FANTASTIC COMICS 1939-41 #1
CGC NM/M: 9.8
(Stock Image)
SOLD ON: Tuesday, 06/13/2017 4:50 PM
$67,000
Sold For
41
Bids
PUBLISHER: Fox
COMMENTS: white pgs; 1 of 1! Church/Mile High Copy
classic Lou Fine cvr; 1st app. of Samson
Jon Berk Collection
Highest Graded
Read Description ▼
classic Lou Fine cvr; 1st app. of Samson
Jon Berk Collection
Highest Graded
DESCRIPTION
white pgs; 1 of 1! Church/Mile High Copy
classic Lou Fine cvr; 1st app. of Samson
Jon Berk Collection
Highest Graded"Although not the most prolific of golden age artists, Lou Fine has left his indelible imprint as one of the finest draftsman of his time. In a real sense, Fine was an 'artist's artist', boasting superior drawing skills coupled with an uncanny sense of composition. The great man's work continues to be admired and collected by golden age enthusiasts. "
"He had the unique ability to bring motion to the page. There is something intoxicating about the elegant and lyrical covers created by Lou Fine, and the rich and unique colors chosen by Fine for his covers (how often does one see pink used effectively?) lend them an otherworldly quality. Fine drew a number of early features for Jumbo Comics as part of the Iger-Eisner shop, and continued his association with this shop as it produced comics for Fox and Quality Publications. For these companies he drew many of the early adventures of The Flame in Wonderworld Comics, Dollman in Feature Comics, and The Ray for Smash Comics. However, it is his covers, such as this explosive cover for Fantastic Comics #1, that have secured Fine's stature as one of the preeminent craftsman of the golden age. "
"I have quipped that I am Lou Fine's #1 fan. However, after speaking with Gil Kane, Murphy Anderson and others, I have learned that I will just have to stand in line."
-- Jon Berk
We can only add to that that this copy of one of the most beloved of "caviar" books of the Golden Age is not only the single finest copy known to exist, but is also from the esteemed Edgar Church pedigree, making it one of the most valuable and coveted of Golden Age comicbooks known to exist.
Overstreet Guide 2016 NM- (9.2) value = $11,000.
If you are a new customer planning to make a first-time purchase over $25,000, please contact us 24 hours in advance of the item closing at 212.895.3999 or support@comicconnect.com so that we may approve your account for bidding. (This policy was instituted to protect consignors and bidders against bids from fraudulent accounts, and to ensure the integrity of the bidding process.) Once approved, please log out of your account and then log in, for the approval to take effect.
We realize many of you would like to bid on this auction lot, so for this listing, ComicConnect.com offers a 6 month, interest free, time payment plan with a 20% non-refundable deposit. Time Payments invoices can only be paid by cash, check, money order or wire transfer. LEARN MORE
Artist Information
Louis Kenneth Fine was born in New York. He studied at the Grand Central Art School and Pratt Institute. He was partially crippled by childhood polio and longed to be an illustrator. Among his major influences were Dean Cornwell, J.C. Leyendecker, and Heinrich Kley. Fine joined the Eisner-Iger comic shop in 1938 and soon was drawing for the Fiction House and Fox lines on such features as 'Wilton of the West', 'The Count of Monte Cristo', and 'The Flame'. Within a short time he became one of their best artists. He drew parts of the 'Jumbo' and 'Sheena' comics, and he also produced several adventure comics. Between 1939 and 1943, he worked for the Arnold's Quality Comics group. He produced 'Black Condor', 'Stormy Foster' and several issues of 'Uncle Sam'. From early on, Fine's specialty was covers, and he turned out dozens of them. Lou Fine left the comic book industry in 1944 and moved into drawing Sunday advertising strips for the funnies. On his advertising work, he cooperated extensively with Don Komisarow. Together, they created characters like 'Charlie McCarthy' and 'Mr. Coffee Nerves' for Chase and Sanborn Coffee, and 'Sam Spade' for Wildroot Cream Oil. They also made 'The Thropp Family' for Liberty magazine, using the combined signature of Donlou (scripts by Lawrence Lariar). Next, Fine drew two newspaper strips, 'Adam Ames', and 'Peter Scratch', about a tough private eye who lived with his mother. Fine died in 1971 and according to Will Eisner, he was one of the greatest draftsmen ever.
classic Lou Fine cvr; 1st app. of Samson
Jon Berk Collection
Highest Graded"Although not the most prolific of golden age artists, Lou Fine has left his indelible imprint as one of the finest draftsman of his time. In a real sense, Fine was an 'artist's artist', boasting superior drawing skills coupled with an uncanny sense of composition. The great man's work continues to be admired and collected by golden age enthusiasts. "
"He had the unique ability to bring motion to the page. There is something intoxicating about the elegant and lyrical covers created by Lou Fine, and the rich and unique colors chosen by Fine for his covers (how often does one see pink used effectively?) lend them an otherworldly quality. Fine drew a number of early features for Jumbo Comics as part of the Iger-Eisner shop, and continued his association with this shop as it produced comics for Fox and Quality Publications. For these companies he drew many of the early adventures of The Flame in Wonderworld Comics, Dollman in Feature Comics, and The Ray for Smash Comics. However, it is his covers, such as this explosive cover for Fantastic Comics #1, that have secured Fine's stature as one of the preeminent craftsman of the golden age. "
"I have quipped that I am Lou Fine's #1 fan. However, after speaking with Gil Kane, Murphy Anderson and others, I have learned that I will just have to stand in line."
-- Jon Berk
We can only add to that that this copy of one of the most beloved of "caviar" books of the Golden Age is not only the single finest copy known to exist, but is also from the esteemed Edgar Church pedigree, making it one of the most valuable and coveted of Golden Age comicbooks known to exist.
Overstreet Guide 2016 NM- (9.2) value = $11,000.
If you are a new customer planning to make a first-time purchase over $25,000, please contact us 24 hours in advance of the item closing at 212.895.3999 or support@comicconnect.com so that we may approve your account for bidding. (This policy was instituted to protect consignors and bidders against bids from fraudulent accounts, and to ensure the integrity of the bidding process.) Once approved, please log out of your account and then log in, for the approval to take effect.
We realize many of you would like to bid on this auction lot, so for this listing, ComicConnect.com offers a 6 month, interest free, time payment plan with a 20% non-refundable deposit. Time Payments invoices can only be paid by cash, check, money order or wire transfer. LEARN MORE
Artist Information
Louis Kenneth Fine was born in New York. He studied at the Grand Central Art School and Pratt Institute. He was partially crippled by childhood polio and longed to be an illustrator. Among his major influences were Dean Cornwell, J.C. Leyendecker, and Heinrich Kley. Fine joined the Eisner-Iger comic shop in 1938 and soon was drawing for the Fiction House and Fox lines on such features as 'Wilton of the West', 'The Count of Monte Cristo', and 'The Flame'. Within a short time he became one of their best artists. He drew parts of the 'Jumbo' and 'Sheena' comics, and he also produced several adventure comics. Between 1939 and 1943, he worked for the Arnold's Quality Comics group. He produced 'Black Condor', 'Stormy Foster' and several issues of 'Uncle Sam'. From early on, Fine's specialty was covers, and he turned out dozens of them. Lou Fine left the comic book industry in 1944 and moved into drawing Sunday advertising strips for the funnies. On his advertising work, he cooperated extensively with Don Komisarow. Together, they created characters like 'Charlie McCarthy' and 'Mr. Coffee Nerves' for Chase and Sanborn Coffee, and 'Sam Spade' for Wildroot Cream Oil. They also made 'The Thropp Family' for Liberty magazine, using the combined signature of Donlou (scripts by Lawrence Lariar). Next, Fine drew two newspaper strips, 'Adam Ames', and 'Peter Scratch', about a tough private eye who lived with his mother. Fine died in 1971 and according to Will Eisner, he was one of the greatest draftsmen ever.