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New Jersey Couple Selling Comic Books To Help Rebuild After Sandy

LAVALLETTE, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A New Jersey couple is auctioning off a collection of comic books to help rebuild their properties destroyed by Superstorm Sandy.

Brick and Britta Wenzel of Lavallette said the storm caused about $850,000 of damage to their seven properties that include Salty's. The restaurant, gift shop and ice cream parlor is supposed to celebrate its 50th anniversary this year.

"We've been devastated by Hurricane Sandy at the Jersey Shore," Brick Wenzel told WCBS 880. "The amount of damage that we have here is overwhelming."

The Wenzels didn't have flood insurance so they are auctioning off 400 of their 1,200 comic books through ComicConnect.com to try to cover the cost of repairs.

"There's actually books out there that help give an idea of the value of different comics," Wenzel said. "The value of the collection is close to $1 million."

The comic books have been in the family a long time; they were collected by Brick's father during the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.

"There comes a time in everyone's life where you have to decide what's a priority," Wenzel said.

The collection includes an early book from Carl Barks, who drew Donald Duck, as well as "Batman," "Superman," science fiction, Western, and World War II comics.

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