5035

Alex Raymond - Flash Gordon Sunday Original Art, dated 3-15-36 (King Features Syndicate, 1936).

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Comics Start Price:11,000.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
Alex Raymond - Flash Gordon Sunday Original Art, dated 3-15-36 (King Features Syndicate, 1936).
<B>Alex Raymond - Flash Gordon Sunday Original Art, dated 3-15-36 (King Features Syndicate, 1936).</B></I> Alex Raymond's <I>Flash Gordon</B></I> is considered by most to be the finest science fiction/fantasy comic strip ever done, with the period of 1934-1936 being the most desirable for original art collectors due to the large size of the art drawn during those three years. Titled "Three Against Ming," all of the major characters in the <I>Flash Gordon</B></I> saga appear in this Sunday: Flash, Dale Arden, Dr. Hans Zarkov, and, most impressively, their nemesis, the evil Ming the Merciless. The inscrutable, leering portrait of Ming in panel two must number among the finest ever done; his sinister presence is palpable. Dale turns Ming's weapon of choice, the <I>paralyzo-ray</B></I>, on his own minions. This insidious device was frequently featured in the "Flash Gordon" movie serial, and is fondly recalled by aficionados. Making this already impressive Sunday even more spectacular is the art for the matching <I>Jungle Jim</B></I> topper. Jim is being forced into a "shotgun wedding" with the evil Bat-woman, and the line work on her gorgeous visage on the final panel is breathtaking. The <I>Flash Gordon</B></I> strip's image area measures 24" x 19", while the <I>Jungle Jim</B></I> topper measures 24" x 11.5". The art is in Excellent condition. Considering all the remarkable qualities of this example, it must number among the top five known <I>Flash Gordon</B></I> originals. This is a rare and splendid piece for any enthusiast of American comic strip art. <BR><BR><B>Important notice:</B> Heritage usually auctions material at the rate of 200-250 lots per hour. On some occasions eBay Live bid software or the Internet may not be able to keep up with the pace of the auction. We recommend placing a realistic absentee bid now as insurance to avoid disappointment. Occasionally the auctioneer may eliminate or reject an eBay Live bid, and the auctioneer may also reopen a lot after the close of the eBay live bidding (usually because we missed an audience bid), and may reject your bid even if it shows you as the winning bidder. By bidding via eBay Live, you agree that Heritage may award the lot to another bidder at its sole discretion under the circumstances described above or any other reasonable circumstances. Since eBay bids are not shown to us until we open the lot on the floor, we treat those bids just like floor bids. In most cases the floor responds before the eBay bid is presented to us, due to Internet lag time, so for consistency we have made it a policy that floor bids are always considered first over tie eBay live bids. Also please note that all Heritage lots purchased through eBay Live carry a 20% Buyer's Premium. Please make sure you read the Terms and Conditions before you bid.