A restored copy of Detective Comics #27 (DC, 1939) CGC Apparent VF 7.5, the monumental debut of the Caped Crusader – the second most sought-after of all comic book titles – will cross the auction block on Friday, Feb. 20, as part of Heritage Auctions’ Comics & Comic Art Feb. 19-21 Signature® Auction at the Fletcher-Sinclair Mansion (2 E. 79th Street, at 5th Ave.). It is expected to bring $100,000+.
“A few restored copies of Action #1, the debut of Superman, have broken the $100,000 mark at Heritage,” said Ed Jaster, Senior Vice President of Heritage Auctions. “This copy of Detective #27 could be the second restored copy of this issue to reach that level. This is a cornerstone book for any collection and we expect bidding will be appropriate to the rarity and the condition.”
Just a year after his debut in Detective Comics #27, Batman was starring in his own eponymous title and a CGC-Graded VG+ 4.5 copy of the first issue, Batman #1, presents a superb opportunity for the right collector. It is estimated at $65,000+.
A trio of superb original pieces of comic art sit atop the offerings on the art side of the auction, including Hal Foster’s striking, hand-colored Prince Valiant Sunday Comic Strip dated 2-10-46 (King Features Syndicate, 1946), the famous “Wedding of Val and Aleta,” easily one of the most attractive Hal Foster pieces that the company has ever offered. It is valued at $50,000+.
The other two arms of the art trinity consist of Dave Cockrum and Bob Wiacek original cover art for Uncanny X-Men #162 (Marvel, 1982), which Heritage experts believe to be just the second solo Wolverine cover of the title, after issue #133, and possibly just the third in all of comics, with issue #1 of the Wolverine limited series the only other one preceding it, and the amazing Frank Frazetta cover art for Ghost Rider #17 (Magazine Enterprises, 1950), a scintillating and compelling cover. Both pieces also carry a $50,000+ estimate.
