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| Walt Simonson draws Alan Moore as Rorschach |
I have owned a few Walt Simonson pages but nothing that ever really did it for me. A page from What If Stan Lee and Walt Simonson Created..., one from A-Factor with the team but with a whole in it (in panel)...that type of thing. I have a few con sketches and even consigned to the current Comic Link auction the only page Walt ever inked over Gene Colan.
But when I saw this sketch on a fellow collector's CAF gallery I loved it right away. And it was available for trade. After some easy negotiations we commenced with a cross-continent trade. I am not sure what I sent but I am pretty sure it was two pieces (I think a BWS/Sienkiewicz sounds better than it looked Excalibur page, maybe a John Buscema/Sienkiewicz FF page with SS) and I got back at least 2 Milo Manara non-descript pages and this drawing. It was used for an Alan Moore tribute book published in either Spain or Italy (sorry, but my memory fails us yet again). I know at one point one of us mailed the wrong page (me I think?) but it all worked out in the end.
I really only wanted this page in the deal. But once I had it I had a horrible horrible thought...what if it was never returned to Walt Simonson after publication and therefore was not legally or morally mine to keep. The tribute book may have even been published in the country where the collector lived (not casting aspersions he was a very trustworthy man). But since I see Walt often enough at conventions it was easy to check. So at a NYC show not long after I received the art I brought it to Walt and explained my concerns -I was worried that it was supposed to have been returned to him but never was and told him that he could have it if that was the case. He assured me that he had no issue with the ownership of the piece and that it was mine to keep in good faith. So I have that going for me.
About three months ago I was looking at my art deciding what to frame next. I thought that I had framed enough Starman and Dr. Strange for the moment and wanted to show off a little more diversity on the walls. So I framed the Darwyn Cooke Wonder Woman and this piece. I have spoken about the Cooke piece in a prior post, but this piece by Walt makes the cut because it shows the distinctive Simonson style, has content that references an historically relevant comic in a new and humorous way, and is a clear sign of affection from one comic legend to another. Here they are on the wall:
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| Darwyn Cooke Wonder Woman from DC: The New Frontier |
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| Walt Simonson Alan Moore as Rorschach |
And when they make the wall, the make The Fifty. It is as simple as that. Welcome Walt, and welcome Alan, to The Fifty!
The Fifty
1 Barry Windsor-Smith Storyteller Young Gods page 4 (framed)
2 Tony Harris / Ray Snyder Dr. Strange WIRED Magazine cover (framed)
3 Barry Windsor-Smith Weapon X page (framed)
4 Gene Colan / Tom Palmer Tomb of Dracula 44 page 22 (framed)
5 Tony Harris Starman 3 cover (framed)
6 Barry Windsor-Smith Daredevil 236 page (framed)
7 Tony Harris Starman 53 cover (framed)
8 David Mazzucchelli Daredevil 233 page 19
9 JHW3 Milestone Forever pinup11 Paul Smith Dr. Strange vs Dr.Doom (framed)
12 Dave Sim Mars Attacks variant cover
13 Gene Colan / Tom Palmer Tomb of Dracula 44 page 1 splash (framed)
14 Dan Green Dr. Strange: Into Shamballa splash (framed)
15 Tony Harris 1994 Starman pinup (framed)
16 Bill Sienkiewicz Superman 400 pinup recreation
18 Dean Ormston Dr. Strange & Eternity
19 Bryan Talbot Dr. Strange commission
20 Dan Adkins Dr Strange 170 page 11 (framed)
20 Dan Adkins Dr Strange 170 page 11 (framed)
23 Mike Allred - Doctor Strange, Clea, The Ancient One, Wong, and Rintrah...A Day Off
24 Anna Merli Clea
25 Mitchell Bretweiser Dr. Strange watercolor
26 Jae Lee Dr. Strange
27 Darwyn Cooke Wonder Woman (framed)
28 Walt Simonson Alan Moore as Rorschach (framed)
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