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
1st appearance of Sandman in monthly comics (7/39); classic Creig Flessel cover, Bob Kane art; 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
1st appearance of Sandman in monthly comics (7/39); classic Creig Flessel cover, Bob Kane art; 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
1st appearance of Sandman in monthly comics (7/39); classic Creig Flessel cover, Bob Kane art; Comic Book Impact rating of 8 (CBI)
Adventure Comics #40 is the first appearance of The Sandman in a monthly comic, with the pioneering crimefighter only seen before in 1939’s New York World's Fair Comics . This classic Golden Age collectible remains the issue that truly breathed life into 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 of "Larry Dean," with Golden Age artist Creig Flessel getting the story out just two months after Batman’s debut in Detective Comics #27. The beloved story establishes Wesley Dodds as another crime-fighting millionaire with a butler and secret headquarters, but also provides the Sandman with strong ties to the moody pulp magazines that acted as the precursor of the comics industry.
This enduringly eerie Sandman cover image falls directly in line with the hard-nosed style DC employed in the Golden Age. Shown firing his gas gun, Sandman strikes a frightening figure that would soon be replaced by a more heroic take on Dodd's alter ego.
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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
1st appearance of Sandman in monthly comics (7/39); classic Creig Flessel cover, Bob Kane art; Comic Book Impact rating of 8 (CBI)
Adventure Comics #40 is the first appearance of The Sandman in a monthly comic, with the pioneering crimefighter only seen before in 1939’s New York World's Fair Comics . This classic Golden Age collectible remains the issue that truly breathed life into 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 of "Larry Dean," with Golden Age artist Creig Flessel getting the story out just two months after Batman’s debut in Detective Comics #27. The beloved story establishes Wesley Dodds as another crime-fighting millionaire with a butler and secret headquarters, but also provides the Sandman with strong ties to the moody pulp magazines that acted as the precursor of the comics industry.
This enduringly eerie Sandman cover image falls directly in line with the hard-nosed style DC employed in the Golden Age. Shown firing his gas gun, Sandman strikes a frightening figure that would soon be replaced by a more heroic take on 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