Released in the 2008 Rittenhouse Archives trading card set, Batman: Classic Covers, this trading card is signed by hand by inker Joe Giella. It is in nm/mint condition and will be shipped with the utmost care. Please note- the signature is real. It is the actual, hand-signed signature of Giella. It is not a pre-printed image on the card. Both the front and reverse of the card are shown in the scan. Signature will vary slightly as to exact location signed but is clear, not smudged, etc. This particular card depicts Batman #189, the first Silver Age appearance of the Scarecrow.
About the artist:
A true comics legend, Joe Giella (1928 - 2023) began working in the comics industry during the Golden Age at Fawcett Comics (inking Captain Marvel), Timely (the precursor to Marvel Comics where he worked on such characters as Captain America, the Human Torch, and Sub Mariner), and ultimately DC where he would ink the Golden Age versions of the Flash, Green Lantern, and Black Canary. Giella would go on to play a key part at DC during the Silver Age. In addition to inking Adam Strange (one of the most popular science fiction comic of all time Adam Strange, second only to Star Wars comics, in fact), Giella prominently inked Gil Kane on the new Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) and Carmine Infantino on the new Flash (Barry Allen). He also inked some of DC’s most important key Silver Age issues, including Showcase #22 (Green Lantern Hal Jordan’s first appearance), The Flash issues #110 (the first appearance of Wally West (Kid Flash) and issue #139 (the first Reverse Flash, Eobard Thawne/Professor Zoom), as well as Batman issues #181 (1st Poison Ivy), and #189 (1st Silver Age Scarecrow) and Detective Comics #327 (the first ’new’ look Batman). He also inked The Flash #123, the issue that established the concept of DC’s multiverse, laying the groundwork for the popular Golden and Silver Age Flash team ups, the JLA/JSA crossovers, and, ultimately, Crisis on Infinite Earths. The multiverse concept, despite the events of Crisis, still plays a key part in the DC Comics universe and has even made it onto their CW Television series The Flash. Giella also penciled stories, including some for Batman and Green Lantern, among others, as well as pencilling comic strips such as The Phantom and Flash Gordon as well as Mary Worth, a strip he illustrated from 1991 until his retirement in 2016.
Excepting pack-pulled autograph trading cards, CGC Signature Series, signed Sideshow prints, and like collectibles, all autographed items Vault Collectibles sells were personally witnessed, by myself, being signed by the writer, artist, or celebrity in question. No third party is involved. Further, art sketches - and most published original art I sell - were obtained directly from the artist themselves.
For buyers desiring this guarantee in written form, this statement guarantees that the above referenced item is as stated in the listing description. A screen capture of the completed auction page, which includes this statement of provenance, may be saved by the buyer as a digital file or print off in hardcopy form. As this serves as written proof of said guarantee, no physical documentation will be included in the package when the item is mailed.
J. Brian O’Bryant
VaultCollectibles
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