CRANSTON, R.I. — Bruneau & Co. returns Wednesday, October 18 with part four of the Andy Yanchus collection, a trove of pop culture, toys and internal Marvel Comics items that reflects the depth of knowledge only an industry insider would have. The catalog is now available for online-only bidding at LiveAuctioneers.
Yanchus (1944-2021) had a remarkable pop culture life. He served as head of model kits at the legendary Aurora Plastics Company, then later moved to Marvel Comics, where he served as staff colorist on a number of well-regarded titles during a nearly 20-year period, including Uncanny X-Men and Alpha Flight.
An avid model builder as a youth, Yanchus never lost his love for toys, creating a collection with a keen eye for uniqueness and rarity, as seen in this sale.
The auction’s top lot comes from Mego, the 1970s-dominant action figure and playset maker. The 1981 Greatest American Hero Convertible Bug is a simple playset from a largely forgotten superhero television show, but its rarity in the market commands an estimate of $800-$1,200.
One of the stars of the sale is Yanchus’s collection of Marvel color guides. These were hand-drawn and -colored comic book covers, stamped and marked for approval by Marvel, and retained by Yanchus in his collection. A total of 33 color guides appear in the sale, with estimates ranging from $200-$500.
Created in response to the early-1980s onslaught of Mattel Masters of the Universe toys, Kenner’s Super Powers Collection was an early release in their partnership with DC Comics. Based on various DC universe characters, the line is not well known today except among ardent collectors. The Cyborg carded action figure in the Yanchus collection is estimated at $400-$600.
