It happened on a… January 7

Find out about the main events that have taken place on this day over the years.

Post author By Buzznews
Post date 7 January 2024

The original artwork for the “Flash Gordon” comic strip is headed for a new realm - the auction block. The artwork will be sold by auction house Profiles in History on March 31st and is estimated to sell for 00,000 - 00,000. The pencil-and-ink drawing by artist Alex Raymond was first published in January 1934, and the series quickly grew in influence, spawning movies and inspiring later science fiction stories like “Star Wars.” According to the auction house, this is the first time the piece has been put up for sale and its backstory is nothing short of serendipitous: A client whose late husband was a life-long comic collector was in the process of appraising his collection. She sent Profiles in History a picture of the work, which was framed on her wall, and the rest is history. “When she sent detailed images of the piece, we couldn’t believe our eyes', the auction house said. “It was the original artwork for the very first issue of Flash Gordon, replete with “No 1” handwritten beside comic legend Alex Raymond’s signature.” The coveted illustration features 13 panels and sees Yale graduate and polo player Flash aboard a transcontinental plane which is struck by a comet. Flash parachutes to a nearby planet with another survivor, and they’re both forced aboard a rocket by a mad scientist on a suicide mission to stop a comet on a collision course with Earth. Raymond, who died in 1956, was praised for his flair and finesse, both of which are present in this 87-year-old strip. Fans of the comic creator will also have a chance to purchase three other works during the auction, including a strip of Jungle Jim (above) which was Raymond’s answer to Tarzan. When: 27 Feb 2020 Credit: Profiles in History/Cover Images **EDITORIAL USE ONLY. MATERIALS ONLY TO BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH EDITORIAL STORY. THE USE OF THESE MATERIALS FOR ADVERTISING, MARKETING OR ANY OTHER COMMERCIAL PURPOSE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. MATERIAL COPYRIGHT REMAINS WITH

2019

Amazon overtakes Microsoft to become the world’s most valuable listed company for the first time, worth $797 billion.

2015

Two gunmen commit a mass shooting at the offices of Charlie Hebdo in Paris, killing twelve people and injuring another eleven.

1999

President Bill Clinton’s Impeachment trial begins in the US Senate after the House voted to impeach him for lying about his affair with Monica Lewinsky