Welcome back to this week's top pics from Heritage's weekly comic book auctions! Heritage holds weekly funny book auctions that feature key issues, overlooked comics, oddball memorabilia items, and more. These auctions are a must if you want to beef up your collection! Here are my top picks for you to watch.
Peanuts #1 CGC Universal 4.5
For 75 years, Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts has delighted audiences of all ages. The eternal child Charlie Brown, his dog Snoopy, and their colorful cast of friends have a way of transcending time and being relatable to almost every generation. Peanuts is arguably one of the most popular and recognizable cartoon strips of all time, with 17,897 total strips published. Schulz worked on Peanuts from 1950 until 2000 and famously never took a vacation except for one time in 1997. Schulz would, unfortunately, pass away in early 2000 at the age of 77, but his work lives on today. Snoopy and his pal Woodstock have become the most popular characters from the strip. The popular black and white dog has regularly appeared in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade since 1968! As of this writing, Peanuts won't officially turn 75 until later this year, but the merchandise and celebrations have already begun!
This issue of Peanuts #1 features Schulz's early art style, which I love. This was the first comic that only focused on Peanuts, and the only issue the publisher, United Features Syndicate, would publish. This book also features off-white pages and bright, bold colors on the cover.
Superman-Tim September 1942 CGC Universal 6.5
Giveaway comics were very commonplace in the Golden Age, with many popular characters participating in the trend. Superman-Tim was a giveaway that clothing stores gave out between 1942 and 1950. The interior of the books contained puzzles, games, and a comic strip or two. Most of these books are scarce—seldom do I see any for sale. Readers could also join the Superman-Tim fan club, which gave members paper membership cards and buttons. If you come across these at a con and the price is right, I would grab them!
This CGC Universal 6.5 with white pages is impressive. It's hard to pinpoint a ballpark price on this book, so if you like charting rare comics, keep an eye on this one!
Archie's Girls Betty and Veronica #320 CGC Universal 9.6
In 1982, Archie Comics decided to shake things up in Riverdale and introduced the red-headed bombshell Cheryl Blossom. Appearing in Archie's Girls Betty and Veronica #320, Cheryl was presented as a new competitor for Archie's attention, though she was shelved not even two years after her first appearance. Irate mothers who were busy clutching their pearls complained about how sexy she was and that Cheryl was a bad influence. Unfortunately, this scenario would happen a few more times in Archie's history. Cheryl would eventually return in 1994 for Archie's Love Showdown and has since remained a staple character.
This CGC Universal 9.6 has off-white to white pages and an unassuming cover - if you ignore Cheryl in the corner. Interest in this book has cooled in recent years, with the current fair market value at $648. While Archie doesn't have a ton of major key issues after the Golden Age, this is absolutely one of them. Archie has a tendency to fluctuate in price, so if you had this book on your want list, I would buy it now.
