You know what, Wolverine? I think I’ll just stay over here…

April 10, 2009
Posted by Noah

… If that’s okay with you, Mr. Wolverine, sir.

Wolverine #1 is one of those books that everyone has. It was September 1982. Wolvie had already proven himself a force to be reckoned with, and the first bonafide breakout star from The X-Men. When Marvel went with his solo issue #1, they smartly got Frank Miller to draw this unbelievable cover. It captures all that is good and menacing in the character. And certainly makes me realize that I’m not near tough enough to play with Wolverine. The thing is, I bruise easily…

Did I mention that there’s a CGC Certified Mint 10 Wolverine #1 in Heritage’s May Comics Auction? I didn’t? Like I said, this is a book that the whole world owns, or owned at some point, so it’s not the rarity of the title that sells me on this one. It’s the amazing condition. I can only assume it was dropped right off the production press – the ink still faintly smelling of murk – into a carbon-freezing unit and immediately transported from the Cloud City of Bespin to its home in a vault somewhere on earth for the last 26-1/2 years. If you own this, then you own the best. Period. Or ellipsis. There has been one other Wolverine #1 certified 10 in the past, but that is of little import to the auction of this one.

Another awesome thing about it is the Mega-Force ad on the back. Wow, what a stinker that one was. I saw it twice.

Wolverine #1 is a classic Wolvie in Japan story, though it starts with a memorable tussle with a deranged bear somewhere in the wilderness. I don’t know quite how to put my finger on it, though, but once Wolverine got to Japan, it was always perfect for Japan. Everything about it seemed to lend a gravitas to the character while at the same time allowing him to pursue a more human type of storyline – as human as being chased by hundreds of assassins and slaying them all can be – where he was simply fighting a crime syndicate instead of malignant cadre of rogue mutants bent on punishing all human kind. Plus, as any fan of the title will tell you, everything Wolverine does in the first four issues of his own title were for the love of the gentile, porcelain Mariko. Can’t you see the big lug is enamored?

The Heritage record for a 1980s comic is a $4,182 for a Ninja Turtles #1. Don’t be too surprised if that record falls. From the catalog: “Just the second Gem Mint certified by CGC despite (more than) 5,100 submissions of this issue, which battles Amazing Spider-Man #300 for the title of ‘most-submitted book.’”

I know the movie is coming out with oh-so-dreamy Hugh Jackman. I hope it’s good, and the advance buzz has been good, but I don’t pay too much attention to that. I had my heart broken by the second and third X-Men movies. Who knows if this will actually be good. I’m assuming it’s not the Wolvie in Japan story, but rather hews more closely to Weapon X. Wolverine will seek out the clues to his shadowy origins and have a few good fights with Sabretooth. Sounds good on paper. If it sucks then, oh well, it’s just another super hero movie gone awry. Look at Spider-Man 3.

If I had to choose an X-Man to make a movie about, I reckon it would have to be Nightcrawler. I always appreciated the monk-side of the character and the origin. Blue skin? The ability to teleport? The smell of brimstone every time he does it? So what if he doesn’t have indestructible adamantium bones, and doesn’t really like to slug it out. Who does?

Here’s the link again to the lot. Check it out. I just can’t get that creepy look in Logan’s eye out of my mind….

"If Colossus Should Fall – Who Shall Stop The Juggernaut?"

Feb. 25, 2009
Posted by Noah

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve asked myself that very same question…

The fact is that Dave Cockrum’s original cover artwork for X-Men #102 – a seminal 1976 issue smack dab in the middle of the awesome 1970s Chris Claremont-written run of the X-Men that culminated in the single most popular X-Men storyline ever, The Phoenix Saga – is among several examples of classic original X-Men artwork featured in this weekend’s – Yes, this weekend! – Signature Comics & Original Comic Art Auction.

It’s a classic tableau of Bronze Age comics: Juggernaut and Colossus slug it out, toe to toe. Storm shields herself against a wall, paralyzed by claustrophobia, while Nightcrawler springs from a chandelier into action. The issue featured Storm’s origin story, as well as a side battle with Banshee and Black Tom, as well as some classic X-Mansion soap opera with Jean Grey, Cyclops and Professor X. But it’s the fight between Juggy and Colossus, in the very close confines of an Irish castle – Nightcrawler does cheesily end up in the clutches of some leprechauns at the end, if I recollect correctly – that steals this show. As a kid, I always loved when Juggy showed up, though I wished somebody would have just made a massive bottle opener and popped that creepy helmet off his noggin. Just knowing that the original art for this famous cover is in house as we speak is enough to make me want to go on a secret mission to bask in its glory.

In his run of X-Men #101-107, Cockrum established himself as the king of the Space Opera. In this septuplet of issues, Cockrum introduced probably the biggest, most ambitious scope for the X-Men universe yet with the creation of the Shi’Ar Empire, the JLA-parody Imperial Guard, the Starjammers and the M’Krann Crystal. And that’s just the start of the cast of thousands that populated this exciting slice of X-Men pie. It should be noted that Cockrum left X-Men after #107. John Byrne came on board for #108 and quickly brought the focus of X-Men universe back to earth.

I asked our Director of Comics, Barry Sandoval, about this art work a few weeks ago and he was equally animated – as animated as Barry will get, consummate professional that he is – about its presence.

“This is one of the great X-Men covers of all time,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of great X-Men art and comics in past auctions, but this auction is particularly heavy on great X-Men stuff. You have to count this chief among the grouping.”

I was a little more like: “What?!... Did you see-…. No way! I want it! I want it!”

I’ve looked through this auction catalog a few times now, and am quite impressed by the offerings overall, but for fans of X-men comics this one is special. There’s a ton of great Jack Kirby Art, some original Peanuts artwork, a ton of great pulps and original mint Disney comics, but give me this cover any day! This thing has already met its estimate at $20,000, so I’m probably priced out of the running. It will however, be exciting to see how this lot ultimately comes out. It comes up in the Friday, 5 p.m. session.