Heritage Auctions latest Comics and Comic Art Signature Auction held April 1 to 4 soared to a world-record $16.5-million finish, with nearly 7,000 bidders worldwide setting myriad high-water marks en route to a complete sell-out. Never before has the market for historic titles, original art, video games and gaming trading cards seen such an extraordinary response. Notes Barry Sandoval, a vice president at the Dallas-based house, until recently, events such as this on average would have 100 lots reaching the $10,000 mark. This one featured more than 350. Indeed, 19 lots in the auction were in the triple digits, including the world-record-setting, headline-grabbing Super Mario Bros. sale that hit $660,000 during the Video Games session. Comics and comic art realized more than $12.4 million during the auction. Video games surpassed the $3.3 million mark, with trading cards realizing an additional $811,694. The enthusiasm of our bidding clientele was further demonstrated during this extraordinary event, stated co-chairman Jim Halperin. During day one, 52 lots in the 1,483-lot event realized more than $4.45 million alone, with nearly every single comic book and work of original comic art going past pre-auction estimates. There was some particularly heated tussling over Simon Bisleys iconic cover to Lobo No. 1 published in 1990. The work featuring the snarling, cigar-chomping bounty hunter from outer space opened the day at $50,000. And by the time the dust settled, the Main Man realized $192,000, more than six times its estimate. A Batman No. 1, graded CGC VG/FN 5.0, sold for $360,000. Thats nearly twice the highest price ever realized for that book in that condition. Two years ago, the first issue of the Caped Crusaders solo title in 5.0 sold at Heritage for $204,000. In January 2021, it sold a CGC 9.4 Batman No. 1 for $2.22 million, making that issue the second-highest-selling comic book of all time. Following the Dark Knight was the Daredevil, with the second page of the very first issue of Marvel Comics Daredevil realizing $288,000, nearly four times the pre-auction estimate. Little surprise, as this page from the 1964 Marvel masterpiece contains the panel with Bill Everetts introduction of The Man Without Fear. Appropriately, a CGC NM+ 9.6 Daredevil No. 1 likewise set a new record when it sold for $150,000, which was $48,000 more than a same-graded Daredevil debut realized in January 2021. A first issue of Fantastic Four No. 1 graded CGC VF/NM 9.0 brought $264,000. And an Amazing Fantasy No. 15 graded CGC VF- 7.5 realized $156,000, the highest price ever paid for Spider-Mans initial swing in that condition. And a Tales of Suspense No. 39 graded CBCS NM 9.4 went for $132,000. This was a sale filled with landmark titles, none more so than the 1937 Action Comics No. 1 prototype known as an ashcan. The very book to ever feature the words Action Comics and the iconic logo still used by DC Comics 84 years after this exemplar was made, the Action ashcan realized $204,000, the highest price ever paid for one of the early DC prototypes. Dave Stevens cover art to 1983s Alien Worlds No. 2 likewise shattered expectations when it sold for $120,000, three times estimate. Little surprise, this EC Comics nod is one of the earliest covers The Rocketeers creator produced, and among the few depicting one of his own characters, in this case, Aurora, who initially made her bow in Japan. And, no surprise, but another original work to reach six figures was Page 22 from 1975s Giant X-Men No. 1, written by Len Wein and illustrated by Dave Cockrum. Not only was this the comic that redefined the X-Men, but it introduced readers to Kurt Wagners Nightcrawler, whos introduced on this very page on the run in his native German from townsfolks who consider him merely a monster. This second page from the Second Genesis story realized $102,000, twice its estimate. Yet another title to surpass estimates and expectations was Detective Comics No. 225, which likewise features the introduction of a hero who would very much come to define DC for generations to come, so much so he was a sidekick in the CWs Supergirl, and when Zach Snyder recut and remade his Justice League film for HBO, he went back and added back this excised character. That would be Jonn Jonzz, the Manhunter from Mars zapped to Earth by a scientist who doesnt live long enough to return him home. The extraordinary copy of Detective No. 225 realized $138,000, not at all surprising given its grade of CGC 9.4. That makes it the best copy known. To humans or martians. For more information, visit www.HA.com.