Comiclink has a Featured Auction ending this week. Not that they've exactly flown under the radar, but we've all been paying just a little bit of extra attention. Time to give CL some love:

(more…)

I went through the catalog yesterday. I limited myself to picking twelve lots of interest to share with you guys. It was tough because this is an auction full of some interesting material. The Joe Kubert lots themselves could have produced a decent set of 12 items to ogle.

The Incredible Hulk #1 (Marvel, 1962) CGC NM- 9.2

This is clearly the book of the auction. I don't get excited easily by Silver Age marvels, but this book brings a smile to my face. It's tough to find in high grade and it's the HULK.

Hulk smash!

As of this writing it sits at $45,000. Still plenty of room for a thrill bid, I think.
(more…)

Heritage's May auction is live and before I even had time to think about doing an article on it, the Showcase #4 CGC 9.6 is already at $107k and counting.

If there's any justice in this world, this book will set the Silver Age record.

Showcase #4 The Flash (DC, 1956) CGC NM+ 9.6 White pages

Incredible book. I fear it won't get the kind of numbers I think it deserves, but it will still be interesting to see what it does sell for when the smoke clears.

Showcase #4 The Flash (DC, 1956) CGC NM+ 9.6 White pages.

Showcase #4 The Flash (DC, 1956) CGC NM+ 9.6 White pages. Surely the best Silver Age comic book Heritage has ever offered at auction, this copy is a serious contender for the most desirable copy of any Silver Age comic. If you leave Marvel aside and consider only DC books, we will commit to saying that there's nothing to top this.

In terms of historical significance, few books can hold a candle to Showcase #4 — it introduced a new superhero at a time when only Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman had their own titles (and not a single superhero was being published at Atlas/Marvel after that firm's failed revival attempt a couple of years previously). As Paul Kupperberg noted, "frankly, anything would have been a welcome relief from the tedium of the day, when Superman was pitted against gangsters in suits and Batman fought aliens in outer space."

Though all of the creators involved (editor Julius Schwartz, writer Robert Kanigher, penciler Carmine Infantino, and inker Joe Kubert) had worked on the Golden Age Flash Comics title in some capacity, it was agreed to create a new Flash character rather than attempting a revival… and the target audience for comics was too young to remember the older series anyway. Even a reference to the old series showing a copy of Flash Comics #13 went over readers' heads — Gary Carter noted that that panel was "the first time I ever saw the Golden Age Flash as a child. At the time though, I had no idea it was a 'real' comic book, so to speak."

The new Flash, Barry Allen, not only had a sleek look unlike any costume seen in the Golden Age, the art style was exciting and new, courtesy of Carmine Infantino. The character was a hit, and three more Showcase appearances and his own series would soon follow.

A beautifully unblemished copy front and back, as are the others in this amazing run.

Showcase Vol.1 #4 Key Issue 1st Silver – Age Flash

That's an interesting listing. Raw, restored and listed Near Mint, that's a baffling combination. CGC graded I'd have a hard time guessing at the price. Raw? Even tougher.

Still it's a nice looking book:

Call me crazy, but I'm disappointed. While $160,200 is a great result, I really wanted the book to get closer to the $175,000 level. That's where I feel its "value" is so seeing it fall short of that is something of a disappointment.

Maybe it'll get flipped on ComicLink (oh snap!)

There's still a long way to go, but it's still nice to see a truly historic and tough book poised to ring the cash register over six figures.

ComicConnect :: Buy, Sell & Appraise Showcase # 4 Comic Books

I think I've written about this one book more times than any other. Mark Wilson listed it three times. Mark Zaid has listed it a couple of times and without fail, when it shows up on eBay I link to it.

Showcase #4 CGC 9.2 (1956) — First Silver Age Comic!!!