By The Numbers...

Επιστρέψαμε! Η αγαπημένη σας στήλη είναι πάλι κοντά σας, κι αυτή τη φορά, πιο "βαρετή" από ποτέ! (Ωραία διαφήμιση μου κάνω - anyway...)

Τί εννοώ τώρα με αυτό; Πολλά νούμερα. Πολλές στατιστικές, πολλά Heritage PR's, γενικά πολλά boring stuff για όσους διαβάζετε τη στήλη είτε για την καταπληκτική μου, ειρωνικοχιουμοριστική γραφή, είτε για το ελληνικό θάψιμο. Αυτό βέβαια δε σημαίνει πως τα "διαλειμματάκια" θα λείψουν, απλά θα είναι κάπως περιορισμένα.

Και μια και είναι πλέον καλοκαιράκι, με ζέστες, ήλιους, και λοιπά, σας υπόσχομαι πως την επόμενη εβδομάδα το διάλειμμα θα είναι αρκετά μεγαλύτερο, με ένα Something Completely Different Mixtape Special Column (...Civil War Crisis Disassembled).

Πάμε λοιπόν!

Hot Book Of The Week

Αυτή την εβδομάδα έχουμε τα λεγόμενα comebacks: Σειρές που είχαν κολλήσει εδώ και αρκετό καιρό, ξεθάβονται από fans και dealers και ανεβαίνουν σιγά-σιγά το δύσκολο μονοπάτι της back issue αγοράς!

Σε αυτές τις περιπτώσεις, θα βρούμε καταρχάς το LIBERTY MEADOWS. Μετά από 2 χρόνια παύσης, ο Frank Cho επιστρέφει στη σειρά που τον ανέδειξε και τα προηγούμενα τεύχη της αρχίζουν και πάλι να κινούν το ενδιαφέρον των αναγνωστών. Πρώτα printings των LM #1-10 δε βρίσκονται (για μία ακόμα φορά) κάτω από τα $10.00 έκαστο, ενώ το WEDDING ALBUM γίνεται και πάλι hot property.

Ακολουθούν σειρές όπως το FATHOM και το SOULFIRE (λόγω του CHAOS REIGN event), τα πρώτα τεύχη του FUTURAMA (ένας Θεός ξέρει γιατί) και τα JHONNY THE HOMICIDAL MANIAC (επίσης άνευ λόγου και αιτίας - κάποιος Αμερικανός καταστηματάρχης υποστήριξε πως το JHONNY "επέστρεψε" επειδή βγαίνει καινούργιο τεύχος DORK, αλλά δεν μπορώ να καταλάβω τί σκατά σχέση μπορεί να έχει...)

Sales Discount: The Revenge

Την προηγούμενη φορά, αναλύσαμε την πορεία των πωλήσεων κάποιων από τους δημοφιλέστερους τίτλους της Marvel ανά μήνα. This time, θα ασχοληθούμε με την DC.

TEEN TITANS

04/2005: TEEN TITANS #23 -- 66,802 ( -1.4%) -- 68,675]
05/2005: TEEN TITANS #24 -- 69,046 ( +3.4%)
06/2005: TEEN TITANS #25 -- 70,542 ( +2.2%) -- 72,721]
07/2005: TEEN TITANS #26 -- 68,353 ( -3.1%)
08/2005: TEEN TITANS #27 -- 74,782 ( +9.4%) -- 75,996]
09/2005: --
10/2005: TEEN TITANS #28 -- 66,581 (-11.0%)
11/2005: TEEN TITANS #29 -- 69,558 (+ 4.5%)
12/2005: TEEN TITANS #30 -- 67,155 (- 3.5%)
01/2006: TEEN TITANS #31 -- 65,223 (- 2.9%)
02/2006: TEEN TITANS #32 -- 69,131 (+ 6.0%)
03/2006: TEEN TITANS #33 -- 67,208 (- 2.8%)
04/2006: TEEN TITANS #34 -- 82,503 (+22.8%)

Μία από τις σταθερότερες πορείες της βιομηχανίας για superhero title, ειδικά αν σκεφτούμε πως στα τεύχη #23-33 έπαιζε ένα crossover με τους OUTSIDERS, κάποια "απλά" storylines και ένα INFINITE CRISIS tie-in αμέσως μετά, δηλαδή τρία διαφορετικά, από εμπορικής προσέγγισης, θέματα. Η λογική λέει πως θα έπρεπε να είχε κάνει κάποια κοιλιά στα "απλά" τεύχη, ειδικά σε ένα νούμερο όπως το #30, όπου οι αναγνώστες συνήθως αρχίζουν να κουράζονται. Όμως, περιέργως, κάτι τέτοιο δε συνέβη.

Το κερασάκι είναι φυσικά το #34, το πρώτο "One Year Later" τεύχος, που αν πάλι βάλουμε τη λογική να δουλέψει, είναι λογικότατο. (Τί ευφράδεια!) Ένας τίτλος με σταθερή πορεία σε αρκετά καλά επίπεδα για second rate, (δεν είναι ούτε το SUPERMAN, ούτε το GREEN LANTERN), σε ένα boost της εταιρίας θα πήγαινε καλύτερα, κι όπως βλέπουμε, πούλησε ένα 22,8% περισσότερο! Επιτυχημένη, λοιπόν, η σειρά, με μία άνοδο της τάξεως του 20,7% στα δύο χρόνια.

JSA: CLASSIFIED

Εδώ, από την άλλη, έχουμε το ακριβώς αντίθετο: Μία συνεχή πτώση. Τα πρώτα τέσσερα τεύχη της σειράς πούλησαν σχετικά καλά λόγω CRISIS, αλλά από το #5 κι έπειτα, ο δρόμος απέκτησε μία κλίση αρκετά επικίνδυνη:

07/2005: JSA: CLASSIFIED #1 -- 58,296 -- 86,498]
08/2005: JSA: CLASSIFIED #2 -- 46,039 (-21.0%) -- 67,358]
09/2005: JSA: CLASSIFIED #3 -- 54,932 (+19.3%) -- 63,922]
10/2005: JSA: CLASSIFIED #4 -- 55,903 (+ 1.8%) -- 63,579]
11/2005: JSA: CLASSIFIED #5 -- 47,380 (-15.3%)
12/2005: JSA: CLASSIFIED #6 -- 45,317 (- 4.4%)
01/2006: JSA: CLASSIFIED #7 -- 42,857 (- 5.4%)
02/2006: JSA: CLASSIFIED #8 -- 39,656 (- 7.5%)
02/2006: JSA: CLASSIFIED #9 -- 39,104 (- 1.4%)
03/2006: JSA: CLASSIFIED #10 -- 41,332 (+ 5.7%)
04/2006: JSA: CLASSIFIED #11 -- 37,815 (- 8.5%)

Το αποτέλεσμα είναι στους 6 μήνες να έχουμε μία χασούρα (όχι εμείς, η DC) στο -32,4 %, γεγονός που δε δίνει και τα καλύτερα εχέγγυα για το μέλλον του τίτλου.

Ας δούμε όμως και κατά πόσο βοήθησε το "One Year Later", κυρίως τις σειρές που είχαν ένα γενικότερο χαμηλό προφίλ:

AQUAMAN: SWORD OF ATLANTIS

01/2006: AQUAMAN #38 -- 18,321 (- 6.7%)
02/2006: AQUAMAN #39 -- 18,326 (+ 0.0%)
ONE YEAR LATER
03/2006: AQUAMAN: SWORD OF ATLANTIS #40 -- 37,611 (+105.2%) -- 46,401]
04/2006: AQUAMAN: SWORD OF ATLANTIS #41 -- 37,567 (- 0.1%)

GREEN ARROW

01/2006: GREEN ARROW #58 -- 30,990 (- 2.5%)
02/2006: GREEN ARROW #59 -- 31,250 (+ 0.8%)
ONE YEAR LATER
03/2006: GREEN ARROW #60 -- 37,946 (+21.4%)
04/2006: GREEN ARROW #61 -- 35,993 (- 5.2%)

BIRDS OF PREY

01/2006: BIRDS OF PREY #90 -- 30,460 (- 0.6%)
02/2006: BIRDS OF PREY #91 -- 29,835 (- 2.1%)
ONE YEAR LATER
03/2006: BIRDS OF PREY #92 -- 36,808 (+23.4%)
04/2006: BIRDS OF PREY #93 -- 34,404 (- 6.5%)

HAWKGIRL

01/2006: HAWKMAN #48 -- 24,259 (- 1.9%)
02/2006: HAWKMAN #49 -- 25,031 (+ 3.2%)
ONE YEAR LATER
03/2006: HAWKGIRL #50 -- 34,728 (+38.7%)
04/2006: HAWKGIRL #51 -- 30,657 (-11.7%)

Μία γενικότερη ανοδική πορεία λοιπόν, με τον μεγάλο τυχερό το AQUAMAN, που προφανώς βοηθήθηκε πολύ και από την είσοδο του Busiek στο παιχνίδι. Πετυχημένη κίνηση το "One Year Later"; Θα δείξει. Το ότι τα πρώτα 2-3 τεύχη του event πήγαν από αρκετά έως πολύ καλά, δεν είναι γνώμονας, το θέμα είναι να κρατηθούν τα νούμερα στα νεοδιαμορφωμένα επίπεδα, έστω και με -μικρές- αποκλίσεις.

Τέλος, ενδιαφέρον έχει να δούμε έναν ακόμα τίτλο, αυτή τη φορά από την Vertigo, το FABLES:

04/2003: FABLES #12 -- 24,929
04/2004: FABLES #24 -- 25,464
04/2005: FABLES #36 -- 24,975 (+2.1%)
05/2005: FABLES #37 -- 24,477 (-2.0%)
06/2005: FABLES #38 -- 24,813 (+1.4%)
07/2005: FABLES #39 -- 24,617 (-0.8%)
08/2005: FABLES #40 -- 24,952 (+1.4%)
09/2005: FABLES #41 -- 25,001 (+0.2%)
10/2005: FABLES #42 -- 24,953 (-0.2%)
11/2005: FABLES #43 -- 24,659 (-1.2%)
12/2005: FABLES #44 -- 24,515 (-0.6%)
01/2006: FABLES #45 -- 24,297 (-0.9%)
02/2006: FABLES #46 -- 24,134 (-0.7%)
03/2006: FABLES #47 -- 24,278 (+0.6%)
04/2006: FABLES #48 -- 24,476 (+0.8%)

Ναι, μιλάμε για έναν από τους πιο σταθερούς τίτλους της δεκαετίας! Σταθερό κοινό και ανάλογα σταθερή ποιότητα, προφανώς, που αν και κινείται σε σχετικά χαμηλά νούμερα, το FABLES μπορεί άνετα να χαρακτηριστεί ένας από τους πιο επιτυχημένους τίτλους της Vertigo μετά το PREACHER ή το SANDMAN (τα οποία προς τα τελευταία 20-30 τεύχη τους είχαν πάρει την κατιούσα σε επικίνδυνο βαθμό.)

Comic Related

Δεν είναι πολύς καιρός, που το WITCHBLADE έκανε το δικό του invasion στις manga κατηγορίες και μάλιστα, με αρκετή επιτυχία! Η λογική συνέχεια, λοιπόν, δεν μπορούσε να είναι άλλη από τη δημιουργία ανάλογων merchandise! Πρώτο έρχεται το Witchblade Anime Statue, βασισμένο στην anime εκδοχή της ηρωίδας!

Heritage News

Τέσσερα press releases αυτή την εβδομάδα θα μας απασχολήσουν, ένα από αυτά μάλιστα αναφέρεται σε καινούργιες εμφανίσεις PEANUTS original strips!

THE SPECTRE HAUNTS HERITAGE!

Larson Copy of More Fun Comics #52 to be Offered at Auction

DALLAS, TEXAS: Superheroes have, traditionally, paid a variety of prices for their entrance into the super powered community. Some have lost loved ones, some are the sole survivors of alien words, and still others are the victims of nuclear experiments gone wrong. But few have paid as high a price as Detective Jim Corrigan when he became the Spectre.

He actually had to die.

As told in the pages of More Fun Comics #52, cover dated February 1940, Jim Corrigan was on the trail of a notorious criminal when he was waylaid by bandits, stuffed in a cement-filled barrel, and thrown off the end of a pier. Normally, the hero would be rescued at the last minute by some strange and bizarre set of circumstances, but not this time. Corrigan died and appeared before.someone.who gave him the powers and abilities of the Spectre, a grim, supernatural character whose purpose was to protect the innocent and bring justice to the guilty. Clad in a blue cape and hood, with blue tights, gloves and boots (the color would change to green shortly thereafter), the Spectre waged a gruesome war against crime, both alone and as a charter member of the Justice Society of America, for years to come.

"The Spectre was one of the most popular characters of the Golden Age," said Ed Jaster, Vice President for Dallas-based Heritage Auction Galleries, "and, consequently, the book presenting his first appearance is extremely sought-after. Listed as one of the Top Ten Golden Age Comics in the current Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, More Fun Comics #52 always causes a bidding frenzy when it appears at auction."

"Of course, this isn't just any old copy of More Fun Comics #52," said Jaster. "This is the famed Larson copy, a beautiful, high-grade example of this important and significant book. Looking like it could have come off the newsstand yesterday - rather than almost five decades ago - it would be difficult to find a nicer copy of this elusive book. Scarce in any grade, this is without a doubt one of the finest keys we've ever offered at Heritage, and will no doubt be one of the stars of our upcoming auction."

More Fun Comics #52 Larson pedigree (DC, 1940) CGC NM- 9.2 Off-white to white pages:

http://www.HeritageAuctions.com/Comics/common/prlink.php?Sale_No=821&Lot_ID_No=14005&type=prte-pr061206b

Estimate: $125,000 & up

More Fun Comics #52 Larson pedigree (DC, 1940) CGC NM- 9.2 Off-white to white pages will be offered in Heritage Auction Galleries' upcoming Comics Signature Auction, to be held August 10 -12, 2006 in Dallas, Texas. For more information, please visit www.HeritageAuctions.com/Comics .

 

LANDMARK ORIGINAL-OWNER COMIC BOOK COLLECTION DISCOVERED IN GARAGE

Comics from Davis Crippen Collection, Among the Finest Known to Exist, to be Auctioned Without Reserve in August

DALLAS, TEXAS: A spectacular collection of over 11,000 Golden Age comic books from a wide variety of genres has been discovered in the garage of a 19th century house just outside New York City. The original-owner comics collection has the greatest range and depth of any such collection to have been discovered during the past three decades. Now the entire collection is headed to the auction block, to be offered to the comic collecting public with no reserves.

The comic books, the great majority of them unread, were bought off the newsstand by a previously unknown collector named Davis Crippen. He started at age eight, but his collection really picked up steam a year later, in 1939. Inspired by a family friend's collection of Big Little books, Davis decided that from then on he would buy and keep every single new comic book as it came out.

He followed through on his plan. At first using money from his paper route and allowance, and later shipping comic books back from college at the University of Michigan, Davis continued to buy comics until his marriage a decade and a half later. He kept the books in the cool, dry, and very large basement of his family's Washington, D.C. home.

While Mr. Crippen has not been identified until now, a small part of his collection has already achieved notoriety among savvy collectors, apparently without his knowledge. When these books entered the marketplace in the early 1990s, they came to be known as "D Copies" because many had a handwritten "D" on the cover. They were also distinguished by a handwritten code on the top of the first page: several digits followed by several letters and then several more digits. The precise meaning of the code remains a mystery.

Another mystery is how those comic books made their way into the marketplace.

After Mr. Crippen's death last year, his younger son catalogued the collection, which his father had boxed up and stored in the garage and basement of his New York home after his own parents' house was sold in the 1970s. The family then contacted Dallas-based Heritage Auction Galleries about selling the collection.

Mr. Crippen's heirs were stunned when Lon Allen, Director of Sales for Heritage's Comic Division, recognized the handwriting of the codes and realized he had discovered the source of the "D Copy" books.

Allen considers the "D Copy" comics that had already attracted eager collectors to be just the tip of a vast iceberg. "It wasn't known they were part of a much larger collection, certainly not one of this magnitude," he said. "When you examine some of the other famous pedigrees you would have to rank this among the best. The date range of 1938 to 1954 gives it a far larger time span than the Tom Reilly/San Francisco or Lamont Larson collections, which were limited to the 1930s and early 1940s. Also, many of the other famous pedigrees focused only on #1 issues or certain specialized genres or publishers. Not so with Mr. Crippen, who bought absolutely everything."

"Comic collectors had wondered if there were any great Golden Age collections left to be discovered, and many doubted that was the case," Allen continued. "Well, this is essentially the Golden Age collector's dream come true -- 11,000 comic books, almost all in high grade, all 'original-owner,' that is to say, bought by the same person at the time of publication. And here's something we do not say lightly: the depth and breadth of the collection is second only to the Edgar Church/Mile High collection, the most famous hoard in all of comics." The Mile High collection made history when it was discovered during the 1970s.

"Previous pedigrees - even the Edgar Church books - were usually disbursed largely by private sale to a select few," Allen said. "At the very least, one or more dealers got to select the cream of the crop before the collecting public at large had a shot at them. Not so here - every comic consigned by the Crippen heirs will be put up for auction, giving collectors across America and around the world an equal chance at every book in the collection."

"It's already obvious that hundreds if not thousands of these comics will stand as the best known copy before all is said and done," added Ed Jaster, Vice President of Heritage Auction Galleries. "The very first batch that we sent to CGC for certification resulted in the finest known copy of the rare Suspense Comics #3, certified VF 8.0, in fact it's the only pedigree copy of the issue known to exist. Then there's Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #1, CGC-certified FN+ 6.5, a book that's almost impossible to find in a higher grade. Or take Detective Comics #35, CGC-certified FN- 5.5 - just one unrestored copy of that book has ever attained a higher grade."

"We can say without fear of contradiction that every single Golden Age collector will find something he or she wants here," Jaster added, "especially as the entire collection is being offered without reserves. While all eyes are on the superhero books, and Mr. Crippen certainly collected a lot of them, there will be sports, Western, and romance books that all but the most dedicated collectors will not have seen before. Not to mention crime comics, promotional giveaways, Christian comics, war comics, funny animal books, teen humor, science fiction, TV and movie adaptations. if you've given up on ever being able to complete some of these runs in high grade, think again. The next few months will be a great time to be a Golden Age collector."

Highlights of the Davis Crippen Collection:

Suspense Comics #3 Davis Crippen ('D" Copy) pedigree (Continental Magazines, 1944) CGC VF 8.0 Off-white pages:

http://www.HeritageAuctions.com/Comics/common/prlink.php?Sale_No=821&Lot_ID_No=47013&type=prte-pr060606a

Estimate: $25,000 & up

Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #1 Davis Crippen ("D" Copy) pedigree (Dell, 1940) CGC FN+ 6.5 Off-white to white pages:

http://www.HeritageAuctions.com/Comics/common/prlink.php?Sale_No=821&Lot_ID_No=47015&type=prte-pr060606a

Estimate: $6,000 & up

Detective Comics #35 Davis Crippen ("D" Copy) pedigree (DC, 1940) CGC FN- 5.5 Off-white pages:

http://www.HeritageAuctions.com/Comics/common/prlink.php?Sale_No=821&Lot_ID_No=47012&type=prte-pr060606a

Estimate: $11,000 & up

Four Color (Series One) #4 Davis Crippen ("D" Copy) pedigree (Dell, 1940) CGC FN- 5.5 Cream to off-white pages:

http://www.HeritageAuctions.com/Comics/common/prlink.php?Sale_No=821&Lot_ID_No=47052&type=prte-pr060606a

Estimate: $8000 & up

All Select Comics #1 Davis Crippen ("D" Copy) pedigree (Timely, 1943) CGC VF- 7.5 Cream to off-white pages:

http://www.HeritageAuctions.com/Comics/common/prlink.php?Sale_No=821&Lot_ID_No=47016&type=prte-pr060606a

Estimate: $8,000 & up

The first part of the Davis Crippen Collection will be offered in Heritage Auction Galleries' upcoming Comics Signature Auction, to be held August 10 -12, 2006 in Dallas, Texas. For more information, please visit www.HeritageAuctions.com/Comics .

 

SUSPENSE BUILDS FOR HERITAGE'S UPCOMING COMIC AUCTION!

Finest-Known Copy of Suspense Comics #3 to be Offered

DALLAS, TEXAS: There are certain images that are burned into the minds of comic collectors worldwide. Say "Action #1" to a comic book aficionado, and instantly an image of Superman hoisting a green car above his head appears. "Amazing Fantasy #15" brings with it the sight of Spider-Man swinging high above the rooftops, a panicked burglar tucked effortlessly under his right arm.

But there are few images that carry with them such emotional weight and resonance as the classic cover to Suspense Comics #3, masterfully rendered by the great Alex Schomburg. Once seen, with its bizarre and frightening image of a helpless woman threatened by a scarlet-robed, sword-wielding Grand Inquisitor in a costume eerily reminiscent of the KKK, it is a cover that can never be forgotten.

"This is one of the most hotly-desired comics in the history of our hobby," said Ed Jaster, Vice-President of Dallas-based Heritage Auction Galleries. "It doesn't feature the origin or the first appearance of a popular character, and most people couldn't identify a single story that appears inside, but it easily makes the list of Overstreet's Top 100 Golden Age Comics by virtue of its unforgettable cover alone."

"This comic came to prominence about 15 years ago, when it was featured as the frontispiece to Ernie Gerber's Photo-Journal Guide to Comic Books," said Jaster. "Suddenly, everyone wanted a copy of this incredible book. Adding to its mystique was its scarceness in the marketplace. Even legendary hoards like the Mile High Collection lacked a copy. One theory holds that the cover image itself may have proved too controversial for wide distribution in 1944, thus keeping it off of many newsstands. Until now, collectors typically had to make do with low-to mid-grade copies of this desirable book, if they could find one at all."

"Now, however, we're proud to offer the finest known copy of this classic comic book to the collecting public," Jaster said. "Hailing from the legendary 'D Copy' collection, this is the single highest-graded copy of this scarce book known to exist, and the only copy to come from a recognized pedigree collection. This is, without a doubt, the book that advanced Golden Age collectors have been hoping to find for many years, and it is sure to fetch a record price once the hammer falls and the new owner is finally determined. Interested parties should bid early and often, as the opportunity to own this stellar specimen may never again be repeated."

Suspense Comics #3 Davis Crippen ('D" Copy) pedigree (Continental Magazines, 1944) CGC VF 8.0 Off-white pages:

http://www.HeritageAuctions.com/Comics/common/prlink.php?Sale_No=821&Lot_ID_No=47013&type=prte-pr062206a

Estimate: $25,000 & up

Suspense Comics #3 Davis Crippen ('D" Copy) pedigree (Continental Magazines, 1944) CGC VF 8.0 Off-white pages will be offered in Heritage Auction Galleries' upcoming Comics Signature Auction, to be held August 10 -12, 2006 in Dallas, Texas. For more information, please visit www.HeritageAuctions.com/Comics .

PEANUTS ARE KING AT HERITAGE!

Impressive Array of Original Peanuts Art to be Offered at Auction

DALLAS, TEXAS: When discussing the history of the American comic strip, certain names are bound to come up: Richard Felton Outcault, whose Hogan's Alley panels inaugurated the form; Winsor McCay, whose unmatched dreamscapes in Little Nemo in Slumberland still stand as a high-watermark of the cartoonist's art; Walt Kelly, who effortlessly blended biting social satire with zany humor in Pogo; and Garry Trudeau, whose based-on-the-headlines Doonesbury became as much at home on the editorial page as it was on the comics page.

However, in any discussion of significant American cartoonists, there is one name that stands head and shoulders above his peers, a humble artist whose influence on American pop culture cannot be overstated, a gentle man whose wit and wisdom shone through every single panel he drew.

His name? Charles Schulz, the creator of Charlie Brown and Peanuts.

Born out of an earlier strip entitled Li'l Folks, which ran in the St. Paul Pioneer Press from 1947 to 1949, Peanuts made its debut on October 2, 1950 in a mere seven newspapers (rumor has it that Schulz never liked the name Peanuts, which was forced upon him by editorial fiat), although it would eventually appear in more than 2,600 papers worldwide, with a readership of more than 350 million people. It became the most influential comic strip of the latter half of the 20th century, inspiring TV shows, movies, book collections, lunchboxes, toys, and a host of licensed products.

"Original Peanuts art has always been highly sought after," said Ed Jaster, Vice-President of Dallas-based Heritage Auction Galleries, "even more so since Schulz's untimely death in 2000. While it's not unusual to find one of these desirable pieces in a Heritage auction, the fact that we have five prime examples in our upcoming event is a significant achievement."

"The earliest example in our upcoming auction is a daily strip from 1951, just a little over a year past the feature's debut," Jaster said. "In this example, we see the early form Charlie Brown, sporting a rounder, more child-like look than he would later acquire. These pieces, easily identifiable as coming from Peanuts' early years, are particularly sought by collectors."

"Another beauty is the 1962 Sunday we're offering," Jaster said. "Here we see Snoopy, perched atop his doghouse, practicing for an Olympic diving career. Snoopy-centric strips are always popular, and this particular piece certainly displays runaway potential."

"The 1964 Sunday we're offering features the always-popular baseball theme," Jaster said, "with Charlie Brown as the erstwhile pitcher and Lucy as the easily distracted center fielder. Schulz must have been a huge baseball fan, as America's pastime figures prominently in some of the most popular Peanuts strips."

"Spanning the gamut of Peanut's history," Jaster continued, "we're also offering two pieces from a more contemporary period; a daily from 1970 featuring Schroeder and a love-struck Lucy, and a Sunday page from 1982 that spotlights Snoopy and Linus."

"This is an excellent opportunity for any of Charles Schulz's legion of fans to acquire a classic piece of artwork from the pen of a true master," Jaster added. "I'd urge any interested parties to visit our website at www.HeritageAuctions.com/Comics and place your bids as early as possible, as these may well be some of the most hotly contested items in our auction."

Charles Schulz - Peanuts Daily Comic Strip Original Art, dated 11-5-51 (United Feature Syndicate, 1951):

http://www.HeritageAuctions.com/Comics/common/prlink.php?Sale_No=821&Lot_ID_No=1010&type=prte-pr062106a

Estimate: $20,000 & up

Charles Schulz - Peanuts Sunday Comic Strip Original Art, dated 9-23-62 (United Feature Syndicate, 1962):

http://www.HeritageAuctions.com/Comics/common/prlink.php?Sale_No=821&Lot_ID_No=43001&type=prte-pr062106a

Estimate: $25,000 & up

Charles Schulz - Peanuts Sunday Comic Strip Original Art, dated 6-28-64 (United Feature Syndicate, 1964):

http://www.HeritageAuctions.com/Comics/common/prlink.php?Sale_No=821&Lot_ID_No=1011&type=prte-pr062106a

Estimate: $25,000 & up

Charles Schulz - Peanuts Daily Comic Strip Original Art, dated 5-29-70 (United Feature Syndicate, 1970):

http://www.HeritageAuctions.com/Comics/common/prlink.php?Sale_No=821&Lot_ID_No=21001&type=prte-pr062106a

Estimate: $7,000 & up

Charles Schulz - Peanuts Sunday Comic Strip Original Art, dated 10-17-82 (United Features Syndicate, 1982):

http://www.HeritageAuctions.com/Comics/common/prlink.php?Sale_No=821&Lot_ID_No=46001&type=prte-pr062106a

Estimate: $20,000 & up

The above pieces of Peanuts original art will be offered in Heritage Auction Galleries' upcoming Comics Signature Auction, to be held August 10 -12, 2006 in Dallas, Texas. For more information, please visit www.HeritageAuctions.com/Comics .

For more information about Heritage's auctions, and a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit www.HeritageAuctions.com.

Heritage specializes in rare, high-grade comic books, as well as vintage comic and animation art, illustration art, classic toys, movie posters and comics-related collectibles.

Prospective consignors and sellers of top-end comics material, toys, and original art are invited to call Ed Jaster at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 288 or Lon Allen at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 261 to discuss their rare comics and original illustration and comic art. Or visit http://www.HeritageAuctions.com and click on the "Sell Now" tab. Or simply email Ed Jaster at EdJ@HeritageAuctions.com or Lon Allen at LonA@HeritageAuctions.com.

Music and Hollywood memorabilia collectors should contact Doug Norwine at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 452 or email DougN@HeritageAuctions.com.

Movie poster consignors please call Grey Smith at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 367 or email GreySm@HeritageAuctions.com.

To reserve your copy of a catalog for any upcoming Heritage auction, please contact Nicole Jewell, c/o Heritage Auction Galleries, 3500 Maple Avenue, 17th Floor, Dallas, TX 75219, or call 1-800-872-6467, ext. 272.

In Other News...

- Η γνωστή indie σειρά BLOOD AND ROSES επιστρέφει αυτό το καλοκαίρι από την Afterburn Comics, όπως δήλωσε ο δημιουργός της Robert Wayne Hickey. Illustrator θα είναι ο Frederico Zumel, ενώ η διμηνιαία αυτή επανεμφάνιση θα έχει τον τίτλο BLOOD AND ROSES: TIME LORDS SAGA.

- Ο συγγραφέας Derrick Bang, ανακοίνωσε πως ετοιμάζει ένα καινούργιο βιβλίο, αφιερωμένο στον Charles M. Schulz, δημιουργό του comic strip PEANUTS. Το βιβλίο θα περιλαμβάνει κυρίως εντυπώσεις και ανέκδοτες ιστορίες από τον κύκλο του θρυλικού δημιουργού, και θα έχει τον τίτλο SECURITY BLANKETS: HOW CHARLES από τις εκδόσεις των Andrews & McMeel, εκδοτικό σπίτι του PEANUTS επί χρόνια.

The Professionals

Ή αλλιώς, μία ακόμη απόδειξη πως δεν σου βγαίνει πάντα σε καλό να κάνεις Τέχνη. Πίσω στο 2004, ένας παίχτης του χόκεϋ ονόματι Tony Twist, είχε μηνύσει τον Todd McFarlane για το ποσό των 15 εκατομμυρίων δολαρίων, λόγω της εμφάνισης στο SPAWN ενός χαρακτήρα με το όνομα "Tony Twistelli". Η δίκη είχε κρατήσει 4 εβδομάδες και οι δικηγόροι του δημιουργού άσκησαν έφεση.

Δυστυχώς, όμως, το δικαστήριο έκρινε πως ο παίχτης είχε δίκιο, με αποτέλεσμα να καταδικαστεί ο McFarlane να πληρώσει το εν λόγω ποσό. Διαβάστε και την επίσημη ανακοίνωση:

"An appeals court in St. Louis upheld a $15 million award to professional hockey player Tony Twist in the latest legal chapter in the long-running saga of Twist vs. Todd McFarlane for the latter's portrayal of a character named "Tony Twistelli" in the pages of his Spawn comic book, reported the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

A four-week trial in 2004 awarded Twist $15 million for the use of his name in the comic, but McFarlane's lawyers appealed, claiming certain testimony should not have been permitted, and also saying McFarlane was protected under the First Amendment.

However, the three-judge panel at the St. Louis Missouri Court of Appeals sided with Twist."

Το περίεργο στην όλη υπόθεση, είναι πως η δικαστική αρχή του Μιζούρι εκδίκασε ΟΛΟΚΛΗΡΟ το ζητούμενο ποσό του μηνυτή, γεγονός πολύ σπάνιο σε οποιοδήποτε Δικαστήριο του κόσμου! Δεν έχω να προσθέσω κάτι περισσότερο, απλά συνειδητοποιώ για μία ακόμη φορά, πως το χρήμα μπορεί να καταστρέψει την Τέχνη, ειδικά όταν έχεις να κάνεις με ανθρώπους όπως ο "κύριος" Twist.

May 2006 Sales Charts

Είναι εκείνη η βδομάδα του μήνα για μία ακόμη φορά... Το Top 300 του Μαΐου στις πωλήσεις της Diamond μας δίνει κάποια αρκετά ενδιαφέροντα αποτελέσματα:

Top 20

1. CIVIL WAR 1 $3.99 Marvel 260,700
2. INFINITE CRISIS 7 $3.99 DC 198,400
3. ALL-STAR BATMAN & ROBIN 4 $2.99 DC 160,300
4. 52 1 $2.50 DC 140,900
5. WOLVERINE ORIGINS 2 $2.99 Marvel 131,500
6. 52 2 $2.50 DC 128,300
7. 52 3 $2.50 DC 123,900
8. NEW AVENGERS 19 $2.99 Marvel 123,300
9. 52 4 $2.50 DC 121,400
10. SUPERMAN/BATMAN 26 $3.99 DC 118,800
11. SUPERMAN/BATMAN 25 $2.99 DC 103,700
12. SUPERGIRL 6 $2.99 DC 102,800
13. ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR 30 $2.99 Marvel 102,500
14. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 532 $2.99 Marvel 95,500
15. WOLVERINE 42 $2.99 Marvel 93,500
16. X-MEN 186 $2.99 Marvel 79,500
17. UNCANNY X-MEN 473 $2.99 Marvel 79,300
18. GREEN LANTERN 11 $2.99 DC 78,900
19. X-MEN: DEADLY GENESIS 6 $3.50 Marvel 77,400
20. BATMAN 653 $2.99 DC 77,200

Κατά πρώτο λόγο, πρέπει να επισημάνουμε πως, και σύμφωνα με το COMICS BUYER'S GUIDE, ο συγκεκριμένος μήνας έκανε τη μεγαλύτερη συγκριτική αύξηση -σε σχέση με το Μάιο του 2005- από το 1990! Αν δούμε τους αριθμούς, μιλάμε για μία άνοδο 23% σε έναν χρόνο στο unit share, που αντιστοιχεί σε +28% dollar share.

Ερχόμαστε, όμως, στα πιο χειροπιαστά αποτελέσματα: φυσικά, το CIVIL WAR #1 κατέλαβε την πρώτη θέση στις πωλήσεις, με νούμερο αντίστοιχο του INFINITE CRISIS #1 (260,700 κόπιες, έναντι 249,265 του IC). Βέβαια στην πραγματικότητα το CIVIL WAR έπαιζε χωρίς αντίπαλο, αφού η DC δεν έχει κάποιο major event-boosting mini series να τρέχει. 'Αρα καταλήγουμε πως οι fans-αναγνώστες που ασχολούνται με τα events των εταιριών, ανεξαρτήτως λόγου, είναι πάνω-κάτω οι ίδιοι.

Το INFINITE CRISIS #7 θα μου πείτε τί είναι; Δεν είναι πρώτο τεύχος, από τη μια, κι από την άλλη η DC είχε περάσει ήδη σε 52/"One Year Later" mode, οπότε το IC#7 αντιμετωπίστηκε όπως ένα τέλος ενός επιτυχημένου storyline. Πολύ επιτυχημενου, αν λάβουμε υπ' όψη μας τα 198,400 αντίτυπα!

Το 52 έκανε μία σχετικά καλή αρχή, που όμως δεν κράτησε για πάρα πολύ το ενδιαφέρον των αναγνωστών. Η διαφορά μεταξύ των 4 πρώτων τευχών είναι δυστυχώς υπολογίσιμη, αλλά η σύγκριση της διαφοροποίησης των πωλήσεων των επόμενων τευχών θα είναι προβληματική, δεδομένης της όλης "καινοτόμου" φάμπρικας της εβδομαδιαίας έκδοσης.

Στις υπόλοιπες θέσεις δεν έχουμε κάποια τραγική εξέλιξη, ακόμα και η πτώση των Ultimate τίτλων εκτός δεκάδας ή εικοσάδας (ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #94-95 στις θέσεις #22 και 23 αντίστοιχα) οφείλεται στα πολλά υπερsold out τεύχη. Αν δείτε τα νούμερα στο Unit Share του Ultimate Line, θα αντιληφθείτε πως παραμένουν σταθερά τους τελευταίους... Χ επί Ψ μήνες άλλωστε.

Τέλος, να μην ξεχάσω να υπογραμμίσω το βάραθρο στο οποίο βρέθηκαν comics που υποτίθεται πως είχαν τη δύναμη να πουλήσουν καλά, όπως το MS MARVEL #3 (Θέση #54, 43,000) και το LAST PLANET STANDING #1 (Θέση #74, 32,200).

And Now... Something Completely Different

Είπαμε στην αρχή: Next Week θα έχουμε ένα αφιερωματικό MARKET WATCH με όλη την καλοκαιρινή, πικρόχολη διάθεση που χαρακτηρίζει το συγκεκριμένο κομμάτι της στήλης! Stay Online!