grapeape

I want to take a minute to wish all of you health and success in 2020. I appreciate all of your input. I feel like I learn a lot from all of you. its a community of shared interest in an eclectic array of comic art, history and pursuit. My brother Zach came home for the holidays and pulled out a portfolio of art I helped him amass as a teenager. We shared so much joy looking at the art and trying to recall the stories behind each acquisition. Thank you all for your contributions serious and humorous. Cheers

NelsonAl made a comment about the process that I feel is correct. It was something about the effects he wanted to create in the SS cover. Byrne the GOAT of course. Tom Palmer certainly is no slouch either.

gulp........

I have tons of correspondence with Mark from private discussions. I can’t share it with you I’m afraid but Mark made some good points. In the end it all worked out and I think it was better to have that book broken up anyways.

100% correct

That’s prudent. I also think in terms of my family dealing with the art should I pass away. Not planning on it !! I have some plans but it’s quality over quantity at this point of my collecting career. No more wild spending sprees. Agreed good conversation.

Bingo *

You can find that thread but I dare not link it here. Mark's "detailed" writing went on a bit to make a point. Lots of board members kept quoting and we soon had the manuscript of War and Peace II. In the end my buddy Mark got things resolved and I'm glad. I want everybody to be happy if they can.

You are right my friend. Just having fun. I believe you have info.......and....well.......

Ok....fair enough but if someone tells me that a collector bought an Entire BWS Conan story with enough money to buy a mansion in Oklahoma—-Then—- wanted to return it because the condition of the back of the pages was not disclosed——I’ll be the one eating my own shorts.

You’re not going to get a consensus opinion. I struggled with this with John Byrnes Silver Surfer 1 annual cover 1982. When I realized Palmer inked Byrne by light box it left me stumped on how to value it. I passed. artistically COOL $ value.....uggghhh

What next? Gonna tell me JN from that other auction house bid $100,000 K on the ASM 238 cover that one of his consignors was selling? H8 H8 H8 H8 H8

$87 K today !!!! In fairness to the Brothers Raise the Rent $35 K looks like a bargain.

The usual suspects. Jeff Singh cool dude love that Tin Tin. A good post because any exposure is good. However I’m looking for ambassadors that really get to the heart of what collectors are doing in the comic art world. “Reporting is focusing on money and that’s fine. Nothing in that article is likely to persuade anyone outside our community to get involved. James Halperin doesn’t help couching our field as something you can still get in before the bubble bursts. Sounds like he’s selling oil rigs on properties Exxon left five years ago. There really is something special about comic art. I can think of fresh and forward thinking ways of 1) reassuring new and existing comic art fans that this “thing of ours” is worth staying invested in 2) attract outsiders with solid material reasons to join us based on sound economics related to inventory minus the pie in the sky buy slash and burn mentality. Its time for publicity about the artists to shape our field. The artists, through their rich history as well as their talented outputs are what sell. Simon and Kirby and WW II and many others. The sixties, seventies eighties nineties. Money is the least of it. I almost never talk money with fellow collectors unless they want my opinion. The owner of Batman 251 I want to believe cares about the art and history of the cover more than the money. Money or value is what you share with people that don’t get why a grown human would purchase kids drawings. So we tell them, that Batman or Tin Tin is worth X dollars and KPOW they understand $$$.

I plan on being more aggressive in 2020. I lost out on 2 Auction pieces I really wanted coming up the under bidder on both. Keeping an eye out for a few things I set in motion in 2019 and see if I can close a few deals: Looking for 2 specific Sal Buscema pieces but in negotiations so can’t say what. Looking for a 1977 ASM Romita strip Time to add more Kirby and John Buscema Want to go to more conventions 2020 I truly wish all of you good luck finding what you’re looking for. 🍇 ape 🦍

They’ll never find me: my CAF account is dormant. H8 H8 H8

Hey Ankur J, what if Bill Cox had the power to put these dormant galleries up for auction? We all get 5 minutes to take a quick peek. Can I get $1000 ? $1,000 ? Going once...,,, YEPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP !!!!!!

I know one in particular. We used to speak all the time. Tremendous gallery. Suddenly nothing. Years....past a decade. No response. No alternative contact. The mind wanders. There are items we discussed priced in 2003 values. They sit there taunting me. My guess he had life changes that made playing on CAF obsolete. Or God forbid did death make a house call?

One day I’ll meet my buddy Zhamlau, if he doesn’t look exactly like Ali G I’m going to be disappointed. May Sal be with you

Give em hell Terry! Ditko was, is and will always be the GOAT! Vodou posted a link for Ditko is Amazing for $58. Those in doubt should order one today. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. I have to ask buddy. Did you even put a Christmas tree up this year? Or did you just hang your ASM splash page In the living room with a string of lights around it? D I T K O

Rick is simply trying to determine a reasonable price to pay for this page. Grape ape says $6500. Why? Great page. Artistically. Eric (ESeff) $8-$9 K not completely off. For me the largest panel, the first top left your “money” panel that should justify $11 K....has the main man with his back to the observer. Artistic crime? Absurd. No way...the flow of the story. Vess knows what’s what. Does it hurt when you’re trying to grail tax me at $11 k? Hell yeah. That’s the panel that should make me hand over the money without arguing. I want the main character burning my soul with a large full panel face forward. Vess didn’t draw it that way. Artistically? Beautiful Top dollar? Not from me Also—premium tax always goes to the book title folks most associate the character-artist with. That’s the nostalgia intangible unrelated to the actual art itself. Wether that’s fair or not you must consider that when you spend your money. Unless money is no object. Also this is not a shot at the rep (we like him) or the consignor(thanks for making the page available) Rick gets that you can ask any price you want. That you can pay any price you want. Rick if I’m taking your position on this for granted chime in. Its just about trying to make sense of this crazy art world. One thing to consider. If this page is a grail for anybody on here keep quiet and go for it. The luck I’ve had 9 out of 10 times when you see an opportunity and let it pass, it will cost you at least double. Or good grief, if it falls into the hands of Los Hermanos de Fair Market Value multiplied by X 3 Inquire squared.

Vodou the print is 100% less orange then the original, and for a fraction of the price. I’m getting two.

I do think they are asking too much. I think it’s a very pretty page. It would have to have a nostalgic component of epic proportions to pull that kind of money from me. It’s not there. If you can trade favorably maybe, to get the cash ask way down. That’s something I forgot to mention. Many crazy prices are based on assumptions. 1) That those interested will try to negotiate down 2) Will try to involve trade 3) I think at $6500 Max is where I could be simply as a collector of shiny things.

Sounds like I’m bitter but I’m not. If you own it to you can value it for whatever you want. Sometimes sharing what a piece means to you will move the owner to release it and sometimes at a price both sides can be happy with. Or greed rears it’s ugly head and....

Someone made the mistake of letting the owner know it’s a piece they’ve waited their whole life for. Their dad, mom, auntie....now passed away bought them that comic when they were in grade school... or they tried to bid and the computer froze....and so on. The owner now seller has responded with “empathy” and thus the tough luck take it or leave it ransom. Merry Christmas