Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: fiction house, golden age, Jumbo Comics, maurice whitman

Maurice Whitman's Underappreciated Jumbo Comics Covers, at Auction

We recently noted that the series Ghost Comics is in demand by vintage collectors, largely due to the covers of an underrated artist of the late Golden Age, Maurice Whitman.  But Whitman's work graced a large number of comics of the mid-1940s through the early 1950s that are undeservedly overlooked. After serving in WWII, Whitman entered the comics industry working in the mid-1940s for the likes of Harry Chesler, Lloyd Jacquet, and Jerry Iger. But in 1947, he began working for the publisher with which he would make his mark: Fiction House.  Whitman worked on interior stories for the likes of Wings Comics, Planet Comics, Jungle Comics, and other Fiction House titles 1947-1950 before starting to get cover work as well.  Maurice Whitman created dozens of covers for Fiction House 1950-1954, and his covers for the classic Jumbo Comics series are great examples of his many stand-outs. There is a set of Jumbo Comics #161-167 with Maurice Whitman covers from the very end of this important series up for auction in this week's 2022 July 24-25 Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122230 from Heritage Auctions.

Whitman worked for Fiction House until Summer 1954, and the company ceased operations shortly thereafter, becoming a victim of the anti-comics moral panic of the mid-1950s.  He then moved on to a wide range of work for Charlton, Warren Publications, and others.  But his Fiction House work is Whitman at the peak of his abilities, and his Jumbo Comics covers are among his best work. here is a set of Jumbo Comics #161-167 with Maurice Whitman covers from the very end of this important series up for auction in this week's 2022 July 24-25 Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122230 from Heritage Auctions.

Jumbo Comics #161 (Fiction House, 1952) Condition: GD. Ghost Gallery covers begin. Jack Kamen and Lou Cameron art. Top staple detached, bottom staple popped, and spine splitting. Overstreet 2021 GD 2.0 value = $26.

Jumbo Comics #162 (Fiction House, 1952) Condition: FR. Maurice Whitman cover. Jack Kamen and Robert Webb art. Water damage, tape repair to outer cover, restapled over tape. Overstreet 2021 GD 2.0 value = $26.

Jumbo Comics #163 (Fiction House, 1952) Condition: GD. First appearance of The Eye. Suicide Smith appearance. Ken Battefield art. Cover tears, piece missing from back cover. Overstreet 2021 GD 2.0 value = $26.

Jumbo Comics #164 (Fiction House, 1952) Condition: GD/VG. Star Pirate reprints begin. Robert Webb and Murphy Anderson art. Overstreet 2021 GD 2.0 value = $36; VG 4.0 value = $72.

Jumbo Comics #165 (Fiction House, 1952) Condition: GD. Sheena appearance. Robert Webb art. Cover drawn on, tape repair inner front cover. Overstreet 2021 GD 2.0 value = $33.

Jumbo Comics #166 (Fiction House, 1953) Condition: PR. Sheena appearance. Robert Webb art. Page missing. Overstreet 2021 GD 2.0 value = $33.

Jumbo Comics #167 (Fiction House, 1953) Condition: GD. Space Rangers appearance. Final issue. Cover detached, tape repair to spine. Overstreet 2021 GD 2.0 value = $33.

 

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!