Questions about buying original published comic book art18350
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 Collector
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Briten private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Hello all. I was wondering what everyone thinks about buying original published comic book art. I've been playing around with the idea of buying some original art from my favorite creators or featuring my favorite characters, but the price often holds me back. What is the most you have paid or would pay for original published comic book art? This could be a cover, a page, a poster, an ad, etc. To give some clarity on my specific situation, there is a piece of punisher original art that I want to buy, but of course it is many thousands of dollars and it contains content that most people would deem inappropriate (Punisher gunning down some thugs, there's blood etc.) Since the content is inappropriate I wouldn't be able to display it in the home (my wife would disapprove and my son is too young to see that stuff) and I can't display it in my office (not the kinda stuff that clients would approve of). So, I I buy it, I can't display it. I welcome your thoughts and ideas. Thanks |
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 Collector
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etapi65 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Spend your money on the stuff you want/enjoy. I don't have room for all my original art, but I pull it out occasionally to look at or keep pictures of it all. I typically won't pay over $350 for published comic art unless it has some particular meaning for me; and that has to be a cover. You can get some fantastic splash pages for $100-$300. |
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Collector
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Briten private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @etapi65 I agree with you about spending money on what you enjoy. And this is definitely in my wheel house. | ||
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 Miss Chanandler Bong
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jake private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I keep some of my sensitive artwork behind my office door. When the wife and kids leave the room, I can close the door and appreciate the artwork. The other risqué works I keep in oversized portfolios or stacked frames. I sometimes debate whether to rotate the collection, but more of a passing notion since I never get around to it. As for collecting OA, get it, if it has value (cost or personal preference) to you. I still enjoy thumbing through them. In the quest for keys, I feel like that is the ultimate key, since OAs are supposed to be unique (discounting photostats and reproductions). |
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 Collector*
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Towmater private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Just like in comics buy what speaks to you. That way no matter what happens to the value of the piece it doesn’t effect your feelings towards it. As far as displaying it - most of my collection of OA isn’t on display. It would cost too much to have it all framed. So, it sits in comic art portfolios, or in boxes that Marc Silvestri ships art out in when you purchase from him. They are very stout, hold a number of pages, and stack nicely on the closet shelves I have them stored upon. My suggestion to you is to start an account over at Comic Art Fans. Spend time looking at galleries. Reach out to some of the members whose art galleries you enjoy and ask them about the hobby. Ask them if they have any insight that they might share with someone who is new in the hobby. Some of them have been collecting for decades and have amassed collections that are off the charts in value. That being said, they got into the hobby when pages were sold by the inch and covers by the greats ran a few hundred dollars. In other words, they started when nobody thought OA had any value and were smart enough to collect what spoke to them. The other interesting thing about OA is the interaction you can have with the artist. Some are wonderful and others aren’t. The same can be said for their reps, and for dealers. Those interactions have shifted the focus on those artist in my collection. For example, I’d buy anything that Mike Zeck, Marc Silvestri, Tim Sale, Chance Wolf, Ryan Benjamin, Tyler Kirkham, Greg Capullo, or George Perez created. Each of my interactions, conversations, and emails have/were exceptional. |
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 I blame the forum gremlins.
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figment private msg quote post Address this user | |
| The thing about original art is that the pages are unique and therefore the iconic ones demand a hefty price. As the only one in our group that has collected original art over the years I will say that the investment potential is certainly there if you get the right piece at the right time. My advice is that if something unique is realistically within your reach, and holds meaning and value to you, then it's probably not a bad purchase. If you make out like a bandit 10 years from now so much the better. |
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 PLOD
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theCapraAegagrus private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I would not purchase 4-figure OA if I wasn't going to frame it and display it, but that's just me. I don't display any of my slabs, I simply take them out for admiration at times. You could do the same with OA, if that would make you happy. | ||
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 The Fifth Golden Girl
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sborock private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I agree with most of what was said here already. OA is amazing, but very addictive and expensive. Comicartfans.com is where you should go to view thousands of pieces of OA. You can also get a decent feel for the market if you do a lot of research. The OA market is very murky and hard to figure out the correct price for most pieces. Buy what you love and can afford, it's really that simple. HA.com has a great resource for past prices as well. Shameless plug: MyComicShop.com will be listing a bunch of cool OA soon, probably in a month or so. Stay tuned! |
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 Collector
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SixgunSamurai private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I have a bit of original comic art. For a while I wasn’t collecting comics at all, just reading trades and buying original art. In regards to the inappropriate content... I have eight pages from The Boys. Most of it would actually be totally fine, but I also have issue 59, page 21. Jack from Jupiter pinned to a wall with his insides on the outside. I don’t think I’d ever put that on my wall, but definitely wouldn’t with two young kids. It’s a prize piece in my collection, though. As for the prices... yeah, some of it is expensive, but any comic issue you have there are a lot of people out there that have it, too. Any original art you have, you’re the only one who has it. (My favorite thing right now, though, is getting con commissions on sketch covers and having them graded just because the label will make it easier for my wife and kids to know what they have when I die.) |
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 Ima gonna steal this and look for some occasion to use it!
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IronMan private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I like to have a well rounded collection. OA is not a primary focus for me, but a well rounded collection benefits from having some of the original, published artwork. I would also add that the market and prices of OA are very confusing. There are no price guides and because every page is unique it is not easy - nearly impossible actually - to find comparable art that recently sold. Good knowledge of any given piece is in the minds of small number of people. Because of this - and because I have a broad range tastes - anything that I own that was pricey I purchased at auction. Auctions don't guarantee you are not overpaying - but they do increase the odds that you are paying "market value" at that time. Otherwise art dealers have all the knowledge and you don't know shit. Your kids will get older, so I wouldn't avoid a piece because you can't frame and display it right away. |
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Collector*
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Towmater private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @IronMan The FMV goes out the window when certain collectors go after the same piece in an auction. There is a certain cover in the current HA.com auction that is going to have a really interesting hammer price due to it. | ||
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 Collector
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CEPubDude private msg quote post Address this user | |
| If you want to dabble in less pricey works of art look into purchasing color guides or proofs. Much cheaper and often you can buy a whole book of color guides as a set. Most of my color guide collection are pages that were $10-25 each. Buy a folio for 11x14 or 11x17 to protect them in. Ultra Pro I think is the brand I have. I have a bunch of pages I've both drawn and bought up on comicartfans. https://www.comicartfans.com/gallerydetail.asp?gcat=36186 Also this website is a great place to purchase or commission work too. |
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Collector
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CEPubDude private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Forgot to add this bit. But buying color guides provides yet another alternate avenue for viewing the artwork. Because the guides are not scanned or used for anything but providing color codes for the printer. So often you see allot of nuances that may get lost in translation to print. Tom Vincent is a guy that I really started noticing this on his long run of Silver Surfer vol 3. A fantastic colorist. Man I miss the old days... When it took 20 or so people and 15 process steps to make a comic book. Now with technology about 5-10 people and 4-5 process steps. |
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 Collector
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SpiderTim private msg quote post Address this user | |
| OA is the ultimate ladder in this hobby. As Steve said it is highly addictive. I started collecting in 2009 and haven't stopped since then. Lately I've been buying more expensive pieces that I never thought I would afford or that I'd spend such a high amount for a piece. Do your research first and try to focus on what art you wish to collect. | ||
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 " . "
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Davethebrave private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I think OA needs to be separated into at least two categories. Original art that is vs isn’t directly related to a famous panel/cover/book. I think @Briten’s question is on the former (art subsequently published in a book). Not sure if all the replies are, however. If directly related then I see the demand as relatively known/secure (based on the book). The supply is limited, depending on the nature of the art (despite each piece being “unique” the supply isn’t always “one”). This is the category of likely steadiest demand / most easily ascertained value. If unrelated then the demand is related to the artist and the piece itself. Demand is likely less clear though it will depend heavily on the artist. Of course the best of all worlds leads to incredible long-term potential (original panel art, from a major book, by a major artist). Of course highest entry price too… I collect original artwork but mostly not comic related. Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t add more original comic art (I keep my eyes open) but I only buy artwork if I intend to display it. My preference but I acknowledge there are many ways to collect. The comic art I personally prefer is typically not available as originals due to era (GA covers). If it were, it would be prohibitively expensive vs my budget. |
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Collector
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Briten private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @CEPubDude color guides scare me. They look to easy to forge, copy or fake. | ||
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Collector
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etapi65 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by IronMan Before the comic boom, there was a rule of thumb, though, assuming the published work isn't from a major key. It was something like sub-$100 for interior pages with no main/key characters. around $100-$125 for panels with key characters, but not costumed. $150-$200 for panels that had costumed heroes. Splash pages with few/no individual panels would be $200-$350. Covers would run $350-$$$$$$ depending on artist/title/book importance. Then there is the added bonus of "old" methods vs. moderns. Did you buy the inked version? The original pencils? Were the inks over blueline? Were they over original graphite pencils? Was it inked over a digital printed version or a "light box" transfer? Did you buy a prelim and not realize it wasn't the completed final version (often inkers can make significant alterations that mean what you purchased is drastically different from the final, published version). Rob Hunter, best known for his work on Red Lanterns and Morry Hollowell a popular colorist are both great to talk to about this stuff. I once bought some pencils for interior OA that an inker had purchased from the original artist and had done a bunch of inking on for practice. I liked it, but is it of any value due to the non-published alterations? No clue. That's why it's so important to really want/like what you're purchasing. Trying to figure out the "market" is near impossible. |
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 If the viagra is working you should be well over a 9.8.
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xkonk private msg quote post Address this user | |
| If you want original art but to not spend as much, you could go for commissions. That might split the difference for you. | ||
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Collector*
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Towmater private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @Davethebrave Toss in the idea of a famous artist working on the character his work is known for but in a different style. Sean Murphy is known for his work on Batman White Knight which is done in a very identifiable style. What most people don’t know or don’t remember is that he did Batman Scarecrow Year One many years ago in a VERY different style. Also, there are examples of his Mr. Freeze pitch pages out there in that style too. Both of those can be had at a faction of his later work. I’m more of a fan of the Batman Scarecrow style so if they pop up I try and acquire them. Too bad there aren’t many and that they don’t show up very often. @Briten You might want to get your toe wet by purchasing a prelim of a cover or of a page you enjoy. They are much cheaper. Sometimes they are very detailed, and tight. Both Tim Sale’s and Mike Zeck’s prelim covers are drawn that way. Also, you could buy a cover done by an artist whose work you enjoy either from an off period of their career, a smaller press, or from a character they aren’t known for doing. Perez’s work on Malibu Comic’s UltraForce cost much less that his work on Teen Titans does. Please remember you won’t see the jumps in price while you own them though and they are more likely to see price volatility. However, you get some of his work that is at the height of his abilities. |
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HAmistoso private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Everyone knows who the White Knight of Gotham is... | ||
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