Joe and Nadia Mannarino, Overstreet Advisors and veteran experts in the fields of comic books and original comic book and comic strip art, have joined Heritage Auctions, where they will head the company’s east coast comics unit. Among other projects, they will build and conduct Heritage’s first auction of European comic art.

“Joe and Nadia Mannarino have been key figures in the world of comic book collectibles for nearly 40 years. They are literally the #1 team in comics that I have always wanted to work with but haven’t until now,” said Jim Halperin, Co-Founder of Heritage Auctions. “I’ve known them personally for 30 years and have done extensive business with them over that time. Their fairness, honesty and knowledge of every aspect of the medium is second to none. Which is why they are so well-respected by both collectors and professionals.”

The Mannarinos’ career reads like a Who’s Who of the business. Throughout their careers they have worked many of the greatest names to ever grace the comics pages, from Frank Frazetta and Jack Kirby to Carmine Infantino and Jim Steranko. All told, their reach extends from the Golden Age of comics into the silver, bronze and modern ages.

“More than 40 years of collecting has never quenched our enthusiasm and passion for this wonderful medium,” said Joe Mannarino. “When Heritage made the decision more than a decade ago to expand, Jim Halperin personally asked us to join the Heritage family and help launch the comics category. The timing then was not right, but now it has come full circle and the opportunity is perfect for all of us.”

In their release, Heritage touted the Mannarinos’ significant experience not only as dealers, but as collectors as well. Their personal collection includes more than 20,000 total items ranging from rare comic books, original comic art, and posters, toys, premiums, and Disneyana.

They have had direct involvement with many of the finest pedigree collections to have come to market and Joe was most recently in the news as a previous owner of the highest graded copy of Action Comics #1, which sold for a record $3.2 million.

They have created a comprehensive research library relating to comic character collectibles and have appeared as industry experts on numerous networks, including CNN, MSNBC, PBS, VOOM and the Discovery Channel.

In addition to owning All Star Auctions, they have served as comic collectibles consultants for Christie’s from 1992 to 1997, and acted agents top artists, including Angelo Torres, Jerry Robinson, Joe Simon and Mort Drucker.

They have been members of the American Institute Of Conservation for more than 20 years, and Joe recently contributed the CAAR rating system as published in The Overstreet Guide To Collecting Comic And Animation Art, which we published in October 2013.

“This is a good day for Heritage and a great day for the business of comics and comic art,” said Halperin. “Having Joe and Nadia on board puts Heritage in the best possible position to continue making our comics category the top in the business, and attracting countless new collectors to this hobby we love so much. Our entire Comics Department is eagerly looking forward to having Joe and Nadia on our team, serving our valued bidders and consignors.”

Joe and Nadia will be at the New York Comic Con, October 9-12, 2014 at the Javits Center in New York. They will be at the Heritage booth greeting friends and accepting consignments.