John E.

Why is Robert Rodriguez’s name being thrown in the mix of potential buyers?

Ha! You and I were writing that at the same time. Great minds....

Throw it up on eBay and see what happens. What d'you have to lose but your lunch? That's what I'm saying: too many puns to not make this something special in a tongue-in-cheek way. This is also how I see it: you have Curt Swan, who's closely associated with Superman, drawing on an airplane. The airplane is closely associated to Superman ("It's a bird! It's a plane!...) The invitation on the inscription reminds me of Lois Lane/Margot Kidder's flight with the Man of Steel in one of the Superman movies. Because really, had one really flown with Supes in that way, the first thing that would've happened upon landing is the tossing of the cookies. This brings us back to the barf bag. This is a joke on par with a veteran astronaut writing "You ready to go?" on a barf bag to the astronaut first-timer. This is why I think the barf bag makes the sketch more interesting than if, say, it was written on hotel stationary. But that might just be my twisted mind. I've had many of my descriptions recycled on eBay so copyright Jay Olie Espy twenty-nineteen.

Yeah I wouldn’t bother with authentication. No one is going to fake a Swan sketch on a barf bag. Curt Swan’s published work is readily available at all price points. I see something like this closer to $50, but with auctions, you never know. $100-$110 wouldn’t surprise me either. Anything around the $200 mark would. If your pal has zero money tied into this sketch, it’s a win at any price. If he dumps money on JSA then he has expectations that may not be met. What I think this piece has going for it is the flying/nausea thing. There’s a lot to break apart there. That uniqueness can be the deal maker to the right buyer.

If I look at what I post on CAF, which is the art I consider worth posting, then my published to unpublished ratio is 1:1.57. In other words, I have slightly over one-and-a-half times more unpublished art than published art. However, in terms of dollars spent, published art outspends unpublished art at a ratio of 4.82:1, or almost five dollars is spent on published art for every dollar spent on unpublished art. I think that ratio is what tells the real story. I like this type of topic. It helps me see my collection in a different light.

If you’re collecting pages written by Alan Moore, then what’s cool about this page is that his dialogue is right on the page. And it looks to be hand lettered, too, which is always a big plus in my book.

I have a feeling it’s even younger than the Liefeld demographic

I knew by your collecting focus that we were the same age—only a month apart actually. You paint some really nice work. What are doing collecting ugly comic art??? (That’s me trying to lessen the competitive field.)

I remember when I started collecting 6 years ago Snyder repped Walt Flanagan (not that he has a lot of output) and I wanna say JG Jones. Then no more. Maybe others I missed? Wonder what’s going on.

It was a great podcast, Felix. I could’ve listened to another hour. I hope all is well with your family now.

I had my house tented while i was a collector. I don’t recall what gas it was but I did take my collection with me to the hotel. I just wasn’t going to risk it. Otherwise I think the gas is harmless.

It wasn’t the back cover to any of the Concrete #s 1-10. #s6-10 is where “Heights” was published and it doesn’t show up there.

Did you buy it? It doesn’t show up under his sold listings. That’s a nice page from #32 that you have. I’m sorry about the loss of your friend, and at an early age too. The grief must be hard on his friends and family.

Yeah this has bummed me out all day too. I have a considerable modest collection compared to you all, but it’s one I’ve put together “upgrading.” I ask myself now, what’s the point? Or I think that maybe I should wrap up this circus especially as my toddlers are growing and new costs are arising. I’m small potatoes but this sure doesn’t feel like a hobby anymore. So, theoretically, if you get a freebie Jim Lee con sketch that is worth $250 on eBay, are you expected to pay tax on that because an event has been triggered?

You can find that cover posted on CAF for a closer look.

I often eyeball my grail in your gallery: that Paris Cullens Blue Beetle House ad. I just noticed that Booster Gold piece. Looks familiar...

Cool. Thank you for the insight. Obviously he wasn’t announced but it’s nice to hear that Mike was open to sell to anyone who approached him. It looks like he’s going to appear at the LA Art Con show soon (not to be confused with the L.A. Ultimate show).

I didn’t know Mike was there until I saw his photo on Anthony Snyder’s email newsletter. How was one to know he was selling art? Did he set up at a booth? Did one have to approach him?

Click Bait

If @aardvark88 can’t answer you, then my guess is that it’s Stuart Ng’s booth. You might want to start there. Check out his website at Stuart Ng’s Books. If it’s not him, it may be his neighbor at the con.

This page sold for $4500 last year. The price blows my mind despite being a nice page. Keep in mind not all pages have the same value. Each can be a lot less or lot more.

Could the first piece be Paul Hornschemier? The first 2/3 of the signature looks like it but the last third trails off. Paul is an alternative artist who worked on the Strange Tales II series. https://www.scotteder.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=9535&ArtistId=765&Details=1&From=Room Yeah that weird thing he has going in his signature before the “R” at the end on your piece matches what Paul does in his signature on the Strange Tales page.

Ryan, I’m happy that the art is back in your hands. I’m sure you’re well aware that you are one of the few lucky ones to have gotten your property back after fraud. That said, I guess what people want to know is how does one go from “this guy from Canada first tried to rope me with Friends & Family then he sent me a print” to “oh here it is all along, my bad?” Like how does one explain away a print that was never sent to him all along? Perhaps I never made myself clear but I don’t blame you for not vetting the guy in the first place. This is a hobby in which if you’re not the first to pull the trigger the piece is long gone. Or if you hesitate too long with a buyer they may lose interest as the next shiny thing comes along and miss out on a sale. Then there are those who agree to buy then you never hear from again. There’s a sea of fickle buyers and sellers out there so when one is ready to hand over your asking price, then you jump on it. I get it. But yeah, our intuition should supercede our want to buy/sell. See: gut check. This one goes against your want to put things behind you but... so are you keeping the Dell’Otto or you still selling it? There’s a grail to be had y’know!

And that guy shipped him back a print.

I don’t want to assume how he ethnically identifies himself (Mexican, Salvadoran, Guatemalan, etc) but it’s pretty standard in Latinx culture to drop the “Jose” from their name (or “Maria” for females) and go by their middle name. His friends likely know him only by Luis, while his family largely refers to him by Luis too. Dollars to donuts the “Montana” is a reference to Tony Montana (Pacino’s Scarface.) i finds myself scratching me chin hairs reading that he’s happy he didn’t fall for paying through “friends and family” and yet he spent $4250 sight unseen, based on an alleged “print.” If it truly was a print you posted and he’s going to drop $4250 to a seller across the border, you’d think he’d ask for a photo of the real deal 🤔 I kick the tires a lot for less than that.