WONDERWORLD COMICS #3
CGC NM: 9.4
(Stock Image)
SOLD ON: Friday, 06/16/2017 3:36 PM
$51,500
Sold For
27
Bids
PUBLISHER: Fox
COMMENTS: white pgs; Church/Mile High Copy
Lou Fine/Will Eisner cvr/art; 1st issue (was Wonder Comics); 1st app. of the Flame
Jon Berk Collection
Highest Graded
Read Description ▼
Lou Fine/Will Eisner cvr/art; 1st issue (was Wonder Comics); 1st app. of the Flame
Jon Berk Collection
Highest Graded
DESCRIPTION
white pgs; Church/Mile High Copy
Lou Fine/Will Eisner cvr/art; 1st issue (was Wonder Comics); 1st app. of the Flame
Jon Berk Collection
Highest GradedNational sued Fox because of Wonder Man's similarities to Superman, as well as story and illustration elements that referenced previous Superman adventures. The case was brought to court in Detective Comics, Inc. v. Bruns Publications, Inc., 111 F.2d 432 (2d Cir. 1940), in which Eisner refused to perjure himself about the derivative nature of the Wonder Man, and the subsequent decision forced Fox to drop the character after just one issue. This was the first copyright lawsuit in comic book history which set a precedent for DC Comics' vigorous protection of its properties.
The demise of Wonder Comics and the Wonder Man character gave birth to Wonderworld Comics and Lou Fine's creation, The Flame. The Flame's secret identity is that of Gary Preston whose father drowned in a flood, but managed to save baby Gary by placing him in a basket, which was washed downstream to Tibet, where he was rescued by a group of lamas. The numinous nannies nurtured Gary and taught him their mystical secrets. Through his training, he gained the ability to control fire and temperature, the power to travel from place to place by materializing inside of a flame (even a match flame), and he could even raise his own body temperature to the point where he would burst into flames. There is little doubt that The Flame's introduction in July 1939 led to the creation of the Human Torch in October 1939.
This comic is the actual copy that was pictured in Gerber's Photo-Journal Guide to Comic Books.
The Church/Mile High pedigree is part of the origin story of this particular copy, and it stands alone at the top of the census.
Overstreet Guide 2016 NM- (9.2) value = $16,000.
If you are a new customer planning to make a first-time purchase over $25,000, please contact us 24 hours in advance of the item closing at 212.895.3999 or support@comicconnect.com so that we may approve your account for bidding. (This policy was instituted to protect consignors and bidders against bids from fraudulent accounts, and to ensure the integrity of the bidding process.) Once approved, please log out of your account and then log in, for the approval to take effect.
We realize many of you would like to bid on this auction lot, so for this listing, ComicConnect.com offers a 6 month, interest free, time payment plan with a 20% non-refundable deposit. Time Payments invoices can only be paid by cash, check, money order or wire transfer. LEARN MORE
Artists Information
Louis Kenneth Fine was born in New York. He studied at the Grand Central Art School and Pratt Institute. He was partially crippled by childhood polio and longed to be an illustrator. Among his major influences were Dean Cornwell, J.C. Leyendecker, and Heinrich Kley. Fine joined the Eisner-Iger comic shop in 1938 and soon was drawing for the Fiction House and Fox lines on such features as 'Wilton of the West', 'The Count of Monte Cristo', and 'The Flame'. Within a short time he became one of their best artists. He drew parts of the 'Jumbo' and 'Sheena' comics, and he also produced several adventure comics. Between 1939 and 1943, he worked for the Arnold's Quality Comics group. He produced 'Black Condor', 'Stormy Foster' and several issues of 'Uncle Sam'. From early on, Fine's specialty was covers, and he turned out dozens of them. Lou Fine left the comic book industry in 1944 and moved into drawing Sunday advertising strips for the funnies. On his advertising work, he cooperated extensively with Don Komisarow. Together, they created characters like 'Charlie McCarthy' and 'Mr. Coffee Nerves' for Chase and Sanborn Coffee, and 'Sam Spade' for Wildroot Cream Oil. They also made 'The Thropp Family' for Liberty magazine, using the combined signature of Donlou (scripts by Lawrence Lariar). Next, Fine drew two newspaper strips, 'Adam Ames', and 'Peter Scratch', about a tough private eye who lived with his mother. Fine died in 1971 and according to Will Eisner, he was one of the greatest draftsmen ever.
Golden Age GGA known for his work on Sheena, Queen of the Jungle and the popular Mars Attacks! trading cards.
Will Eisner is an American cartoonist, writer and entrepreneur who's one of the earliest cartoonist to contribute to the comics industry. Will is famous for his experiments in content and form in comics as well as popularizing the term "Graphic Novel". Will Eisner's most recognized works are The Spirit and A contract with God.
Lou Fine/Will Eisner cvr/art; 1st issue (was Wonder Comics); 1st app. of the Flame
Jon Berk Collection
Highest GradedNational sued Fox because of Wonder Man's similarities to Superman, as well as story and illustration elements that referenced previous Superman adventures. The case was brought to court in Detective Comics, Inc. v. Bruns Publications, Inc., 111 F.2d 432 (2d Cir. 1940), in which Eisner refused to perjure himself about the derivative nature of the Wonder Man, and the subsequent decision forced Fox to drop the character after just one issue. This was the first copyright lawsuit in comic book history which set a precedent for DC Comics' vigorous protection of its properties.
The demise of Wonder Comics and the Wonder Man character gave birth to Wonderworld Comics and Lou Fine's creation, The Flame. The Flame's secret identity is that of Gary Preston whose father drowned in a flood, but managed to save baby Gary by placing him in a basket, which was washed downstream to Tibet, where he was rescued by a group of lamas. The numinous nannies nurtured Gary and taught him their mystical secrets. Through his training, he gained the ability to control fire and temperature, the power to travel from place to place by materializing inside of a flame (even a match flame), and he could even raise his own body temperature to the point where he would burst into flames. There is little doubt that The Flame's introduction in July 1939 led to the creation of the Human Torch in October 1939.
This comic is the actual copy that was pictured in Gerber's Photo-Journal Guide to Comic Books.
The Church/Mile High pedigree is part of the origin story of this particular copy, and it stands alone at the top of the census.
Overstreet Guide 2016 NM- (9.2) value = $16,000.
If you are a new customer planning to make a first-time purchase over $25,000, please contact us 24 hours in advance of the item closing at 212.895.3999 or support@comicconnect.com so that we may approve your account for bidding. (This policy was instituted to protect consignors and bidders against bids from fraudulent accounts, and to ensure the integrity of the bidding process.) Once approved, please log out of your account and then log in, for the approval to take effect.
We realize many of you would like to bid on this auction lot, so for this listing, ComicConnect.com offers a 6 month, interest free, time payment plan with a 20% non-refundable deposit. Time Payments invoices can only be paid by cash, check, money order or wire transfer. LEARN MORE
Artists Information
Louis Kenneth Fine was born in New York. He studied at the Grand Central Art School and Pratt Institute. He was partially crippled by childhood polio and longed to be an illustrator. Among his major influences were Dean Cornwell, J.C. Leyendecker, and Heinrich Kley. Fine joined the Eisner-Iger comic shop in 1938 and soon was drawing for the Fiction House and Fox lines on such features as 'Wilton of the West', 'The Count of Monte Cristo', and 'The Flame'. Within a short time he became one of their best artists. He drew parts of the 'Jumbo' and 'Sheena' comics, and he also produced several adventure comics. Between 1939 and 1943, he worked for the Arnold's Quality Comics group. He produced 'Black Condor', 'Stormy Foster' and several issues of 'Uncle Sam'. From early on, Fine's specialty was covers, and he turned out dozens of them. Lou Fine left the comic book industry in 1944 and moved into drawing Sunday advertising strips for the funnies. On his advertising work, he cooperated extensively with Don Komisarow. Together, they created characters like 'Charlie McCarthy' and 'Mr. Coffee Nerves' for Chase and Sanborn Coffee, and 'Sam Spade' for Wildroot Cream Oil. They also made 'The Thropp Family' for Liberty magazine, using the combined signature of Donlou (scripts by Lawrence Lariar). Next, Fine drew two newspaper strips, 'Adam Ames', and 'Peter Scratch', about a tough private eye who lived with his mother. Fine died in 1971 and according to Will Eisner, he was one of the greatest draftsmen ever.
Golden Age GGA known for his work on Sheena, Queen of the Jungle and the popular Mars Attacks! trading cards.
Will Eisner is an American cartoonist, writer and entrepreneur who's one of the earliest cartoonist to contribute to the comics industry. Will is famous for his experiments in content and form in comics as well as popularizing the term "Graphic Novel". Will Eisner's most recognized works are The Spirit and A contract with God.