Don Heck’s Original Iron Man Artwork Fetches a Record $3.875 Million at Heritage Auctions
At the Heritage Auctions event held from July 10–12, a new benchmark was set in the comic book industry. An original black-and-white illustration by Don Heck from Marvel’s *Tales of Suspense #39* (1963) sold for a staggering $3.875 million.
This historic page marks the very first appearance of Iron Man. Tony Stark, donning his original Mark I armor, is depicted on a splash page—a full-page illustration designed for maximum dramatic impact. The header prominently declares, “Iron Man is born!” Executed in ink on Bristol board, the piece features a pasted-on creator credits box in the lower-left corner, signed by the legendary Stan Lee. While the artwork exhibits minor glue residue in a few spots, the lot remains in exceptionally good condition overall.
Original comic art from this era is exceedingly rare, and its arrival on the auction block never goes unnoticed. Bidding was fierce, with six competitors still vying for the lot even after the price crossed the $3 million threshold.
This monumental sale shatters a record that had stood for four and a half years. The previous high-water mark was set in the winter of 2022, when Mike Zeck’s interior page from *Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #8* (1984)—featuring Spider-Man in the iconic black suit that would later be revealed as the Venom symbiote—went under the hammer for $3.36 million.
