Joe Simon and Jack Kirby Team to Cover Champion Comics, at Auction

Joe Simon and Jack Kirby are among the most famous creative teams in American comic book history.  They are the legendary creators of comic book titles and characters like Captain America and Bucky, Newsboy Legion, Boy Commandos, Manhunter, Boys’ Ranch, Fighting American, and numerous others.  Every team starts somewhere, and the earliest collaborations of these two creators are the interior Blue Bolt story of Blue Bolt #2 (July 1940), and the covers of Champion Comics #9 (July 1940) and #10 (August 1940).  These are all tough-to-get comics with incredibly low CGC Census numbers, but there are copies of the first two covers by the Simon & Kirby team with Champion Comics #9 Incomplete (Harvey, 1940) CGC Apparent GD/VG 3.0 Slight (C-1) Off-white to white pages and a Champion Comics #10 (Harvey, 1940) CGC GD/VG 3.0 Cream to off-white pages up for auction in the 2022 July 31-August 1 Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122231 at Heritage Auctions.

In the interest of completeness, it should be noted that there are differences in opinion regarding the cover of Champion Comics #9.  GCD currently credits Simon with both pencils and inks.  However, Simon & Kirby expert Harry Mendryk of the Simon & Kirby blog notes persuasively that:

Most agree that Champion #9 was a Simon and Kirby production. It appears that Kirby was involved in at least some, if not most, of the penciling. Some have pointed out the way the sole of the runner’s foot is turned to the viewer and have credited this as a Kirby trait. However both Joe and Jack would use this device in the future. As far as I know this is the earliest occurrence of the peculiar technique and therefore it cannot be used to distinguish between the two artists. For it to be used an earlier example would have to be found used by one but not the other artist and to date I have not seen one. While the figure art has a Kirby appearance it is not completely typical of Kirby. I attribute that to Simon’s involvement in the art. The form lines on the runner’s boots look like the work of Simon but much of the rest of the inking does not look like either Joe’s or Jack’s work. So I suspect a third artist may have been involved in the inking.

These two issues have a combination of rarity and historical importance that has made them desirable to serious collectors for some time.  There’s a rare chance to get both issues with Champion Comics #9 Incomplete (Harvey, 1940) CGC Apparent GD/VG 3.0 Slight (C-1) Off-white to white pages and a Champion Comics #10 (Harvey, 1940) CGC GD/VG 3.0 Cream to off-white pages up for auction in the 2022 July 31-August 1 Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122231 at Heritage Auctions. up for auction in the 2022 July 31-August 1 Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122231 at Heritage Auctions. If you’ve never bid at Heritage Auctions before, you can get further information, you can check out their FAQ on the bidding process and related matters.  It’s a particularly good week to take a look with lots of rare Ace Magazines comics, Champ and Champion Comics, Lev Gleason comics, and much more.

Champion Comics #9 Incomplete (Harvey, 1940) CGC Apparent GD/VG 3.0 Slight (C-1) Off-white to white pages. First Joe Simon and Jack Kirby collaboration. Simon and Kirby cover. Neptina and Liberty Lads appearances. CGC notes, “Restoration includes: centerfold reinforced with glue. (Tape on interior. Piece out of 8th and 12th page, affects story) Incomplete”. Overstreet 2021 GD 2.0 value = $354.

Champion Comics #10 (Harvey, 1940) CGC GD/VG 3.0 Cream to off-white pages. Only Jack Kirby’s second comic book cover ever, and a great bondage cover at that. Joe Simon assisted the “King” on the cover. CGC notes, “Cover detached. Staples removed.” Overstreet 2021 GD 2.0 value = $300; VG 4.0 value = $600. CGC census 7/22: 1 in 3.0, 6 higher.

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