Legions of superheroes star in comic book auction Sept. 17

NEW YORK – DC Comics, Marvel and more are offered in an online, no-reserve auction of classic comic books that will be held Tuesday, Sept. 17, by Jasper52. Titles range from the Silver Age of superheroes to contemporary comics, some of which are signed by their artists and writers. Bid absentee or live online exclusively through LiveAuctioneers.

The 166-lot auction opens with Lot 1, The Amazing Spider-Man, #101, which marked the first appearance of Morbius, the Living Vampire. The October 1971 issue (above) features art by Gil Kane, story by Roy Thomas and editing by Stan Lee.

Another Bronze Age comic is Captain Marvel #34 from September 1971 (below). It pits the title hero against Nitro, The Exploding Man, in his debut appearance. It features cover and interior art by Jim Starlin and story by Steve Englehart.

Fantastic Four #168 (March 1976) has Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Girl and the Human Torch considering what to do about Ben Grimm, formally the Thing, since his prolonged exposure to the gamma rays emitted by the Hulk has caused him to revert back into his human form. The art is by Rich Buckler and the story is by Roy Thomas.

Tales of Suspense featuring Iron Man and Captain America #91 (July 1967) features “The Uncanny Challenge of The Monstrous Crusher!” written by Stan Lee. Gene Colan’s cover depicts Iron Man grappling with the gigantic Crusher. An full-page ad on the back cover pictures Norman Rockwell endorsing the Famous Artist Schools in Westport, Connecticut.

A classic image of a grim-faced Superman zooming skyward appears on the cover of  Superman: Man of Steel #1 (July 1991). The cover, which pictures the twin towers of the World Trade Center in the background, is by Jon Bogdanove. Dan Jurgens, one of several artists who contributed to this 48-page book, has signed the cover on the lower left.

Jurassic Park #1, an adaptation of the Steven Spielberg movie, was published as a limited edition by Topps in June 1993. It is signed by writer Walt Simonson and artist George Perez. Included with the book is a certificate card of authenticity.

Also listed in the auction catalog are a few titles featuring television cowboys including Roy Rogers, James Garner as Maverick and Clint Walker as Cheyenne.