CRANSTON, RI.- It’s reached the point where Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers’ Pop Culture auctions are highly anticipated industry events, and the Comic, TCG & Toy auction slated for Saturday, September 25th, is shaping up as one of the firm’s best ones yet. It’s bursting with over 450 lots of Pop Culture treasures, pulled from prominent collections across the United States.

“I’m proud to say 2021 has been the greatest year to date for the Pop Culture department at Bruneau & Co.,” said Travis Landry, the company’s Director of Pop Culture and an auctioneer. “Looking back over the past six years, it’s incredible to see where we have grown and how the market has grown.” Landry also appears as a Pop Culture appraiser on TV’s Antiques Roadshow.

“This will be the fourth Pop Culture sale of the year, with two more scheduled before the new year,” said Bruneau & Co. president and owner Kevin Bruneau, adding, “I’m sure as always it’s going to draw a crowd. Comic and toy auctions are by far some of the most exciting we have when it comes to having an active and energetic crowd. It helps that we have many great items.”

The auction will have the usual fine selection of rare comic books, Pokémon items and TCG (Trading Card Game) collectibles, but there are a few surprises in the mix as well, like a large, single-owner collection of Steiff animals and dolls (including two Emile Jumeau dolls), which will be offered at the end of the sale. Also sold will be five lots of Mattel Hot Wheels redline.




The sale’s expected top lot is a copy of Marvel Comics’ Fantastic Four #1 (November 1961), graded CGC 4.5 (estimate: $15,000-$20,000). The book features the origin and first appearance of the Fantastic Four and Mole Man and ushered in a new level of realism in the medium. It was the first superhero team created by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and editor/co-plotter Stan Lee.

“The Fantastic Four #1 walked through the door during our weekly Tuesday morning appraisals in the hands of the original owner,” Landry recounted. “The best part was, he hated it. He was a big Western fan, but he wanted to see what ‘Marvel funny books’ were all about. It was the only Marvel book he kept. Luckily for us, and for him, he kept one of the best comic books possible.”

A copy of Marvel Comics’ Fantastic Four #48 (March 1966), graded CGC 8.5, featuring the first appearance of Silver Surfer, with Galactus in a cameo on the last page, has an estimate of $4,000-$6,000. Also, a copy of Marvel Comics’ X-Men #1 (Sept. 1963), featuring the origin and first appearance of the X-Men and Magneto, graded CGC 0.5, should finish at $3,000-$5,000.

A copy of Marvel Comics’ Incredible Hulk #180 (October 1974), featuring the first appearance of Wolverine in a cameo on the last page, plus an appearance by Wendigo, graded CGC 9.0, is expected to hammer for $3,000-$4,000; while a copy of Incredible Hulk #181 (Nov. 1974), also featuring appearances by Wolverine and Wendigo, graded CGC 8.5, should hit $5,000-$8,000.

Star Wars fans take note: a copy of Marvel Comics’ Star Wars #1 (July 1977, around the same time as the release of the legendary feature film, and featuring Part 1 of Star Wars: A New Hope movie adaptation), graded well at CGC 9.8 with white pages, is estimated to hit $3,000-$5.000.

Pokémon collectors will no doubt engage in a fierce bidding war to own the 2000 Wizards of the Coast Pokémon Gym Challenge 1st edition factory sealed booster box, showing only minimal shelf wear, intact and wrapped tight in WOTC branded cellophane, a true Holy Grail item for Pokémon and TCG collectors (estimate: $8,000-$12,000); and a 2001 Spanish Pokémon Base 1st edition Charizard holographic trading card, graded BGS 8.5, NM-MT+ (estimate: $800-$1,200).