Heritage Auctions gears up for massive X-Men comic “Signature” sale this weekend

By John Freeman on June 22, 2021

Heritage Auctions is to hold the CGC Registry Signature X-Men Collection Showcase event this coming Saturday (26th June 2021), which features among its offerings the most complete run of high-grade X-Men comics ever made available. These are the uncanny books from the AnastasiasCollect CGC Registry Set, which sits at No. 2 on CGCs list of complete X-Men runs, spanning 1963’s landmark debut through #544, the final issue published 48 years later.

Befitting a book about the world’s most famous mutants, that also includes all the variants published during that historic run.

At the very top of that tall pile is no less than an X-Men #1 graded CGC 9.0 and signed by Stan Lee himself – the highest-graded Signature Series copy of this historic book ever offered for public sale. Here, too, is the highest-graded Signature Series X-Men #4 brought to auction, proudly displaying its CGC 9.2.

This is the historic title made brand-new in recent months by WandaVision on Disney+. The original Brotherhood of Evil Mutants makes its debut in X-Men No. 4, counting among its members Quicksilver and his sister, better known as the Scarlet Witch. This was readers’ first glimpse of Wanda and Pietro, whose origin stories (and costumes) would get a makeover over time but whose popularity never waned.

“Not many Silver Age comics have garnered more attention this year than that book,” says Rick Akers, Comics Consignment Director at Heritage Auctions. “And this is as good as it gets with perfect centering, striking color and the ideal signature placement by Stan Lee.”

Lee’s, of course, is not the only pen to have graced this historic paper.

This auction counts, among its rare gems, a Giant-Size X-Men #1 Signature Series CGC NM/MT 9.8 signed by Lee and writer Len Wein, who introduced in this title the new team, among them Storm, Nightcrawler, Banshee and the man called Wolverine.

Giant-Size X-Men #1 Signature Series CGC NM/MT 9.8 signed by Stan Lee and writer Len Wein

Heritage says there are no higher-graded copies of this book, signed or otherwise, making this one of the most coveted titles in an auction full of must-haves, including:

• X-Men #12 Signature Series CGC NM 9.4, featuring the origin of Professor X and signed by Lee

• X-Men #49 and #50 Signature Series, both graded CGC NM 9.4 and signed by Lee and Jim Steranko

X-Men #49 Signature Series, graded CGC NM 9.4 and signed by Stan Lee and Jim Steranko

X-Men #50 Signature Series, graded CGC NM 9.4 and signed by Stan Lee and Jim Steranko

• X-Men #94 Signature Series graded CGC NM+ 9.6, signed by the holy trinity of Lee, Wein and Chris Claremont, who began his legendary 16-year run on X-Men with this very book

• X-Men #101 Signature Series CGC NM/MT 9.8, featuring the origin and first appearance of Phoenix, signed by Lee and Claremont

• X-Men #141 Signature Series CGC NM/MT 9.8, Part one of the “Days of Future Past” storyline signed by Lee, Claremont and Terry Austin

That’s but the tip of the tip of the tip of the proverbial iceberg in an auction that also includes the Ms. Marvel Signature Series run that won the 2018 CGC Bronze Registry Set of the Year. And, of course, most of the comics in this auction feature the custom Excelsior exclusive Stan Lee Signature Series label.

“There are so many of the highest-graded Signature Series comics in this auction – it is really a dream come true,” says Akers. “X-Men is the hottest title in comics, and these are some of the best copies – and some of the most elusive – offered in the last several years. This is not an auction to miss.”

• For more information and images of all lots in the CGC Registry Signature X-Men Collection Showcase Auction, visit Heritage Auctions

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.