YORK, PA.- Hake’s is gearing up to auction Part 1 of the Lawrence Klein collection, an astounding assemblage of vintage comic books and original comic book art by one of the industry’s truly legendary collectors and longtime insiders. The fully-illustrated catalog is up now on Hake’s website and bidding will open on Monday, September 28 at 9am ET. All lots will begin closing at 9:40pm on Wednesday, October 21.

Lawrence Klein was bitten by the comic bug at an early age. His parents encouraged him to read as a child, and comics were a welcome presence in their home. Growing up outside New York City, Lawrence commuted into the city with his father for early comic conventions like Creation Con, meeting comic creators and getting them to sign copies of the comics they worked on. He fondly remembers trips to New York City comic shops, making collecting connections and hunting for his next four-color treasure.

It was at one of these early 1980s conventions that Klein was first exposed to comic art as a collectible when he saw the late comic book artist Neal Adams (1941-2022), who had sketches for sale at his table. Adams was charging $75 for a sketch, but a nearby comic art dealer’s offer of published Neal Adams cover art for the same price seemed more reasonable. This first piece of cover art – World’s Finest #209 (offered in this auction) – inspired Klein to become a collector of comic books and comic art.



Lot #161 and 162 in the 233-lot auction are artboards with original art by artist Todd McFarlane. 161 is pen-and-ink artwork for Amazing Spider-Man #302 (Marvel Comics, July 1988). The page features four panels, showing Spider-Man web-swinging past the research laboratories of On-Line Research into a construction site (estimate: $50,000+). 162 is original pencil art for Amazing Spider-Man #304 (Marvel Comics, Sept. 1988), with inks by Joe Rubinstein. The page shows a close-up of a hand holding a copy of the book Webs (estimate: $75,000+).



Each of the artworks is in excellent condition and was obtained in person from McFarlane at a San Diego Comic-Con. Multi-signed reading copies of the comic books for which the art was produced are included with the lots and are signed on the title page by McFarlane, Rubinstein, letterer Rick Parker and editor Jim Salicrup, who added the date (“92”). The depictions of Spider-Man epitomize the highly-stylized body dynamics and signature webbing associated with McFarlane and the era during which he drew Spider-Man.



The auction’s opening item – Lot #1 – is a copy of Gobbledygook #1 (Mirage Studios, 1984), graded CGC 9.4 and featuring the first appearance of Fugitoid. The book was authenticated by Kevin Eastman who, along with Peter Laird, co-created the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and provided the comic’s story, cover and art. Eastman signed the interior cover in pen. Notably, the issue’s back cover features an advertisement for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 that pre-dates the Turtles’ comic book debut. Estimate: $100,000+

Speaking of which, Lot #3 is an actual copy of the first printing of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (Mirage Studios, 1984), graded CGC/JSA 9.8 NM/MINT and featuring the origin and first appearance of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Splinter and Shredder. The story and art were created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, who also signed authenticated autographs on the interior front cover. Currently, there are no examples of a first printing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 graded higher than this very copy. Estimate: $100,000+



Lot #18 is Eastman and Laird’s original pen-and-ink comic book page artwork (with inkwash accents) for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #5 (Mirage Studios, 1985). Page 10 shows all four Turtles and the Fugitoid introducing himself as (Professor) Honeycutt to the Ninja Turtles. This artwork has been held in a private collection for 40 years and this is the first time it has been offered at auction. It is a wonderful and historic piece of Ninja Turtles comic art from the minds that created the pop culture terrapin team. Estimate: $30,000+



Lot #70 is a smaller artboard mounted to a larger Sparta illustration board featuring Neal Adams’ original pen-and-ink art for the cover of World's Finest #209 (DC Comics, Feb 1972). The art spotlights Mike Friedrich's "Meet The Tempter...And Die" Superman and Hawkman story and shows both heroes dangling over fire from puppeteer strings held by the Tempter, who looms over them, larger than life. The lot also includes a copy of the comic for which the art was produced, signed by Adams on the cover. Estimate: $50,000+



Lot #77 is an 11-inch by 17-inch artboard with pencil-and-ink original art by Michael Allred for Batman Black And White #4 (DC Comics, Feb 2014). The story on Page 7 is from Michael and Lee Allred's "Tea-Minus Party" storyline and shows Batman crashing through a glass skylight and dropping in on a paralyzed Mad Hatter, Tweedledum, Tweedledee and the Mayor's kidnapped son. The top margin shows the Madman Comics studio ink stamp and has been pencil-signed by Allred at the top right. Estimate: $5,000+



Lot #81 is the DC Comics artboard with pen-and-ink original art by Jim Aparo (1932-2005) for Batman And The Outsiders #5 (DC Comics, Dec 1983). The title splash page is from Mike W Barr and Marv Wolfman's "Psimon Says..." and shows members of The Outsiders (Batman, Halo and Geo-Force), The New Teen Titans (Robin, Cyborg, Raven and Terra), and Dr. Jace. The bottom is signed by Barr, in blue ink, and Aparo, in black ink. The art was obtained from Aparo prior to the comic book’s publication. Estimate: $15,000+



Lot #88 is a DC Comics Sparta artboard with original art penciled by Pat Broderick and inks by Bob Smith for the cover to Detective Comics #551 (DC Comics, June 1985). "Chaos Is The Calendar Man!" is the cover for Doug Moench's "The First Day Of Spring" Batman story, showing Batman and Robin dodging sharpened projectiles thrown by the Calendar Man, who appears in costume. The art is signed at its lower left by Broderick. The back of the artboard has multiple colored-pencil notations and scribbles. Estimate: $20,000+



Lot #114 is a DC Comics Sparta artboard with original art penciled by Mike Grell and layout by Alex Saviuk for the cover to Green Lantern Vol. 2 #102 (DC Comics, March 1978). The cover features Green Lantern frozen in space within a Time-Null Zone, unable to help Green Arrow, who is about to be tossed into space from a spaceship's airlock. Grell signed the art at its lower left, adding a "Bestest!" inscription. The demand for comic art from this period is on the rise, with limited supply available to collectors. Estimate: $20,000+



Lot #115 is Tom Grindberg’s original pen-and-ink art for the cover to Silver Surfer Vol. 3 #102 (Marvel Comics, March 1995). The "A Meeting With... Galactus" cover shows Silver Surfer being blasted from his board by Galactus, who appears in the background, clearly none too happy with his former herald. The lot is accompanied by a multi-signed reading copy of the comic for which this art was produced, signed on the cover in silver paint pen (fittingly) by Grindberg and on Page 1 by the issue’s inker, Bill Anderson. Estimate: $10,000+



Lot #120 is a DC Comics Sparta artboard with original pencil art by Ed Hannigan and inks by Klaus Janson for the cover to World's Finest #293 (DC Comics, July 1983). The art shows Superman and Batman battling Null and Void, "Two New Super-Foes You Won't Forget!" who made their debut in this issue. The art is clean and VF/Excellent and was obtained directly from Janson in February 1984. An EGS 9.0 graded copy of World's Finest Comics #293 signed by both Hannigan and Janson is also included. Estimate: $10,000+

Lawrence Klein’s lifelong dedication to comic books and comic art later led to his founding the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art (MoCCA) in 2001, followed by the MoCCA Arts Festival in 2002. That first MoCCA Fest attracted more than 2,000 artists, publishers, editors and enthusiasts, who united for an event The Village Voice called the "Best Small-Press Comics Nexus Anywhere."

Klein has chosen to offer some souvenirs from MoCCA shows (as well as the early Ramapo Comic Con shows from his high school days), which have been autographed. Many also bear original sketches from the likes of Art Spiegelman, Joe Staton, Jeff Smith, Mike Mignola, Frank Miller, Evan Dorkin, Jimmy Palmiotti, Amanda Conner, Klaus Janson and other artists who were in attendance. These mementos have been set aside as a special section of the auction, with proceeds going to the Center for Cartoon Studies, the HERO Initiative, the Berkshire Humane Society, and the Berkshire Art Association.

Hake’s online-only timed auction of the Lawrence Klein collection, Part I will open for bidding on Monday, September 28, at 9am ET and close on October 21, beginning at 9:40pm ET. For a free printed catalog or additional information on any item in the sale, call +1 866-404-9800 (toll-free) or +1 717-434-1600; or email hakes@hakes.com. View the fully illustrated catalog online and sign up to bid at https://hakes.com/.