ComicConnect Newsletter: October 12, 2010

In this issue:

Need something to tide you over until the highly anticipated ComicConnect.com November Event Auction? Look no further than the ComicConnect.com October Monthly Auction currently accepting bids!

Over 1250 lots are up for grabs, with starting bids as low as 60% to 80% below Overstreet Price Guide value.

Over 500 CGC-certified comics start at $1 and carry no reserve!

Session 1: Titles A-C: Ends Tuesday, October 12, 6 PM - 12 AM EDT
Session 2: Titles D-L: Ends Wednesday, October 13, 6 PM - 12 AM EDT
Session 3: Titles M-S: Ends Thursday, October 14, 6 PM - 12 AM EDT
Session 4: Titles S-Z: Ends Friday October 15, 6 PM - 12 AM EDT

To view over 1250 lots and place your bids, click here:
http://www.comicconnect.com/bookSearch.php?searchType=advanced&listing_type=auction

Popular titles included in the auction are Action Comics, Adventure Comics, Archie, Batman, Brave and the Bold, Challengers of the Unknown, Classic Comics, Detective Comics, Donald Duck, Doom Patrol, The Flash, Forbidden Worlds, Four Color, Green Lantern, Hawkman, House of Mystery, Iron Man, Justice League of America, Laugh Comics, Marvel Tales, Metal Men, Mystery In Space, New Funnies, Phantom Stranger, The Shadow, The Spirit, Strange Adventures, Superman, Superboy, Jimmy Olsen, Tarzan, Twilight Zone, Vampirella, Walt Disney Comics & Stories, World's Finest Comics and X-Men.

But that's not all! The auction is filled with hundreds of different publications from the Golden Age, Silver Age, Bronze Age and Copper Age!

Publishers include DC, Marvel, Atlas, Timely, EC, Dell, Archie, Fawcett, American Comics Group, Archie, Epic, Dark Horse, Gold Key, Able, Ace, Ajax-Farrell, Aviation, Avon, Better, Caliber, Charlton, Columbia, David McKay, Eagle, Eastern Color, Eclipse, Famous Funnies, Fiction House, Fox, Gilberton, Harvey, Hillman, Holyoke, Image, IW Enterprises, King Features, Lev Gleason, MLJ, Novelty Press, Pacific, PMI, Prize, Quality, Standard, Star, Super, Superior, Toby Press, Tower, Toytown, Warren and Ziff-Davis!

As always, ComicConnect.com does not charge Buyer's Premiums. If you have questions about bidding or consigning, call 212-895-3999 (international 001-212-895-3999) or email support@comicconnect.com.

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This past weekend at New York Comic Con, crowds were stunned to hear the news that the original artwork to two of the most famous covers in comic book history will be coming to auction on ComicConnect.com. Word spread like wildfire across the convention floor.

On November 10th at 12 PM Eastern, bidding will open for Fred Ray’s famous “Patriotic Shield” cover to Superman #14 (Jan/Feb 1942), and Jerry Robinson’s “Double Guns” Joker cover to Detective Comics #69 (Nov 1942).

“The cover to Superman #14 is arguably THE most important piece of surviving original comic art in existence, and the cover to Detective #69 is just ‘mind-blowingly’ rare and historic,” stated Rob Reynolds, Director of Consignments at ComicConnect.com. “When compared to something like a Jackson Pollock, and thought of in the context of cultural relevance and desirability – one can easily understand why both these pieces are already garnering attention and interest from the fine art world.”

To quote Geoff Boucher of the LA Times, “If I could have any piece for my own home, I’d pick Ray’s Superman 14 or Robinson’s brilliant Detective 69.”

In 1942, the first waves of American superheroes were clearly at the height of their considerable powers. No two superheroes stood taller than Superman and Batman. Rarely is one able to gaze upon pieces of art that so perfectly captures a moment in time. A moment in time made up of one part innocence, one part patriotism and one part pure fantasy escapism. Such were the early 1940s.

The owner and consignor of the two covers is Jerry Robinson, Batman artist and creator of the Joker. Mr. Robinson has been a creative force in American comics for eight decades. He is a talent that understood early on the impact comics could have on American culture, and understood that original comic art should be saved and treasured. Jerry Robinson assembled and preserved for seventy years one of the greatest collections of comic art, and this collection has never been offered to the public until now.

These two pieces are among the finest original covers from Jerry Robinson’s collection, and will be available for sale in ComicConnect.com’s November / December 2010 Event Auction with no buyer’s premiums.

ComicConnect.com will offer a 6 Month Interest-Free Time Payment Plan on both auction lots. Interested parties should contact them for details.

ComicConnect.com is the first company to sell a comic book for $1 Million, and currently holds the world record with the sale of a comic for $1.5 Million. They are accepting comic books and original comic art for this historic auction, and offer generous cash advances up to $1 Million. They do not charge buyer’s premiums in the interest of delivering higher net returns for their clientele. For questions about consigning or bidding, ComicConnect.com may be reached at 212-895-3999 (international 001-212-895-3999) or emailed at support@comicconnect.com.

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Leonard Brandt Cole entered the world of comic book illustration after having worked as art director for a lithography company. His career in comics began in the early 1940s as a cover artist with over 1500 covers to his credit. Cole’s lithography experience provided him with the skills to create deep, rich colors for his covers that were unmatched in his time.

Most artists from the Golden Age of comics worked primarily in obscurity. L.B. Cole is one of the very few artists whose covers and artwork are fanatically chased by collectors. As time goes by, L.B. Cole’s extensive work only further cements his place as one of the all-time greats of the Golden Age.

Throughout his career, L.B. Cole saved hundreds of pieces of original art, comics, and cover proofs from the comic books he worked on. Not only did he collect his own work including pencil sketches, oil paintings, and original cover art, he collected other artists’ work as well, including an original Barks Donald Duck piece.

After his death in 1995, the contents of Cole’s estate remained hidden away with the family… until now.  ComicConnect.com is proud to offer the unique opportunity to own these pieces to collectors all over the world. The L.B. Cole Estate Collection, available for the first time on the market, will be offered by ComicConnect.com in the next Event Auction.

Click here to view the growing list of L.B. Cole lots (with more to come… stay tuned)

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ComicConnect.com is proud to report that their September Event Auction was the highest grossing auction that they have ever held!

“We put an extraordinary amount of time and effort in to getting comics for the auction, and then promoting the heck out them for our consignors,” said Vincent Zurzolo, Chief Operating Officer of ComicConnect.com. “It is rewarding to see all of that hard work pay off. I would like to thank all of the consignors and bidders that participated.”

“ComicConnect.com has been hammering out six-figure sales for years now,” said Rob Reynolds, Director of Consignments. “In this auction, we sold the famous “foreclosure” Action Comics #1 consignment for $436,000 and saved a family’s house to boot!”

Golden Age hammer prices:
Pep Comics #22 CGC 5.0 $50,000, Detective Comics #28 CGC 7.5 $35,000, Batman #2 CGC 9.2 $43,000, Captain America Comics #2 CGC 8.5 $21,500, Adventure Comics #40 CGC 6.5 $25,000, Flash Comics #1 CGC 5.0 $16,201, Famous Funnies Vol.1 #1 CGC 4.5 $20,628, Batman #9 CGC 9.4 $15,000, and Batman #57 CGC 8.5 $7,300, Superman #1 CGC 1.8 $28,000, Startling Comics #33 CGC 9.4 $4,851.

Silver and Bronze Age:
Amazing Fantasy #15 CGC 8.5 $108,000, Green Lantern #76 CGC 9.6 $18,434, Incredible Hulk #1 CGC 7.5 $16,950, Fantastic Four #1 CGC 7.0 $21,000, and Amazing Spider-Man #33 CGC 9.8 $7,600, Giant Size X-Men #1 CGC 9.8 $5,401, Tales of Suspense #39 CGC 8.5 $13,000, Fantastic Four #1 CGC 7.5 $21,000.

Original Art auction prices:
Peanuts Sunday Strip - $39,000, Phantom Sunday Strip - $2,150, Police Comics #2 page - $6,498, and Warlord #39 Cover - $4,400.

Bid Now in October Monthly Auction
The ComicConnect.com October Monthly Auction is under way with over 500 CGC-certified comics up for grabs with all at $1 start and no reserve.

Click here for the ComicConnect.com October Monthly Auction

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A very scarce copy of Pep Comics #22 was auctioned by ComicConnect.com in their September Event Auction for $50,000.

Of the more than 1250 comics available in the auction, including a copy of Action Comics #1 CGC 5.0 that sold for a whopping $436,000, this was one of the most exciting comics for fans to watch and bid on due to its scarcity.
 
"All sorts of numbers were thrown around for a pre-auction estimate," said Rob Reynolds, Director of Consignments. "I had more phone calls about this Pep #22 than all the other comics combined. Their pre-auction estimates started at $15,000 and up. At $50,000, I promise you my consignor is absolutely thrilled," Reynolds said.
 
Pep Comics #22 features the first appearance of Archie Andrews, his pal Jughead and his gal Betty. Gerber estimates that as few as 50 comics are known to exist. The comic was grade certified by CGC at 5.0 making it the third highest graded out of only seven certifications.

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