Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile director Frank Darabont is selling a collection of rare comic book and movie memorabilia at auction.
It includes original works by some of the best comic book artists of all time as well as prized movie posters, including the only known Frankenstein 1941 Italian “4-fogli”, or four-sheet.
Darabont’s collection is the first half of a two-part auction being held by Profiles in History this Saturday, July 30, in Calabasas, CA.
It also includes prized oil paintings by legendary sci-fi and fantasy artist Frank Frazetta, including the never-before-sold Sea Witch which has an estimate of $1million.
Darabont said: “One thing I’ve always known is this amazing art wouldn’t be mine forever. It couldn’t be. We don’t own these things. We can only be their caretakers for a time, enjoying them as much as possible until inevitably they must pass on to the next caretaker.
“For me, that time has come. I won’t lie to you and say that parting with these things is easy. Trust me, it really, really isn’t. But the time for everything passes, and so has my position as caretaker.
“I will be forever grateful for the joy these wonderful pieces of art have brought me. I can only hope that they will bring their next caretakers (and all caretakers after that, ad infinitum) equal or greater joy.”
Some of the other works in the auction include John Romita’s Amazing Spider-Man cover art and his cover art with Frank Springer for Nick Fury, Agent of Shield.
There are also some of Bernie Wrightson’s works for Swamp Thing and Frankenstein and a signed original illustration by Jack Davis — who sadly passed away on Wednesday — of King Kong reading TRUMP magazine.
The auction begins at 11am PDT on July 30.