Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: golden age, l.b. cole

Highest Graded CGC 9.8 Contact Comics #11 L.B. Cole Cover, at Auction

L.B. Cole comic book covers are highly sought after by collectors, and this copy of Contact Comics #11 is the only CGC 9.8 in the entire run.

Published Wed, 11 Jan 2023 14:17:10 -0600

by Mark Seifert

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We've talked a lot about L.B. Cole in these auction posts over the years, and for good reason. He is widely considered one of the most distinctive stylists of the Golden Age, and he may have thought more about what makes a comic book cover leap off the newsstands than any other artist of the period. Comic books with L.B. Cole covers are highly sought after by vintage comics collectors. Factor in how difficult is to obtain any Golden Age comic books in CGC 9.8, and the result here is something special for L.B. Cole collectors. This Contact Comics #11 (Aviation Press, 1946) CGC NM/MT 9.8 White pages is the only copy of any issue of the Contact Comics series graded CGC 9.8, and one of only a tiny handful of CGC 9.8s for any Golden Age/Pre-Code Horror Cole cover comic book. This issue is now up for auction in the 2023 January 12 – 15 Comics & Comic Art Signature® Auction #7338 at Heritage Auctions.

Contact Comics #11 (Aviation Press, 1946)

Contact Comics, publisher Aviation Press, Inc. had published the aviation news magazine Contact since 1934. Its editor-in-chief during the war era, Arthur Segar Pierce, was a pilot himself who had a reputation as an innovative aviation industry marketer. Working for airplane manufacturer Piper in 1940, he helped put together a unique effort involving tobacco manufacturer Brown and Williamson and NBC radio to tie all three companies together to launch the aviation-themed radio drama Wings of Destiny, the cigarette brand Wings, and a giveaway program that actually gave away a Piper Cub airplane every week for 61 weeks. Pierce himself flew the planes to deliver the prize to each weekly winner, who was also offered flying instruction. Comic books must have been an obvious idea for Pierce by the mid-1940s, and the comics also promoted what was termed the "adult edition" of Contact with a coupon offer.

Notably, Contact Comics #11 also included stories art by future EC Comics legends Harvey Kurtzman and Al Feldstein. Kurtzman's Black Venus feature in this series came to the attention of some comic book critics of the time for the character's sexy costume. The September 2, 1945 issue of The Idaho Statesmen had an article on a developing trend in the comic books of 1945 and beyond, put in a way I've never quite seen described elsewhere: "Comic books or squinkies, as they are called in the trade, sell some 20,000,000 copies a month and are still largely concerned with the doings of the supertypes. At camp PX's in this country, squinkies have outsold Reader's Digest, Life, and The Saturday Evening Post by a ratio of ten to one. Why this unbelievable popularity among G.I.'s? Probably because of the emergence of a new type of squinkie — the super-girl with a story all her own, a woman of action, energy, and unlimited capacities. It is generally agreed… that the squinkie heroine's most distinctive feature is her anatomy. This, in general, follows the wasp-waisted… maidens of the Varga and Petty school, with legs half again as long as any yet seen on man or beast. The usual working costume of such dillies as Wonder Woman, Miss America, Liberty Belle, or Black Venus consists of an abbreviated version of the standard supersuit — varied to complement the eccentricities of the wearer. The extreme, of course, is Black Venus who is apparently covered by nothing more than a coat of paint which will no doubt discourage the returning veteran when he gets home and finds all the girls walking around fully attired."

All of these elements serve to make the auction of this Contact Comics #11 (Aviation Press, 1946) CGC NM/MT 9.8 White pages a unique opportunity for L.B. Cole collectors. Not only is it the only CGC 9.8 from the entire Contact Comics series, it's also one of a small handful of CGC 9.8s among any Golden Age/PCH comic books with Cole covers. This offering is part of this week's 2023 January 12 – 15 Comics & Comic Art Signature® Auction #7338 at Heritage Auctions. For prospective bidders who are new to Heritage Auctions, it's important to check out their FAQ section on the bidding process and related matters.