screen-worn costume from the blockbuster film Captain America: The First Avenger; see extended comments for more info
Second City CollectionCaptain America is the superhero that propelled Timely Comics into the spotlight during the World War II Golden Age of comics. It could be said that without the success of this character, there would be no Marvel Comics, no Avengers, no Marvel Cinematic Universe, and four of the top-twenty-grossing films of all time would not exist. When Captain America Comics #1 appeared on newsstands on March 1st 1941, a phenomenon burst on the scene in a manner never seen before or since. The provocative Jack Kirby cover illustration, depicting Cap punching Hitler in the face, set the tone for comics of the wartime era, and started a trend of Axis bashing on comic covers that continues to resonate to the modern day. Many of the Golden Age covers depicting Hitler, Mussolini, and Tojo enduring various forms of punishment are among the most valuable and desirable collectibles the hobby offers, and this book was where it all started.
The creation of Captain America was a stroke of genius, playing on the patriotism of Americans, while paying homage to the fevered interest in the emerging art form of the superhero comic. The invention of Cap shifted the previously unremarkable career of Jack Kirby into high gear, and as most fans of comic history know, Kirby would go on to essentially dominate Marvel's Silver Age through his collaborations with Stan Lee. The character was immensely popular during World War II, selling copies at a level that rivaled DC mainstays Superman and Batman. After the war, interest in hero books faded and it seemed that the Star Spangled Avenger was destined to the dustbin of history, but, in the Silver Age, he was literally thawed out and given new life, and remained one of Marvel's most-beloved characters for decades to come. The patriotic hero would once again rise to new heights of popularity on the silver screen, inspiring a whole new generation of children to aspire to be moral, upstanding, and brave.
It is with a tremendous thrill that we offer this very special, one-of-a-kind collectible to our customers, the original costume worn by Chris Evans during the production of the blockbuster movie, Captain America: The First Avenger. The overwhelming success of the MCU continues to dominate international box office numbers, consistently breaking records and causing a frenzy whenever a new film or TV series is released. Entire auctions have been staged to sell off the props, costumes, and other ephemera from the MCU films, these events have been highly competitive, and have become an adjunct to the world of comic collecting all their own. This amazing uniform is an important piece of memorabilia from what will undoubtedly go down in history as one of the most-astonishing success stories in cinema, and is one of the most-valuable MCU props to sell on the open market.
This custom-made suit comes in three basic pieces: pants, shirt, and chest/shoulder armor, along with several accoutrements: gloves, boots, helmet, and the iconic Captain America shield. All three elements of the suit are composed of ballistic nylon with a rubberized backing; the pants feature elastic boot straps, the undershirt is also made from an elastic material, which fits snugly around the midsection, and the armor includes built-in bracers and shoulder pads. The shield is made of resin and features realistic bullet marks and other battle wear, and the helmet is made of a pliable rubber with leather interior, ear-flaps, and chin strap. The boots, gloves, utility belt (w. holster and prop Colt .45), and ammo belt are all made of leather with some rubber elements. This costume would certainly look right at home in a museum or on display in a collection of memorabilia. Originally purchased by the Second City Collection's owner at auction in 2012, the costume sold for well over the estimated ticket price, which only serves to emphasize the importance of this piece of comic book history, and goes to show that there are plenty of Captain America fans out there that will be raring to go the minute this suit goes up for auction.
This set is hands-down one of the coolest pieces we have ever had the honor of presenting to our distinguished clientele. This uniform is one of the most-recognizable superhero costumes in the history of the art form, which was worn by the star of the record-breaking Avengers movie franchise in one of the films that sparked the incredible run of blockbusters that is guaranteed to shape the moviegoing experience for people the world over for generations to come. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to snag this collection has zero down side. Whoever ends up as the proud owner of this costume will become the curator of a piece of cinematic history, and will enjoy watching their investment appreciate in value, as the MCU shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. We expect this lot to receive intense attention once it goes up for sale. Will you be the next lucky owner of this mind-blowing piece of comic book lore?
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.
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