DALLAS, TX.- Four auction records were set in just the first 90 minutes of Heritage Auctions’ completely sold-out, $18,163,271 million Sept. 8-11 Comics & Comic Art Signature® Auction – further proof, as though any were needed, that these pop-culture classics are as coveted and collectible as ever.

The first new record high set during the four-day event went to none other than the legendary Steve Ditko: His splash page opening 1964’s Amazing Spider-Man No. 18 marked only the third appearance of Green Goblin. It was also the villain’s earliest appearance at auction, which explains why this is now the most valuable Ditko page ever sold at auction at $432,000.

Next came one heck of an auction record: Iron Man’s first appearance in Tales of Suspense No. 39 was just a 13-page story, and only eight pages featured Tony Stark wearing the armor. One of the truly iconic Don Heck pages from that historic book realized $228,000.

The only thing more special than an original Bill Watterson Calvin and Hobbes strip is one with a note to Doonesbury creator Garry Trudeau. A February 1992 daily strip sold for $216,000 to become the most expensive Calvin and Hobbes sold at auction.

Also, Hulk smash record! The Incredible Hulk No. 181 has always been a fan favorite as it contains the first full appearance of Wolverine. But Thursday morning the CGC 9.8 copy sold during Session One became the most valuable in the world when it sold for $138,000.

And, finally, it costs a lot more to hire a hero today than it did only a couple of years ago. Marvel’s Hero for Hire No. 1, featuring the origin and first appearance of Luke Cage, is among the most beloved Bronze Age titles – but a CGC NM/MT 9.8 example of the 1972 title shattered records when it sold Sept. 8 for $108,000, the first time it has crossed the six-figure barrier.




“All five of these pieces exceeded our expectations, and our expectations were high,” says Heritage Auctions Vice President Barry Sandoval. “Each of them is a memorable pop-culture trophy in its own right.”

More than 5,200 bidders worldwide participated in this auction, and right out of the gate a bidding war opened the four-day event, as Jim Aparo and Mike DeCarlo’s complete 22-page story “A Death in the Family: Chapter 6,” which ran in Batman No. 429, opened live bidding at $23,000 – and sold for $156,000. Shortly after, collectors also fought over Mike Mignola’s cover for Batman No. 429, which features one of the greatest images of The Joker ever rendered. This original work sold for $180,000.

The Caped Crusader not surprisingly proved a smash hit in the auction.

Frank Miller told us earlier this year he loved drawing silhouettes, as it’s “the most important language you have.” Collectors clearly agreed, as Page 11 from Book 4 of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, featuring the Batman in silhouette astride a horse as he leads “The Sons of Batman” into battle, galloped to a new owner for $228,000. And no matter the grade, Batman No. 1 proved that it remains among the most valuable and coveted issues in comic-book history. The landmark book featuring the first appearances of The Joker and Catwoman, graded CGC VG- 3.5, sold for $264,000, a record high for that grade.

And speaking of Miller, his historic run on Wolverine with writer Chris Claremont turns 40 this month. To celebrate, an extraordinary page from issue No. 4 sold last weekend for $102,000, making it one of the most valuable Miller originals outside of his work on Dark Knight Returns (or Star Wars).

Bronze Age (1970-1979):Superhero, Hero for Hire #1 (Marvel, 1972) CGC NM/MT 9.8 White pages....

The opening splash page to 1968’s Captain America No. 101 is among the most dynamic and impactful Jack Kirby pieces you’ll ever see; as our catalog notes, this take-no-prisoners image of Cap is a “career-defining title page for one of his greatest novelistic stories since the resurrection of Captain America in The Avengers No. 4.” This original work from King Kirby and Syd Shores (and Stan Lee – natch!) realized $168,000.