Mastro Auctions has announced its full-scale entry into the comic books and
comic art market with the roll-out of over 200 quality lots as part of the
company’s August 2006 Premier Auction. The Mastro Auctions’ comic books and
comic art division, headed by Chris Porter, was formed in early 2006 and is on
schedule to become a major force in this specialized collecting genre.

Phone and internet bidding for the auction will begin on Monday, July 31
and conclude on Wednesday, August 16.

“Before we proceeded with our
inaugural comic books and comic art effort we wanted to be sure we were
prepared, not only from an operational standpoint, but from a content
perspective as well,” said Chris Porter. “The Mastro Auctions brand
is synonymous with excellence, uniqueness and high quality. We knew that
securing the right material would be key, both for this auction and for future
auctions as well.”

Perhaps the most amazing masterpiece in Mastro
Auctions comic books and comic art sale is an unprecedented offering of the
original Steve Ditko art for all 20-story pages of the Amazing Spider-Man
#31, including the splash page.

The comic book for which the artwork was
created was the first installment of the three-part Amazing Spider-Man story
that still stands as a true classic of the Ditko-Lee collaboration. This
Amazing Spider-Man trilogy began with #31, “If This Be My
Destiny…!” (December, 1965), continuing into issue #32’s “Man on a
Rampage!” (January, 1966) and culminating with the unforgettable
“Final Chapter!,” in issue #33 (February, 1966).

Porter
describes the condition of the artwork as “outstanding” with no
discernable flaws. Mastro Auctions will offer bidders a unique opportunity to go
after both individual pages from the book as well as the entire collection. If
the total of the high bids for the individual pages exceeds the high bid for the
collection, those bidders would will the individual pages. If the high bid for
the entire collection is highest, then that one bidder will own the entire book.

To register to bid in the upcoming Mastro Auctions August Premier
auction, call 630-472-1200 or go to www.mastroauctions.com. Or, if
you have additional questions, contact Chris Porter directly by phone
(231-946-8510) or by email at cporter@mastroauctions.com.