Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers, Altered Reality Entertainment and Travis Landry Will Present a Winter Comic & Toy Auction, Dec. 14th

CRANSTON, R.I. – Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers, Altered Reality Entertainment and Travis Landry, Bruneau & Co.’s Director of Pop Culture, are combining forces to hold a Winter Comic Book & Toy auction extravaganza on Saturday, December 14th, online and in Bruneau & Co.’s gallery at 63 Fourth Avenue in Cranston. The auction will begin promptly at 11am Eastern time.

The sale is packed with over 350 lots of rare graded comic books, to include many Marvel and DC comics; generous key book lots; an original graded set of Star Wars 12 backs; a Vinyl Cape Jawa; a factory sealed Blue Snaggletooth and more. Since its inception, Bruneau & Co. has partnered with Altered Reality Entertainment (the parent company of Rhode Island Comic Con) to organize toy, comic, and collectible auctions, bringing Pop Culture to a live auction setting.

“There is no better subject to close out our auction year than with comics and toys,” said Kevin Bruneau, the president of Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers. “Just adds to the whole holiday spirit. It’s always fun to see which collectors come to the gallery.” 

Lot 193, Marvel Comics Incredible Hulk #181 CGC 6.5; Estimate $1,500-$2,000

Mr. Landry added, “This catalog is certainly going to have the heart of Golden Age collectors. There is a great selection of graded books from Seduction of the Innocent that are sure to drive collectors wild. Plus having copies of Hulk #181 and Green Lantern #1 is just a fun bonus.”

The copy of DC Comics’ Green Lantern #1, from July-August 1960, recounts the origin of Green Lantern. It’s graded CGC 7.5 out of 10 for condition. The copy of Marvel Comics’ Incredible Hulk #181, from November 1974, is graded CGC 6.5, with white pages, and features the first full appearance of Wolverine. Both comic books carry estimates of $1,500-$2,000. 

The 1977 Kenner Star Wars Vinyl Cape Jawa figure, graded CAS 85, is an excellent example with vivid color and is housed in a CAS case. The 1978 Kenner Star Wars Cantina Adventure multi-pack Blue Snaggletooth and Greedo figures, graded CAS 75+, with the Snaggletooth a dented toe variant, is also contained in a CAS case. Both lots are expected to hit $1,500-$2,500. 

A candidate for top lot of the sale is an original first generation Lucasfilm Star Wars blueprint, used in the production of the 1977 hit film, Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (est. $3,000-$5,000). The blueprint details the Main Forward Bay of the Death Star, floor arrangement stage 3, dated April 4, 1976, set number 241, scale ¼ inch-2 inches, drawn T.A., drawing number 262.

The 29 inch by 45 inch blueprint, along with the others in the sale, were purchased from the estate of Shane Johnson, a writer for Starlog Journal and the Star Wars Technical Journal. They were used as examples in writing his books, given to him directly by the studio. They were purchased from Shane Johnson's estate by Jeffrey Durazzo, owner of Order 66 Toys and an avid Star Wars collector, consigned from his personal collection. 

Another contender for top lot status is the copy of Reform School Girl (1951) from Avon Realistic Comics (est. $2,000-$3,000). The book, in a CGC case and graded CGC 3.0 with white pages, was featured in Frederic Wertham’s Seduction of the Innocent. It has a classic photo lingerie cover that was probably racy for its time but looks amusing today.  

Lot 6, 1977 Star Wars 12 Back Ben Obi-Wan Kenobi CAS 85; Estimate $1,000-$1,500

Also offered will be a 1977 Kenner Star Wars 12 Back Ben Obi-Wan Kenobi card, unpunched, the figure a white hair variant, with SKU number of the footer card, overall a beautiful example graded CAS 85 (est. $1,000-$1,500); and a gem mint 2002 Pokémon Neo Destiny Unlimited Shining Charizard trading card graded PSA 10 (est. $700-$1,000).

Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers’ next sale, after their Winter Comic Book & Toy auction, will be an Estate Fine Art & Antiques Auction on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020, also online and live in the Bruneau & Co. gallery, starting at 11am EST.