First new art of the year...Tony Harris! Surprised? NOPE!

I used to get new artwork on a regular basis. I am in fact expecting another package tonight FEDEX that may or may not come. But after a three day game of tag with my local post office, including a day when he had my art but no electronic thingamajig for me to sign so he would not give me my package.

I remained calm as he drove away into the night. Yesterday.

Today I went there three times but in the end came home with my package. Here it is, Starman 3 page 1. 1994 James Robinson writer with Tony Harris art inked by Wade von Grawbadger.

Starman 3 page 1 James Robinson writer, Tony Harris penciller; Wade von Grawbadger inker 1995 DC Comics

It is interesting how I got this page. This is my version of reality and some conjecture, so it may not reflect the seller's reality but here goes...

I am selling off a ton of my original art collection, including some Starman stuff as well. I have been somewhat shocked at the lack of a market for Starman pages not drawn by Tony Harris. Many pages from key issues in the series - whether Steve Yeowell in the memorable Christmas/Santa issue or even the early Sins of the Child story arc that used different artists like Amanda Conner or Stuart Immomen on different story parts for a few pages each - can be had for less than $150 and more often than not less than $100. That is, if I am not in the market buying them apparently! (I will still buy pages from the Matt Smith Showcase issues with The Shade and The Flash for $100 each - 2x market - or more, but I digress.)

So after watching pages by Gene Ha, or Immomen or Conner or Yeowell or Matt Smith or Peter Snejgjerg, go for less than I was comfortable with I listed a page or two of Harris Starman art as well. Not at low starting price but listed for sale all the same. A page sold by Scott Eder of Harris art from the 30s or 40s went for over $500, so I listed a sweet splash from early in the run at $450 and waited. And waited. And waited. Nothing.

But something else strange happened then as well. Another great Starman collector and enthusiast listed a nice circle page from issue 3 with a BIN of $675 (if I recall correctly). And no one bought his either. Now I liked that page right away when I saw it and wondered if it being up for sale was at all a reaction to the pages I was selling in the weeks just prior. But like me that seller was only willing to sell at a conservative price, one near the top of the market. And he didn't get more bids than mine either. We both still had our pages.

So I listed mine at $9.99 start and no reserve. A few hours later I regained my senses and ended the auction. If I am going to sell (some of) my art in order to better my life circumstances and also buy more new art I am going to keep those Harris pages until the bitter end. I don't mind letting other things go at ridiculous prices, not too much at least, because I enjoyed owning them and am happy to watch the paypal balance grow without worrying too much about the bloodshed necessary to get it there. (I just yesterday made two ebay sales, both starting prices of $9.99 with one bid each, and one of those pieces cost me fiddy (Shane Davis) and the other may even have been a hunnert originally (Elvin Hernandez, although 75 is possible as well). But I'll be damned if I am going to use my Harris pages that way.

But perhaps not everyone felt that way because the other page appeared again around this time as well. Not at a low starting bid but at a BIN I found reasonable. Just barely but definitely fair. It lasted a few hours overall and only a minute or so once I saw it.

So I started out trying to sell my Harris Starman art and ended up with one more page and a few hundred dollars poorer. It took a nice Cheung page from Illuminati 2 and a few other pieces to cover the cash but heck yeah I came out ahead. A double circle page from issue 3? Forgetaboutit!