The original artwork featuring the first ever appearance of Wolverine, by artist Herb Trimpe, on the final page of The Incredible Hulk #180 (1974), arguably the most important debut of a comic book character in the last 40 years, has surfaced from the private hands where it has resided for more than three decades and will cross the block at Heritage Auctions on May 16.
In 1983, on the afternoon that Trimpe handed over the piece of original art to the then-teenaged consignor of the piece as a souvenir of their visit that afternoon, neither had any idea that the ink, graphite and blue pencil drawing would turn out to be one of the most influential comic book images ever created. As the decades drew on, and Wolverine soared in popularity and influence in Pop Culture, it because obvious to the owner of the art that he had something of significant value and importance.
Inspired by Trimpe’s generosity to him more than 30 years ago, the consignor has specified that the majority of the after-tax proceeds from the sale of the artwork be donated, including a large portion designated for the Hero Initiative, the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in financial need.