Filmmaker and comics writer Kevin Smith is auctioning off his entire collection of original comic art. Smith has curated quite the cache of pages and covers from titles including Batman, Preacher, and Sandman. The majority of the work in the collection comes from books that Smith wrote himself, such as his highly acclaimed reboots of Daredevil and Green Arrow.
The online auction is being held on September 27, and will be directed by Bodnars Auctions. A percentage of the proceeds will be donated to the Kubert School's scholarship fund. The school was founded by legendary cartoonist Joe Kubert, and teaches students cartooning and graphic art. The sale of Smith's art collection will help to the comic artists of the future.
Frank Miller's Daredevil #161 Is The Featured Piece Of Smith's Auction
Smith has recently moved from Los Angeles to New Jersey to film Clerks III, and says the "reduction in wall space" let to the decision to auction his collection. The featured piece in the auction is a page from Daredevil #161, drawn by Frank Miller and inked by Klaus Janson. Miller and Janson are the creators of the definitive Daredevil run, from 1979-1983. Any original art for sale from this run is incredibly rare and highly sought-after. The page in Smith's collection is a premier page, featuring Daredevil fighting Bullseye, one of Daredevil most recognizable rogues, with the auction house estimating the page will sell for as much as $40,000.
Kevin Smith's Collection Includes Decades Worth Of Material
As a long-time comic book author himself, Kevin Smith's collection includes many pages from his own work, including interiors from his 2001 Green Arrow run, drawn by the great penciler/inker team of Phil Hester and Ande Parks. Several of the covers from Smith's fifteen issues on the series, fully painted by Matt Wagner, are also part of the auction – including the cover for the first issue. These are expected to sell for as much as $3000. Smith, who came to prominence as a filmmaker in the 1990s, has never been shy about his love of comic books. Marvel's Stan Lee, famous for his MCU cameos, had his first cameo in Smith's second film, Mallrats.
Smith's third film, Chasing Amy, is about star-crossed lovers, who are also are comic book artists. Additionally, he owns Jay & Silent Bob's Marvel Knight's Daredevil, drawn by long-time Marvel Editor-In-Chief Joe Quesada, and inked by industry veteran Jimmy Palmiotti. The iconic cover for issue #8, featuring Daredevil and Spider-Man, is included in Smith's collection. The collection also includes pages from other hit series, such as Neil Gaiman's The Sandman, Wagner's Mage, and Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon's Preacher.
Kevin Smith's decision to unburden himself of decades of comic book material is a gain for collectors, as there are a number of notable pieces in his collection, many of which likely went straight to Smith from the artist after working on the book together. There are pieces from Wagner's Batman Grendel, and a double-page spread from Batman: Madness - A Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Special, drawn by Tim Sale, in Smith's collection. Kevin Smith has always been an unabashed fan and promoter of comics, and now he is letting his impressive collection of original comic art go.
Source: Bodnars Auction
