GreatEscape

Thanks Scott, proud to join the club (better late than never!). Picky by nature, I waited patiently until this splash came along, hit all my buttons.

Time to share a personal grail that I’m truly humbled to own: the stunning end splash from Frank Miller's Elektra Assassin #6 (1987) by Bill Sienkiewicz. This painted masterpiece features both primary characters Elektra and Garrett-- a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and alcoholic who becomes obsessed with Elektra-- surrounded by heavy artillery and sais, Elektra's deadly weapon of choice. A remarkable "Love and War" juxtaposition with the heart-shaped bed and over-the-top firepower. The heart bed and stunning red and black composition is perfect for Valentines Day , a celebration for lovers but also remembered for the brutal St. Valentines Day massacre in 1929. The artistic collaboration of Sienkiewicz and Miller changed comics forever, making Elektra Assassin among the best-remembered works of the 1980s, published at the peak of Elektra's popularity following her introduction, death and resurrection in Miller's Daredevil run. With groundbreaking graphic storytelling techniques, Elektra Assassin was written and painted for mature readers...a trippy fever dream, a winding commentary on love, sex, politics, drugs, and nuclear war. Some say it's a glimpse into the genius but conflicted mind of Frank Miller himself. Special thanks to my good friend Alex B who tolerated my inquiries for years. This Elektra Assassin splash is a cornerstone piece that I'll cherish forever. Link

A ferocious Doomsday #1 splash by Dan Jurgens and Brett Breeding, the two artists behind the "Death of Superman" saga. The caption says it all: “It is Death personified!" Link

Neal Adams - Batman #232

Love the “straight leg” pose, a Steranko hallmark...compare with my X-Men 51 panel. Cool!

Amazing gallery. Impressive depth and variety barely 2 years in, already refined tastes of a veteran collector. Jason seems comfortable knowing which pieces resonate with him and are worth going to the mat for.

Nice bonus when your art is re-published in a different comic, ad, toys or merchandising!

Proud to add this Cloak and Dagger #19 (1991) cover with a huge, powerful image from a memorable final issue where the true, full origin of Cloak and Dagger is finally revealed: Link

The FIRST EVER appearance of The Court of Owls from Batman #3 page 19 (2011) splash by Greg Capullo. The Court of Owls saga kicked off Batman's New 52 era and later appeared in Gotham TV episodes, animated film, toys and video games (plus rumors for a future Batman movie) often reprinting the stunning bottom panel As a bonus, the center Talon image inspired the Batman #4 cover. Link Page 19 splash, tight Capullo pencils, Batman #4 cover Gotham TV promo ad

This is very important to me, especially as I approach my “Dark Knight” Batman years. My wife and kids know the OA collection is valuable but would have no idea of FMVs for individual pieces if sold. I put a copy of my spreadsheet in the safe with a auction contact and general instructions for next steps “in the event of my passing”. Now I realize I might have to add location (ie, framed painting in blue bedroom) and first dibs for select pieces (John Smith, jsmith@gmail, $25kif interested) but the latter brings added complexity / hassle for my family. So, I’m rethinking my spreadsheet in light of everyone’s input #grateful

I keep a spreadsheet to stay organized, record acquisition details, CAF posting dates and as handy reference for buy/sell/trade decisions. I also add personal grades and FMV estimates so I can prioritize/rank pieces and explore options to upgrade or chase grails. In many ways, I think having a personal spreadsheet helps me go from clueless to confident. to

Since the question relates to PUBLISHED splashes, I’d offer: 1) Tin Tin (if a splash exists, would have been drawn by Herge and worth $$$$) 2) Fritz the Cat or other uniquely Crumb characters (his Ms. Dale Steinberger splash sold for $31k) Then... 3) Rorschach, Wolverine, Dark Phoenix, Batman (on gargoyle), Elektra, Dr. Doom, Thanos = my order of value, regardless of artist. If I were to commission a new piece to hold value, I’d prioritize character splashes in that order as well. Note: Silver Surfer is fairly simple to draw but the detail/quality of cosmic background ultimately drives value. My

How about Action Comics #1 cover which was derived from one of the interior panels. A February 22, 1938 letter from DC editor Vin Sullivan to Siegel provided: “I’m enclosing a silverprint of the cover of Action Comics. You’ll note that we already used one of those panel drawings of SUPERMAN, as you suggested in your recent letter.” In other words, per Siegel’s suggestion, DC used one of the panel drawings from the Superman story as a template to create the cover art.

Here’s an example of an interior page— Daredevil “The Man Without Fear” concluding DPS in this case— was later used as a trade paperback cover:

My first 2020 post is a significant and treasured piece for me: Erik Larsen's classic ASM #324 p1 splash (1989) and his first SPIDEY art after taking over for Todd McFarlane! A huge Spidey hanging upside-down with tons of webbing! These days "Upside Down Spidey" has become a popular theme for movie posters and toys... Link

PUBLISHED DC's Batman 80th Anniversary Celebration Art (2019) by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez used and promoted throughout the year-long celebration. $460 w/ BP

Speaking of dormant galleries, Ken Z owned CAF's most popular piece ever with 98k views: the "Very Sexy Red Sonja" pin-up by Alex Miranda. After Ken's passing, I'm not sure what will happen to his gallery. As the new owner, I wanted to honor Ken and the incredible Red Sonja pin-up that connected him to so many friends and fellow collectors on CAF. Red Sonja

What's the most viewed piece ever on CAF? Formerly owned by the late Ken Z, this stunning Alex Miranda Red Sonja pin-up is CAF's #1 most popular piece with over 98,000 views (gulp!) and deserving so. As a tribute to Ken, I'm posting the Red Sonja for all to enjoy. RIP Ken...and thank you. Link

Star Wars fans...I posted an early Star Wars Sunday (1979, #6 in the series) introducing Han Solo, Chewbacca and the Millennium Falcon, with appearances by C-3PO and R2-D2! Classic Star Wars art by Russ Manning. Great shots of the Millennium Falcon with Darth Vader’s ship approaching. Link

When I first joined CAF in 2004, I posted all my best stuff only to see many pieces quickly sold to unsolicited offers—I’m grateful as always but a fair share of regrets in hindsight. Today, I’ve changed a bit, posting some, not all, of my "big wins" as representative of my collecting interests. Probably less inclined to post top pieces acquired via private sale/trade, not sure why...maybe they are more personal/nostalgic to me or because I paid too much. Like many, I prefer to keep the majority of my collection private but usually post pieces several months (if not years) after acquiring them. This delay allows me to enjoy new acquisitions privately and share with friends for a while but also helps me better identify “keepers” compared to those destined for upgrade or sale. So, my CAF postings are “fully marinated and taste-tested” so to speak, and NFS by nature. Finally, I’d like to think delayed timing helps downplay any pricing and/or boasting aspects when folks are highly tuned to the latest auction results or FS classifieds. While my acquisitions (and budgets) can be lumpy, I try to post pieces on regular cadence (~ every two weeks), usually Sundays, with selections inspired by movie releases, holidays, artist birthdays, hobby trends or just personal whim. This week, for example, I’m considering either a Star Wars or Frankenstein related post. I know my buying will eventually slow down, so I hope my private inventory allows me to stay active on CAF for an extended time. CAF remains core to my ongoing enjoyment and engagement with this hobby along with the CGC boards. Amazing but I’ve learned more about fellow collectors based on their CAF galleries than personal interactions, so I want my CAF gallery and postings to be a good reflection of my collecting profile and personal values. Recently, I joined the Facebook OA groups...my initial impression is that Facebook is highly linear and flow-oriented (like CGC postings) compared to the personalized, interactive and exploratory experience that I get with CAF. Just my