DALLAS, TX.- Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott’s simply spectacular and iconic Fantastic Four #55, Page 3, Silver Surfer original art (Marvel, 1966) brought a final price realized of $155,350 – the highest price ever realized for a panel page of comic art – to emerge as the top lot of Heritage Auctions’ $5.49+ million May 10-11 Vintage Comics & Comic Art Signature® Auction. All prices include 19.5% Buyer’s Premium.

“We featured great and rare material and it brought staggering prices in a sustained red hot market,” said Ed Jaster, Vice President of Heritage Auctions. “The overall prices speak for themselves, really, but consider this: out of 1,357 lots in the auction there was only one piece that did not sell. That translates into a 99.9% sell-through rate by total lots. Demand for the best material, obviously, remains high.”

The first-ever full artwork of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird – the illustration that launched one of the most successful character franchises in history – also proved quite potent as it sold for $71,700. The drawing was consigned by Turtles Co-Creator Kevin Eastman, who drew it with Laird one night in late November, 1983.

“What an incredibly exciting week this has been!” wrote Eastman in a statement to the auction house. “The Turtles have been blessed with the best fans on the planet, so I chose this event to make available personal historical TMNT items for those really hardcore supporters, and what a response. My thanks to all the fans for their love for a great, goofy, bunch of green guys that just wanted to be normal teenagers – Mutant Ninja ones anyway.”

A trio of comic books were greatly impressive as they all surpassed the $100,000 mark. The top book was a restored copy of Detective Comics #27 (DC, 1939) CGC Apparent NM- 9.2, the best purple-label copy available of Batman's first appearance and the very rare restored comic book to break the six-figure mark, bringing $113,525. The Twin Cities pedigree copy of The Amazing Spider-Man #1 (Marvel, 1963) CGC NM 9.4 showed the continuing popularity of the title as it brought $107,500, while Detective Comics #29 from the Billy Wright pedigree (DC, 1939) CGC VF- 7.5, the second-ever Batman cover and a very desirable book indeed, was close on the heels of Spidey #1 joining the $100,000 club with a final price realized of $101,575.

Further highlights include, but certainly are not limited to:

Johnny Craig Crime SuspenStories #16 Cover Original Art (EC, 1953): Johnny Craig showcases his mastery of blood-chilling Grand Guignol gore-fests with this cover thriller for “Who's Next?,” one of the most iconic of its era and the highest price ever paid for work by the artist. Realized: $63,738.

E. C. Segar Popeye Thimble Theater “Boxing” Sunday Comic Strip Original Art dated 9-1-35 (King Features, 1935): With both Popeye and Swee'pea in the ring, boxer “Jack the Zipper” doesn't stand a chance! What a fight! And what a wild and wonderful example of this beloved comic strip, one of the finest Sundays by Segar that Heritage has had the privilege to offer. A new record priced for any work by Segar. Realized: $31,070.

Charles Schulz Peanuts Daily Comic Strip Original Art dated 4-11-69 (United Feature Syndicate, 1969): Snoopy takes off with his food bowl on his head, searching for his mother, in one of the most memorable Peanuts storylines from the late 1960s. The interest in Schulz originals remains quite strong. Realized: $22,705.

Pep Comics #22 (MLJ, 1941) CGC GD 2.0: The first appearance of Archie and the first copy Heritage has ever offered despite selling 100,000 lots of Golden Age alone in 10 years of auctioning comics. This key book is currently ranked #23 on Overstreet's Top 100 Golden Age Books list. Final price realized is eight times guide price for this comic. Realized: $35,850.

Archie Comics #2 (Archie, 1943) CGC VF 8.0: his isn't just the only copy graded above 6.5, it's one of only two graded higher than 3.0 and just the second copy Heritage has ever offered. Final price realized is seven times guide price for the comic. Realized: $31,070.