Happy Easter everyone. And if you are not Catholic or do not celebrate Easter, I hope you have a wonderful spring day.
Unless you do not celebrate Easter and it is not spring where you live, in which case go Fuck Off - you can't please everyone.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Thursday, March 21, 2013
New Art Day - Darryl Banks commission
I have gotten a few commissions from Darryl Banks. I got one Starman, but may not get any more. Nothing against Jack Knight, I love the character, but Darryl says his favorite character is Dr. Strange, and it shows when he draws him. Here is the newest commission I got from Darryl, Doc against Dracula, with Clea playing the helpless female role. (Hey, it is Dracula after all.)
I have been getting Doc vs Drac commissions for a year or two and have a few now. The Nebres is in a class by itself. but that one above is just so nice as well. Recently I been giving artists a female to include, and although many choose Clea that is fine by me. So thank you to Darryl Banks for the great art and fantastic service!
Here is another that Darryl has done for me. (I can't find the other scans as my old computer died. I have backups galore but finding stuff is another matter entirely.) this first one is an homage to the Michael Golden Dr. Strange portfolio from the early 1980s. This commission homages the cover of the portfolio.
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| Darryl Banks commission |
I have been getting Doc vs Drac commissions for a year or two and have a few now. The Nebres is in a class by itself. but that one above is just so nice as well. Recently I been giving artists a female to include, and although many choose Clea that is fine by me. So thank you to Darryl Banks for the great art and fantastic service!
Here is another that Darryl has done for me. (I can't find the other scans as my old computer died. I have backups galore but finding stuff is another matter entirely.) this first one is an homage to the Michael Golden Dr. Strange portfolio from the early 1980s. This commission homages the cover of the portfolio.
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| Michael Golden portfolio cover homage by Darryl Banks |
Sunday, February 10, 2013
The wonderful roller coaster ride that is original comic art collecting
Since I began collecting original comic art around 1990 I have always had new targets in my sites, new acquisitions I wanted and many yearly conventions to attend where I would spend many many dollars on commissions, usually of Dr. Strange. Yes, over the years there have been obsessions with Grendel, Starman, Asgardian Storm and others but Doc dominates easily. But as my interests have focused and my life has changed I have found myself moving away from the conventions, at least as a source of my art, and am targeting published pages and covers more and more. And the ones I am targeting are more expensive than anything I have ever been targeting before. So I am budgeting next to nothing for convention sketches and planning on spending all spare cash and all money generated from sales of pieces from my collection on some nice nice things.
But this has really left me with a lot more spare time than normal. I used to be able to plan my next 3-4 conventions and go over and over that stuff as the shows approached. It is a fun way to spend the time, emailing artists and checking lists and planning character requests. Useless hobby stuff, just what it is for.This is in addition to the other stuff, reading blogs and a few forums/message boards. I am still resisting the twitter and facebook worlds, although they are becoming better and better resources for locating comic artists and getting art. But now that I know how I want to spend my next year's cash does not leave me with much to do hobby-wise on a daily basis.
Well, thankfully there are some awesome comic art auctions coming up! The Heritage auction in particular is appealing to me, but Comic Link has some groovy stuff as well. If you look a few posts down at my collecting goals for this year you might notice quite a few things that are also for sale in these auctions. Not Starman of course, never Starman. I have no recollection of ever seeing a Starman page for auction at wither Heritage or Comic Link. But look further down at items 5, 7, and 8 and BINGO! Hal Foster panels, a great Frank Miller pin-up, and a BWS cover/pin-up. They sure bear watching. Yesterday I bid on the Miller piece and pushed it to the current mark. That would be more than I ever spent on something before and would require some serious moving of funds to pull off. And that BWS is insane and likely to go waaaaay out of my range. So I am looking at those Fosters and the Winsor McKay political cartoon very closely. There is also so much wonderful stuff there, including 2 items I expect to own 2 weeks from today. Each should go $500 or less, so I won't be doing much heavy lifting unless something surprising happens.
And then Comic Link. Unfortunately I have not paid attention in the past and cannot determine when exactly these aucitons end so it is hard to plan around Heritage. But those Black Kiss covers are astounding. Black Kiss 3 is the money shot of the four, but issue 9 may be my favorite of these. That Steranko is crazy cool, although the sexy sexy never did it for me. Sexy, yes, but nekkid sexy sexy no thanks. Black Kiss and stuff like The Boys or Criminal pushed my limits without crossing them, but I digress. Complete Cerebus! Out of my range but something special I think. Then the great Paolo Rivera Mole Man DD cover; 2 fantastic George Pratt Marvel covers; a Jim Starlin SS/Warlock Resurrection page; the Sienkiewicz cover - that is all stuff I would consider trying to own if not for that Heritage stuff! And tons of other great art outside my interests. Those Dale Keown Hulk pages come from a wonderful story that I remember fondly, but the story required ugly art so I will pass on that. If I am going to complete with those Keown freak fans, and someday I may, it won't be for ugly art! Hulk SMASH! not Hulk emaciated weakling. And a whole Jack Kirby Thor story, WOW! Good scoop Comic Link!
So this week and next I am thankful for Heritage to give me something to focus on now that my ebay auctions are mailed out. Most of them at least. Hmm, maybe I should do some more auctions and shoot for...
But this has really left me with a lot more spare time than normal. I used to be able to plan my next 3-4 conventions and go over and over that stuff as the shows approached. It is a fun way to spend the time, emailing artists and checking lists and planning character requests. Useless hobby stuff, just what it is for.This is in addition to the other stuff, reading blogs and a few forums/message boards. I am still resisting the twitter and facebook worlds, although they are becoming better and better resources for locating comic artists and getting art. But now that I know how I want to spend my next year's cash does not leave me with much to do hobby-wise on a daily basis.
Well, thankfully there are some awesome comic art auctions coming up! The Heritage auction in particular is appealing to me, but Comic Link has some groovy stuff as well. If you look a few posts down at my collecting goals for this year you might notice quite a few things that are also for sale in these auctions. Not Starman of course, never Starman. I have no recollection of ever seeing a Starman page for auction at wither Heritage or Comic Link. But look further down at items 5, 7, and 8 and BINGO! Hal Foster panels, a great Frank Miller pin-up, and a BWS cover/pin-up. They sure bear watching. Yesterday I bid on the Miller piece and pushed it to the current mark. That would be more than I ever spent on something before and would require some serious moving of funds to pull off. And that BWS is insane and likely to go waaaaay out of my range. So I am looking at those Fosters and the Winsor McKay political cartoon very closely. There is also so much wonderful stuff there, including 2 items I expect to own 2 weeks from today. Each should go $500 or less, so I won't be doing much heavy lifting unless something surprising happens.
And then Comic Link. Unfortunately I have not paid attention in the past and cannot determine when exactly these aucitons end so it is hard to plan around Heritage. But those Black Kiss covers are astounding. Black Kiss 3 is the money shot of the four, but issue 9 may be my favorite of these. That Steranko is crazy cool, although the sexy sexy never did it for me. Sexy, yes, but nekkid sexy sexy no thanks. Black Kiss and stuff like The Boys or Criminal pushed my limits without crossing them, but I digress. Complete Cerebus! Out of my range but something special I think. Then the great Paolo Rivera Mole Man DD cover; 2 fantastic George Pratt Marvel covers; a Jim Starlin SS/Warlock Resurrection page; the Sienkiewicz cover - that is all stuff I would consider trying to own if not for that Heritage stuff! And tons of other great art outside my interests. Those Dale Keown Hulk pages come from a wonderful story that I remember fondly, but the story required ugly art so I will pass on that. If I am going to complete with those Keown freak fans, and someday I may, it won't be for ugly art! Hulk SMASH! not Hulk emaciated weakling. And a whole Jack Kirby Thor story, WOW! Good scoop Comic Link!
So this week and next I am thankful for Heritage to give me something to focus on now that my ebay auctions are mailed out. Most of them at least. Hmm, maybe I should do some more auctions and shoot for...
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Comic Art Want List - Gene Colan / Tom Palmer acquired!
OH YEAH! I have really been paring down the collection. Paring it down, thinning the herd, separating the wheat from the chaff (well, less fresh wheat because none of it was chaff!) - call it what you will it was ugly and it was vicious at times and unfortunately it was necessary. But truth be told I did it willingly. And I gonna do it again for sure.
Because sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do if you wanna get'ya somma this:
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| Tomb of Dracula 44 p 1 splash - Gene Colan / Tom Palmer |
Now a few things worth mentioning. First is that I had seen the art for the complete ToD 44 a year or two before but it was only for sale as a complete issue at that time. Eventually that changed and I had a shot at pages from ToD 44, but this page was long gone and I was a few hours late on another wonderful page. I did get a nice one, and since that time have also added a page from Dr. Strange 14, the title ToD 44 was having the cross-over with. Then about 6 months ago I saw it on a dealer's site at a premium price. It was most likely around a 50% markup and it is not inconceivable that it was marked-up 100% to the price I paid. But no matter. I saw the page and knew I could not let it go again. I have a few pages that are forming the cornerstone of my Doc collection. I had 4 pages from Dr. Strange 170, the second issue from 1968 and thought those were cornerstones. But when ToD 44 and Doc 14 starting coming up all that changed because I actually remember these pages. So I sold one of those pages from 170 and paid this off early because I love it so and you cannot have it all. I have tried, so trust me on that one.
The second thing that needs mentioning is the reason I (over)paid for this page: the writing. I usually buy art for the art, but this page has such compelling and memorable writing that it really puts the page over the top in my opinion. It has a fantastic Gene Colan and Tom Palmer splash that opens the story brilliantly and Marv Wolfman writes a wonderful story. How can you not be drawn in by that page? It is a wonderful example of the marriage of words and pictures that is comics that I am proud to own.
Now the last thing to mention is the bad stuff. This page did disappoint me briefly. I guess if I had examined it more closely I would not have been so surprised at the crappy condition of the masthead and stats. But c'est la vie! There are also all sorts of things going on here, from zip-a-tone to a stat in the crystal ball. I have no idea how much, if any, of that is original art and have no intention of removing anything to find out. It really does not matter to me but the time will eventually come when it will matter to someone. So sometime after 2030, or when I die if before then, someone will really examine the page and see what's what. Doc is clean, and the rest is a bit this and a bit that but the end result is brilliant and that is all that matters to me now.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Mike Allred commission now colored
Gerry Turnbull took a go at coloring the Mike Allred Dr. Strange Beach Party commission and did a groovy job! Take a gander -
The reason this came so long after the original commission is because I never let Gerry go until I okayed the Hawaiian shirt I wanted for The Ancient One. Eventually I just told him to go for it and then he was nice enough to include another version as well. Here is the second version, closer to what I had initially envisioned. I would prefer the trees and colors randomly oriented, not so orderly. But this commission has never been about what I wanted as much as what the artists were able to bring to it, so that is fine. I think I like this second shirt better.
Either way, Gerry did a great job a brings a lot to the pieces he colors. Thanks Gerry!
Here is a link to the original Mike Allred inked, b/w commission.
The reason this came so long after the original commission is because I never let Gerry go until I okayed the Hawaiian shirt I wanted for The Ancient One. Eventually I just told him to go for it and then he was nice enough to include another version as well. Here is the second version, closer to what I had initially envisioned. I would prefer the trees and colors randomly oriented, not so orderly. But this commission has never been about what I wanted as much as what the artists were able to bring to it, so that is fine. I think I like this second shirt better.
Either way, Gerry did a great job a brings a lot to the pieces he colors. Thanks Gerry!
Here is a link to the original Mike Allred inked, b/w commission.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
File Find: The 15
I came across this looking for something else and decided to post it here. Boy is it tough not to edit this. I guess at one point I put together my version of The Fifteen, the 15 albums that "fill in the blank"..."you would want on a desert island"; "mean the most to you"; "are your idea of perfect albums". Whatever you want to call it, it is The Fifteen.
The Fifteen
Van Halen II
Sgt. Peppers
Joe’s Garage
Zenyatta Mondatta
Led Zeppelin 3
Physical Graffitti
Abbey Road
Déjà Vu
Aja
Royal Scam
Axis: Bold As Love
The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking
A Farewell to Kings
Odelay
Moving Pictures
The Fifteen of a younger man. Wiser? Perhaps.
I have been grooving on Wish You Were Here for the last year, that would likely knock something here off today. And Fiona Apple as well. Hard love for Fiona Apple this last year or two. One Size Fits All by Zappa. No Dead up there, hmmm. That's the beauty of The Fifteen though, room enough for a lot but not everything. And Blue or maybe even Hejira would be there now from Joni. And I certainly love Fair Warning, and even Woman and Children First more than VH II, so I have no idea what I was thinking when I wrote that list above. Fair Warning baby. I have been through Miles Davis and Devon Sproule jags, heavy heavy jags, but they wouldn't cut it. I have been getting into Presence, the ignored Led Zeppelin album and wonder if that will make the list in 2013. My 15 in '13; I will have the wife tell Siri to remind us to make a new 15 in 12/2013 and we can see what has changed. Okay, time to turn off Fiona and go to bed.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
New Year's Day...new year's art collecting goals
I decided I would write this up without looking at my previous entries regarding a comic art want list. I have mentioned before that collecting is really a "right now" mentality and I want to express my current thoughts about my collecting goals for the new year without bias, even if it is bias from myself.
Not really goals, but realities, is that I have to pay off 3 pieces of art this year. I have a Gene Colan Tomb of Dracula 44 splash (more on that issue later!) page that will be paid off around March. Thanks Mike! And thanks to Roger Clark as well, who let me put two pieces from his New Year's Eve sale on time payments. They are major commitments and won't be done until early mid-year, representing a size-able portion of my comic year budget unless I sell sell sell. And I am sell sell selling right now, please check the links above right! 2013 is about fiscal responsibility in the household, and I need to generate my own money for art. That means I need your money, if you need some art at least.
1) Now and always (I assume) - Starman. Except now I expect to find a cover each year, or two or three! I bought a lot of panel pages this year and brought my total, including ancillary titles like the 80 page Giant; Secret Files; etc., over 100 pages. And I am definitely in the market for the rest of them. All Tony Harris Starman pages and covers are on my want list, just some more than others.
2) My real grail needs mentioning even if it remains elusive. Double page spread of Dr. Strange by P Craig Russell from Ultimate Spider-Man Super Special. I spoke with Craig about this at a convention this year and he confirmed that it is long gone. I can hope though.
3) More pages from the crossover between Tomb of Dracula 44 and Dr. Strange 14 with art by Gene Colan and Tom Palmer. I now have my fill (4) of the pages Burkey is selling from issue 170 of Dr. Strange (for now at least - I have my eye on one more I must admit) and have moved these issues into my sites. I have one page from each issue and they are great. I am also getting the page one splash from Burkey when I give him the rest of the cash. (Thanks Mike!) I should be able to get at least one more this year, or I will count the year as a failure art collecting wise I would think. I know where some are, so I should be able to shake one or two loose.
4) Hmm. Now I have to actually think and separate reality from dreams. I guess I would say an Art Adams commission. $2000 is a tough thing to "fit in" but it could happen. I have already had the content cleared by John (thanks John!) but have not had the money and the guts at the same time to pull the trigger.
5) I have been really looking at Hal Foster Prince Valiant strips and wonder if I can get one under the radar some time. Surely a panel could be in my range. The same for an Alex Raymond piece.
6) Dave Sim Glamourpuss/The Strange Death of Alex Raymond art. I will also include the recent Mars Attacks cover Sim drew featuring Cerebus. This stuff is gold. I love it.
7) Frank Miller. I really have this on target for 2014 but if the right piece at the right price were to come along I would jump on it. Frank Miller is one of my favorite comic artists, and I am blessed to even think about having the disposable income to pursue this.
8) Barry Windsor-Smith. Storyteller preferred, but also Daredevil 236 art, X-Men Life Death stuff, or other stuff as well. Anything is on the table if he drew it but I would definitely like to acquire at least one more piece of art drawn by this talented man in the year 2013.
Let's see if we can get to a clean 10 now.
9) Oh, obviously I need more Dr. Strange Flight of Bones art. This is one of my top collecting foci right now, although pages are scarce. I have about 25% of the total pages (11/44 I think) so getting more is tough but I want them. As I want...
10)...Matt Smith pages from Showcase 94 (95?). The storyline with The Shade. These go for $50 or so, but I will easily pay double that. The most expensive Matt Smith art out there!
Now this does not mean I will have these goals tomorrow, but tonight this is what I am thinking while I wait to watch the Knicks and Amar'e. Happy New Year y'all!
Not really goals, but realities, is that I have to pay off 3 pieces of art this year. I have a Gene Colan Tomb of Dracula 44 splash (more on that issue later!) page that will be paid off around March. Thanks Mike! And thanks to Roger Clark as well, who let me put two pieces from his New Year's Eve sale on time payments. They are major commitments and won't be done until early mid-year, representing a size-able portion of my comic year budget unless I sell sell sell. And I am sell sell selling right now, please check the links above right! 2013 is about fiscal responsibility in the household, and I need to generate my own money for art. That means I need your money, if you need some art at least.
1) Now and always (I assume) - Starman. Except now I expect to find a cover each year, or two or three! I bought a lot of panel pages this year and brought my total, including ancillary titles like the 80 page Giant; Secret Files; etc., over 100 pages. And I am definitely in the market for the rest of them. All Tony Harris Starman pages and covers are on my want list, just some more than others.
2) My real grail needs mentioning even if it remains elusive. Double page spread of Dr. Strange by P Craig Russell from Ultimate Spider-Man Super Special. I spoke with Craig about this at a convention this year and he confirmed that it is long gone. I can hope though.
3) More pages from the crossover between Tomb of Dracula 44 and Dr. Strange 14 with art by Gene Colan and Tom Palmer. I now have my fill (4) of the pages Burkey is selling from issue 170 of Dr. Strange (for now at least - I have my eye on one more I must admit) and have moved these issues into my sites. I have one page from each issue and they are great. I am also getting the page one splash from Burkey when I give him the rest of the cash. (Thanks Mike!) I should be able to get at least one more this year, or I will count the year as a failure art collecting wise I would think. I know where some are, so I should be able to shake one or two loose.
4) Hmm. Now I have to actually think and separate reality from dreams. I guess I would say an Art Adams commission. $2000 is a tough thing to "fit in" but it could happen. I have already had the content cleared by John (thanks John!) but have not had the money and the guts at the same time to pull the trigger.
5) I have been really looking at Hal Foster Prince Valiant strips and wonder if I can get one under the radar some time. Surely a panel could be in my range. The same for an Alex Raymond piece.
6) Dave Sim Glamourpuss/The Strange Death of Alex Raymond art. I will also include the recent Mars Attacks cover Sim drew featuring Cerebus. This stuff is gold. I love it.
7) Frank Miller. I really have this on target for 2014 but if the right piece at the right price were to come along I would jump on it. Frank Miller is one of my favorite comic artists, and I am blessed to even think about having the disposable income to pursue this.
8) Barry Windsor-Smith. Storyteller preferred, but also Daredevil 236 art, X-Men Life Death stuff, or other stuff as well. Anything is on the table if he drew it but I would definitely like to acquire at least one more piece of art drawn by this talented man in the year 2013.
Let's see if we can get to a clean 10 now.
9) Oh, obviously I need more Dr. Strange Flight of Bones art. This is one of my top collecting foci right now, although pages are scarce. I have about 25% of the total pages (11/44 I think) so getting more is tough but I want them. As I want...
10)...Matt Smith pages from Showcase 94 (95?). The storyline with The Shade. These go for $50 or so, but I will easily pay double that. The most expensive Matt Smith art out there!
Now this does not mean I will have these goals tomorrow, but tonight this is what I am thinking while I wait to watch the Knicks and Amar'e. Happy New Year y'all!
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