JadeGiant

I think these are the 2 prevailing definitions that people loosely associate with the term. I have always thought of a black hole collection as one that is unknown to the hobby - I imagine Hulk 1 and other rare gems being in this category More recently it seems that people are talking about collectors that buy and never sell as being a black hole. I would (to this point) qualify for this category Maybe we have 50 shades of black hole collectors

I think my number may be in the same (30%) range. Not by design, intention, or any other specific reason ... but I do believe it might be close.

Where did the bidding end and where is it now?

I would probably not opt to have the description for my personal taste as well. On the flip side, it does add nice context to someone looking at the piece and wondering where it comes from and might generate more interest for a non comic/art collector. I think it is done well and has a good eye appeal.

This. So frustrating that they don't keep pages up for reference like HA. And why not offer a tracking feature?

There are so many One Minute Later possibilities here. In this versions, I think the title needs to be adjusted to "Junkies Win!"

Agreed. I do see IG making up a lot of ground due to the MCU franchise and the phase one pinnacle being the 2 movie Avengers/Thanos story. The other stories may have the edge in units sold from a comic perspective but haw many will have seen the IW movies and/or bought copies at home. We are already seeing the value jump significantly which tells me there is a correlation between the movie and the art (I know, duh). Perez will always be the IG King but Lim will close that gap, the question is how much?

The Sal page is so much better in so many ways. The Jones page is not terrible but it suffers massively in comparison to the Sal page.

There is - over in the marketplace I believe

This looks to be a fake intended to fool someone into pulling a quick trigger. I always liked the cover on this issue but the interiors were among my favorite art in the run. I was thrilled to find a page with Sal Buscema goodness! http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=1411076

Fantastic artwork!

This could very well be the case. Lee doesn't sell a lot of work as it means a lot to him. When he prices, it is not cheap and is set at a price that he would be OK letting it go. Lee is also very busy these days so it could be that as well

I find it true at any level. If I am actively chasing something the last thing I want to do is take any action that I might perceive to drive up what I have to pay for my next purchase(s)

I don't disagree, been guilty of it myself many times

Maybe Burkey will provide some insight (unless he is a potential buyer in which case he will let us believe it looks like a stat)

Good observation. I can see that for sure, especially in the large scan

I hear you and see where you are coming from. There can be a blurry line between investment and gamble. When you start using words like hope and emotion I think you start skewing toward gamble and away from investment. At least that’s how I look at it. Sure, thinking about potential future value of any large purchase should be part of any significant financial outlay. When I make a larger purchase, I am making an assumption that I will recoup some of my investment if I should decide to sell but I am also OK with taking a loss if that should be the case. The emotional gain of the art can translate to a financial loss and this is a balancing act I accept. Does this play out very often? So far, no (at least in what the market tells me my art is worth vs what I paid) but I have only held my art and not sold. Who knows that the future holds? That said, I view this exclusively as a hobby which helps to shape my view on purchases. I know a lot of people look at a lot of their purchases and are able to buy low and sell high (on average, across the board) and use this to fund purchases that are more emotionally based. For those who can do that, I applaud them. For me, I’d rather just buy for enjoyment. All approaches are good in my book! $.02 gam·ble 1. play games of chance for money; bet. 2. take risky action in the hope of a desired result. in·vest·ment 1. the action or process of investing money for profit or material result.

I never had the chance to meet her but I have heard so many wonderful stories about her through the years. Sad to see another member of the original Marvel bullpen lost. RIP

Very cool - thanks!

where do you get the foam?

I would imagine that any succession of deposition(s) would soon lead to a dead end. The person who sold the art is unknown/not remembered, cash purchase at a con, the person who sold it is deceased, etc. Regarding the moral compass issue - I think most would agree that the initial art theft falls under this category but I also think it highly plausible that someone along the way bought the art without any inkling of moral issue(s) being present - saw the art, liked it and the price was right and bought it.

Maybe we don't need to share all eBay non-art purchases

I have never seen a Romita signature like that. Interesting.