Auctions: comic books March 1996

Angela Glory Rage of Angels (1996) 1A CGC 9.6 Cruz

Paper: White

Variant Cover.

Label #4645033021

Rage of Angels Part 1; Spotlights two of today's most dynamic female characters, Angela and Glory, in a war that threatens to shatter Heaven. Rebel angels launch an assault on the Angel Station (the angels' cloaked satellite in orbit) in their drive to become equally as powerful as God's army. Awakening the Amazonians from their sleep by breaching the dimension barrier separating the two realities, the war begins. Written by Robert Napton and Rob Liefeld. Pencils by Roger Cruz. #1A cover by Roger Cruz and Danny Miki. FC Cover price $2.50.

Bettie Page Comics (1996 Dark Horse) 1 GD+ 2.5

Water damage.

Cover by Dave Stevens. Step right up, folks and pay attention! This is it! At long last, Bettie Page has given her blessing to this, her very first officially licensed comic book. And the man who's put it all together in this stunningly illustrated package: Dave Stevens, of course (need you ask?). Featuring three complete stories, Bettie's exploits take her from camera club misadventures to B-movie making, to meeting little green men in Central Park! FC. Cover price $3.95.

Sandman (1989 DC/Vertigo) 75REP.2ND FN 6.0 2nd Printing

Second Printing. The last grains trickle through the glass, a pen is set down, perhaps a soft sigh is heard. And with a strange sense of waking as if from some elusive, intangible dream, one of the most significant, closely followed and highly praised chapters in the history of comics draws to an all-too-soon but triumphant close. THE SANDMAN, Neil Gaiman's critically acclaimed and award-winning series, has consistently challenged and sparked the imagination of readers throughout the world. With compelling, multileveled storytelling and an unprecedented diversity of artistic styles, THE SANDMAN became the flagship title of DC's Vertigo imprint. Now Gaiman's poetic, personal exploration of the human condition and the lives touched by the eerie power of Dream concludes its 7-year run with #75, "The Tempest." Illustrated by Charles Vess (Gaiman's collaborator on the World Fantasy Award-winning "A Midsummer Night's Dream" from #19), "The Tempest" tells the final tale of the Sandman as Morpheus collects the last part of the debt owed to him by William Shakespeare. With dramatic interludes on a mysterious island, along with monsters, sprites, gods, maidens, apparitions and certain observations on English weather, "The Tempest" brings long-promised closure to what Steve Erickson in the Los Angeles Times Magazine described as "the best monthly comic book in the world." THE SANDMAN #75 is an extra-sized issue with a special 4-color, bound-in gatefold poster featuring art from the original cover of THE DOLL'S HOUSE trade paperback by Dave McKean one one side, and a commemorative time-line on the other. The issue also includes 2 'farewell' text pages by Gaiman. Cover by Dave McKean. Suggested for Mature Readers. Cover price $3.95.

Spawn (1992 Image) 44D CGC 9.6 Daniel Variant

Paper: White

Label #2044913011

Direct Edition. "Avenger!" Written by Todd McFarlane. Art and cover by Tony Daniel and Kevin Conrad. Tiffany, vowing to make a name for herself and take Angela's place as the Priority A-1 angel, knows destroying Spawn ensures her promotion. Meanwhile, Spawn, who was almost destroyed by the Curses experiments, continues to rejuvenate himself. Wild animals help by bringing forth their evil to give life to a hellspawn weakened. As his body slowly grows stronger, Spawn experiences flashbacks of the Curses extractions, and of his love for his wife, Wanda. Tiffany confronts Spawn and is happy to find him in recharge. A fierce battle ensues and Tiffany is just about to decapitate the weakened Spawn… Back in New York, detectives Burke and Williams, after being fired from the precinct, begin to investigate why Banks took the fall when the file they gave to the newspaper indicted several others. 32 pages, FC. NOTE: This issue is dedicated to Jim Starlin. Cover price $1.95.

Witchblade (1995) 3 CGC 9.8

Paper: White

Label #3864065012

Cover pencils by Michael Turner, inks by D-Tron. Untitled Witchblade story, script by David Wohl, Christina Z., and Michael Turner (co-plot), pencils by Michael Turner, inks by D-Tron, Brian DiRito (Assistant), Jose Guillen (Assistant), and Larry Welch (Assistant); Sara has used the power of the Witchblade to return her fallen partner, Michael Yee, to life but he comes back as a cold corpse begging her to kill him again; Disgusted by its power, Sara throws the Witchblade into the cremator and heads home; Sara is later abducted by Mr. Wright who takes her on his boat, tosses her the Witchblade and tells her to put it on; When she refuses, he shoots her multiple times; As Sara lies dying once again, the Witchblade grafts onto her arm and she is able to leap into the ocean and escape to nearby Liberty Island; Ian arrives, ready for battle. 36 pgs. $2.50. Cover price $2.50.

X-O Manowar (1992 1st Series) 59D CBCS 7.5

Paper: White

Label #21-2498142-060

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Direct Edition. A clandestine government agency puts Aric and the X-O armor on its Christmas list. It's up to the government's best agent to bring X-O in -- the hard way! "Old Soldiers" is written by Jeff Bailey, Marty Golia and Keith Giffen, with art by Andy Smith and Ray Kryssing. Cover by Bart Sears and Ray Kryssing. Cover price $2.50.