Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: copper age, marvel, x-men

Alan Moore, GRRM, More in Heroes for Hope Starring X-Men, at Auction

Published Sun, 20 Feb 2022 10:17:09 -0600

Not only was this 1985 Marvel release done for a charitable cause, but it's further testimony to just how cool it is that I had a very hard time choosing a couple of contributors to put in the headline out of the long, ridiculously impressive list of credits for this issue. Heroes for Hope Starring the X-Men #1 was put together in 1985 in reaction to the Ethiopian famine of the mid-1980s. The comic included work from an astounding group of creators, including Stan Lee and John Buscema; Stephen King and Bernie Wrightson; Alan Moore and Richard Corben; Harlan Ellison, Frank Miller, and Bill Sienkiewicz; Mike Baron and Steve Rude, Howard Chaykin inked by Walt Simonson; John Byrne and Terry Austin; George R.R. Martin and Herb Trimpe; Steve Englehart, Paul Gulacy and Bob Layton; Bruce Jones and Gray Morrow; Jo Duffy and John Bolton; Chris Claremont and Brian Bolland; Ann Nocenti and Mike Kaluta; Ed Bryant and Brent Anderson; Bill Mantlo and Charles Vess, and more — and featuring an iconic X-Men / Wolverine cover by Arthur Adams. An incredibly cool piece of 1980s Marvel, there's a Heroes for Hope Starring the X-Men #1 (Marvel, 1985) CGC NM/MT 9.8 White pages up for auction in this week's 2022 February 20-21 Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122208 at Heritage Auctions.

Heroes for Hope Starring the X-Men #1 (Marvel, 1985).

As then-Marvel EIC Jim Shooter explained in an editorial in the issue, "One night, a few months ago, artist Jim Starlin called me at home to propose an idea that his friend and fellow artist Berni Wrightson had suggested to him — that Marvel Comics publish a special issue of The X-Men, a benefit book for famine relief in Africa. Jim and Berni wanted to do the book as a "jam", with as many artists and writers contributing, which would enable us to bring a small army of outstanding talents together on the project, making it a real event. I thought it was a great idea. The next morning I pitched it to Publisher Mike Hobson and President Jim Galton. . . . Jim and Berni recruited the artists. Chris Claremont . . . quickly volunteered to recruit writers, and to help . . . coordinate the entire project."

The release had reportedly raised $150,000 for the American Friends Service Committee by early 1986. An iconic and unique 1980s X-Men comic, there's a Heroes for Hope Starring the X-Men #1 (Marvel, 1985) CGC NM/MT 9.8 White pages up for auction in this week's 2022 February 20-21 Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122208 at Heritage Auctions.

Heroes for Hope Starring the X-Men #1 (Marvel, 1985) CGC NM/MT 9.8 White pages. Stephen King scripts. Famine relief issue. Arthur Adams cover. Brian Bolland, John Byrne, Richard Corben, Paul Gulacy, Michael Kaluta, Frank Miller, John Romita Jr., and Bernie Wrightson art. Overstreet 2021 NM- 9.2 value = $10. CGC census 2/22: 40 in 9.8, none higher.

View the certification for CGC Certification ID 3806609007 and purchase grader's notes if available.