August 6, 2020: Summer Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/6/2020
Offered is the original cover artwork for issue No. 142 (July 1, 1977) of the iconic “Cracked” magazine by the legendary comic artist John Severin. Produced in acrylics on illustration board, the 14-by-14 ½-inch art spoofs the television classic M*A*S*H, one of the highest-rated shows in TV history that ran from 1972-83. Severin, whose original cover artwork typically sells for many thousands of dollars, was an American comics artist noted for his distinctive work with EC Comics, primarily on the war comics Two-Fisted Tales and Frontline Combat; for Marvel Comics, especially its war and Western comics; and for his 45-year stint with the satiric magazine Cracked. He was one of the founding cartoonists of Mad in 1952 and was inducted into the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame in 2003. The original artwork depicts the legendary characters from the long-running show as portrayed by some of the most beloved actors of the era: Alan Alda as Hawkeye Pierce, Harry Morgan as Col. Sherman T. Potter, Jamie Farr as Klinger, Gary Burghoff as Radar O’Reilly and Mike Farrell as B.J. Hunnicutt. From Severn’s keen imagination comes an image of the crew applying a Band-Ade to King Kong’s hand (a King Kong poster was featured in that July 1, 1977 issue of Cracked). A copy of the issue in question is included in the lot (52 pages, Very Good condition). The original artwork is attractively matted and framed to overall dimensions of 22-by-23 inches and reveals a light vertical crease down the center of the painting that does not materially detract from the strong visual appeal; a tiny 1-inch crease appears at the left edge that similarly barely impacts the presentation. Simply put, this is a spectacular artifact from one of the legendary comic artists of the postwar era, working his magic with a classic television icon.
1977 Cracked Magazine Original John Severin MASH/King Kong Artwork (with matching issue) (2)
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