DALLAS, TX.- Heritage Auctions set a new world record for the largest weekly comics auction ever held, when its Sunday Internet Comics, Animation & Art auction, which closed March 3 on HA.com, amassed $573, 095 in sales for 1,322 lots.

The total, which was prompted in part by a surge of interest in several Silver Age keys, crushed the standing record by more than $106,000; the previous record, set in the weekly auction that closed Aug. 5, was $466,512.20. It also marked the fifth time in the last calendar year that a Heritage Auctions comics and comic art weekly auction realized more than $400,000.

"When you offer rare and/or highly desirable items, and offer them in large number, results like this are possible," Heritage Auctions Vice President Lon Allen said. "Our weekly auctions have become an increasingly important part of our department, as serious collectors have acknowledged that our weekly auctions are can't-miss events each week that produce lots of exceptional quality, which can bolster any collection. That formula led to this unprecedented result, and underscored Heritage's place as the world's top comics auctioneer."

Amazing Fantasy #15 (Marvel, 1962) CGC VG 4.0 Off-white to white pages was the auction's top lot, drawing bids from nearly two dozen collectors before realizing $26,400. A must-have in any serious collection, the issue includes the origin and first appearance of Spider-Man, as well as the first appearances of supporting characters like Uncle Ben and Aunt May, and holds the top spot in Overstreet's "Top 50 Silver Age Comics" list.

Spider-Man's origin is retold in The Amazing Spider-Man #1 (Marvel, 1963) CGC Apparent FN/VF 7.0 Off-white to white pages, which prompted bids from 16 collectors before closing at $8,400. Featuring the first crossover with the Fantastic Four, the issue includes the first appearances of John Jameson, J. Jonah Jameson and the Chameleon. The issue, with art and cover by Steve Ditko, ranks No. 7 on Overstreet's list of "Top 50 Silver Age Comics."

Journey Into Mystery #83 (Marvel, 1962) CGC VG+ 4.5 White pages, which includes the origin and first appearance of Thor, drew bids from 19 collectors before selling for $6,600. With a Jack Kirby cover and art by Kirby and Steve Ditko, the issue is ranked No. 6 on Overstreet's list of "Top 50 Silver Age Comics."

Another issue in high demand was The Incredible Hulk #1 (Marvel, 1962) CGC GD- 1.8 Cream to off-white pages, which finished at $6,600 after generating bids from 20 collectors. Holding down the second spot on Overstreet's list of "Top 50 Silver Age Comics," it features the first appearance of the Hulk, as well as Rick Jones, Betty Ross and Thunderbolt Ross, and features cover and art by Kirby.

Planet Comics #1 (Fiction House, 1940) CGC FN- 5.5 Off-white pages, featuring the origin and first appearance of Auro, Lord of Jupiter, sparked a flurry of bids from 27 collectors before ending at $6,600. With appearances by Flint Baker, the Red Comet, Captain Nelson Cole and Spurt Hammond, the issue features a cover by Will Eisner and Lou Fine, and art by Alex Blum, Dick Briefer and Henry Kiefer.

Other top lots included, but were not limited to:

The Incredible Hulk #181 (Marvel, 1974) CGC NM- 9.2 White pages: $6,300

Fantastic Four #5 (Marvel, 1962) CGC VG/FN 5.0 White pages: $6,000

Fantastic Four #48 (Marvel, 1966) CGC NM- 9.2 Off-white to white pages: $5,760

Humberto Ramos Infinity #1 Cover Variant Original Art (Marvel, 2013): $5,280

Superman #14 (DC, 1942) CGC FN- 5.5 Off-white to white pages: $5,040