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Author:
Title: JACK KIRBY'S SECRET CITY SAGA No. 2 * Steve Ditko Collection
Place Published:
Publisher:Topps
Date Published: June, 1993
Description: CGC certified: NM- (9.2). White pages. Grader notes: "Multiple spine stress lines spine." STEVE DITKO COLLECTION. CGC-certified as Steve Ditko's personal copy, and with a certificate of authenticity signed by Patrick Ditko, Steve Ditko's nephew. Not cleaned and pressed in order to preserve all traces of Steve Ditko's handling. Credits: Cover: Steve Ditko (President Clinton's face by Angelo Torres; inks by Torres and John Byrne). Scripts: Roy Thomas. Art: Steve Ditko, Angelo Torres. GPAnalysis: No reported sales in this grade. A non-Ditko Collection 9.6 sold for $10 in 5/24. Ditko Collection Census: This is the only certified Steve Ditko Collection copy.Bill Clinton guest-stars in this ish. Topps "Capitol-ized" on the president's appearance with a special Bill Clinton Secret City gumcard (not included in this lot), which glazes the 42nd president with amped-up Power Ratings: "Intelligence: 10. Personality: 8. Ability: 7. Appearance: 7. Leadership: 10. Handsome, intelligent, and charismatic, Bill Clinton has a reputation for hard work and problem-solving." Everyone always says Ditko was such an ultra-conservative, but was he, really? Ditko was notorious for refusing any art gig that he felt violated his ideals, however slightly. For example, the same year that this mag was released, Ditko bailed on Valiant's Dark Dominion after just one ish, because he believed that the series' supernatural themes clashed with his Objectivist beliefs. Ditko's positive portrayal of Clinton in this ish seems to suggest that he considered Clinton, and Clinton's center-left policies, compatible with his Objectivist beliefs. Could Ditko have been more moderate than many fans assume? Zack Kruse, who unpacks Ditko's Objectivism in his 2021 book, Mysterious Travelers: Steve Ditko and the Search for a New Liberal Identity, seems to think so: "Reducing [Ditko] to a mouthpiece for Rand does not reflect the whole of his thinking, nor does it help demonstrate how his complicated thinking makes sense of some shifts in contemporary liberal politics." Ditko would later express contempt for politicians in general, and President Trump in particular, in an incendiary 2017 letter to a fan that's offered in this very sale: "Trump is a dedicated power luster [with] a spoiled brat mentality, always wants his own way.... Trump's self-blindness continues to dominate.... Better men will have to make their appearance." – See lot 60.***************************** Enjoying the Ditko Sale? Order a fully-illustrated softcover catalogue for 30 bucks or a limited edition hardcover for $200. Fun reference, great keepsake, fully illustrated, chockablock with bon mots, obscure facts, esoteric lore. These books always go fast so don't delay. To order, contact [email protected]. Consign to PBA Galleries. Top prices for Pre-Code Horror, Golden Age, Silver Age, original art and ephemera. Our sell-thru rate is 98%, and our research-intensive catalogues are the best in the biz. Find out why PBA is the new fan-fave of funnybook fiends. "This is some of the best commentary I've yet seen on the quality of the content of comic books... Priceless." – R. Crumb. Send inquiries to [email protected]. Coming soon: The DC Universe Collection Part 4: SUPERMAN, featuring every issue of Superman from #1 through the modern era. Contact [email protected] to get on the notifications list.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $199 $10
$200 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000