Bidding on Neal Adams' cover art for Green Lantern #76 (1970) stands at $210,986 at Heritage Auctions.
Adams provided the comics industry with a shot in the arm with this issue.
It kick-started a long running storyline that explored many of the social issues plaguing America at the time.
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The format was swiftly adopted by other comic book artists.
Heritage describes the lot as: "One of the most 'Key' of all key Bronze Age books!
"The effect that Neal Adams had on the comic industry as it transitioned from the Silver Age to the Bronze Age was enormous.
"Every character he touched, even just on the covers (such as Superman and Superboy) were reinvigorated, and this is without a doubt the most memorable and important cover the great artist ever crafted... ushering in the Bronze Age and an entirely new approach to socially relevant comics storytelling."
In a generous move, the consigner will be sharing the proceeds from the sale with Adams.
Adams writes in a letter of provenance: "Since the proprietor of the cover has agreed to equitably share the income of the auction with me and my family I hereby validate sale and ownership of this piece…
"This sharing of profit with the creator, of the sale of artwork produced back in those days when ownership has ever been in question, will in this case and may in all cases go far in bringing underground artwork into the light of a fair and open marketplace."
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