Frazetta’s ‘Princess of Mars’ tops comic book and comic book sales at heritage auctions

DALLAS – Frank Frazetta’s “The Princess of Mars” sold for $ 1.2 million, premium included, at the Heritage Auctions Comics & Comics sale from September 10-13. The company called it “one of the most identifiable and influential pieces of the artist’s storytelling career.”

The auction house said: “The painting… was one of two Frazettas made for the cover of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ A princess of Mars, which Doubleday reissued as a hardback book in 1970. Frazetta sent the first take to the publisher, and was so in love and proud of the piece, he immediately began painting another for his own collection, which is remained with the family after her death in 2010. It was clear how much Frazetta loved the piece due to the little details included in the second version not visible in the first. Friends and family have said that Frazetta liked the second board better than the one that filled the shelves of fantasy readers.

Over 600 people watched the lot on the auction house’s platform as it made its way to the final price. This is the third highest auction result for the artist and all were set with Heritage Auctions. Watch for a full review in an upcoming issue.