Blk Boy Fly #1 Preview Edition
Written by Hebru Brantley and Steve Seeley, Cover art by Max Sansing and interior art by Sajad Shah (self-published in 2017)
Synopsis
The comic was available in very limited quantities (anecdotally only 100 were printed) from the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) 2017 and some were also available from the 2017 New York Comic (NYCC). Also available at NYCC (from the at the Toy Tokyo booth), was a Blk Boy Fly poster of the comic cover art and another exclusive limited print poster by Steve Seeley.
In early March 2018, 9 gradings of Black Boy Fly #1 C2E2 Preview Edition were recorded by CGC with, amazingly, one graded at 10.0 (Gem Mint) and two graded at 9.9 (Mint Minus) and all three were on Signature Series labels!
Notes
Blk Boy Fly #1 Preview Edition by Hebru Brantley is so rare most of the info I found is anecdotal. The following bread crumbs are what I was able to learn from a few bits of social media and online resources. According to reports, only 100 copies of Blk Boy Fly were sold at C2E2 and NY Comic Con in 2017. Of those 100 copies, 42 copies have been graded and slabbed (see breakdown below). It’s been reported that one of the graded copies came back as a CGC 10.0. However, no such book has been reported sold at this time.
Chicagoan, Hebru Brantley is a modern pop artist and self proclaimed Afro-futurist. This “comic book” is an extension of his “Flyboy” character. He has licensed this character commercially with shoe brands, the Chicago Bulls and Toy companies. Brantley is the “author” but not the artist featured in the book. The interior artist is Sajad Shah and the wraparound cover artist is Matt Sansing.
As my collector friend explained, the book was printed on cardstock. This means opening the book would devalue it. Therefore, there’s a chance none of the 100 folks that purchased Blk Boy Fly have actually opened the book and read it. Which begs the question, is this really a comic book or simply a “work of fine art”?
After visiting the instagram page of the artist Sajad Shah, I’ve deduced that this preview book is a precursor to a graphic novel release. I hope the graphic novel will be more accessible.
Recent Update: Brantley Launches Kickstarter
Hebru Brantley recently launched his first-ever Kickstarter campaign, aimed at bringing the origin story of his iconic “FlyBoy” character to life in a new graphic novel. This initiative seeks to provide a comprehensive backstory for FlyBoy, a character that has been central to Brantley’s work for over two decades, appearing in murals, sculptures, and various commercial collaborations. The campaign, which has already surpassed its initial goal of $75,000, offers backers various reward tiers, including digital and physical copies of the graphic novel, exclusive merchandise, limited-edition trading cards, and even original hand-drawn artwork by Brantley himself. This crowdfunding approach allows Brantley to engage directly with his fanbase and offers them a unique opportunity to become “co-pilots” in shaping the narrative evolution of a beloved figure, further cementing FlyBoy’s status as a symbol of hope and imagination.
Elusive High Grades
Despite its extreme rarity with only an estimated 100 copies produced, the CGC census for Hebru Brantley’s “Blk Boy Fly #1 Preview Edition” now shows 42 graded copies, an increase from earlier reports. While anecdotal information once suggested a CGC 10.0 existed, the latest data confirms zero copies at that elusive grade, with the vast majority of high-grade examples being CGC 9.8s. Recent public sales data for this elusive comic includes a CGC 9.6 reaching an estimated $1,900, reinforcing its status as a highly sought-after collectible. Earlier sales from 2021 saw a raw signed copy sell for $1,700 and a CGC 9.0 for $1,250, further demonstrating its significant market value due to its scarcity and the artist’s popularity.
References
CGC Census & Market Data: GoCollect. (n.d.). Black Boy Fly #1. Retrieved from
Historical & Anecdotal Information: Recalled Comics. (n.d.). Black Boy Fly Preview. Retrieved from
Auction Records: Heritage Auctions. (2021, September). Hebru Brantley X Max Sansing Black Boy Fly #1 (2017) Offset Lithograph. Retrieved from
Market Analysis & Past Sales Reports: CovrPrice. (2021, June 2). Weekly Comic Report June 2nd 2021. Retrieved from
