ADVENTURE COMICS (1938-83) #40
CGC VF/NM: 9.0
(Stock Image)
SOLD ON: Wednesday, 12/06/2023 7:11 PM
$18,400
Sold For
18
Bids
PUBLISHER: DC
COMMENTS: A 15% BUYER'S PREMIUM WILL BE ADDED TO THIS ITEM AT CONCLUSION OF THE AUCTION
Cream to Off-White pages; Census Rank 2 Highest Graded; Restored holder; Moderate Professional Restoration; CGC#0743425001
classic Creig Flessel cover, Bob Kane art; 1st app of Sandman (07/39) Comic Book Impact rating of 8 (CBI)
Read Description ▼
Cream to Off-White pages; Census Rank 2 Highest Graded; Restored holder; Moderate Professional Restoration; CGC#0743425001
classic Creig Flessel cover, Bob Kane art; 1st app of Sandman (07/39) Comic Book Impact rating of 8 (CBI)
DESCRIPTION
A 15% BUYER'S PREMIUM WILL BE ADDED TO THIS ITEM AT CONCLUSION OF THE AUCTION
Cream to Off-White pages; Census Rank 2 Highest Graded; Restored holder; Moderate Professional Restoration; CGC#0743425001
classic Creig Flessel cover, Bob Kane art; 1st app of Sandman (07/39) Comic Book Impact rating of 8 (CBI)
1939's New York World's Fair Comics is Sandman's actual first appearance, but many consider Adventure Comics #40 to be the issue that breathed life into the character—as it contained the first story conceived for the snappily-suited hero sporting a cape, gas mask, and fedora.
Gardner Fox and Bert Christman are credited with creating the character under the pseudonym "Larry Dean," along with illustrator Creig Flessel. Together, they spawned a crime fighter that held strong ties to the dark, moody pulp magazines that acted as the precursor of, and inspiration to, the nascent comic book industry. The eerie Sandman cover image falls directly in line with the hard-nosed, no-nonsense style DC employed in the golden era. Shown firing his gas gun, Sandman strikes a harrowing chord of fear that would soon step aside for a less-frightening incarnation of Dodd's alter ego. There are currently a scant 41 copies of this important key listed on the CGC boards; this professionally restored copy is the second-highest-graded example known, and the one copy above it is also restored. The book presents nicely preserved colors and strong, rich blacks which complement a characteristically pulpy Creig Flessel cover that is one of the best-regarded of his storied career. With the second season of Neil Gaiman’s “The Sandman” en route to Netflix, this first appearance of the original DC Sandman is likely to see increased returns at auction. While there has been no sale of high-grade copies of Adventure Comics #40 in the past decade, an unrestored 7.5 copy sold for $81,000 in April of 2021, this being a 9.0 restored copy, sales could exceed that amount due to the rarity of this book, especially at upper grades.
Overstreet Guide 2023 VF/NM (9.0) value = $133,600.
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 3 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
Cream to Off-White pages; Census Rank 2 Highest Graded; Restored holder; Moderate Professional Restoration; CGC#0743425001
classic Creig Flessel cover, Bob Kane art; 1st app of Sandman (07/39) Comic Book Impact rating of 8 (CBI)
1939's New York World's Fair Comics is Sandman's actual first appearance, but many consider Adventure Comics #40 to be the issue that breathed life into the character—as it contained the first story conceived for the snappily-suited hero sporting a cape, gas mask, and fedora.
Gardner Fox and Bert Christman are credited with creating the character under the pseudonym "Larry Dean," along with illustrator Creig Flessel. Together, they spawned a crime fighter that held strong ties to the dark, moody pulp magazines that acted as the precursor of, and inspiration to, the nascent comic book industry. The eerie Sandman cover image falls directly in line with the hard-nosed, no-nonsense style DC employed in the golden era. Shown firing his gas gun, Sandman strikes a harrowing chord of fear that would soon step aside for a less-frightening incarnation of Dodd's alter ego. There are currently a scant 41 copies of this important key listed on the CGC boards; this professionally restored copy is the second-highest-graded example known, and the one copy above it is also restored. The book presents nicely preserved colors and strong, rich blacks which complement a characteristically pulpy Creig Flessel cover that is one of the best-regarded of his storied career. With the second season of Neil Gaiman’s “The Sandman” en route to Netflix, this first appearance of the original DC Sandman is likely to see increased returns at auction. While there has been no sale of high-grade copies of Adventure Comics #40 in the past decade, an unrestored 7.5 copy sold for $81,000 in April of 2021, this being a 9.0 restored copy, sales could exceed that amount due to the rarity of this book, especially at upper grades.
Overstreet Guide 2023 VF/NM (9.0) value = $133,600.
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 3 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