Posted in: Comics, DC Comics, Marvel Comics | Tagged: auction, heritage, neal adams, politics

In The Heart Of America, A War Zone – Green Lantern/Arrow At Auction

Dennis O'Neill and Neal Adams' run on Green Lantern/Green Arrow in the seventies was the most overtly political super-hero comic book of its day and has been reappraised in the current state of play. Such as the cover to Green Lantern/Green Arrow #77 by Neal Adams below, promising "In The Heart Of America, A War Zone", something some may feel is rather timely right now. It is listed by Heritage Auctions right now, as part of their January 14 – 17 Comics & Comic Art Signature Auction – Dallas 7239 and is currently listed at $31,000.

Neal Adams Green Lantern #77 Cover Original Art (DC, 1970). The second issue of the legendary "Hard Traveling Heroes" arc that helped introduce the Bronze Age of Comics! The team of writer Denny O'Neil, and artist Neal Adams contributed to a sea change in comics as stories began dealing with bigger "real world" issues and tried to shed the camp comedy style of the Batmania era. This exciting cover was created in ink over graphite on Sparta Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15". The logo and word balloon are paste-ups. There is some residue staining, whiteout corrections, and spot staining. The top and bottom edges are trimmed. The lightly toned board is in Very Good condition.

There are other Neal Adams items of note also being auctioned, less political and less valuable, but may be more affordable for the right buyer. Here are a few.

Neal Adams and Dick Giordano Justice League of America #89 Cover Original Art (DC, 1971). One of the best art teams of the Bronze Age, Neal Adams and Dick Giordano helped establish the new look of superheroes for DC Comics. Doughy 40 year old heroes were out and muscular 29 year olds were in! This story was a bit of meta-fiction as real-world writer Harlan Ellison is cast as the main character who dreams himself into the DCU with cover co-stars Flash, Hawkman, Green Lantern, Aquaman, Black Canary, Green Arrow, and a faceless Superman and Batman! The classic cover was created in ink over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15", matted to 16" x 22". The logo, header dressing, text and sidebar heads are stat past-ups. There is some residue staining on Aquaman. Signed to Harlan Ellison at the top by Julius Schwartz. The paste-up word balloon has Harlan Ellison's name; however, the published cover says "Reader" in that space. In Very Good condition. Currently at $21,000.

Neal Adams and Tom Palmer The Avengers #93 Story Page 28 Captain Marvel Original Art (Marvel, 1971). From Part 5 of the beloved "Kree-Skrull War" epic, this page features the Kree-born Captain Mar-Vell attempting to assemble an Omni-Wave Projector. While the bottom panel gives us an image of Iron Man and Thor battling… The Thing and Human Torch? (Nope… they're Skrulls, and so is the Carol Danvers in the top panel). Gorgeous work by one of the greatest art teams of the late 1960s to early 1970s. Rendered in ink and Zipatone over graphite on two Bristol board sections that have been affixed to a larger Bristol board for an overall image area of 10" x 15". The center banner is a stat text paste-up. The corners are slightly creased and rounded, with pinholes. There is some slight glue residue and minor staining on the board, and the Zipatone has discolored to a golden hue. In Very Good condition. Currently at $8750.

Neal Adams – Neal Adams Portfolio Set A Tarzan Original Art (1970s). This memorable portfolio collected pieces Adams drew when he was working on Tarzan paperback covers for Ballantine Books. The limited signed edition included this image as a bonus — it's similar to the cover of the "Tarzan Triumphant" book. Created in graphite on art paper with an image size of 7.25" x 11", matted at 13" x 17". Slightly toned, light smudging and handling wear, taped to the mat at the top and bottom edges. Signed by Adams in the lower image area. Light mat staining and wear, with fraying edges. Overall in Very Good condition. Currently at $2,300.

Neal Adams Conan the Barbarian #PR-31 The Crawler in the Mists [Book & Record Set] Wraparound Cover Original Art (Peter Pan/Power Records, 1976). One of only two Conan covers Adams ever penciled (the other being #37 of the Marvel series), this adorned one of the book-and-record sets that anyone who was kid back then remembers fondly. This wraparound beauty was produced in ink over graphite on Bristol board sections that was affixed together for a combined image area of 21" x 15.5". All text and the back cover map are printed paste-ups. The front cover art was created on a separate sheet of Bristol and trimmed to image before being affixed to the board. There is glue and production tape residue, and a missing paste-up. There are whiteout art corrections and blending of paste-ups. The cover has a tear on the bottom edge, with moderate creasing with handling wear. In Good condition.

Neal Adams National Lampoon Magazine V1#20 Story Page 6 Dragula Original Art (National Lampoon, 1971). Dracula gets the Lampoon treatment in this page from the risqué story "Dragula: Queen of Darkness" by one of the most famous and influential comic artists of all time! Neal Adams handles the art with the usual dynamic realism that he is known for — taking the story by Tony Hendra to a "stereotypical" peak. Rendered in ink and Zipatone over graphite on Bristol board with an image size of 10.5" x 15". Light toning, tape abrasion at the bottom, smudging and tape residue staining, with corner, edge, and handling wear. Signed by Adams in the bottom margin and in Very Good condition.

Neal Adams Crazy Magazine #2 Story Page 2 "McClown" Original Art (Marvel, 1974). The Crazy TV parody of the popular show McCloud. Adams creates a story that fits right in to the satirical feel of the Marvel humor magazine. Reprinted in Crazy Super Special #1 and Crazy Magazine #61. Rendered in ink and marker over graphite on Bristol board with an image size of 10.5" x 15". Light toning, pinholes in the top and bottom margins, piece missing from the lower right edge, smudging and staining with edge and handling wear. Signed by Adams in the bottom margin and in Very Good condition. Currently at $775.

Neal Adams – Parody Comic Story Page 3 Original Art (c. 1970-80s). This page is very much in the style of Adams' parody stories that ran in the National Lampoon. The page was created in ink and Zipatone over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 10.75" x 16.5". There are paste-up text corrections (some missing, leaving glue residue). Signed in the lower margin. In overall Excellent condition. Currently at $525.

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