Mannarino of All-Star Auctions at the time verifying the piece with Co-Creator, Joe Simon himself. Vince later had Joe sign it and personalize it in 2004.

This early Captain America ad art is considered one of the earliest known period pieces intended to be published, "a working" piece of Captain America from the Golden Age. The only other known art of Cap this early are the Simon concept sketch from 1939 in the Library of Congress and Joe Mannarino's concept costume change from early 1941 after issue #1, both being concept pieces not intended to be published. Published or not, we would argue this is one of the most historically significant early Captain America pieces by his co-creator to exist in the comic art medium.

Walt Simonson Thor #271 Thor & Iron Man Battle Page 14 Original Art (Marvel, 1978)

Walt Simonson published Thor pages are extremely rare in the marketplace. Here we have a great battle page with some amazing images of Thor and Iron Man against the out-of-control orbital computer F.A.U.S.T.. Though early in his career, you can see Simonson's unique art style forming before his infamous second run on title. 

Ink over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15". Slight toning, Panel 2 is stripped-in, as well as text in Panel 1, held by tape on the back. Discolored tape on the bottom edge, blue pencil editorial marks and whiteout corrections, with oil staining and handling wear. Walt Simonson pencils (breakdowns, closer to finished art) and Tony DeZuniga (finished art, inks). In Very Good condition.

Paul Smith and Bob Wiacek X-Men / Alpha Flight #2 Kitty Pryde, Rachel Summers, Talisman & Lockheed Page 7 Original Art (Marvel, 1986)

 For many long-time X-Men fans, the best era in the 60+ year history of the team was the brief Paul Smith / Bob Wiacek illustrated run from X-Men that only lasted for 10 issues in 1983. Unfortunately, the pressure of having to deliver a monthly book proved to be too much for the artist and his brilliant run was a brief one. He would return to illustrate the two-issue X-Men/Alpha Flight mini-series in 1986 with the same dynamic dream team of Chris Claremont, Paul Smith and Bob Wiacek. The Acclaimed 2 issue miniseries is part of the Asguardian Wars, which in my opinion, is right up there with with Claremont's Dark Pheonix saga.

"Paul Smith is a comic book artist whose iconic work on the X-Men and X-Factor helped to cement them as two of the most popular superhero teams with comic fans in the 1980's. Perhaps best known for creating the “punk” look that Storm had during that time (her black leather and mohawk phase), Smith also had a serious influence over future incarnations of Kitty Pryde and other members of the X-Men." 

-From Heritage & Wikipedia 

On this page we see a "Boom" from a sudden avalanche caused by Loki where both Kitty Pryde and Rachel Summers are seemingly trapped until Kitty is shown phasing with Rachel through a cave in panel 3, a nice tough by Smith. A great middle shot of Alpha Flight member Talisman, worried where the 2 X-Men members are, sees them come out of the cave alive and well. We even get Kitty's sidekick Lockheed in the bottom right panel. All in all a great example of Smith/Wiacek art with great storytelling by Claremont, with Kitty, Rachel and Talisman throughout the page on 7 of the 8 panels! It's an incredible example with Smith's influential work on both Kitty Pryde and Rachel Summers, showcasing his simple, thin line from Wiacek's complimentary inks.

This page has an approximate image area of 10" x 15", Signed by Wiacek in the bottom left margin, corners cut for production, marginal notes, overall the art is in Very Good condition.

Paul Smith and Al Milgrom X-Factor #46 Beast & Jean Grey Powers Up Battle Page 18 Original Art (Marvel, 1989)

 Locating a Paul Smith X-Men related page from the 1980's is not an easy feat, so when this page was offered as a trade at OAX, I went for it. Even though it's Milgrom inks, I really thought it was still a good representation of his style and thinner line, while still having good action throughout. It wasn't until after I did the trade deal to realize Wiki and other outlets refer to his X-Men, along with his X-Factor brief 6 issue run as his peak Period '80's work. Furthermore, out of the 6 issues on X-Factor, only 3 he did full pencils, which included this issue from #46 and it shows.

"Paul Smith is a comic book artist whose iconic work on the X-Men and X-Factor helped to cement them as two of the most popular superhero teams with comic fans in the 1980s. Perhaps best known for creating the “punk” look that Storm had during that time (her black leather and mohawk phase), Smith also had a serious influence over future incarnations of Kitty Pryde and other members of the X-Men." 

-From Heritage & Wikipedia 

On this page Beast and Marvel Girl aka Jean Grey star in this eerie scene from the story, "Exchange: Judgment War Part Four." What really drew me to this page was the amazing nearly 1/2 splash bottom panel of Jean Grey (Marvel Girl) front and center as she powers up, with the heavy noir inks outlining Beast and the other characters below. 

This page has an approximate image area of 10" x 15", and the art is in Excellent condition.

Paul Smith and Tom Palmer X-Men #304 30th Anniversary Issue "Fatal Attractions" Magneto vs Wolverine Battle Page 38 Original Art (Marvel, 1993)

 This page is from the 30th anniversary issue of X-Men and in the heart of the "Fatal Attractions" story arch. JrJr did most of the art, but there were page contributions by Jae Lee, Chris Sprouse, Brandon Peterson, and Paul Smith, as he returns to title for only 5 pages, this being the first of the 5! It may have been done after his seminal 80's run, and Tom Palmer's style is heavily represented, but still a great page. Smith only did a total of 12 issues on X-men, #165-170, 172-175, 278, and lastly the 5 pages he guest penciled here from issue #304!

On this page Magneto shows how badass he is during one of his signature dialog exchanges with Prof-X. Also, Wolverine being manipulated by his metal and having his claws forcibly retracted is an appetizer for what's to come in the infamous X-Men #25, which follows this issue. The bottom left panel we get a great shot of Cannonball, Storm and Bishop, before we pan back over to Magneto in the last panel.

X-Men trivia fact: Professor X calls Magneto, "Eric" for the first time on this page. However, it will be spelled "Erik" in most uses.

-Description credits to fellow collector James Siegel, former owner of this page)

This page has an approximate image area of 10" x 15", and the art is in Excellent condition.

Frank Springer and Kim DeMulder Transformers #1 First Appearance of The Autobots & Decepticons Page 19 Featuring Bumblebee & Megatron Original Art (Marvel, 1984) 

Some events in history are so incredible, that they’ve gone down in legend—epic tales of epic heroes and villains. Transformers #1 is one of those epic storylines and iconic in it’s origin and place in history.

Transformers; Today's household name and storied franchise, nearly 40 years later after its inception, before the first cartoon, and toyline, came the comic book. Though it’s widely suggested both the cartoon and comic went into production right around the same time, the comic came first, including the Autobots and Decepticons origin and the names Optimus, Bumblebee, Megatron, Starscream and others actually came from the editors of the comic series at Marvel. We won’t give you a long drawn out history lesson on the robots in disguise here, instead we'll now dive into our original art from Transformers #1.

What we’ve already established above and what makes any original art page form Transformers #1 truly special, is that it predates anything Transformers related! The art is seemingly incredibly rare as there have only been 3 pages seen from internet scans (includes this page), the other 2 coming from Comicartfans private collections. To put this in context, Heritage has only offered a Transformers #2 page, which sold in 2022 for over $10k. For that matter, Comiclink and Comicconnect have never offered a Transformers #1 original art page along with Heritage making this exceedingly rare to come to market. I would argue every art page from this issue would have its own importance, but let’s talk about the significance of our story page 19. First off, you’ll see all five Autobots as “robots in disguise” for the very first time on Earth, this also marks their first mission on Earth. 

As a recap, the first few pages of this book outline the origin and struggle of the Autobots and Deceptions on Cybertron, when they crash on Earth avoiding a meteor explosion. While laying dormant for millions of years in a mountain on Earth, it’s only after a volcano explosion they awaken. Optimus sends out the 5 autobots on a recon mission to see what’s on the planet and to learn more about the earthlings. Now back to out subject art, page 19…

You’ll see the Autobots, more specifically Bumblebee in only his second page as Bumblebee, the infamous VW Bug, confused why the earthlings are at a drive-in theatre to watch what he calls a “ritual”. The most fascinating take at this point is the Autobots think the earthlings are the vehicles / machines  they see in relation to them, but will soon find out the people in the vehicles are the earthlings. So this page is the autobots first visual encounter with the earthlings and draws more questions. This scene being the autobots first time out on Earth, has the Decepticons watching the autobots moves from above, where Laserbeak reports back to Magatron with concern they’re gaining attempting to gain allies with the earthlings. On the last panel, in historic fashion, this page is the climactic point before the first transformers battle on Earth. More importantly, it marks the first time Megatron declares war on Earth and instructs his Decepticons, to destroy the Autobots!  

There may be no battle or action on the page, but the content is truly epic! Not only do we have fan favorite Bumblebee in his opening scene, but a First Appearance page featuring additional Autobots Cliffjumper, Brawn, Prowl, and Hound, and their first view of “earthlings”, but also the Decepticons including Megatron and Starscream proclaiming war on the Autobots for the first time on Earth! Transformers #1 1984 page 19 Frank Springer Pencils Kim DeMulder Inks. 16 1/2" x 11" on Bristol Board. one word balloon in the last panel is missing.

Frank Springer and Kim DeMulder Transformers #2 Memorable Optimus Prime 1st Full Transformation Page 16 Original Art (Marvel, 1984)

Historic page as Optimus Prime transforms for the first time in the first three panels as he greets Buster and Sparky Witwicky (for the first time), just before Decepticons attack! This page is from the second issue story "Power Play!" from when the series was still just a bi-monthly 4-issue mini-series. The numbering was simply continued in the regular monthly series that followed. A great compliment to our Transformers #1 page above featuring the 1stappearances of both Bumblebee & Megatron, so a featured Optimus page was a must!

This page was created in ink over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15". The lightly toned page has corner trims and is in Very Good condition.
From the David Mandel Collection.

Jim Starlin and Dave Cockrum Captain Marvel #26 Page 10 (The Trap) "Thanos Saga Begins" (1st Death, 2nd Thanos Issue) Original Art (Marvel, 1973)

Thanos Saga Begins Here!.... Thanos' plot to destroy Captain Mar-Vell and his counterpart, Rick Jones, begins with this scene from Captain Marvel #26. In this page Lou-Ann (RIck Jone's girlfriend) who's controlled by Thanos and the Skrull's with her every move, has now set the trap for Marv-vell/Rick to go to Thanos' hideout. As Rick Jone's smashes the door down, the last text panel adds "But Two Flights Upstairs--", and the very next panel shows Thanos in the shadows and the Skrulls watching him enter. A key page in the beginning of the 'Thanos Saga', as we'll soon find out who this mysterious being is! Keep in mind there is only 20 pages in this key book, and Thanos is weaving an intricate web of twists and turns to plot against Mar-vell, or so we thought, only to find out the one he really wants is RIck Jones who carries the answers to where the Cosmic Cube is! (Spoiler Alert!) 

This magical and magnificent Marvel masterpiece is also pencilled by Starlin and inked by Dave Cockrum, which is the only issue he inked during the run. The Captain Marvel vs. Thanos storyline proceeds until issue #34 and many consider it the greatest of Starlin's cosmic stories.  

The overall page size is 10.5" x 15.75" with an image area of 10" x 15". The art is tremendous, with Starlin's blue line pencilling showing through and zipatone used for panels 6 and 7 for the effect. With the exception of tape staining along all four edges, the work is impeccable. Signed by Jim Starlin at the bottom left in between numerous plot notes presumably by Starlin himself.

Jim Starlin Pencils and Inks Warlock #5 Stunning Adam Warlock Full Image Splash Page 1 "Silence" Original Art (Marvel, 1983)

Here's an incredible full image of Adam Warlock who is featured on the opening title splash of "Just a Series of Events Part III", which reprinted the final issue of Warlock, #15, a key issue which is a partial origin of Thanos, but also is key revealing the secrets of the soul gem, as we learn it's one of six. For Warlock Volume 2 Starlin only did this one interior splash which led into the second half of Warlock #15, as well as new covers for the series, making it incredibly special to our collection. 

Of note: "Stan Lee Presents" Steve Leialoha is listed in the credits, but did not work on this page. Ink over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15", matted to 15" x 21". 

The page is adhered to the backing board. Slight toning, stat title and "Stan Lee Presents" paste-ups, blue pencil notes in the top margin, whiteout corrections, with staining and edge/handling wear; otherwise, in Very Good condition.

Jim Steranko and Frank Giacoia Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #2 Battle Page 15 Original Art (Marvel, 1968)

A published Nick Fury Steranko, what more is there to say? This was the artist near the top of my list that eluded me when going after the right published piece without breaking the bank. Granted Albert offered me a couple of his Steranko pieces, which were amazing but were well into the six figures, which I couldn't justify at the time. This one seemed to have it all, Fury all over the page battling a dinosaur in different contorting positions, swimming and getting sucked into quicksand. Mind you a couple of pages later this dinosaur and King Kong go head to head in classic Steranko fashion!

Page Details- Marvel top-spy, Nick Fury, is on the scene as the story "So Shall Ye Reap... Death!" There are very few Steranko S.H.I.E.L.D. pages on the collector's market, and even fewer featuring Fury in action in nearly ever panel! Nick Fury is knocked out of the Heli-Carrier, faces a ferocious monster, then ends up on a volcanic island! All on this page from "So Shall Ye Reap... Death". It's intrigue and action starring secret agent Fury of which Steranko would become most well-known for during his stay at Marvel Comics. Steranko's run on this book changed the game for this character and helped usher in the beginnings of what would become the big bold Bronze Age of Marvel Comics. 

From CBR (2012) - Greatest Comic of All Time | Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #2:

“It's a sci-fi comic, with the evolution of all life of Earth recapped in four panels before a fifth brings us into the future with a terrifying doomsday scenario.  And it's an old-school jungle action comic, as, I swear to God, King Kong and dinosaurs end up saving the day when the efforts of our heroes prove futile.  Of course, it's an underground comic and it's an experimental comic throughout as well, with Steranko's vacuum-packed psychedelic spreads matching any of the West Coast's Zap Comix crew for sheer immensity of vision (occasionally presaging the great Rob Liefeld in their overwhelming lust for filling space with line), his layouts constantly moving from one previously unseen form to the next, chopping tiers of panels to ribbons before breaking free with full-page vistas of destruction.  There isn't really a succinct way to adequately describe S.H.I.E.L.D. #2 -- rather than sum it up, one can only look at its pictures and catalog its vast array of different parts.  In the end, as with every Steranko comic, those parts don't add up to a whole greater than their sum, but it's impossible not to be taken in by the sheer creative energy powering a cartoonist willing to try so much, and at such a dizzying pace.  Whole careers in comics have showed less range than Steranko does in these 20 pages.”

This fantastic page was created in Ink over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 10" X 15". Light overall toning, marginal production hole punches, with smudging. In Excellent condition.

Larry Stroman and Frank Cirocco Classic Punisher #1 Wraparound Cover Original Art (Marvel, 1989)

Here was a memorable cover for me as a kid that introduced me to The Punisher's early stories and origin. The Punisher deals with a group of thugs in a back alley, surrounded by the trash that the vigilante has vowed to rid the world of after the tragic murders of his family. The popular antihero grabs the spotlight on this cover created for the one-shot trade paperback which reprints the Punisher stories from Marvel Preview #2, as well as an original eight-page story. If you notice on Page 1 (previous A-Z art page) we were fortunate enough to acquire a page from Punisher's first solo and origin story in Marvel Preview #2, so the retelling of it from this cover issue I thought was only fitting to add to the collection. 

Gouache and ink over graphite with an image area of 20.5" x 14.5", matted to roughly 25" x 19". Signed by the art team in the lower left image area. Overall in Excellent condition. Includes a copy of the trade paperback.

Curt Swan and George Klein Action Comics #301 "Trial of Superman" Classic Cover (Earliest Cover Known to Exist Featuring Lois & Jimmy Olsen) Original Art (DC, 1963)

Curt Swan was by far the most prolific Man of Steel artist of the era and a godsend for Superman fans with his clean, precise, and never-flashy drafting that grounded the fantastical. There are a lot of special components to this piece in which we'll outline below.

First, this is the earliest Swan cover on Action Comics that has ever sold via public auction. After further research and perhaps most importantly this is the earliest existing cover to feature Superman's usual suspects of allies; Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen, though we might as well mention Perry White all on the same cover! The research is fun but it's also a daunting task, but there are so few Action Comics and Superman Twice-Up covers earlier known to exist, with less than 10 earlier than this one, which also includes Superman title covers, even though Action Comics at this time was still regarded as main title. Out of those less than 10 covers known to exist, only one earlier aside from this one (Action #275) has Lois on the cover, and again none of those other covers feature both Lois and Jimmy! We actually found this cover last sold 30+ years ago in 1993, which sold for a whopping $4888! at the time Just to put it in perspective, this was the highest sold Action Comics or Superman cover at public auction from the  infamous 1990's Sotheby's and Christie's auction. In comparison, there have been a few covers sold at this same time frame in the early 1990'sand resold in recent years. For instance, Superman 180 originally sold via Sothebys in 1992 for $3,025, resold for $75,0000 via Comic Connect in 2019. A non main title issue World's Finest 171 sold for $4,025 via Sotheby's in 1993 (same year as our cover), later resold via Heritage in 2023 for $60,000 to a known dealer who is now selling for $75,000. Another off title cover comparison, Lois Lane #109 sold for $850 in 1994, which most recently resold at Heritage in 2024 for $144,0000, setting a record for Curt Swan art!

In this issue's "The Trial of Superman!", Superman faces the impossible task of proving he didn't kill Clark Kent without exposing his secret identity, while Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and Perry White observe from the press pool in tense anticipation. A great presentation cover featuring Superman and all his storied allies on one cover! 

Rendered twice-scale up in ink over graphite on Bristol with an image area of 12.5" x 18.5". The board is toned with a stat logo, comics code, title, and price. Hand-lettered text paste-up in the center of the image area, spot stains, pinholes in the top margin, and handling wear. In Very Good condition.

Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson Action Comics #403 Superman In Flight Prime Era Double Page Spread 2-3 Original Art (DC, 1971)

Curt Swan was DC's primary Superman artist for decades starting in the 1950s and continuing through the 1980s. He always did terrific work, but his pencils never shined as brightly as when Murphy Anderson inked them in the early 1970s, a blending of styles that came to be known by the affectionate nickname "Swanderson". This prime era page 2-3 Double Page title splash from the story "Attack of the Micro Murderer" by the Swan/Anderson duo was published in Action Comics #403 (1971). It features a strong splash image of Superman in flight as well as inset panels. Following an ominous page showing four executions throughout history, the story begins with a criminal smashing his getaway copter into a radio tower following a pursuit by the Man of Steel. Superman is with the thief as he mouths his final words, blaming Superman for causing his humiliating death and promising that he will return in another life and take on Superman once again. The final panel shows Superman using his telescopic vision to spot that a police plane is on the way.

The art has an image area of approximately 21" x 15" and art is in very good condition.

Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson Action Comics #405 Superman Full Flight Transformation Splash Page (Ideal Image) Original Art (DC, 1971)

Curt Swan is an artist I had to have back in my collection. Since acquiring this page, I've been fortunate to pickup the notable pages above! When I sold my Superman title splash from this same era I ended up regretting it shortly after, though it was a great page featuring Luthor, it was missing one thing, Superman. So I set my eyes for the right "Swanderson" Supes page once again, which took a while, and finally came across this great Superman in full flight transformation splash. 

In this dynamic early Bronze Age splash page by the "dream team" of Curt Swan & Murphy Anderson, Superman is caught up in espionage! After General Travis (our issue villain) is killed in panel 1, a disguised Superman (seen in panel 2), flies into action leaving Air Force One and transforms in full flight using microscopic vision on this 2/3 splash panel. 

Ink over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15". Tape residue at the top and bottom edges. In Excellent condition. Originally From the Murphy Anderson Collection.

Mark Texeira Ghost Rider #24 Cover Scene Ideal Image Splash Page 14 Original Art (Marvel, 1992)

I'll first start out growing up in comics in the early 90's, what I call the dark period of comics, my three top anti-heroes were of course Wolverine, Punisher and Ghost Rider! Just as Jim Lee did with X-Men/Punisher, and Mcfarlane did with Spidey in that same era, I would put Texeira in the same category with Ghost Rider. I've been on the hunt for the right Tex published Ghost Rider piece for a while now, thought I was going to win the cover art to issue #23 in 2022, only to see it soar far past expectations to nearly $50k! 

Since then I raised my Tex Ghost Rider or (GR) art expectation substantially waiting for the right piece and here it was, the stars aligned and I won it with room to spare, well at least what I was willing to pay. These Tex GR pages rarely come up, or a good one at that being all Tex. Nothing against Javier Saltares, who is great, but I truly wanted a pure Tex GR page, which is even more rare as he did pencils and inks only for issues 5, 7, 13-19 and 22-24. This one has even more significance, which I'm glad was not mentioned in the description as the last issue of Tex's great run on GR and is the cover scene splash! And is everything you want from a Tex GR page, GR is coming at you on his infamous flaming bike busting through a wall with his chain out! More detailed description of the page itself below... 

In this climactic page Ghost Rider (Daniel Ketch) battles the villainous trio Deathwatch, Hag, and Troll, with Snowblind being tortured! Soon after this climactic scene will come to a dramatic end with all of the villains dead and Ghost Rider wondering what's to come after all his foes are gone. A fitting way for Texeira to leave the series, while a new chapter begins. Created in ink over graphite on Marvel Bristol board with an image area of 10.5" x 15.75". Corner dings, editorial marks/notes, spot staining, and light smudging/handling wear. In Very Good condition.

Mark Texeira Wolverine #61 Story Page 19 Wolverine Claws Out Weapon X Issue Tie In & Tex First Issue Of Epic Run Original Art (Marvel, 1992)

As I already mentioned above with my other Tex Ghost Rider page, growing up in comics in the early 90's, what I call the dark period of comics, my three top anti-heroes were of course Wolverine, Punisher and Ghost Rider! Just as Jim Lee did with X-Men/Punisher, and Mcfarlane did with Spidey in that same era, I would put Texeira in the same category with those three. The last couple of years I was on the hunt for the right Wolvie Tex page and I'm so glad I waited for this one as it's one of the nicest you'll find!

This is a key page and also Weapon X program tie in with Logan trying to learn more about his past. John Wraith, the teleporter approaches Wolverine in this issue to assemble the previous Weapon X team. This page he finds out that Sabretooth didn't kill Silver Fox and is actually in the next room chained up and is not happy about it! Tremendous 4 panel page with Wolvie claws out front and center in the 2 center panels over Wraith. This issue also marks Tex's start of his short but memorable run on the series to issue #68 before departing for the Sabretooth series. 

Produced in ink over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15". SIgned and inscribed by Texeira on the top right 1st panel, and great Wolverine head sketch on the back of the board, art is in excellent condition.  

Jill Thompson Death: At Death's Door Story Page 18 Death & Dream Original Art (DC/Vertigo, 2003)

Beloved Sandman artist Jill Thompson realizes a heartfelt gothic scene between Dream and Death amidst classical architecture. This original graphic novel offered an alternative viewpoint on the classic Sandman storyline "Seasons of Mists", realized in the style of manga. 

Ink over graphite on DC/Vertigo Bristol board with an image area of 7.5" x 11". Text paste-ups in the final panel. In Excellent condition.
From Jill Thompson's Personal Archives

Bruce Timm Batman The Animated Series Season 2 Model Sheet Iconic Pose Illustration Original Concept Art (1994)

Here is a true piece of Batman history from Timm's acclaimed Batman The Animated Series! This was concept art / model sheet for BTAS Season 2 in 1994 and depicts the Dark Knight in his most heroic form. This image is on multiple BTAS websites listed as one of the actual model sheets for the series and is also one of the images on the actual Batman Animated Series Wikipedia page! 

In the early 1990s, Bruce Timm and Paul Dini re-defined the character of Batman with the now-legendary Batman: The Animated Series. With their haunting "Dark Deco" visual style and back-to-basics designs, the series would become more influential than anyone could have predicted. 

Timm artwork is always in high demand, but images of Batman in this iconic mode are truly the Holy Grail. Ink and marker on art paper, the piece is in Very Good condition with minor corner creases.

Mixed media light paper stock with an image area of 8.5" x 11". Signed and dated in Excellent condition.

Bruce Timm Batman Adventures #2 Rare Cover Inks Batman vs. The Ninja Original Art (DC, 2003)

Batman: The Animated Series mastermind and Harley Quinn co-creator Bruce Timm delivers his signature square-jawed version of the Dark Knight in this dynamic illustration, used as the cover inks to Batman Advente#2 showing Batman landing a powerful kick to The Ninja's (Kyodai Ken) face. Pencil and ink covers from Timm's Batman run are extremely rare on the open market, so we're very pleased to have this in our collection. See the link below from 'Comic Art Community', which sourced this illustration to be the cover inks to this Batman Adventurs issue.

Ink over blue pencil on paper with an image area of 7.5" 4.75" and minor handling wear. Signed by Timm inside the image area and in Excellent condition.

Alex Toth and Mike Peppe Out of the Shadows #6 Pre-Code Horror Title Splash "The Phantom Ship" Page 1 Original Art (Pines/Standard, 1952)

Circe sets her trap on this Stunning Twice-Up Title Page From 'Out Of The Shadows' #6 for the classic story "The Phantom Ship". It is an exciting and chilling Toth example of the finely crafted horror tales of the 1950s era in which he really came into his own. This title splash has it all, the villain Circe, lost treasure, skulls, and DEATH! This famous splash and lead story from this issue has been reprinted many times including the more known Toth art books such as "Genius Isolated - The Life & Art of Alex Toth", and "Look There: Comic Stories with Art by Alex Toth".

Created at twice-up scale in ink over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 12" x 18". Lightly toned, with handling wear. In Very Good condition.

Herb Trimpe and Mike Esposito Marvel Team-Up #117 Rare Trimpe Wolverine (Co-Creator) Story Art Page 11 Original Art (Marvel, 1982)

Wolverine's co-creator, Herb Trimpe, only worked on his character in two Marvel storylines... his original appearance in Hulk #180 to #182 and eight years later for this story arc from Marvel team-up #117 and #118. This issue is Herb's second comic book issue with a complete appearance of Wolverine! There are only two surviving pages known to exist of original art by Herb from Incredible Hulk issues (180-182) that are earlier then this Wolverine / Spider-Man team-up issue and one of those two pages sold nearly $700k many years ago. Not to say this page is worth anywhere close to that, but it is truly historic being one of the rare published pages of Wolverine Trimpe worked on!

On this page Wolverine has landed in the Midevil times as in an arena ready to battle a knight. The bottom 3 panels we see Wolvie getting ready to get in attack mode, Claws Out as he rips through the knight in the final panel.

Ink over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15". The page is toned. The top left and bottom corners are trimmed. In Excellent condition.

Michael Turner and Joe Weems Witchblade / Tomb Raider #1 Key End Page Egyptian Goddess Transformation Scene (Top Cow, 1998)

This page by superstar artist Michael Turner comes from 1998's Witchblade / Tomb Raider #1, a crossover in which Witchblade's Sara Pezzini meets her fellow beauty, the iconic video game character Lara Croft. On this page they witness an end to their confrontation with Bastet, the Egyptian Goddess of Cats, as the finale scene key page shows the ancient being finds herself transformed into an actual kitty. Turner was legendary for his ability to depict beautiful women and this page features three of them, all illustrated in fine form.

Michael Turner was one of the most beloved artists of his generation. Not only could he draw better than just about any of his peers, but he put so much effort into every drawing Michael won the hearts of comic fans in the 1990s and early 2000s. His work on Witchblade, Fathom and Superman/Batman was some of the best-selling of the era. Unfortunately, Michael left us far too early when he passed away at the age of 37 in 2008. Because his work is relatively small in quantity and has very high demand, it has become difficult to acquire.

Art framed duo of Turner pencils and Weems inks. The art has an image area of approximately 10" x 15" and is in excellent condition.

Barry Windsor-Smith Marvel Comics Presents #76 2/3 End Splash Page Memorable Scene Where Logan's Claws Pop In Every Panel Wolverine/Weapon X Story Original Art (Marvel, 1991)

Logan's claws pop unconsciously while sedated on this 2/3 Splash page. When Dr. Cornelius, Professor Thornton, and Carol Hines observe the viewscreen, they see the reason why! This iconic scene marks only the second scene in which Logan's claws pop from his origin story, the first time was at the end of issue #74 into #75. A truly historic page with every panel featuring a reaction to each claw popping out until we see the screen on the splash panel.

The shocking final page of "Weapon X: Chapter Four" from the storyline that defined Wolverine's mysterious origins and how he came to be one of the deadliest mutants. Barry Windsor-Smith's art is beloved by fans and peers alike, with his work always in high demand, especially the rarely offered pages featuring Weapon-X. 

Created in ink over graphite and blue pencil on Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15". Signed by BWS in the bottom margin and on the back. Slight toning, marginal notes, tape on the back top edge, text paste-up in Panel 4, with light handling wear; otherwise, in Excellent condition.

Wally Wood Daredevil Yellow Costume Concept Design Sketches Original Art (Daredevil 5, 6 & 7) From The Wallace Wood Estate (Marvel, c. 1964)

Originally acquired from the estate of Wallace Wood, Daredevil's most revered artist, as his work on Daredevil virtually saved the title from cancellation early on. These are Wally Wood's original design layouts (concept art) for Daredevil's Yellow costume. After acquiring the historic Daredevil Red Costume Re-design concept art, I thought it was fitting to have an example of Wood's Yellow suit concept art to go with it. First, take note of how baggy the yellow suit was, which was not at all Wood's fault, this was a carryover from Kirby and Everett's original design. But what Wood did right away, was change the large single "D" to a more fitting "DD" on the chest. As seen on the bottom left panel comparison, within 2 issues, Wood would change Daredevil's suit entirely, making him less of a circus act in gym shorts and a "wife beater" tank top (sorry but that's the term) to a form fitted suit accentuating his muscle toned qualities.

I was able to match the images (left) to panels in print (right) with slight variations. Top left Matt Murdock aka Daredevil tying his tie from Wood's first issue on title, Daredevil #5 page 4. Middle left, Daredevil attempting to get away from the Ox, from issue #6 page 13. This page being done on vellum, was easier for Wood to trace, lightbox and flip different angles as seen here and which brings us to the bottom left image, perhaps the most interesting. This image came close to the title page of issue #5, but he was swinging on a rope and at a different angle, and since Wood only did 2 issues with the Yellow costume, I nearly gave up until I looked at issue #7, page 7, which also marks the first battle page between Namor and Matt! Here you'll see a perfect match from the art to the panel, from the arms even down to the feet position, except the costume is now Red and not Yellow! He obviously flipped the angle and retraced the swinging motion making changes to the curves of the more fitted suit before print. The other middle image isn't a perfect match but in issue #6 page 17, you'll see the Fellowship of Fear members Eel and Ox in a running motion saying "Run! Run... Don't let him get us!" Based on the vest and heavier set build the front character is Ox and Eel is closely behind with a similar outfit, down to the shorts and mask just showing the eyes. 

So here you have it, it took a lot of research to piece this art together, but these are most certainly Wood's design layouts and concept sketches for Daredevil 5 (his inaugural issue), 6 and 7. This art is considered extremely rare, as there are only thumbnail prelim sketches for individual pages, not an art page showcasing different design layouts and concepts from the first 3 issues. Originally from the Wallace Wood Estate, these concept design sketches are in ink on 6.5" x 8.5" vellum. Toned and in Very Good condition.

Thus brings us to one of the most historically significant pieces for Daredevil and perhaps in our collection, the original Red costume re-design by Wood...

Wally Wood Historic Daredevil Red Costume Re-Design (1st Panel from Daredevil #7) & Iconic Cane + Cable Original Concept Art (Marvel, c. 1964)

This is, quite frankly, an incredible piece of comics history. Originally acquired from the estate of Wallace Wood, Daredevil's most revered artist, this is Wally Wood's original concept art for Daredevil's Red costume re-design including his cane & cable! While you can see below, Heritage Auctions description of the art and while they got most of it right, they did fail to add a few extremely important pieces to the puzzle. You can't blame them as there is a lot going on in this page, but first and why we showed the art as a collage, it's nearly identical in the pose to the iconic issue #7's new suit reveal panel, and by all accounts and from our research this is the drawing that fleshes out the new re-designed costume before the model sheets. Let's start at the top right, "Black Suit", also identified by many as the "Red & Black" suit, interestingly enough that may be due to the fact that there is generally more black "noir" tones throughout this issue and future issues with Wood's art. Next, "Red Eyes", this is the first time in issue #7 that the red eyes are revealed, going more in line with the demonic nature of Daredevil and since the black surround s the cowl, the red becomes a much better contrast. Previous issues Daredevil had black eyes, also a demonic feature, but may be too associated with blindness, and thus the possibility of giving up Matt's true identity. The new redesigned suit is now a fitted formed costume playing to Matt's muscular build vs. the baggy "old" style yellow suit, which is associated with cowardice. Lastly, and perhaps the most important concept added here is the "Cane + Cable", which will become a staple and "mortar" (as mentioned) or weapon. Wood also incorporates that the cane + cable can be used as a "smoke screen", which he uses against Sub-Mariner in their iconic battle scene from issue #7. Note the cane + cable is positioned on the lower left hip of the sketch, roughly at the same point of the published first image suit reveal. This costume concept re-design we see here has stuck with Daredevil from this drawing to today, and regarded as one of the crowning achievements by Wood, along with the issue it's most associated with (Daredevil #7) one of the defining moments in comic history.

Note the left side notes are also concepts that do in fact come to fruition in future issues as mentioned below in Heritage's description. Adding to the arts provenance, it was confirmed prior to auction this historic concept art was originally from The Wallace Wood Estate. The most interesting may be the mention of "Matt vs Spider-Man" on the lower left from issue #16, but instead of Matt following Peter Parker and discovering his true identity as proposed, Lee and Romita reverse this plot concept and Parker follows Matt to his law office and thinks Foggy is Daredevil. Interestingly since Wood left Marvel after issue #11, and had no hand in issue #16, this is the only surviving sketch or mention of Spider-Man and Daredevil in his hand that we can find. All in all, a fascinating collection of material from one of comic's most important artists and talk about historic all on one page!

Heritage Description- Wally Wood - Daredevil Costume Re-Design Sketch Original Art (Marvel, c. 1964) A page of rough sketches and notes. The notes on the "Black Suit" put this design page at approximately the last quarter of 1964. Given production time, the elements of this page started showing up in Wood's second issue on the title. The "Masked Crook" looks very much like Mr. Fear from Issue #6, and the "Black" (Red) costume shows up in Issue #7. The 'whole gang in identical costumes' and the 'DD vs. Spider-Man' notes could well be references to Issues #14 and #16, which were after Wood had already abruptly left the title. This historic page was created in graphite on 8.5" x 11" paper. The page is toned, has a diagonal crease across it, and minor rips and creases in the bottom edge. In Very Good condition.

Wally Wood Pencils and Inks Daredevil #5 Historic First Wally Wood Illustration of Matt Murdock, Foggy Nelson & Karen Page, and Wood's 1st Daredevil Transformation Page 4 Original Art (Marvel, 1964)

 Talk about a historic page! This is not only Wally Wood's first issue on Daredevil, but you might recognize the second panel directly above, which we acquired the concept art prior for, so when this page came up I knew it was fate! When doing further research, not only did I know this was Wood's first time drawing the blind lawyer vigilante Matt Murdock (Daredevil as a civilian), but also the first time he pens both Foggy Nelson & Karen Page ever! Furthermore, this was Wood's first Daredevil transformation page as he swiftly changes from his classic yellow and red Daredevil costume (which features the iconic DD insignia for the first time in this issue) into civilian attire to meet with Foggy Nelson. Matt's internal monologue reveals his longing for Foggy's girlfriend, Karen Page, and his feelings only deepen when the stunning secretary enters, dressed in a Cleopatra costume. 

Please note: while the marginal notes indicate this page is from Daredevil #6, we have confirmed it was published in Issue #5. Created twice-up scale in ink over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 12.5" x 18.5". Lightly toned, minor spot stains, marginal notes, and a taped "Continued After Next Page" paste-up in the bottom right margin. In Excellent condition.

Bernie Wrightson Swamp Thing #1 Key 1st Ever Appearance Page of Alec Holland, Linda Holland & Matthew Cable -- 1st Swamp Thing Human-Like Reveal Page 3 Original Art (DC, 1972)

One of the most iconic horror issues of DC Comics' long and illustrious publishing career. This key issue marked a significant turning point for DC Comics as the character became a symbol of horror, ecological themes, and complex storytelling in their universe. It's worth remembering that the one previous Swamp Thing appearance, in House of Secrets #92, was actually a different character (Alex Olsen) with a story set in the early 20th century, and that version never appeared again. The much more familiar Alec Holland version first appeared here, on this very page...

Bernie Wrightson's intricate gothic artwork sets the stage for Alec Holland's first appearance as Swamp Thing in this key origin story page, which marks the 1st ever page of the character, along with Linda Holland and Matthew Cable, who is not only a key character within the series but also has another key role in Sandman revived by Dream of the Endless as Raven in the Dreaming. 

On this truly historic page Swamp Thing returns to the cabin where he was murdered, newly transformed by grief and rage, a flashback reveals Holland's arrival with his wife, Linda, before his transformation. Wrightson's organic textures and atmospheric detail immerse readers in the eerie Louisiana bayou and the tragic beginnings of "Dark Genesis."

One other rather Huge revelation on the page is this being Swamp Thing's true first look at the monster out of the shadows revealing his facial features for the first time, most notably his piercing red eyes in which gives you a better sense of humanity in the character we'll all grown to love in the ensuing series. Previously both on the cover and page 2, Swamp Thing is only revealed from a side angle and or shadows, so this is the first time we get a better, more human-like view of the character. Also note, page 1 sets the tone for the issue of the Bayou swamp, but no Swamp Thing character is present. 

This "First Startling Issue" was crafted Ink and white paint highlights over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15". It is signed by the Master of the Macabre, Bernie Wrightson, and writer Len Wein in the lower left image area. Toned, whiteout text correction in Panel 1, light handling wear, and adhesive residue and production tape in the margins. In Very Good condition.
From the Christine Farrell Complete DC Collection.

Bernie Wrightson Alternate Marvel Preview #4 Frontispiece Star-Lord 1st Appearance (1st Version) Illustration Published In "A Look Back" Original Art (Marvel, 1975)

"He stalks the galaxies. One man -- on a mission of cosmic vengeance." From Star-Lord's premiere issue comes Bernie Wrightson's incredible, alternate version of the frontispiece published in Marvel Preview #4. This first illustration of Star-Lord from his 1st Appearance issue was so good, it was the piece chosen to use as a full page in Wrightson's most popular art book, "A Look Back" first published in 1979. 

If you look at the finished published fronticepiece from Marvel Preview #4, it's so close in layout and design, but the hillside and overall composition is far more detailed in this version. 

"The drawing itself works well in black and white, depicting a battle in mountainous high altitude. The large, devil-like creature is very characteristic of Wrightson's monsters, full of mass and grotesqueness. Note the masterful fine lines on the mountain itself, contrasting delicate grasses with the harsh rock formations." - Pencilink Blogspot 

If it was up to Bernie, it seems this first piece is the one he would've used originally as noted below when it was first offered over 15+ years ago...

From Heritage Auctions in 2008-

"The publisher asked Wrightson for a different perspective and composition, so he drew another version of the scene. Bernie Wrightson told our consignor that he liked this original version better -- it's a dandy." 

This marked 1 of 1 Marvel Preview issues by Wrightson. It was such a big deal to have Wrightson's involvement that CGC actually notes it on the right side of the notable facts on the slab below Star-Lord's first appearance mention. Full ink over graphite with an image area of 13" x 19". The art is in Excellent condition. Signed by Wrightson on lower right.

Bernie Wrightson The Stand Portfolio Plate 9 Unused Alternate Version Illustration Original Art (Glimmer Graphics, 1984/1991)

Bernie Wrightson produced several illustrations in 1984 inspired by Stephen King's novel The Stand. There were 13 Plates in the set; however this is an alternate variation of plate 9, and was not included in that set.  

This first version from Plate 9 shows one of the good guys finding her way out of certain torture and death by jumping through a window and having the glass shards tear her body up in a post-apacolypse abandoned building! Look at the intricate line work and classic Wrightson cross-hatching, similar detail to the Frankenstein plates. We're not sure why this stunning Plate went usused, but many feel this plate was preferred over the published version. To our knowledge and research, no other Wrightson The Stand Portfolio Plates have sold publically, making this a very special unique piece in our Wrightson collection.

Ink over graphite on 14" x 20" Brainbridge illustration board with an image area of 11" x 15" and signed in the lower area. The edges are heavily toned, with corner and edge wear. Otherwise, the art is in Excellent condition.

Bernie Wrightson Frankenstein Alive, Alive! #3 Splash Page 13 "Mourning The Death of Dolly" Wrightson Last Published Work Original Art (IDW, 2014)

The master creates a masterpiece as it’s one of the best pages in the book. The Monster of Frankenstein has a touching scene over the deceased Dolly, Dr. Ingles wife. He thinks she’s dead from his doing, fainting earlier when she sees the sight of the monster. You can feel the empathy and compassion for him in this pivotal scene, while seeing he has feelings and a heart as he prays over her body. The dialogue to himself and to Dolly is striking from the printed page; “A wave of remorse and self loathing washed over me…”Forgive me”…This was my fault. I knew it had to be. The very sight of me had killed this woman, had shocked her into irreversible decline…I wanted to pray…But I did not know how, or to whom…I let my guilt and shame and remorse engulf me…I could do nothing but weep bitterly.” You feel the monster's grief from Wrightson’s art without even reading the dialogue, it’s simply breathtaking how he does it. It's a key scene in the story, as it leads to his understanding of exactly what Doctor Ingles is up to. He soon finds out the real monster is Ingles and he is more human than any of his counterparts in this story. The reviews of the book and art are already infamous and have been dubbed a modern masterpiece. This was Wrightson’s last published work before his passing in 2017 and is regarded as one of his best. Check out one of the many rave reviews seen below, which exemplifies Wrightson’s incredible work and the monster’s compassion and humanness, which is felt in every way from this very page.    

“The beauty of this series lies in more than just Wrightson’s stunning pencils. Niles has expertly crafted a tale that exposes the essence of who Frankenstein could, and should, be. Whereas a lot of the other attempts at Frankenstein are character assassination or modern interpretations, this story is a direct continuation that really drives home one basic point: Despite our Monster’s appearance and nature, his internal struggle with his continued existence, guilt and shame give us a character that at his core is more human than the human beings he’s surrounded by. Dr. Ingles has no issues with murder to revive the corpse of his wife, just as the patrons of the sideshow have no compunction about pelting him with rotten veggies solely based on his appearance. He possesses more soul and compassion than any of the human counterparts in this story, and all he truly wants is for his existence on this world to end. You really feel for the guy by the end of each issue.  And yes, there is beauty in Wrightson’s pencils. So much. Every page is a masterpiece. If you’ve ever been privileged enough to read the original Wrightson Frankenstein book, you know exactly what to expect. Breathtaking panels on every page, the level of detail so minute you can pick out the bubbles and gooey bits in every flask and beaker. I’m so glad this book is being published in the unadulterated pencils with no attempt to digitally ink or color it. This book is presented in the perfect format for a sequel to the original Shelley story. I think I’ve reread each issue three or four times just to soak it all in. I really like this series, and this issue in particular, for it’s insight into the heart of Frankenstein’s Monster and how he’s in constant battle with his nature. Also, it drives home the point of how man, in his arrogance, could create and belittle a creature that proves to have more integrity and compassion than we do. Good stuff indeed." -Frank Lanza (Nerds on the Rocks). 

The art is in ink and bluish grey hue wash on Bristol board, for an overall image size of 12" x 18". Excellent condition. Signed in the lower right.

Mike Zeck and John Beatty Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars #7 1st Black Suit Spider-Woman (Julia Carpenter) Page 23 Cover Scene Panel "Gathering of Heroes" Original Art (Marvel, 1984)

This Mike Zeck penciled page from Secret Wars #7 in 1984 is an important key page for a number of reasons. The first panel features a gathering of heroes who were pulled to the alien Battleworld by the cosmic being known as the Beyonder. Captain America takes a leadership role among the heroes as they've discovered She-Hulk is missing. Also present is the Hulk, Spider-Man, Mister Fantastic, the Human Torch, the Thing, Iron Man, Thor, Hawkeye, Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau) and the new Spider-Woman, Julia Carpenter, which marks her first appearance. 

This second Spider-Woman in the Marvel Universe made her debut in this issue and was the supposed unveiling of the new "Black Symbiote Suit" prior to Spider-Man in continuity. Make no mistake, the importance to Spider-Woman's new black suit featured in this issue actually was used to influence Spider-Man's Venom Alien costume which would debut the following issue. Furthermore, Carpenter is only featured on 5 pages in this issue, though in a group shot, this is still one of the top 3 pages to feature the black suit!  

The second panel features the cover scene panel of Captain America gripping his shield with the look of concern. When Cap sees that the other heroes want to go out and rescue She-Hulk from the villains, he reminds them all the stakes are too high to make decisions of the heart. 

Cap is a character Zeck and Beatty knew well from their long run on Cap's solo title. Speaking of which, this page checks a lot of boxes for me. First off, even though it's one panel, Zeck Spider-Man has always been at the top of my list, not to mention Zeck Cap, and finally it all being from the Secret Wars Saga! Grail check!

The lower four panels of the page feature the X-Men's Colossus and the alien healer Zsaji, who Colossus has fallen in love with but as we see here is ill. Zsaji dies later in the story, leaving Colossus in mourning when he returns to Earth. Writer Jim Shooter, who was also Marvel's Editor-in-Chief at the time, apparently introduced Zsaji in this maxi-series as a means to break up the relationship between Colossus and Kitty Pryde in the best-selling Uncanny X-Men title. Kitty was originally going to be one of the heroes transported to Battleworld as shown in early promotional artwork for the series. However, Shooter was uncomfortable for obvious reasons with the romantic relationship Chris Claremont had established between the 19-year old Colossus and the 14-year old Kitty.

Page was created in ink over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15". Slight toning, chopped corners, editorial marks/notes, and light edge smudging/handling wear. Mike Zeck pencils and John Beatty inks. In Very Good condition.

Mike Zeck and Phil Zimelman Punisher Portfolio One Plate 2 Painting | Punisher #2 Variant Cover Original Art (Marvel, 1990)

Here's one of the famous six portfolio one paintings that quickly sold out in 1990. As a Punisher collector, it was always a goal to acquire a Zeck / Zimelman painted piece from this era. To make this portfolio, the images from a black and white limited edition published by Editions Deesse of France in 1986 were newly colored by the famed Punisher duo of Zeck and Zimelman. The usual and acclaimed Punisher art team teamed up to create an incredibly detailed painting of Frank's piercing eyes through the rifle scope. This image was later used as a variant cover to Punisher #2 in 2019 as well as an even rarer black and white variant cover.

Airbrush over blueline on board. Signed by Zeck at right. Image area 10.25" by 14.5". Excellent condition.

Mike Zeck and Bob McLeod Amazing Spider-Man: Soul of the Hunter #1 Sequel To The Epic Kraven's Last Hunt Page 38 Original Art (Marvel, 1992)

Here's a rare and hard to come by Zeck Kraven / Spider-Man art page! Spider-Man fights his inner demons in the form of the late Kraven the Hunter. A poignant page from the one-shot sequel to the epic of the "Kraven's Last Hunt" story arc, with that story arc's creative team of J.M. DeMatteis, Zeck and McLeod returning. Page features Spider-Man being pulled into an open grave by the reanimated corpse of Kraven the Hunter as the spirits of suicides fly about, causing him to reflect on his life, showing panels of Peter Parker w/Uncle Ben and Gwen Stacy. Spider-Man appears in five panels, plus two additional panels of Peter Parker. 

Ink and white paint over graphite on Marvel Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15.25". Slight toning, acetate overlay with snow effect taped at the top with production tape marks in the margins, pinholes in the top corners, red key lines and paste-up corrections in the last panel, tape coverup in the right margin, with adhesive residue along the back edges. Light handling wear. Signed by Zeck in the bottom margin. In Very Good condition. From the Gary and Dawn Guzzo Collection.