Stephenson’s to Host Superhero, Comic Book, Sports Memorabilia and Poster Auction on April 22

SOUTHAMPTON, Pa. — On Friday, April 22, superheroes and comic book character favorites will converge on Stephenson’s Auction Gallery in suburban Philadelphia for an exciting sale of 302 lots of collectibles, memorabilia, comics and posters. All forms of bidding will be available, including live via the Internet via Live auctioneers.

The fun starts with superhero comics. There are dozens of bundles containing titles such as Spider Man, Batman, star wars, Spawn, The Fantastic Four, x-men, The Incredible Hulk, and so many others. Some of the group bundles consist of generous mixed deals from a single publisher, e.g., DC Comics, Marvel, ICB, Image Comics, Vertigo, etc. Estimates are very reasonable, with excellent quality books available at estimated prices to please all wallets. .

Among the best comic book bundles is a group of six Marvel Comics Silver Age titles published between 1966 and 1968. The oldest, The Fantastic Four #61, features the first appearances of Maximus Boltagon, Aireo (later renamed Skybreaker), and the Alpha Primitives – a minion race created by The Inhumans – and the third appearance of Black Bolt, or Blakagar Boltagon. Also note The Fantastic Four #62 with the first appearance of Blastaar the Living Bomb-Burst. The lot should fetch between $300 and $500.

Collectible lithographs and cels are led by a 1995 3D lithograph by Charles Fazzino (American, b.1955-) The Jetsons take Las Vegas. Super colorful and profusely illustrated, it includes whimsical images of George, Jane, Elroy and Judy, as well as Rosie the Maid and the Astro family dog. Characters are shown participating in various Vegas activities, from golfing to visiting casinos and even winning a jackpot. The 25 by 16 inch lithograph, #130 of 200AE, is signed by the artist as well as legendary animators Bill Hanna (1910-2001) and Joseph Barbera (1911-2006). The presale estimate is $1,000 to $2,000.

Also signed by Hanna and Barbera, a Jetsons “Gas Station – Full Service” animation cell art depicts the futuristic cartoon family in their bubble spaceship, refueling their vehicle and having their windscreen wiped. -broken by robot employees. Numbered 274/300 and measuring 15½ by 12½ inches (at sight), it is estimated between $300 and $500.

A fine display for any collector’s wall, a limited edition 14 x 9½ inch set of Batman and Robin lithographs and pins was acquired in 1999 from Warner Brothers Studios store gallery. The print is numbered 1061/1250 and is matted and framed with seven enamel and brass Gotham icon pins. Each of the pins is individually numbered on its back with corresponding edition numbers. A Warner Brothers Certificate of Authenticity is attached on the reverse. The set is offered with an estimate of $300 to $500.

For music fans, the sale includes plenty of collectible options, including a beautifully matted and framed Bob Marley set that’s ready for display. It consists of a Bob Marley and the 1980 Wailers Uprising LP with its signed cover. Estimate: $500 to $1,000.

Magazines from the hippie/flower power era aren’t often seen in quantity at auction, but Stephenson’s catalog is filled with such surprises. Lot 105 includes 54 numbers of Highlights magazine cover dated from its first year of publication, from 1974 to 1982. Originally published as a joke, the maverick monthly became a popular platform for counterculture topics, eventually reaching numbers of circulation that rivaled those of rolling stone and national pamphlet. the Highlights the collection to be auctioned is expected to fetch between $400 and $600.

In addition to the “traditionally” published music magazines, the last quarter of the 20th century also gave rise to a new form of youth journalism: the fanzine. The auction lists nine bundled lots of fan-published magazines typically devoted to garage, psychedelic, surf and punk rock bands; the Grateful Dead or other underground bands and genres. Some magazines come with sample discs. One particular lot consists of 11 issues of the fanzine titled 99th floor, each including a peacock blue flexi-single with songs from The Brood on the A-side and Boys From Nowhere on the B-side. The lot estimate is $100-$200. Another batch consists of 20 international fanzines published from 1982 to 1988. Nations represented include Australia, France, Holland, New Zealand, Germany, Spain, Canada and Italy. Prize estimate: $100 to $200

There are 32 lots of boxing ephemera – mostly boxing programs but also posters, signed lithographs and other memorabilia. A 14-piece set containing championship boxing programs of fights that took place between 1992 and 1995, featuring Thomas “Hit Man” Hearns, Oscar De La Hoya, George Foreman and many other ring legends is estimated between $300 and $400.

Vintage travel posters are an affordable way to add high quality art to the home or office. Stephenson’s April 22 auction features many artful 1950s/60s selections from historic but now defunct airlines such as Pan Am, TWA and BOAC. The destinations advertised on the posters range from Rome to Argentina, from Puerto Rico to Peru. A 1960 TWA poster promoting Arizona is an original print with art by David Klein and measures 40 by 24 inches. Estimate: $300 to $500

Stephenson’s Superhero, Comic Book, Sports Memorabilia and Poster Auction on April 22, 2022 will be held live at the company’s gallery in Southampton (suburb of Philadelphia), Pennsylvania, with bidding live by phone, mail order and web available through LiveAuctioneers, Invaluable and AuctionZip. Start time: 2 p.m. ET. Goods may be inspected on the day of the auction during the two hour period from midday until the start of the auction. For information on an item for sale, call Cindy Stephenson at 215-322-6182 or email info@stephensonsauction.com. Visit Stephenson’s auction online at www.stephensonsauction.com.