Panelfan1

Comiclink summer sale link

Did you find an old frame that fit? Or is it a new frame ? Personally I have avoided gold frames for a while - but it seems to suit this piece well.

E is for Elvira - and this guy is no sexy thing - but if you like it- who are we to judge. Question - do you like it because it's from the title Shazam that you enjoy? Or is it is something else and if so what is it?

You are right. This thread is not about mediocre ary - but there was a comment made that I was replying to. If you double check my original comment was replying to Rick2you2 who had said he had bought mediocre art. I was asking HIM to post the example of which he spoke. The comment peaked my curiosity. SOONERS161 replied instead - which is the fun of these threads. So it's all good! Ha ha.

The request was for an example of mediocre art. This is not that. Ha ha.its cartoony for sure - but not mediocre.

So I am a fan of the Mayhew Vampi covers - but admit that I hadn't read them. My question is 'does vampi do karate/kung fu inside the comic? The way its shown on this cover.

Can you post an example?

Such a tease!

Cool idea. Maybe this can be combined with the Andy Robbins method to come up with a definitive measurement standard.

With all the discussion of A and B art - it's clear not all art is created equal. If Jack Kirby drew this- it may have been B or C level, but without a doubt - this is a piece of art that brings a smile to my face and I am glad to have been able to add to my collection. E is for Elvira. If you got art that you love but is not about to win any popularity contests - feel free to post here. You can see my art and read my comments HERE.

You make a bunch of great points - but at the end of the day whoever paid that for this page - now has that page instead of something else. Not sure if its a good analogy - but I am sure many of us have had the following shared experience. You go to a fancy restaurant. You order an expensive meal. You are served a tiny piece of meat with some greens stacked in the centre of an otherwise empty plate. It's plated beautifully. You finish eating. You pay the high bill. You are still hungry. It just wasnt satisfying. At a low price I can understand wanting a taste of something - but at the cost many times the multiple of other great options - I have a hard time justifying. If someone wanted to argue that this placeholder will be used to trade up later - I would understand better. But not by much.

No intention to start a fight with fans of this page - as it's purely personal opinion/taste . This is my take on the KJ page. I think when you say desirable- but not worth the 120k - that is to say - for most collectors - even if the funds were available - the 120 could be better spent on other art (multiple pieces perhaps) that have more meat on the bone. I understand that this is by a key artist and a key book - but it's (for my personal enjoyment taste) very undesirable because of the page content. As an example - my favorite comic is Groo If this were a groo page - priced in line with other Groo pages - I wouldn't buy it - as it's not a good example of that series. Likewise I don't understand the desire to own any example from a book regardless of content- just to own a piece of it. If you are a collector who buys any art simply as an example to add to your collection, feel free to chime in and give us insight into what drives this.

And there's the rub.

I think what you say is fair if A, B etc.. is across all artists and titles.. but within a character or single artist - perhaps there can be another measure? Also - would it be fair to say while there are few As, there are way more Bs etc..

Most of what I like is B or C material (in so far as characters and artists are concerned). I appreciate some A stuff - but budget and nostalgia being what it is - I love a lot of B comics and C characters. If others chime in and pointthat out about my collection - It's not a problem. Just to illustrate what I am saying - I enjoy : Groo, Madman, firestorm, Blue Beetle, Deadman, Cloak and Dagger, etc.. just as much or more than say Batman. Or titles such as worlds finest, brave and the bold, marvel team-up, etc.. as much as say Amazing Spiderman.

Check caf. 2 pieces were posted for sale in past couple of weeks

This is exactly the question I had in mind when starting this thread. A real Great action page from a B or C title by a solid but not 'famous' artist. A lot of art like this has been moving on up in value lately. In my book it's A material but from a B creator/title therefore B level art. If it were the same artist on the same book but a talking page with no heroes- it would be C or d level. This is all just guessing. What do others think?

Is this article written by the Felix Podcast guest from a while back?

I'll second that motion! Alex Toth art is not simple in any way. It's just less detailed. Details/rendering doesn't = craft. Craft I think is working at a high level (due to knowledge, skill, practice and effort) in any area of expertise. So while it applies to artists, it could apply to most skilled professions. On the less is more argument - I always think of Charlie Brown. Damn he seems so simple to draw- but it ain't easy!

How do you guys feel about Chris Ware from a craft perspective? Personally - I can't enjoy his work because it is so technical/clinical looking. If there is warmth or emotion in the art- I do not see it. He is skilled - but his technical focus leaves me cold. This thread has been looking at craft vs nostalgia - but to add another dimension - I buy art based on emotion. Nostalgia and craft both played a role in how I feel when I look at a work of art. Appreciating art on an intellectual level (ex. Why an artist is important or influential, in the history of the medium etc..) does not budge me when it comes to spending. I am asking because I know he has a lot of fans - and his work commands big bucks. I suspect that what others like about his craft is exactly what turns me off to his work.

The question I would have regarding your (@delekkerste) initial argument that I would love for you to clear up is - are you saying that craft only exists outside of super hero art? Because there are a ton of talented artists who have and who still are working on superhero art. These artists bring a high level of craft to their work -it's simply that it was applied to characters in costume. Jim Lee for example has pretty much only done superhero art -and I think he is awesome at it. Now to answer the question - you are correct - Nostalgia trumps craft by a wide margin. Having said that - Craft distinguishes various art within that. So for example - in any given hero title (say spiderman, superman etc..) certain artists come on top in popularity and demand. That is in part due to their style/craft. At the same time - many collectors are not that sophisticated when it comes to drawing,anatomy, etc.. For them, nostalgia is probably the biggest factor. As a collector of both comic art and vintage magazine illustration art - I find that there is tremendous craft in the vintage art I collect -but not a lot of demand -as it is not tied to any nostalgia.

Wasnt/isn't he doing titans or some such title at DC?

Also - as a related story - I had spoken with Davis Finch once and he told me that he would charge differently for similar art based on the title. So batman art went for more than batman in detective - and that according to him had to do with demand from fans.

Is it fair to say that A vs B etc.. should be used in comparing similar era stuff. So silver age A should not be compared to modern or bronze A. But rather to other art from the same period? Another thought on the topic - barring a top name artist or key appearence/story- can a really well done piece be an A anyhow? Or is it B or worse without top name talent and story element.?

Very cool piece. great photo too!