When I think of Golden Age artists, several amazing artists come to mind -- Bob Montana, Joe Simon, Will Eisner, Alex Schomburg, and of course, Matt Baker. Baker was a trailblazer in the comic book industry, whether he knew it or not. He was one of the first black comic book artists who identified (though not too publicly, given the time) as gay.

Unfortunately, Baker died at the age of 37 from a heart attack, but he left behind one incredible legacy. His work can be found across thousands of comic book pages, as well as hundreds of comic book covers. In 2009 Baker was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame, solidifying his importance in the industry. On July 18th Heritage is holding a Matt Baker Showcase Auction, featuring some of the artist's best work. Here are some of my top picks for books to keep an eye on.

Phantom Lady #23

Some of Baker's best-known work is tied to the super-heroine Phantom Lady. His vision of the character made her more daring to look at, so much so that Phantom Lady #17 would make it into the industry-damning book Seduction of the Innocent. This copy of Phantom Lady #23 features a classic Good Girl Bondage cover by Jack Kamen, with interior art by Baker. This is the last issue of the series before it was revamped to My Love Secret.

This CGC blue label 6.5 features white pages and presents well. Currently, there are only 6 others with this grade on the census, with only 9 graded higher. The current fair market value is $16,000, with prices trending up. As this is a key book for the character, I would keep an eye on where prices land for this book!

Seven Seas Comics #4

This is one of my favorite Good Girl Art covers by Baker, who co-created the character with Manning Lee Stokes. The classic underwater scene with the South Sea Girl and a shark is a highly regarded issue overall. The use of colors is outstanding, and despite the book having a lower grade the colors still pop in this comic. The character has since become available in the public domain, but outside of Golden Age collectors, she unfortunately isn't well known. The character was reprinted a handful of times and given a handful of different names, which can also confuse new collectors.

This CGC blue label 3.0 has off-white pages and looks as if it were well-read before being graded. Only 44 of these books have been graded, yet impressively all 44 have received a blue label. A similarly graded copy sold for $7,501 in June of 2023. This comic could stay around that price, but it wouldn't surprise me if this were to go higher.

Teen-Age Romances #43

This eye-catching cover came out after The Comics Code Authority was set in place -- meaning this book will be "tame". Yet despite the CCA, this cover still features a beautiful young woman set against a black and yellow background. Again the use of color is exceptional here. I love how detailed the line work is in what I assume is the young woman's daydreams playing out behind her. The interior of the book has reprints from earlier issues, with the story Breaking All the Rules featuring Matt Baker (alongside the cover).

Heritage notes this book as being in Good+ condition. This is an ungraded book and should be handled with care, but if you enjoy reading classic Golden Age stories, look no further!