Posted in: Comics | Tagged: heritage auctions, rob liefeld

Single Page of Rob Liefeld Deadpool Art Sells for $55K At Record-Breaking $12M Comic Auction

Published Tue, 15 May 2018 20:00:42 -0500

A comic book and comic art auction held by Heritage Auctions which made over $12 million has broken the world record for most valuable sale of its kind, Heritage claimed in a press release Tuesday. Amongst the treasures sold at the action was an original page of Rob Liefeld art from New Mutants #98, the first appearance of Deadpool. Liefeld created Deadpool, now the subject of a major motion picture franchise whose second film releases this week, along with writer Fabian Nicieza, though he's said he could have done it with a janitor. Now, it's Heritage Auctions which appears to have hit the Liefeld Lotto, earning a total of $12,201,974, topping the previous record holder, also a Heritage auction from 2012 which made $10,389,821.

As you can see, the page also features Cable, who first appeared eleven issues earlier in New Mutants #87. Well, technically speaking, he appeared as a baby, Nathan Christopher Charles Summers, son of original X-Men Scott Summers and Jean Grey, in Uncanny X-Men #201. Cable is featured prominently in the Deadpool 2 movie. Could we see this very scene play out?

In addition to the overall record, a Frank Frazetta painting titled Death Dealer 6 1990 broke its own record by more than double when it sold for $1.79 million. A Gary Larson Far Side strip broke the Gary Larson Far Side strip record by selling for $31,070, though it was outdone by a Calvin and Hobbes strip by Bill Watterson which sold for $67,725. Page 3 of X-Men #1 by Jack Kirby and Paul Reinman sold for $89,625. A CGC VG 4.0 graded Action Comics #1 also sold for $573,600. In total there were over 1600 items sold at the auction, which took place May 12-15.

Here are some other highlights from the press release:

In addition to the copy of Action Comics #1, key books in high-grade condition broke the six-figure barrier. An issue of Batman #1 (DC, 1940), CGC FN- 5.5, never before offered for sale, sold for $227,050. Justice League of America #1 (DC, 1960), CGC NM+ 9.6, ended at $215,100, and a copy of Whiz Comics #2 (#1) (Fawcett Publications, 1940), CGC FN 6.0, the first appearance of Captain Marvel, sold for $173,275.

One of the most sough-after issues of all time, Superman #1 (DC, 1939), CGC GD 2.0, brought $167,300 and 25 bids pushed the auction price of Action Comics #7 (DC, 1938) CGC VG/FN 5.0, known for being the second Superman cover ever, to $161,325.

The auction's offering of original comic art included John Romita Sr. The Amazing Spider-Man #61 Cover Original Art (Marvel, 1968), which sold for $167,300. Continuing collector's streak for paying high-flying auction prices for art by Robert Crumb, his original art for a "Head Comix" 1-Page Story from Yarrowstalks #2 (Yarrowstalks, 1967) sold for $143,400.

Artist Dave Cockrum's bombastic Original Cover Art to X-Men #102 (Marvel, 1976) sold for $131,450 and a magnificent splash-page of Original Art by Jack Kirby and George Roussos from Fantastic Four #25 (Marvel, 1964) sold for $113,525.