Welcome back to Gem Finds at ComicConnect's September Mega Auction! ComicConnect does a handful of Event Auctions through the year which feature some truly impressive pieces from the collector's universe. In the past, we've seen video game prototypes, rare Golden Age finds, and much more. Let's take a dive and see what treasures we find this time!
1990s Universal Monsters Ad Original Art
By the 1990s many of the Universal Monsters were due to turn 60. As such, Universal began heavily promoting the properties in different ways -- fast food tie-ins, collectibles, and video releases. This piece of art was to be used as general advertising, though not much else is known about it. Currently, there is no known information on the artist either. This is a beautiful piece that showcases Dracula, The Bride, and Frankenstein's Monster. This circular piece measures 12.25" x 12.25 and is noted as being in "excellent good condition".
Universal Monster pieces tend to be very collectible - especially one-off pieces such as this. Original advertising art is a niche thing, but with universally loved characters such as the three in this picture, this has wide appeal. This piece should be on your watch list, even if you don't intend to buy it. I have a feeling the price of this will delight us all!
The Yellow Kid #3 CGC 1.0
History is truly alive with this striking piece from the Victorian Age! The Yellow Kid is a personal favorite character of mine, and I have not seen this item in any other auction before. Richard F. Outcault's Yellow Kid was an influential figure in the early days of sequential art. The character was also influential in journalism in his own way, by remarking on things happening in the real world via his yellow outfit. Yellow Kid merchandise is far and large hard to find and can command serious dollar amounts depending on the item.
This scarce comic is missing a few pieces from it, but don't let that stop you from owning this great piece of comic book history. To date, there are only 6 copies of this in the CGC census, and it's unlikely any more will be added anytime soon. This is a CGC blue label 1.0 with white pages, an impressive feat for a book that is over 100 years old!
Illustrated Stories of the Operas: Faust CGC 3.5
In 1943 Baily Publications translated the Opera Faust for comic book readers. This adaptation cost an impressive 25 cents on its release, higher than the cost of other comics from the Golden Age era. This series of books was designed to bring the Opera to those who did not have the means to attend. Faust features splendid artwork with a cover that pulls the readers in. Unfortunately not much is known about who may have worked on this comic.
This is a hard comic to come by, as the last recorded sale was in September 2020. To date, CGC has only graded 17, with all but one receiving a blue label (one lone restored copy exists on the census). If you're looking for a truly unique Golden Age comic, this is it. This CGC blue label 3.5 has brittle pages but presents well.
Tales of Suspense #40 CGC Signature Seires 3.0
What brought my attention to this book was Stan Lee's signature right over the speech bubble. This is the second appearance of Iron Man when Marvel changed his costume from grey to gold. This is a great Jack Kirby cover with spectacular line work and color. I love covers like these as all of the focus is on the titular characters without weighing it down. Kirby covers are some of the most collected in this hobby, and this deserves a spot in your collection.
This Signature Series 3.0 has Off-White pages and as said earlier, Stan Lee's signature. To date, CGC has graded 1,217 in total, but only 53 have a Signature Series label.
