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Rob Liefeld and Cathy Christian's Avengelyne Explodes on eBay

Rob Liefeld and Cathy Christian's Avengelyne explodes on eBay with Avatar Press' variant covers topping the price league.

Published Sun, 14 Apr 2024 07:57:11 -0500

by Rich Johnston

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Article Summary

Rob Liefeld, Cathy Christian & Tony Lobito's Avengelyne sees an eBay surge with rare covers.
Paramount acquired movie rights; LuckyChap Entertainment & Olivia Wilde are set to produce.
First Avengelyne issue from Maximum Press fetches over $100 due to its scarcity and demand.
Comprehensive list provided for collectors to track down all Avengelyne comics and crossovers.

Avengelyne was created by Rob Liefeld, Cathy Christian and Tony Lobito and published from Rob's Maximum Press imprint in 1995, the publishing line from Liefeld, separate from Image to get around some of their publishing restrictions. Avengelyne also had one issue from Awesome Entertainment and was licensed for new comics from Bleeding Cool's own publisher, Avatar Press. Avengelyne returned in the Arcana Studio one-shot Avengelyne vs. Koni Waves in 2010 followed by a new ongoing Avengelyne series, from Image Comics for the first time, from Mark Poulton and Owen Gieni, in 2011.

Avengelyne is the most feared warrior in Heaven, was a fallen angel, banished by God after being tricked into questioning His love for humans. Stripped of all her angelic abilities, other than her great strength and her blood, she fights demons on earth, being groomed to be humankind's last hope in a coming Armageddon.

The original character design is based on the likeness of Christian, the first official Vampirella model at Harris. The first issue had a story written by Liefeld, scripted by Robert Napton, pencilled by John Stinsman, inked by Jonathan Sibal and Danny Miki with assists by Robert Heddon, coloured by Nathan Lumm, with separations by Extreme Colors, lettered by Kurt Hathaway and edited by Matt Hawkins. In that first issue, Liefeld stated that "Avengelyne is a collaborative effort created by myself, Cathy Christian and her fiancee Tony Lobito. Avengelyne is the end result of what began as a casual discussion between Cathy, Tony and myself about the opportunity to work together." Lobito was the former first publisher of Image Comics, Image editor and later Top Cow Comics editor.

In 2013, Rob Liefeld was working on a movie version, now with Gina Carano to star, and in 2016, Paramount Pictures purchased the film rights for Avengelyne with Akiva Goldsman as producer. Eleven years later, LuckyChap Entertainment is now producing a film directed by Olivia Wilde. LuckyChap is the company run by Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerley, and Josie McNamara and Simon Kinberg is also on board to produce. As a result of this news, there has been a boost on the aftermarket for the character's first and rarest appearances.

Top of the list is the Avengylene/Shi crossover published by Avatar Press with the Royal Blue variant cover limited to 100 copies selling for $186 raw. though still available for $75 from the publisher.
A CGC 9.8 copy of Avengelyne: Dragon Realm #1/2 from 2002, also from Avatar, has seen the emerald foil variant just sold for $150.
A CBCS 9.8 graded Avengelyne #1 Chromium edition of the first issue from Maximum Press went for $145. and a CGC 9.8 for $100. An ashcan edition of that first issue has sold for $100. While a raw copy of #1 has sold for $73.
A CGC 9.8 slabbed Avengelyne/Warrior Nun Areala #1 from 1996, Maximum has sold for $90, and an Avengylene: Deadly Sins #1 slabbed at CGC 9.8 has sold for $75.
More recently, a San Diego Coimic-Con edition of Avengylene #1 from 2105 with a Gina Careno referenced Avengylene on the cover has sold raw for $75, while a copy of the standard first issue has sold raw for $42.
An original photo cover with Christina for Avengylene #1 from 1995 has also sold raw for $75.
An Avengylene/Glory #1 CGC 9.8 from Maximum slabbed has sold for $70, while Glory/Avengylene #1 from Image in the same grade has sold for $72.
An Avengylene: Bad Blood #1 leather cover from Avatar has sold, raw, for $50 though $25 from the publisher.

Here are all the Avengelyne comics if you are looking to catch them all. And it looks like plenty of the Avatar Press issues can be found still for cover price at Comics Cavalcade.