CRANSTON, R.I. – The Henry Anderson collection of Golden Age comic books – modest in size at just 150 lots but important in content, with comics that include Detective Comics #38 (April 1940) and Wonder Woman #1 (Summer 1942), both from D.C. Comics – will be offered on Saturday, October 1 by Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers, beginning at 10 am Eastern time. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.
Born in 1931, Henry Anderson grew up in the Edgewood neighborhood of Cranston, Rhode Island, where he purchased comics from the local drugstore on Broad Street. From 1938 through 1947, he collected 163 comic books published by D.C. Comics, Dell, Fawcett, Fiction House, Harvey and others.
Henry was mostly drawn to military comic books, having been nine years old at the start of World War II in Europe. Of all the titles he collected, he followed Fiction House Jumbo Comics and Wings Comics the most. However, he did dabble with superhero titles, too, including D.C. Comics’s Batman, Detective Comics, Flash, Superman and Wonder Woman.
As he grew older, the comics became a collectible of his past as he moved on to pursue stamp collecting with his father, a hobby he practiced for the entirety of his life. While Henry was actively acquiring stamps, his comics remained safe in two metal boxes from 1947 until they were consigned to Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers by his family earlier this year.
The copy of D.C. Comics’s Wonder Woman #1 features the first appearance of Ares and a retelling of the origin of Wonder Woman. It’s graded CGC 5.5, and is one of 11 copies graded 5.5 in the CGC census; only 37 copies are graded higher. The issue is also ranked at #20 on The Overstreet Top 100 Golden Age Comics list. It should sell for $30,000-$50,000.
The copy of D.C. Comics’s Detective Comics #38 features the origin and first appearance of Batman’s faithful companion Robin, The Boy Wonder. It’s graded CGC 3.0, one of nine with that grade and only 34 copies rated higher. It’s ranked #24 on The Overstreet Top 100 Golden Age Comics list and is estimated at $20,000-$30,000.
Batman will make several appearances throughout the day. A few highlights include:
A copy of D.C. Comics’s Batman #2 from Summer 1940, featuring the second appearance of the Joker and Catwoman, plus a full-page ad for the 1940 New York World’s Fair. The copy is graded CGC 4.0 and is one of 12 to receive that grade; just 52 are rated higher. It is rated #54 on Overstreet’s Top 100 Golden Age Comics list and has an estimate of $3,000-$5,000.
A copy of D.C. Comics’s Batman #3 from Fall 1940, featuring the first appearance of Catwoman in costume and the first appearance of Puppet Master. Graded CGC 5.0 and one of eight with this grade in the CGC census; only 81 are graded higher. Its estimate is $2,000-$4,000.
D.C. Comics’s Batman #4 from Winter 1940, featuring the fourth appearance of the Joker, the first appearance of the Ha-Hacienda, and the first mention of Gotham City. It is one of 12 that has a CGC grade of 5.5; 45 are graded higher by the company. This copy is estimated at $2,000-$4,000.
The Man of Steel will also be represented in the sale. A copy of D.C. Comics’s Superman #4 from Spring 1940, featuring the second appearance of Lex Luthor, carries an estimate of $2,000-$4,000. The comic is graded CGC 4.0, one of only 18 with that grade in the CGC census and with 90 copies graded higher by CGC.
Fiction House Fight Comics #39 from Aug. 1945, with a smoking gun cover of Senorita Rio by Joe Doolin, estimated at $2,000-$4,000
Anderson was a huge fan of Fiction House comics, and there are many impressive examples in the sale. Of note is a copy of Fiction House’s Fight Comics #39, released in August 1945 and featuring a smoking gun cover with Senorita Rio by Joe Doolin. Regarded as one of the finest copies in existence, its CGC grade is 9.4. Only two others have received that grade, and only one other copy is graded higher by CGC. It has an estimate of $2,000-$4,000.
A copy of Fiction House’s Fight Comics #32 from June 1944, featuring a wartime bondage cover by Joe Doolin, it contains the first Tiger Girl story line. CGC gave it a grade of 7.0, making it the only 7.0 copy in the CGC census, with only seven graded higher. Its estimate is also $2,000-$4,000.
To contact Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers about consigning a single piece or an entire collection, email info@bruneauandco.com or phone 401-533-9980. To learn more about Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers, please visit www.bruneauandco.com.
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