One of the greatest covers in history is going up for auction…
Denny O’Neil and Neal Adams’ 1973 classic Batman #251 was central to our recent JOKER WEEK coverage, with appearances in our TOP 13 JOKER STORIES EVER (click here) and TOP 13 JOKER COVERS EVER (click here) rankings.
I also made the point that the issue — The Joker’s Five-Way Revenge!, which was just re-released as a Facsimile Edition — was strong evidence that the Bronze Age was comics’ true Golden Age. (Click here for much more on that.)
Anyway, I noted fleetingly that Adams’ original art for the Batman #251 cover was going to be auctioned off — and now that day is almost here.
Starting about Nov. 1, the cover — one of Adams’ two greatest and one of the very best in comics history — will be featured by Heritage Auctions in bidding that ends at its Dallas auction Nov. 21-24. (The seller is unnamed.)
Just check out the art, in high-res:
Magnificent. And you can click here for more details about the auction.
I had the chance to eyeball the cover up close at New York Comic Con earlier this month and one thing immediately jumped to mind: “Damn, I wish I were independently wealthy.”
Cuz the pre-auction estimate on this seminal work is a mere $250,000.
But, hey, one can dream.
—
MORE
— ADAMS Discusses the BATMAN #251 Cover. Click here.
— O’NEIL and ADAMS Talk BATMAN #251 and Bringing Back the Joker. Click here.
October 25, 2019
That cover art is an important part of comic-book history.
October 25, 2019
There needs to be a museum in NY that houses all kinds of these works. DC, MARVEL should pony up some funds to get it going. These works should not be locked away in some private collection.
October 25, 2019
Interesting that the shadow detailing on the playing card was dropped out for production.
October 28, 2019
I took virtually the same picture at the NYCC. Very close to this booth was…Neal Adams’ booth, where this cover graced reprints of the comic and frameable prints. The prices were steep but came with Neal’s signature.