One area of focus in comic collecting that has been overlooked since other forms of media began to have such a great influence on the hobby is that of hunting down key comics by top creators. Never fear. We’re here to help you sort through the top books by individual creators, both in terms of investing and reading. This time we’re looking at the works of Frank Frazetta.
The Godfather of Fantasy Art
Frank Frazetta was an exceptional comic book artist who grew to fame and prominence as the artist of fantasy paperback book covers, movie posters, and record album covers. His most influential works, and the ones for which he is best remembered, were his covers for mass market paperbacks of Conan the Barbarian by Robert E. Howard. Those covers redefined fantasy art in the 1960s and had a lasting influence on the genre. They also brought attention to his earlier comic book work, attention that has had staying power among collectors. Much of his work is highly prized by comic book aficionados and often commands top prices.
Early Works
At the age of 16, Frank Frazetta produced his first comic book work, providing inks over John Giunta’s pencils in an eight-page story for Tally-Ho Comics #nn [1]. Published by the Baily Publishing Company in November 1944, there are only 44 graded copies in the CGC census. Copies rarely come up for sale. The most recent was a CBCS 5.0 graded copy going for a slashed $1,756 in a January 15 sale. The highest price paid was $6,500 for a 9.6 graded copy signed by Frank Frazetta in 2008, just two years prior to his death. It is the only copy in this top grade and had previously sold in a different holder for $1,673 in 2006.
Frazetta’s first solo work appeared in Treasure Comics #7, published by Prize Comics in 1946. There are only 10 graded copies and there hasn’t been a confirmed sale since 2002, so determining present day fair market value is anyone’s guess. Needless to say, should one come up for sale it will certainly be an event.
Golden Age Westerns
Some of the earliest comics where Frazetta made his mark were in westerns published by Magazine Enterprises. Many of these were covers featuring the original Ghost Rider and include classics such as Ghost Rider #2, Tim Holt #21, and, one of the best examples, Tim Holt #17. There are 89 graded copies of this early Frazetta cover. A recent sale indicates you’ll likely pay quite a bit for a copy if you’re seeking one out. A 7.5 sold in an August 18 eBay auction for $1,150, while an 8.0 sold in an October 2023 Heritage auction for $2,040.
The longest running series drawn by Frazetta began in the pages of Durango Kid #1, published by Magazine Enterprises in 1949. The series was called “White Indian,” and told the tale of Dan Brand, a white man adopted by the Catawba tribe. The series lasted until Durango Kid #30, published in 1954, and Frazetta drew more than half the stories. Considering its importance as the first appearance of a character and containing Frazetta artwork, Durango Kid #1 is a super cheap Golden Age book, as evidenced by the sale of an 8.0 graded copy – one of just 27 graded copies – for only $300 in a December 2023 ComicConnect auction.
The Shining Knight & Thun’da
Frazetta began branching out a bit more beginning in 1950, trying his hand at works other than westerns. One of the most known is the artwork he provided for the Shining Knight series starting in Adventure Comics #150. In all, he would draw eight stories featuring the long-running character.
Adventure Comics #150 is the most sought-after. There are only 15 graded copies in the CGC census, and an 8.5 sold in a July 28 fixed price eBay sale for $1,800. Other issues of Adventure Comics with Frazetta-drawn Shining Knight stories have similar low census counts and high price tags.
In 1951, Magazine Enterprises published the only comic completely drawn by Frazetta, including the cover and all the interior pages. That comic was Thun’da #1. It is one of the most valued of his comic works. The lone 9.6 graded copy – one of 135 in the CGC census (a very high census count for its age, which should give you some idea of how much it is treasured by Frazetta collectors) – last sold in a 2013 Heritage auction for $13,743. Recent sales include a 3.5 going in the June 18 Heritage auction for $780 and a 5.0 selling in a September 2023 eBay auction for $1,306.
Buck Rogers & EC
Some of Frazetta’s most famous comic book work graced the covers of Famous Funnies (one of the earliest comic books in publication) and featured Buck Rogers. The covers began with Famous Funnies #209 and ended with Famous Funnies #216. A dispute led Frazetta to end his relationship with Eastern Color, the comic’s publisher, and bring his final Buck Rogers cover to another publisher – but more on that shortly. The Buck Rogers covers are prized by Frazetta collectors. The covers are all amazing works, but my personal favorite, and the one most valued by collectors is Famous Funnies #214. A 9.2 graded copy sold in the March 20 ComicConnect auction for a whopping $31,165. The only other sale this year was a 5.0 going for $3,119 in a July 21 eBay auction. You’ll be hard pressed to find even low grade copies for less than $2,000.
Frazetta also did some important work for EC, most of which was with his friend Al Williamson. One of the best examples was “Mad Journey,” a story written by Bill Gaines and Al Feldstein and artwork by Frazetta and Williamson – with landscapes of Venus provided by Roy Krenkel – and appearing in Weird Fantasy #14. There are 107 graded copies in the CGC census, and a 9.2 sold in the March 22 ComicConnect auction for $1,266. The singular 9.8 graded copy has never sold.
Going back to that aforementioned Buck Rogers cover, Frazetta sold the work to Gaines (but held on to the rights of the original artwork) and it would appear on Weird Science-Fantasy #29. It would become Frazetta’s most famous comic book work and is widely considered to be one of the greatest comic covers ever. The top price paid for this comic was $36,000 for one of two 9.8 graded copies, and the record was set in a March 2018 ComicConnect auction. The most recent sale was a 7.0 going in the August 23 Heritage auction for $2,640.
Later Works
For most artists, later works would include more obscure pieces as their popularity waned. Not so for Frazetta. Of course, his most famous works didn’t take place in comic books. He worked for many years on Al Capp’s newspaper strip L’il Abner and even created his own strip, Johnny Comet, although it didn’t last long. He created his first movie poster for the film What’s New Pussycat in 1954.
However, his fame was catapulted into the stratosphere beginning in 1966 when his painted cover for the mass market paperback of Conan the Adventurer appeared for the first time. From that point on, he became the standard bearer for fantasy art. In addition to books (including a slew of Conan books), his works appeared on record album covers, calendars, and the animated film Fire and Ice with Ralph Bakshi.
Frazetta did return to comics later in the 1960s, providing covers for Warren magazines. The most famous of these is Vampirella #1. A 9.8 graded copy sold in a January 14 Heritage auction for an incredible $78,000, testament to Frazetta’s lasting fame.
Frazetta’s artwork also graced the cover of Marvel’s Epic Illustrated #1 in what was his only work for the publisher. It’s a relatively common magazine from 1980, with 297 copies in the CGC census. Yet a 9.8 sold in the July 30 Heritage auction for $576.
Legacy
Frank Frazetta will forever be known as one of the all-time great American fantasy artists. While his comic book work is beloved by collectors, it was just the start of a career that would eventually lead to fame and glory as an artistic icon.
