DALLAS, TX.- The Savannah Collection, a newly discovered grouping of more than 40,000 comic books, spanning from 1958 to the present, and acquired directly from the distributor, valued in total at more than $1 million – roughly $350,000 of which is in this auction – makes its debut in Heritage Auctions’ Feb. 24-26 Signature® Vintage Comics & Comic Art Auction.

“This collection has already been recognized as a pedigree collection by certification service CGC,” said Ed Jaster, Senior Vice President at Heritage, “one of few collections from this era to receive that designation.”

The collection is particularly notable for coming replete with significant comic books of the silver age, with a particular emphasis on key DC issues, such as a CGC-certified 8.0 Showcase #22 Green Lantern, estimated at $17,000+.

An Archie Comics #1, CGC 8.5 – the highest-graded copy of the issue, and the only known copy graded above 7.0 – hailing from the “Pinnacle Hill” collection, which produced the 8.0 certified copy of Detective #27 that sold for $1,075,500 in February of 2011, will have collectors of everybody’s favorite carrot top sitting up to take notice. The comic carries a pre-auction estimate of $50,000+.

On virtually the flip side of the comics spectrum from Archie #1, but no less valuable and important, is a rare high grade copy Fantastic Four #1, CGC 8.0, the nicest unrestored copy of the issue that Heritage has offered in five years. This comic, which essentially started the Marvel Age in 1961, carries a pre-auction estimate of $50,000+.

The Kerby Confer Collection, which has held collectors enthralled for the last two Heritage comics auctions with its amazing depth of original Carl Barks Scrooge McDuck paintings, continues to yield more top examples of this highly sought-after Disney artist with Barks’ July Fourth in Duckburg leading this auction.

“This painting, which features the largest cast of characters that Barks ever painted, was a onetime record-setter for a piece of comic art when it sold for $6,400 in 1976,” said Barry Sandoval , Director of Comics Auctions Operations at Heritage. “When it comes up for bid this time later in February it’s expected to bring $150,000 or more. Most people would agree that’s a pretty good return.”

Also from The Kerby Confer Collection comes what is easily one of the most important Mickey Mouse items in existence, The Band Concert Animation Cel, thought to be the only existing production setup from Mickey Mouse’s first color cartoon, The Band Concert, made in 1935. It is estimated at $100,000+.

Great original comic art is in large supply in this auction, with several examples from some of the most important artists, and titles of the 1970s and 1980s leading the charge. John Byrne’s original cover art for X-Men #116, 1978 is the first among equals in these offerings, just the fourth X-Men cover the legendary artist drew for the popular title, and it is expected to bring $75,000+. An artist of equal fan renown, none other than Frank Miller, is also represented in the original comic art section of the auction as Heritage offers the original art from Page #3 of The Dark Knight Returns, a title whose original art rarely appears at auction; in fact, this is only the second time a piece of art from the title has shown up in a Heritage event. It is estimated at $40,000+.

Rounding out the top original art offerings, and fresh on the heels of the November 2010 sale of Watchmen Issue #1, Page #1 for $33,460, Heritage presents four pages of original art from the influential series, including a page of Nite Owl and Rorschach from Page #24, Issue #3 (estimate: $25,000+), a stunning page of art featuring Ozymandias in his lair from Page #8, Issue #10 (estimate: $20,000+), Nite Owl and Silk Spectre from Page #5, Issue #8 (estimate: $20,000+) and another page featuring Silk Spectre in the Owlship from Page #2, Issue #7 (estimate: $20,000+).