Posted in: ComicConnect Sponsored, Comics, Original Artwork, Vintage Paper | Tagged: auction, original artwork, phantom lady, sponsored

Can You Identify The Phantom Lady #2 Cover Artwork Artist At Auction?

Who drew the cover to Phantom Lady #2? One of the first superheroes to debut in the 1940s Golden Age of Comic Books and published by Quality Comics and then Victor Fox, the character was subsequently published by Ajax-Farrell as well as Charlton.  In more recent times, a new version of the character currently appears in books published by DC Comics.

Created by the Eisner and Iger Studio, Phantom Lady is a notable example of "good girl art," a style of comic art depicting voluptuous female characters in provocative situations and pin-up poses that contributed to a later criticism of the medium's effect on children. The character was ranked 49th in Comics Buyer's Guide's "100 Sexiest Women in Comics" list, back when publications like the CBG did those kinds of lists. Art credits from such times were not common, and some credits are lost to history. Maybe you can identify the person where experts have failed? The original artwork is up from ComicConnect as part of their original artwork sales today, and it is getting the highest of bids so far.

Unknown Artist – PHANTOM LADY (1954-55) #2 Cover 1955; image area measures 11.5" x 16.5" Jon Berk Collection

The Phantom Lady was the perfect melding of the main obsessions of Golden Age comic illustrators: action, superheroes, and brazen imagery. The twist? Socialite and Senator's daughter Sandra Knight was the tough-as-nails hero, nimbly getting herself into suspiciously sultry danger, then getting out of it with cunning, panache, and no shortage of leggy kicks. Phantom Lady proved popular even after the Wertham-influenced "cleaning up" of the comics industry. Even under the dictates of comic code modesty, our heroine still captivates at center, with her powerful form dominating both the composition and her enemies' doomed figures. While the staff artist behind this piece is not definitively known, their spotting of blacks and sense of dynamism are quite impressive, lending this image a terrific punch. Among the most beloved of cult heroes of the Golden Age, art featuring this titanic character is nearly impossible to find, making this cover a true rarity.

Here's a video from the auctioneers looking at the legacy of the page in question.

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