High-End Comic Art

The high-end market for original comic art has exploded in recent years, according to Heritage Auctions, the largest dealer in that market. Since the company began dealing in comic auctions in 2001, total sales—from original newsprint strips to original oil paintings, superheros and Peanuts—roughly doubled to $9.1 million in 2008.

This weekend, the Dallas-based company is sponsoring an auction of work by Joe Kubert, an artist perhaps best known for his work on Hawkman, Viking Prince, Sgt. Rock, and Enemy Ace for DC Comics. That auction alone could bring in as much as $5 million, says Todd Hignite, consignment director at Heritage.

Click ahead to for a look at the original comic art illustrations that have fetched the highest auction prices over the years, according to Heritage.

By Matt Hunter
Posted 18 Nov 2009

Artists: John Byrne and Terry Austin
Price:$55,200
Page 2 and 3, "The Fate of the Phoenix" (Marvel, 1980)

Artist: Dave Cockrum
Price: $65,725
Original Art (Marvel, 1976)

Artist: Alex Raymond
Price: $77,675
Sunday Comic Strip Original Art, dated 7-21-35 (King Features Syndicate, 1935)

Artist: Frank Frazetta
Realized: $100,625
Original Cover Art for Famous Funnies #213 (Eastern Color, 1953)

Artist: Robert Crumb
Price: $101,575
Original Art (San Francisco Comic Book Co./Apex, 1970)

Artist: Charles Schulz
Price: $113, 525
Original Art, dated 4-10-55 (United Feature Syndicate, 1955)

Artist: Frank Frazetta
Price: $120,750
Original Painting (1967)

Artist: Carl Barks
Price: $155,350
Oil Painting Original Art (1973)

Artists: Fred Ray and Jerry Robinson
Price: $195,500.
Original Art (DC, 1942)

Artist: Norman Mingo
Price: $203,150
Alfred E. Neuman Painting, Original Art (EC, 1956).