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alxjhnsn

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Posts posted by alxjhnsn

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    Who/what got you started on your OA journey?

    in Original Comic Art

    Posted · Edited by alxjhnsn

    Long story, told long. :)

    I bought my first comic from a comic book vending machine in Brownsville, TX in the summer of 1964. We were returning from Mexico and barely made it. There were 9 of us in that six passenger, un air conditioned, green, Plymouth station wagon.

    image.png.ca0ce81eb3ff6dccb88851ef38cd9213.png

    Only my maternal grandmother and I had any cash left to buy gas; credit cards weren't used in Mexico. When we got to Brownsville, we stopped at a Howard Johnson's for lunch and they had the vending machine. I got $0.15 from my dad and bought my first comic.

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    My brother and I studied the splash page intensely (I was 8 and he would soon turn 7) trying to figure out who was who. We knew Superman and Batman and probably Wonder Woman, but the rest? They were ciphers. We had to read and know more!
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    That fall, I got pneumonia and there was a thought that I would die. I was in the hospital for 6 weeks. During that period, my dad asked if I wanted anything and I said some comics. He brought me a stack of whatever he could find at the convenience store (a U-tote-M). I was permanently hooked.

    I bought comics all over town - collecting soft drink bottles for the deposit and using the money on comics. Houston had cons in the late 60s and early 70s and I attended a number and thumbed through some comic book pages, but did I buy anything? Nope. Sigh...

    Still, I kept buying comics all the way through my wedding. However, less than a year later, disaster struck. My comic buying made my wife cry. You can read about that by clicking on the cover art to the magazine that published our story winning the writer an award along the way.

    image.png.c60756285a528d38e8b2b85b7a390aef.png

    So, I stopped. Cold turkey. Nothing for about a decade. But you know that because you read the article. You also know that I started buying comics again and why.

    Then something really odd happened. My paternal grandmother left me an inheritance. Why is that odd, well. She died in 1967 when I was 11 and this was 2005! Turns out she'd left a small trust that was being dissolved and spread among her three natural children. My dad had passed so I got 1/4th of his 1/3rd share or $1500.

    Wow! Money. Kathy and I decided that we didn't have any major expenses so I could have it as "fun money." That was rare in our house.

    I'd discovered Heritage about that time and lo and behold they had a piece of my favorite character by my favorite artist - Superman by Curt Swan! They also had a one-page Sugar and Spike story by Sheldon Mayer (a genius). I struggled and finally decided to go all in on the S&S piece since I thought it would have fewer bidders than Superman.

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    Though my Superman bid hadn't been exceeded yet, I was sure that it would be; after all, Superman and Swan are much more popular than S&S and Mayer, right?

    When the auction ended, I was so sad because I'd lost the one page S&S story. I scrolled down to see the other prices and the Superman piece was green, but that meant I'd won it, but that couldn't be! I was shocked and disbelieving. One more bid would have won it, but it didn't happen.

    image.png.15aa21100840ff398973080901aa7738.png

    My story in a nutshell, my grandmother after being dead for 38 years bought a piece of OA for me by my favorite artist of my favorite character. Thanks, Grandmother.
     

     

    Preliminary Art - What's your take?

    in Original Comic Art

    Posted · Edited by alxjhnsn

    I really enjoy pre-lims. I've received a few for my commissions. In each case below, you can double click on the image and learn more about the piece.

    D**k Giordano - JLA, he did every DC character at one time or another so I asked for some something I could afford with as many as he would do. I think I over art directed it a bit, but I like it. Classic Giordano. Found the preliminary drawing on Anthony's site after D**k passed away. Never thought to ask for it.

    image.thumb.png.478d102dc1be4957d15acb027c6659a7.png

    Nick Cardy - Bat Lash, there are three books that I just love Nick's work on Bat Lash, Teen Titans, and Aquaman. I managed to get commissions for two of the three before he retired for good. Again, I didn't think to ask about preliminaries and, again, I found it on Anthony's site.
    image.thumb.png.ac835b6daff88e856f60e4741c85e17e.png

    Nick Pitarra - Leviathan, Manhattan Projects, etc. - Love Nick's work and ask for Nick, an amateur arm-wrestler vs. Supergirl. He went way, way above the call of duty. 

    image.thumb.png.aad439f920c7b43bcab2664800c932c2.png

    Art restorer recommendation needed

    in Original Comic Art

    Posted

    In the many threads on paper conservation, the names that recur the most were:

    I also had one recommendation for:
    I would add that most major museums know of paper conservators. You might want to contact someone at a local museum and see if there is a conservator close to you.
     
     
    Finally, you can see some of Robert's work on his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/robertwaynedennis/

    Post Your Favorite Commission From Your Personal Collection

    in Original Comic Art

    Posted

    With 98 successful commissions, I thought I'd share my secret. I'm an amazing art director. Look at this art direction and click the link, you will be impressed with my abilities.

    Here are some examples:

    Yep, it's clearly the art direction (or, maybe, it's luck and choosing the right artists). Nope, it's my art direction. :)

    Post Your Favorite Commission From Your Personal Collection

    in Original Comic Art

    Posted · Edited by alxjhnsn

    On 5/23/2019 at 9:03 PM, mister_not_so_nice said:

    oh, I thought you were a serious collector.  Guess I was wrong :foryou:

     

     

     

    :jokealert:

    I'm a collector alright, just not a great investor! I figure I lose 50% on the dollar on commissions if I had to resell.

    OTOH, what else could I do? I had wanted to collect Preacher pages, but someone bought them all. I hear he's a hoarder!

     

    Pencils or Inks...A POLL!

    in Original Comic Art

    Posted

    3 hours ago, Rick2you2 said:

     

    Instinctually, that sounds right, but from an intellectual perspective, it doesn't make any sense. I would generally buy the inks, but sometimes, pencils have a tonality which I don't think is captured with straight inks. 

    I'd buy the pencils. :) 

    Pencils or Inks...A POLL!

    in Original Comic Art

    Posted

    I'd rather have old style - pencils, inks, and words on one page.

    Failing that, inks and pencils on one page.

    Failing that, pencils without ink, but I want to find the inks to go with it

    Finally, I'd buy ink over blue line. 

    I'm not sure how to show this in your pole so I went for the third option.

     

    I was really lucky, I bought a page from Bob Wiacek that I liked and later found the pencils! Read all about it by clicking on the image.

    Hdr,%20Daniel%20and%20Bob%20Wiacek%20(Triptych,%20smaller)%20-%20LSH%20(2010)%208%20Page%2026.jpg

    Blue Pencil, then traditional pencil....does it effect the collectability/value?

    in Original Comic Art

    Posted

    The most expensive piece I own is a commission that I suspect only a very few would enjoy. The final work product is a print.

    image.thumb.png.f141bd68e13a11e02f973d17a210252a.png

    This is framed and on my wall. Click to embiggen.

    I like the original art just as much. Yale uses a blue pencil and then inks. Yes, I'd prefer graphite, but it's still okay by me.

    image.thumb.png.3c2c8d585e8321e7c600ea164d177a72.png

    The blue shading does show through, but it's interesting to see the changes he made.

    All in all, I prefer graphic, but I don't mind blue pencils.

    CLink Spring Featured Auction

    in Original Comic Art

    Posted

    23 hours ago, Lee B. said:

    Back in 1989 or so, you could have gotten a nice little stack of McSpidey splashes for $1K.  This list comes from The Spider's Web, which apparently was Todd McFarlane and his brother-in-law's store.  McSpidey covers at this time were priced at between $750 and $1,000, apparently.  Cheers, Lee

    McFarlane_ad2.jpg

    This is why I NEVER read old comic art ads. I can't handle the heart ache!

     

    The OFFICIAL "This week in your ORIGINAL ART collection?"

    in Original Comic Art

    Posted

    2 hours ago, GreatEscape said:

    I've always wanted a vintage Iron Fist cover.  Marvel Premiere #22 is a fantastic Iron Fist cover featuring an epic kung-fu showdown against deadly ninjas! Classic image of Iron Fist in action with energized fist-- nearly identical pose to his 1st app cover Marvel Premiere #15! 

    Iron Fist cover    (classic pose similar to Marvel Premiere #15 :cloud9:) 

    1291784136_IronFist22.thumb.jpg.1aca742214853521ffcbf6dcc72f8e04.jpg

     

    Really great example! Congratulations.

    The OFFICIAL "This week in your ORIGINAL ART collection?"

    in Original Comic Art

    Posted

    4 hours ago, Twanj said:

    Thanks!

    I'm a relatively new fan of Coipel, check out that Mighty Thor run & other Thor stuff...and anything else anyone has to recommend by him?

    Yes, his work on the Legion of Super-Heroes with Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning is exceptional.

    There are a couple of collections that you could pickup though I suspect the back issues are pretty cheap, too.

    Volume 1

    Volume 2

    They are really great stories if disturbing.