Collectors have driven Marvel Silver Age original comic art prices to astronomical heights.  It's not too late to join the Marvel Bronze art "black and white" gold rush.  There are plenty of Bronze age nuggets in the upcoming Heritage Signature Auction on September 8-11.

Team Gold for Marvel Bronze Art

Marvel Bronze Age Defenders art by Gil KaneNothing says Bronze Age like oversize comics.  Marvel Treasury Edition #16 featured the Defenders with cover art by Gil Kane and Bob Wiacek.  The Seventies glorified giant comics and celebrated Marvel teams like the X-Men, Avengers, and Defenders.  Collectors and investors will have a chance to bid on excellent art featuring each of these teams.

Captain America 121 by Gene ColanWho are the artists, is question number 1.  When the answer is Dave Cockrum and John Byrne on X-Men, Gil Kane and John Romita, Sr. on Defenders, and Gene Colan on the first Avenger, Captain America, that's a terrific response!  Just for good measure, I'll add that Marvel Bronze art by Rich Buckler, Bill Sienkiewicz, and Ross Andru can also be found.

The new X-Men Set the Bronze Standard

Marvel Bronze Art by Dave CockrumSome of the hottest interior Marvel Bronze art in the upcoming Signature Auction will probably feature the new X-Men by Dave Cockrum and John Byrne.  Sorting the catalog list by "Most popular views", X-Men 123 Page 4 by John Byrne tops the Marvel Bronze Age interior pages.  Dave Cockrum's X-Men 95 art follows closely behind.  Their respective bids are $18,500 and $18,000.

Some John Byrne X-Men Comps

X-Men 123 Page 4 by John Byrne and Terry AustinCheap John Byrne X-Men art is hard to come by.  Even when Spider-Man is the featured character as in Issue 123.  This art gets a CAT R4 grade based on Spider-Man.  The X-Men are in a couple panels but in their civvies.  An interior CAT R7 page sold in April 2022 for $96,000.  That page from X-Men 137 is a bad comparison because it features a lot of X-Men with action.  A better comparison is another page from X-Men 123 focused on Wolverine in civilian clothes.

I grade that page CAT R3 and it sold for $28,800 in 2021.  In 2020, X-Men 134 Page 26 sold for the same price.  I think that $30,000 guesstimate is in the right ball park with a possible upward adjustment for inflation.

Dave Cockrum Past Sales

X-Men 95 Page 16 by Dave Cockrum Marvel Bronze Age ArtThe Dave Cockrum X-Men 95 art is interesting because it is such an early piece for the new mutant team.  I grade the X-Men 95 page R6 (currently $18,000) and the X-Men 107 page R5 (currently $15,500).  As I survey past Cockrum sales at HA, I'm stunned by the quality of pages that have been available: Giant-Size X-Men 1, X-Men 94, and X-Men 100 art has all been available.

Art from "keys" has the same desirable and premium price that key comics receive.  I don't think those are great comparables to the X-Men 95 or X-Men 107 pieces.  Recent interior sales from G-S X-Men 1 averaged $90K.  A couple interior pages from X-Men 94 averaged $50K.  Perhaps the best comparison is to panel page sales from X-Men 100 which averaged $25,000.

Big in the Marvel Bronze Age: Gil Kane Art

Defenders 27 by Gil Kane and John Romita Sr.Gil Kane played a huge role in the Marvel Bronze Age with his contributions to both X-Men and Spider-Man keys.  So, what about his work on Defenders?  Defenders 27 cover art has a bonus, John Romita, Sr. inks!  With a current bid under $15 grand, this CAT C6 cover has a chance to be a bargain way to pick up MCU characters the Hulk and Doctor Strange by two of the legends of the industry.

The question is, will this art sell for closer to the $132,000 of Defenders 26 cover art?  Or closer to the $44,400 of Defenders 19?  Both sold in 2022, but I suspect the Guardians of the Galaxy tie-in inflated the final sales price of issue 26.  It is noteworthy that Defenders 19 featured inking by Joe Sinnott.  Though a Marvel legend, Sinnott would not carry the same weight as Romita who inked issues 26 and 27.

Underappreciated Ross Andru Marvel Bronze Art

Marvel Super Heroes 14 Page 1 art by Ross Andru and Bill EverettConsidering his contribution on Silver Age Wonder Woman, Bronze Age Spider-Man, and Copper Age Superman, you would think the Marvel and DC art of Ross Andru would get more love.  PLENTY of Andru's Spider-Man art is available in the September Heritage Signature Auction.  I like this CAT S4 splash because the winning bidder will get the bonus of Bill Everett inks.  The original Sub-Mariner artist has the gravitas for historic reasons as well as just being a great artist.  The current bids are low, but I think they'll all get to respectable levels.  However, there's a terrific opportunity to get art by two legends on one piece in these Marvel Super-Heroes 14 pages.

More Original Art Ramblings

Sky Masters by Jack Kirby and Wally WoodCheck out my first CAT Eyes on Original Art preview on Batman.

Next time, I will preview comic strip art by Bob Kane, Charles Schulz... and, wait for it, Bill Watterson of Calvin and Hobbes fame!

*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoCollect.