I have had quite a few questions about what I will do with my Starman pages due to my desire to attain The Fifty. Quite simply, I try not to think about it.
Let me make this as crystal clear as is possible. If The Fifty were to consist of 50 painted Starman covers I would be ecstatic. It would be the achievement of a lifetime as far as I am concerned. I have the painted covers to issues 3, 28, 35, and 53 at this point. I also have the pen and ink (Tony was not painting at this point but began again soon after) cover to issue 81 which came out many years after the series ended as part of some Zombie bandwagon 5th week thing DC did. And an unpublished (i.e. rejected) painted cover for the first miniseries featuring The Shade. Well, I guess I also have the cover to issue 11 of the most recent The Shade miniseries as well. Those last two could soon see the last train out of town if anyone is interested. Just saying. (Besides, at this very moment I also own the cover to issue 10 of that one as well, but Comiclink is selling it for me along with some other things.)
So again, I will continue to try to acquire painted covers from Starman. At least two of the ones I have now are heading to The Fifty, and if the other two don't make the final cut it will be a few years before that decision is made. I love the paintings for issue 3 and issue 53. The vibrant colors are astounding. The more subdued palettes on the others will likely grow on me over time. I already love 28 for the story it tells of Mikaal Tomas and 35 is new to me this year. So 46 more covers would rock my world.
I will likewise continue to try and buy every Starman page drawn by Tony Harris in existence. Only a family financial emergency would cause me to sell these pages. When I first got in the game, I did the math on what it would cost to buy every Starman page from the 80 issues. That was 20 years ago and I was serious at the time, figuring the pages were $40-$200ish and that would never change. After 5-10 years I knew that was foolhardy (but not these other plans, they be rock solid!) and focused on Tony. Although I did try to buy out Albert Moy of every Snejbjerg page he had, and Peter was game as well! But darn that Albert Moy for squashing the deal and seeing to it that the artist he represents gets top dollar for his work. Albert was so non-chalant about the whole thing when I mentioned it to him and I like to think I surprised him by actually getting in touch with Peter Snejbjerg across the world in Denmark and making the early part of a deal workable between Peter and I. It was like 50-100 pages. When push came to shove and dollar numbers were tossed around Albert told me quite plainly that he told Peter he was selling the pages slowly but surely at probably double the price I would be getting bulk. Peter wisely listened to the man he works with on a professional basis to handle those things. And I had seen them leaving one or two every 6 months and when I couldn't get them all, I stopped trying to get every one.
I don't know if any Starman pages will be in The Fifty. I mean, I have page 1 from issue 0, the first Starman page ever. It is a shot of Opal City, not too spectacular. But how could I keep that from my permanent collection? I have a three page sequence I bought from Ray Snyder that is quite simply the best sequence with The Shade in the first 50 issues. Those three pages stay together as far as I am concerned, is that 1 or 3 entries into the Fifty. Same question awaits me with regards to my 8 page standalone story of Ted Knight as Starman.
See, as I said in the beginning...it is best not to think of these things.
But for right now, The Fifty and Starman fit quite nicely together in my collecting goals. When the day comes to put those goals against each other, my collection should be staggering and that will be a fine day indeed.
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Saturday, August 17, 2013
It's In The Hole!
I was on fire today at Rutgers University Golf Course. The golfer I know is inside me made another appearance, his fourth or fifth this year. Black tees. I have had a great year this year on the course with the sticks. In fact after a few good rounds I decided to renew my handicap and proceeded to shoot 90 or better 10/11 rounds. So it is a good year when breaking 90 is now the goal and not 95 or even the now dreaded hunnert. Now I understand that you may not care but I have no one else to tell so sit right back and enjoy a tale, a tale of a fateful trip around the links.
I played with three gentlemen who were together, but since I play RU so often I had played with one of the guys a few weeks ago as well. So that was nice. I won't go around the course hole by hole, but the tale of the day resides in the fact that I started out pretty well, par on 1 and 2, 3 putt bogey and par again on 4 after a missed birdie opportunity. Four was also the first of 4 very good sand shots today. OH SANDY BABY! So after 6 I was 2 over and feeling good about things. The middle 6 at Rutgers is a tough stretch, but that is not what did me in today. I started talking to the golfer I played with a few weeks ago and a certain subject came up that demanded my focus. It isn't what you're thinking, but what the subject was is irrelevant. The result was a lack of focus as I was absorbed in discussion for a few holes and then left with some things to think about. Yes, I went double, double at 7 and 8 after the initial disturbance in The Force had occurred. I did par 9 deep in thought after blasting a wicked drive and a sweet 4 iron to the back of the green; that left me at par on five holes and 42 on the front.
However Ten is the bane of my existence and I again failed to make par on this hole, the only such hole on the course I have not had a par on at some point this year. In fact I struck a nice 3 iron off the tee but managed a 3 putt 6 after chunking a 6 iron approach shot. Fuck that hole. Fuck that hole in any and every orifice it has. Rumor has it that a fox lives on this hole but since the hole hates me I have never spotted sly Mr. Fox this year. Well fuck that fox in his hole too. In his sandy hole. His dry, green, parking-lot firm and sandy hole.
In any event it was 6, 4, 6 to start the back and make it eight over on the middle six. I had gone from 2 over after 6 to 10 over after 12. So much for that. I went from feeling like The Bishop in Caddyshack to a feeling and ball-striking like a first class moron. I knew it was the talk that had shaken my focus, and I know after playing golf this year for the first time in my life at a decent level consistently that a truly good round requires a level of focus I have never achieved. It is really quite startling. Golf is a matter of precision and degrees. Every shot must have focus. Stance, grip, body alignment, swing plane, and angle of attack to the green must then account for the physical characteristics of each shot. One triple bogey ruins it. One bad shot at the wrong time, or even any time at all, ruins it. Three putts ruin it. Every single fucking shot counts. Now it was after I missed a makeable 10 footer on 12 for bogey that I took a gimme 3 footer for double that I snapped out of it. To that point I had heard the cup rattle every hole and I was kind of proud of that with these 3 other strangers in my group. They had missed some short ones and kinda talked it over every once in a while amongst themselves, as Ken was to let me know. But I myself knew that stroke could have been missed and I should have counted until ball hit cup.
Another point bears mention. I am a constant and unstoppable scorecard counter and score projector. But on this day, around the 5th or 6th hole, I turned the scorecard over so I could not see the scores. I knew what I had at every moment, but it was a visual reinforcer as I drove the cart that I was not focusing of the card but on the hole. And I knew that the 42 on the front made this a good day no matter what I did. I was gonna shoot around 90 at the worst and it was a beautiful day. I always think that when I am on the course. I stand and close my eyes and breathe in the air and then look around a few times each round. And today I took my medicine when it was necessary, including on 13. I knocked out laterally and hit a good iron to the green. Then it happened. I finally hit a putt, this one a dozen or so feet breaking right to left. It slowed to the hole and turned in sweetly. Finally I made a rescue putt. That was the first of six straight par to finish four over. And since it is a par 35 back nine that four over meant 39 on the back. 42/39 equals 81. This is a tie for my best ever. I shot an 82 and an 83 earlier this year, but this round was special in many more ways. 11 par. Two genuine birdie putts missed, on 4 and 6 and another birdie attempt, this one on 15, that lipped out. That one was from 15 feet or so, so it doesn't really count as a missed opportunity but on that hole I was so far right that I had to hit over a hedge to the right of the tee box on the next hole. I opened the face and smashed the wedge straight up and 95 yards on the green. So that was a sweet par to keep it rolling even if I missed the bird. Bird was the word today but I did not in fact have any birdies on my way to that magic 81. the best round of my life so far.
And that damn gimmee on 12 will be the last one I take. Ball in hole from here on out EVERY time fellas. Every time.
See you on the links.
Back to comic art shortly, including the end of the Teddy K tale with a guest appearance by Nick Pitarra. Nick plays the role of spoiler, turning the tables in the end with a Shamalanian twist of redemption that makes your rarely humbled author come out feeling good after being a bit of a dick. I was the dick, not Nick. He was ...well, certainly not a dick but I guess that can all wait. And also coming soon enough is my tale of acquiring and loving the first professional Dr. Strange image drawn by a legendary comic artist. Really. You'll be impressed. He's known for his great body of work and some Doc in particular.
And The Fifty of course. The Fifty is what is generating my blog love lately, so it will be here to stay for a few months I think. Only time will tell I guess.
I played with three gentlemen who were together, but since I play RU so often I had played with one of the guys a few weeks ago as well. So that was nice. I won't go around the course hole by hole, but the tale of the day resides in the fact that I started out pretty well, par on 1 and 2, 3 putt bogey and par again on 4 after a missed birdie opportunity. Four was also the first of 4 very good sand shots today. OH SANDY BABY! So after 6 I was 2 over and feeling good about things. The middle 6 at Rutgers is a tough stretch, but that is not what did me in today. I started talking to the golfer I played with a few weeks ago and a certain subject came up that demanded my focus. It isn't what you're thinking, but what the subject was is irrelevant. The result was a lack of focus as I was absorbed in discussion for a few holes and then left with some things to think about. Yes, I went double, double at 7 and 8 after the initial disturbance in The Force had occurred. I did par 9 deep in thought after blasting a wicked drive and a sweet 4 iron to the back of the green; that left me at par on five holes and 42 on the front.
However Ten is the bane of my existence and I again failed to make par on this hole, the only such hole on the course I have not had a par on at some point this year. In fact I struck a nice 3 iron off the tee but managed a 3 putt 6 after chunking a 6 iron approach shot. Fuck that hole. Fuck that hole in any and every orifice it has. Rumor has it that a fox lives on this hole but since the hole hates me I have never spotted sly Mr. Fox this year. Well fuck that fox in his hole too. In his sandy hole. His dry, green, parking-lot firm and sandy hole.
In any event it was 6, 4, 6 to start the back and make it eight over on the middle six. I had gone from 2 over after 6 to 10 over after 12. So much for that. I went from feeling like The Bishop in Caddyshack to a feeling and ball-striking like a first class moron. I knew it was the talk that had shaken my focus, and I know after playing golf this year for the first time in my life at a decent level consistently that a truly good round requires a level of focus I have never achieved. It is really quite startling. Golf is a matter of precision and degrees. Every shot must have focus. Stance, grip, body alignment, swing plane, and angle of attack to the green must then account for the physical characteristics of each shot. One triple bogey ruins it. One bad shot at the wrong time, or even any time at all, ruins it. Three putts ruin it. Every single fucking shot counts. Now it was after I missed a makeable 10 footer on 12 for bogey that I took a gimme 3 footer for double that I snapped out of it. To that point I had heard the cup rattle every hole and I was kind of proud of that with these 3 other strangers in my group. They had missed some short ones and kinda talked it over every once in a while amongst themselves, as Ken was to let me know. But I myself knew that stroke could have been missed and I should have counted until ball hit cup.
Another point bears mention. I am a constant and unstoppable scorecard counter and score projector. But on this day, around the 5th or 6th hole, I turned the scorecard over so I could not see the scores. I knew what I had at every moment, but it was a visual reinforcer as I drove the cart that I was not focusing of the card but on the hole. And I knew that the 42 on the front made this a good day no matter what I did. I was gonna shoot around 90 at the worst and it was a beautiful day. I always think that when I am on the course. I stand and close my eyes and breathe in the air and then look around a few times each round. And today I took my medicine when it was necessary, including on 13. I knocked out laterally and hit a good iron to the green. Then it happened. I finally hit a putt, this one a dozen or so feet breaking right to left. It slowed to the hole and turned in sweetly. Finally I made a rescue putt. That was the first of six straight par to finish four over. And since it is a par 35 back nine that four over meant 39 on the back. 42/39 equals 81. This is a tie for my best ever. I shot an 82 and an 83 earlier this year, but this round was special in many more ways. 11 par. Two genuine birdie putts missed, on 4 and 6 and another birdie attempt, this one on 15, that lipped out. That one was from 15 feet or so, so it doesn't really count as a missed opportunity but on that hole I was so far right that I had to hit over a hedge to the right of the tee box on the next hole. I opened the face and smashed the wedge straight up and 95 yards on the green. So that was a sweet par to keep it rolling even if I missed the bird. Bird was the word today but I did not in fact have any birdies on my way to that magic 81. the best round of my life so far.
And that damn gimmee on 12 will be the last one I take. Ball in hole from here on out EVERY time fellas. Every time.
See you on the links.
Back to comic art shortly, including the end of the Teddy K tale with a guest appearance by Nick Pitarra. Nick plays the role of spoiler, turning the tables in the end with a Shamalanian twist of redemption that makes your rarely humbled author come out feeling good after being a bit of a dick. I was the dick, not Nick. He was ...well, certainly not a dick but I guess that can all wait. And also coming soon enough is my tale of acquiring and loving the first professional Dr. Strange image drawn by a legendary comic artist. Really. You'll be impressed. He's known for his great body of work and some Doc in particular.
And The Fifty of course. The Fifty is what is generating my blog love lately, so it will be here to stay for a few months I think. Only time will tell I guess.
Friday, August 16, 2013
The Fifty - Dan Green enters my Permanent Collection
Memory is a false and untrustworthy mistress, but it is all I got sometimes. If you ask me now I would say that there were two books responsible for beginning and/ or cementing my undying love for Dr. Strange, Sorcerer Supreme and Master of The Mystic Arts! That may not even be true, but that is how I remember it. These two books were Triumph & Torment, written by Roger Stern with art by Mike Mignola and Mark Badger (Don't forget about Mark Badger on this book, he was important to the final look of the art even though everyone now like's to say they saw the Mignola genius here. maybe they did, but I like Mark's inks on Mike too.) and Into Shamballa written by J. M. DeMatteis and painted art by Dan Green. Dan green is probably much more known as an inker; I have fond memories of the Silvestri / Green team on X-Men. Remember the Australian Outback issues with Gateway and Wolverine and Rogue loosing their powers? Well Dan Green is a hell of an artist in his own right, and is a master painter in my opinion. I am lucky to own a Triumph & Torment page and two pages from Into Shamballa. (No you cannot see the Mignola / Badger piece now. It may not even be in The Fifty!) One of the pages from Into Shamballa is very similar to the cover of the softcover edition; it is so close I thought it doubled as that cover until Dan Green told me he painted a separate image for the softcover edition but that they were the same pose. most would likely chose that one as their favorite but I like to be different. So here is the one I love, page 19.
I find this page more vibrant than the other one I own. I love the (dis)orientation of the main figure and the hint of a Ditko-verse effect in the setting. The colors are strong but in the softer side that permeates the dreaminess of the whole story. Doc falling Into Shamballa. I love this page.
I have spoken with Dan about possibly buying more from this book; he now has the remaining art in his possession after some time in the more than capable hands of Mitch Itkowitz and Graphic Collectibles, from whom I bought my two pages. But if you collect comic art you know how it goes...there are always so many pieces you want and so few funds to get them with. But someday I hope to get some more. But I don't know if I will get any that I like better than this one.
So here I have a wonderfully executed, painted splash from a seminal adventure of my favorite character in all comics (yeah, sorry about that Jack Knight but it is true!) from the early and formative stage of my Doctor Strange fascination. Yeah, that sounds like a member of The Fifty to me!
 |
| Into Shamballa page 19 painted art by Dan Green |
I find this page more vibrant than the other one I own. I love the (dis)orientation of the main figure and the hint of a Ditko-verse effect in the setting. The colors are strong but in the softer side that permeates the dreaminess of the whole story. Doc falling Into Shamballa. I love this page.
I have spoken with Dan about possibly buying more from this book; he now has the remaining art in his possession after some time in the more than capable hands of Mitch Itkowitz and Graphic Collectibles, from whom I bought my two pages. But if you collect comic art you know how it goes...there are always so many pieces you want and so few funds to get them with. But someday I hope to get some more. But I don't know if I will get any that I like better than this one.
So here I have a wonderfully executed, painted splash from a seminal adventure of my favorite character in all comics (yeah, sorry about that Jack Knight but it is true!) from the early and formative stage of my Doctor Strange fascination. Yeah, that sounds like a member of The Fifty to me!
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Some Thoughts on The Fifty - Want List
I have been thinking about the concept of The Fifty for some time now. But it was not until the opportunity to buy the Promethea spread moved me to action. I had bought those pages directly from Mick Gray and JHW3 back when the issue was published. I also had a spread from issue 25. Then I sold both of them in one of my periodic comic art collection cullings. These cullings occur periodically when I need money to feed the new purchases; I no longer work a second job nor feel I can use family money now that I have an actual family. So a few years ago I sold those Promethea spreads. But I missed the spread from issue 24! And when I sawit on Heritage I knew I would keep it if I could get it back for the right price. And now that I have, I will.
At least for now.
I can definitely see a future where The Fifty is complete and new, and yes better, pieces would be acquired. Some things would have to go. If I live to 75, I will at some point in the future surely buy some of the things on my current wish list. I have seen enough of this hobby in the last 25 years to know that this is true. (Heck, I may get my Frank Miller piece soon enough, and if I do I can see switching that out for an even better one eventually.)
And if I got any art by any of about 10 artists, all on my fantasy wish list, it would be a piece that would conceivably automatically go into The Fifty at the expense of just about anything in there now. I shouldn't even say "if" because it is a fact that my mind's eye conception of The Fifty surely has something by Steranko in it. There is no reason that Alex Raymond cannot be found in The Fifty, I mean I have some brushwork by Dave Sim that fills the void right now. Why can't I get something that inspired Dave to do his piece?
Hal Foster, Prince Valiant rather than Tarzan at this point in my life, must be in The Fifty. It will likely be a panel but like Alex Raymond I may need to get something small in order to fill that need. Winsor McKay must also be there. I might make do with a political cartoon for this one as every fan's dream is a Little Nemo in Slumberland, but some of the political cartoons that I have seen would immediately place in The Fifty. the guy was a master.
I must take a moment to point out that this fascination with strip artists of yesteryear is a really incredible development in my comic art collecting focus. It started before Dave Sim did Glamourpuss but Dave really lit a fire in me about brushwork and the quality of the line. (I owe him a letter or a phone call, too. He sent me a prelim featuring Raymond and Stan Drake and I owe him some heartfelt thanks!)
And if I am talking quality of line I have to mention my intention to get something nice from the most wonderful artist to ever lay ink on paper: Jean Giraud aka Moebius. I have a small sketch (or two?) in sketchbooks but I need a nice standalone image or even a page. I don't think it will be Blueberry though, something fantasy oriented.
And of course no collection that considers itself quality is without a dream of a Frazetta. I would take, heck I may prefer, a L'il Abner (Frank ghosted for Al Capp a few years) but anything ink would likely do. A complete image, not a prelim partially inked. It could be a warrior, a woman, a beastie, a good girl, or just about anything as long as it is clear Frank inked it until it was done and ready for viewing.
(As a Neuropsychologist, but not necessarily an art collector, I would also pretty much kill for a left-handed Frazetta painting. The fact that Frank was able to accomplish this task may be the most remarkable thing he ever did and having a painting that was verified as being painted after the stroke and with Frank's left hand would change my life I think. I would tell everyone who ever saw it what it meant, and I think I would be like a modern day disciple carrying around a blessed artifact. I can't wait until the museum re-opens in the next year or so; my wife and I had made plans to visit when the tragedies started to befall Frank and Ellie so it never happened back then.)
So let's see: Frazetta, Moebius, Foster, Raymond, Steranko, McKay. Anyone else? Oh, Frank Miller was in there too. Since those acquisitions could be low 5 figures each (calm down readers in my family, I will sell the 600 to get them remember!), I may as well put a Charles Schulz' Peanuts on there. Hey, it could happen! But now we are getting silly, so before Calvin & Hobbes comes up I will tie it up here.
Surprisingly little superhero art on there. I know I would love a better Walt Simonson, a better Kevin Nowlan Strange Tales cover, more Barry Windsor-Smith, Gene Colan / Tom Palmer covers from Dr Strange 14 or Tomb of Dracula 44, and many other things. And superhero art is what I have and love, so The Fifty will mostly be about that. But I want a collection that represents the greats of the medium, not the greats of any genre. Or at least my favorites. And at this point JH Williams 3rd, with Mick Gray, and Barry Windsor-Smith sit at the table of The Fifty. I think they would certainly be accepted as peers by the individuals I hope to place in the room with them.
At least for now.
I can definitely see a future where The Fifty is complete and new, and yes better, pieces would be acquired. Some things would have to go. If I live to 75, I will at some point in the future surely buy some of the things on my current wish list. I have seen enough of this hobby in the last 25 years to know that this is true. (Heck, I may get my Frank Miller piece soon enough, and if I do I can see switching that out for an even better one eventually.)
And if I got any art by any of about 10 artists, all on my fantasy wish list, it would be a piece that would conceivably automatically go into The Fifty at the expense of just about anything in there now. I shouldn't even say "if" because it is a fact that my mind's eye conception of The Fifty surely has something by Steranko in it. There is no reason that Alex Raymond cannot be found in The Fifty, I mean I have some brushwork by Dave Sim that fills the void right now. Why can't I get something that inspired Dave to do his piece?
Hal Foster, Prince Valiant rather than Tarzan at this point in my life, must be in The Fifty. It will likely be a panel but like Alex Raymond I may need to get something small in order to fill that need. Winsor McKay must also be there. I might make do with a political cartoon for this one as every fan's dream is a Little Nemo in Slumberland, but some of the political cartoons that I have seen would immediately place in The Fifty. the guy was a master.
I must take a moment to point out that this fascination with strip artists of yesteryear is a really incredible development in my comic art collecting focus. It started before Dave Sim did Glamourpuss but Dave really lit a fire in me about brushwork and the quality of the line. (I owe him a letter or a phone call, too. He sent me a prelim featuring Raymond and Stan Drake and I owe him some heartfelt thanks!)
And if I am talking quality of line I have to mention my intention to get something nice from the most wonderful artist to ever lay ink on paper: Jean Giraud aka Moebius. I have a small sketch (or two?) in sketchbooks but I need a nice standalone image or even a page. I don't think it will be Blueberry though, something fantasy oriented.
And of course no collection that considers itself quality is without a dream of a Frazetta. I would take, heck I may prefer, a L'il Abner (Frank ghosted for Al Capp a few years) but anything ink would likely do. A complete image, not a prelim partially inked. It could be a warrior, a woman, a beastie, a good girl, or just about anything as long as it is clear Frank inked it until it was done and ready for viewing.
(As a Neuropsychologist, but not necessarily an art collector, I would also pretty much kill for a left-handed Frazetta painting. The fact that Frank was able to accomplish this task may be the most remarkable thing he ever did and having a painting that was verified as being painted after the stroke and with Frank's left hand would change my life I think. I would tell everyone who ever saw it what it meant, and I think I would be like a modern day disciple carrying around a blessed artifact. I can't wait until the museum re-opens in the next year or so; my wife and I had made plans to visit when the tragedies started to befall Frank and Ellie so it never happened back then.)
So let's see: Frazetta, Moebius, Foster, Raymond, Steranko, McKay. Anyone else? Oh, Frank Miller was in there too. Since those acquisitions could be low 5 figures each (calm down readers in my family, I will sell the 600 to get them remember!), I may as well put a Charles Schulz' Peanuts on there. Hey, it could happen! But now we are getting silly, so before Calvin & Hobbes comes up I will tie it up here.
Surprisingly little superhero art on there. I know I would love a better Walt Simonson, a better Kevin Nowlan Strange Tales cover, more Barry Windsor-Smith, Gene Colan / Tom Palmer covers from Dr Strange 14 or Tomb of Dracula 44, and many other things. And superhero art is what I have and love, so The Fifty will mostly be about that. But I want a collection that represents the greats of the medium, not the greats of any genre. Or at least my favorites. And at this point JH Williams 3rd, with Mick Gray, and Barry Windsor-Smith sit at the table of The Fifty. I think they would certainly be accepted as peers by the individuals I hope to place in the room with them.
The Fifty - Barry Windsor-Smith Enters My Permanent Art Collection
After making a gallery room for The Fifty and putting the JHW3/Mick Gray spread from Alan Moore's Promethea therein, I looked over my collection. I have about a dozen pieces that would be in The Fifty right now. This is quite possibly #1 on the list. It won't be the only BWS in The Fifty, you can count on that!, but it may be the best.
Now that is fine comic art there, yessirreeBob!
And because it is kind of fun, I will assign numbers. these numbers will change over time as The Fifty gains, and possibly loses, members.
1. BWS STORYTELLER: Young Gods 1 page 4 splash
2. PROMETHEA 24 pages 10/11 double page spread
 |
| Young Gods 1 page 4 splash from Barry Windsor-Smith's Storyteller |
Now that is fine comic art there, yessirreeBob!
And because it is kind of fun, I will assign numbers. these numbers will change over time as The Fifty gains, and possibly loses, members.
1. BWS STORYTELLER: Young Gods 1 page 4 splash
2. PROMETHEA 24 pages 10/11 double page spread
Monday, August 12, 2013
The Fifty - Promethea Enters My Permanent Art Collection
As evidenced by my last post, I am reassessing my comic art collection. I will have children in college in a few years and will be hitting the half-century even before that. I have about 600 pieces of original comic art. I want fewer pieces, better pieces, and that is nothing new.
So I will accumulate The Fifty. Fifty pieces of art that will hopefully be in my collection when I die on my 100th birthday, 11/29/2066. It will have been a sweet life.
Now a few things must certainly be addressed. I have over 100 Starman pages and they are not going anywhere. Tony Harris Starman and Dr. Strange Flight of Bones will not be part of this equation. But otherwise my art will generally fall into two categories: The Fifty and everything else. And woe to any pieces on the wrong side of the tracks. Should the train come along they could well find themselves swept away in the momentum. It has happened already to many of their comrades in ink.
And pieces can leave The Fifty. Comic art collecting is a fickle and fluid pursuit. But until yesterday I had never had a piece leave the fold and then return.
I think its' imminent return is cause for a declaration of loyalty, so it is now a member of The Fifty. I never should have sold it and am grateful that I have been given the opportunity to rectify that poor decision.
More from The Fifty later.
So I will accumulate The Fifty. Fifty pieces of art that will hopefully be in my collection when I die on my 100th birthday, 11/29/2066. It will have been a sweet life.
Now a few things must certainly be addressed. I have over 100 Starman pages and they are not going anywhere. Tony Harris Starman and Dr. Strange Flight of Bones will not be part of this equation. But otherwise my art will generally fall into two categories: The Fifty and everything else. And woe to any pieces on the wrong side of the tracks. Should the train come along they could well find themselves swept away in the momentum. It has happened already to many of their comrades in ink.
And pieces can leave The Fifty. Comic art collecting is a fickle and fluid pursuit. But until yesterday I had never had a piece leave the fold and then return.
 |
| Promethea written by Alan Moore with art by JH Williams 3rd and Mick Gray |
I think its' imminent return is cause for a declaration of loyalty, so it is now a member of The Fifty. I never should have sold it and am grateful that I have been given the opportunity to rectify that poor decision.
More from The Fifty later.
Friday, July 19, 2013
Selling, selling, and selling a little more...through ComicLink!
A few posts ago I was pimping some sales on ebay and said something like "if I could sell forty $150 pieces and then buy one $6000 piece with the money I would do it in a heartbeat". Well, it will take a bit longer than that, but I have essentially gone and done this horrid horrid thing; I have sent 36 items to ComicLink for inclusion in their next 2 auctions, taking place in August and September. But they are not just $150 pieces...well many of them cost that much but will only bring 30-60% of that back. But I knew I had to throw in some yummy stuff as well if I wanted to generate any serious cash at all. Also, in order to get ComicLink interested I knew I better have a few very strong pieces in there as well.
Jason from ComicLink was very easy to deal with. So far at least. ;-) I showed him some things from my CAF and asked if they made the grade. After clearing that hurdle, I decided I was good to go and starting pulling the Itoyas and picking pieces to send out. I probably only used 25 of the 36 items Jason approved and instead sent some other stuff. And boy was I surprised at what I pulled when those Itoyas were being flipped through!
I always knew I was going to sell my Mignola cover. It was a huge impulse buy and if I am going to spend that kind of cash I need it to fit my collection better. And a Witchfinder cover does not fit into my collection, no matter how tremendous a cover it is. I have my eye on a Mignola piece that is three times what I paid for this one and has none of the features in the Witchfinder cover that drew me to it. In other words it has Hellboy on it. The best Mignola pieces have the design strengths that really make Mike Mignola exceptional as well having Hellboy, the character with which he will always be most associated. Well, I am not a big enough fish to swim in that pond, but a great Hellboy, Batman, Starman piece is within my reach and that means the best Mignola I have will have to make way in order for me to get that elusive other piece. And the Witchfinder cover has the balance in black and non-black areas throughout that really draws me into Mike's work. I was blown away by it when I was flipping through Mike's portfolio that day, and happily handed over all those hundred dollar bills a few minutes later. But now I have seen the $7500 piece that will fit my collection like a glove, and the call of THAT NEXT ELUSIVE PIECE OF COMIC ART is strong.
What I did not know was that I was going to sell my two Travis Charest Flash annual pages.
What I did not know was that my Duncan Fegredo Baba Yaga, Hellboy, and Koschei The Deathless piece would end up in that box as well.
And I had never considered the possibility of the Chris Stevens OIL PAINTING going in the box, yet Jason will see it right away when he opens that very box today.
Art from Gene Ha, Paolo Rivera, and Leinil Yu is suddenly gone from my collection. Almost all art by those guys has in fact left. Almost.
I am going to have 50 stellar pieces of art soon. I have over 600 pieces of art right now. 25 of them may be in the stellar range that I am talking about. I will sell hundreds of pieces to get the rest. The Starman pages, over 100 of them, are not going anywhere. (Well, not Tony's Starman pages anyway.) Most if not all of the Dr. Strange commissions, the true commissions, are safe and sound here at home. But so much else is in jeopardy in order for me to get a nice Frank Miller. Or an Alex Raymond. Maybe a political Winsor McCay. A Foster Valiant panel. So much more BWS. .
In fact, I saw that ComicLink has a November auction as well. Hmmm.
ps I know I have not told the rest of the Teddy K tale. It is coming.
EDIT: Okay, I see 5 of my items in the August focused auction. This is a good thing, I expected less. Okay people, bid away!
Jason from ComicLink was very easy to deal with. So far at least. ;-) I showed him some things from my CAF and asked if they made the grade. After clearing that hurdle, I decided I was good to go and starting pulling the Itoyas and picking pieces to send out. I probably only used 25 of the 36 items Jason approved and instead sent some other stuff. And boy was I surprised at what I pulled when those Itoyas were being flipped through!
I always knew I was going to sell my Mignola cover. It was a huge impulse buy and if I am going to spend that kind of cash I need it to fit my collection better. And a Witchfinder cover does not fit into my collection, no matter how tremendous a cover it is. I have my eye on a Mignola piece that is three times what I paid for this one and has none of the features in the Witchfinder cover that drew me to it. In other words it has Hellboy on it. The best Mignola pieces have the design strengths that really make Mike Mignola exceptional as well having Hellboy, the character with which he will always be most associated. Well, I am not a big enough fish to swim in that pond, but a great Hellboy, Batman, Starman piece is within my reach and that means the best Mignola I have will have to make way in order for me to get that elusive other piece. And the Witchfinder cover has the balance in black and non-black areas throughout that really draws me into Mike's work. I was blown away by it when I was flipping through Mike's portfolio that day, and happily handed over all those hundred dollar bills a few minutes later. But now I have seen the $7500 piece that will fit my collection like a glove, and the call of THAT NEXT ELUSIVE PIECE OF COMIC ART is strong.
What I did not know was that I was going to sell my two Travis Charest Flash annual pages.
What I did not know was that my Duncan Fegredo Baba Yaga, Hellboy, and Koschei The Deathless piece would end up in that box as well.
And I had never considered the possibility of the Chris Stevens OIL PAINTING going in the box, yet Jason will see it right away when he opens that very box today.
Art from Gene Ha, Paolo Rivera, and Leinil Yu is suddenly gone from my collection. Almost all art by those guys has in fact left. Almost.
I am going to have 50 stellar pieces of art soon. I have over 600 pieces of art right now. 25 of them may be in the stellar range that I am talking about. I will sell hundreds of pieces to get the rest. The Starman pages, over 100 of them, are not going anywhere. (Well, not Tony's Starman pages anyway.) Most if not all of the Dr. Strange commissions, the true commissions, are safe and sound here at home. But so much else is in jeopardy in order for me to get a nice Frank Miller. Or an Alex Raymond. Maybe a political Winsor McCay. A Foster Valiant panel. So much more BWS. .
In fact, I saw that ComicLink has a November auction as well. Hmmm.
ps I know I have not told the rest of the Teddy K tale. It is coming.
EDIT: Okay, I see 5 of my items in the August focused auction. This is a good thing, I expected less. Okay people, bid away!
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