The theft was discovered in 2022, when a Jonny Quest story by Wheatley and Hempel turned up in a Heritage auction, according to fellow Insight Studios member J.C. Vaughn on Scoop. An investigation showed that thousands of pages of original art had been sold into the original art market. The art, roughs, reference materials, photocopies, and logo designs were stolen from the Insight Studios warehouse and kept in their original boxes when sold.
The thief passed away in 2015 still owning the art trove, which had been hidden for a number of years, Wheatley explained. His heirs sold the art, and once the theft became known, the people who purchased the estate came forward and have assisted in the recovery process. Some collectors have already returned art, and others are being contacted regarding their purchases. None of the purchasers knew the art was stolen.
"The good part is how many collectors have come forward to return art or to help trace the art," Wheatley said. "We have the best fans."
Inventory of Marc Hempel and Mark Wheatley’s Stolen Art
Please note: FC = Front Cover, BC = Back Cover
Jonny Quest
JQ #1 Pin-Up
JQ #3 Pages 1-28 (full interior)
JQ #7 Pin-Up
JQ #10 FC, BC, 1-8, 10-14, 16-28 (plus color pages)
JQ #14 FC, BC, 1-13, 15-28
oversized FC and BC color guides w/overlay
regular color pages 2, 4, 5, 14, 17, 18, 23, 27, 28
JQ #15 BC, 2-26
JQ #16 BC, 1-27 (plus unpublished pages, guides 1-27
JQ #17 1-27 (plus Oversized FC and BC color pages w/overlay
regular color pages FC, BC, 1-27
JQ #18 FC, 1, 7 (plus color pages for 1, 7)
JQ #20 BC, 2, 4-11, 13-26 (plus color pages FC, 1-18, 20-26)
JQ #22 FC, BC, 1-26 (plus color pages FC, BC, 1-26)
JQ #23 FC, BC, 1-8, 10-27
JQ #24 FC, BC, 1-28
JQ #25 FC, 16-19, 20-26
JQ #26 FC, BC, 1-26
JQ #27 1-28 (plus Oversized FC and BC color pages w/overlay)
JQ #28 FC, BC, 1-26 (plus Oversized FC and BC color pages w/overlay)1
JQ #29 FC, BC, 1-27 (plus Oversized FC and BC color pages w/overlay)
JQ #30 Complete
JQ #31 FC, 1-28 (plus Oversized FC color page w/overlay)
Comico Black Book
Unknown page number with JQ sleeping with Bandit on chest, Hadji, Dr. Benton, Quest, and Roger "Race" Bannon in the back.
Vampirella # 1 (Harris)
Vampirella Meets Frankenstein Mobster page.
Frankenstein Mobster #3
Framed cover.
Blood of the Innocent #1-4
Nearly complete art and color, almost 200 pages of original art and the same in color pages.
Be An Interplanetary Spy
Be An Interplanetary Spy 1
Pages 1-12, 15, 18-20, 22, 23, 25-30, 32-35, 37-48, 50-60, 62-83, 85-89, 91-94, 96, 97, 99-101, 103, 106-108, 110-113, 117-119
Be An Interplanetary Spy 2
Pages 1-20, 24-39, 42, 43, 46-53, 55-61, 64-66, 68-71, 73, 74, 76-96, 98-106, 108, 110-112, 114-121
Be An Interplanetary Spy 3
Pages 2, 3, 5-17, 19-31, 32-35, 37, 39-47, 49, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58-67, 70, 71, 74-82, 84, 86-96, 99, 101-109, 111, 113, 116-121
Be An Interplanetary Spy 5
pages 1-27, 33-38, 40, 41, 43-47, 49, 51-58, 60-85, 87-102, 104-121
Be An Interplanetary Spy - unused pages, sketches, development material, research, logo designs, etc.
Spy Silhouette emblem – Used on title page and bottom left back covers for all four issues.
Phatax emblem – Used on the page before the title page (issue 1 only).
Original title: "Be An Interplanetary Spy" (This is actual original artist ink on acetate overlay, not the traditional printed acetate overlay used for color guides.) Used on Front Cover and on title page for all four issues.
Original blank Master Layout Page inscribed "Master Layout Page, Sir!"
Stack of the original pencil layouts for all four issues.
Four unpublished, fully inked pages.
Mars
Mars #1 Cover: Oversized production art with original coloring and acetate overlay.
Proposal Art: Original art (double-page) featuring "REBIRTH" plus overlay.
Mars #5 Cover: Oversized production art with original coloring and acetate overlay.
Professionally framed by Medlin Art, Ltd with UV protection, Signed by Mark Wheatley in 2004.
