Silver Age Origin Comic Books to Auction

Two collectible Silver Age comic books will make an auction appearance at Hake’s when it launches its 2023 auction season with a March 21-22 offering of more than 1,900 lots from 200+ collector categories. 

Leading the weay is a Marvel Fantastic Four #1 from November 1961 (CGC-graded 5.0 VG/Fine) which features the origin and first appearance of The Fantastic Four,while Marvel’s The X-Men #1 comic from September 1963 (CGC-graded 7.0 Fine/VF) that contains the origin and first appearance of The X-Men and Magneto. In the case of both comic books, the storyline is by Stan Lee with cover and page art by Jack Kirby. Each is estimated at $20,000-$35,000.

Other highlights include:

* Bob Oksner’s original cover art for DC’s Action Comics #467, published in January 1977, an action-packed depiction of a raging Superman destroying a city. A hand-lettered pencil caption appears to emit from an antenna atop a skyscraper and says “Stop It Superman! You’re Wrecking The World!” The artwork measures 11 inches by 17 inches, and there are DC copyright stamps on verso. Estimate: $5,000-$10,000

* An authentic circa 1920 Type I original photograph of Babe Ruth from his first New York Yankees season credited to Paul Thompson, one of the premier baseball photographers of the early 20th century. The 6.5-inch by 8.5-inch photo is expected to reach $20,000-$35,000.

* A 1917 Honus Wagner Doherty Silk Sox (Paterson, N.J.) advertising card produced for Honus Wagner Day, August. 26, 1917, which depicts the local hero in the final year of his playing career. Only two of these 4-inch by 7-inch pictorial cards are known to exist, making them rarer than even the exalted T206 Honus Wagner baseball card. Estimate $5,000-$10,000.