Category: Comics

Well, the long awaited Heritage auction has finally arrived. And with it, there have been some staggering results. So without further ado, here’s what happened:

First up, we have the heavy hitter. Easily the most important TMNT artwork ever created. And at auction, it lived up to the billing. It raked in the most money ever for TMNT artwork outside of Kevin’s $250,000 ebay auction where he sold the entirety of TMNT issue #1 (covers, interiors, etc.). And like that auction, this piece likely has ended up with someone who is not necessarily a TMNT fan, but simply a fan of comics history. What a fantastic piece…

FINAL PRICE PAID (including buyer’s premium): $ 71,700

Next up, we had an interesting piece of TMNT lore: the fabled check that helped jumpstart the careers of two fledgling comic artists. Without this check, the turtles would likely not be here…and the world would be a much sadder place because of it. Also in the auction is a copy of that first image, plus a copy of issue #1 (printing edition unknown)

FINAL PRICE PAID (including buyer’s premium): $2,390

Here’s a true rarity: the only printer proof for TMNT #1! Again, another tremendous piece of TMNT history. Coupled with another copy of TMNT #1 first printing, this was a heck of a combo!

FINAL PRICE PAID (including buyer’s premium): $3,883.75

This lot had a number of very interesting pieces in it. A first printing of the First’s graphic novel is no easy book to come by. Additionally, you get some neat newspaper clippings of which none are lilely still around. The office trademark for the TMNT is also included, along with a recreation Kevin did of the first turtle back in 2011.

FINAL PRICE PAID (including buyer’s premium): $597.50

Now, I have to admit this price came as a COMPLETE shocker to me. Sure this auction included the very first edition (1/1000) of a rather rare hardcover. But what makes this book is the fantastic Laird art drawn on the inside. Unlike Eastman, Laird art is pretty tough to come by…but tough enough to justify this price? This book reached a price that was strictly reserve for the rarest of TMNT collectible books: TMNT #1 first print, Gobbledygooks, Turtlemania Gold. Welcome to the four figure club!

FINAL PRICE PAID (including buyer’s premium): $3,883.75

For you toy fanatics out there, here is an awesome piece. One of the original prototype resin casts that were given to Kevin & Pete back in 1987. This lot also included some catalogs as well.

FINAL PRICE PAID (including buyer’s premium): $2,151.00

Another awesome lot, this one is for all you movie fans out there. The highlight of this lot  included scripts from the unproduced fourth live action movie.

FINAL PRICE PAID (including buyer’s premium): $1,912.00

Going along with the movie lot, here are 25 pages of art that were drawn to supplement that fourth movie. Some of which has been seen in Kev’s “Artobiography”

FINAL PRICE PAID (including buyer’s premium): $1,075.50

Kevin pulled out a couple of favorites to sell separately, and here is one of Kirby.

FINAL PRICE PAID (including buyer’s premium): $448.13

And the final piece, another great image of Kirby.

FINAL PRICE PAID (including buyer’s premium): $567.63

Well folks that concludes the auction. For those keeping count, that’s nearly $90,000 in Turtles dollars total for this auction. Whew! Seems like the Turtles collectible market is as strong as ever with some awesome pieces fetching some stratospheric prices. So did anybody win? Any thoughts? Comments?

Man, that was fun!

-Terminator