Topolino, or Mickey Mouse, was the star of the live online comics auction organised by Aste Bolaffi on 23 February. The lots from the complete collection, ranging from the early days right up to issue 2000 of the Topolino comic, raised a total of EUR 40,900 (including royalty fees).
The standout pieces in the collection were issue one of April 1949, which sold for EUR 1,800 (lot 66), and the complete ‘Operazione Dollaro’ (Operation Dollar) series, issues 708 to 713, which fetched EUR 2,400 (lot 115).
Where the complete Italian ‘Piccolo Ranger’ (Little Ranger) collection was concerned, issue 32, a genuine collector’s item (lot 156), made a big splash, selling for EUR 1,500 from a reserve price of EUR 300 and notching up dozens of bids on the Aste Bolaffi platform. Diabolik was another great success, with the 1964 second Sodip reprint of issue one ‘Il re del terrore’ (The King of Terror), fetching EUR 800 (lot 178), as was Tex, with a non-consecutive set of saddle-stitched album editions drawn from between issues 20 and 40 selling for EUR 1060 (lot 147).
Finally, curios included a rare 1973 Spider-Man poster printed by Corno, which sold for EUR 875, from a reserve price of only EUR 50 (lot 240), while a 1974 good-luck amulet that came with the ‘Corriere della paura’ comic (lot 37) went for EUR 500.