PhilipB2k17

Here's my advice. I started out exactly the same way. Over time, I realized that I could not get pages that I really wanted by sticking to my limited budget. I found a few tricks to pay for stuff (such as using PayPal 6 months interest free credit -- so I could buy something and pay it off over time), but ultimately, I had to adjust my parameters and expectations. I still try to stick within a budget, however. But what I've found is that the more art you scroll through and look at, the more selective you get. I highly recommend spending about an hour a day just scrolling through the new art listings on CAF, or Comic Art Tracker or even eBay. You will develop a much better eye, and it will help you learn value as well. Every once in a while, a page will pop up that you just know you have to have, and you should go for it if its within reasonable reach. But you still have to have budget discipline. One thing I've found is that even if you miss on a page that you really want, you mostly get over it after a while and something else will come along that you also like. I am speaking, of course, from the perspective of someone who is a middle, to low mid-tier collector. A true historic grail page is always going to be out of my reach. But pages within my (our?) range do pop up from time to time. The only downside to my method is that you have to sift through a lot of dreck to find that needle in the haystack.

Unless you are scanning them to create a super hi resolution copy to display, or for an artist's edition, there's no point in buying a standalone scanner when you can use the increasingly sophisticated mobile phone apps. And if you are doing the former with a handful of pieces (for display purposes) you can just take them to our local Kinkos or print shop and get it done. The only reason to have a scanner is for when you have a multipage document that you need to scan into digital format and want to use the automatic document feeder. I have a cheap, at home printer for that purpose, but it's too small for OA scans (except for a couple of my smaller pieces). Just my opinion.

Well…there’s currently a big controversy about some DC artists being accused of using AI.

The logic flaw in the Biff/Almanac timeline is that, eventually, sports books would adjust their odds to account for the fact that this guy never misses. He would have to get increasingly clever in his bets to disguise who he was in order not to distort the odds.

Quantum computing, AI, virtual reality and advanced robotics, and fusion reactors are going to transform society in the next 501-00 years into Star Trek -- minus the Warp engines.

Which is why they went out and partnered with Steve Borok to try and lure in better consignments?

I think an appeal could reasonably be made to Steve Borock that it behooves them to get as many eyeballs on their auction offerings as possible, to generate interest, results and better consignments.

I think exceptions can probably be made for gorgeous painted artwork, from a display standpoint.

IMHO, I think internal page comic art featuring word balloons is just more aesthetically pleasing to collectors. It frames up nicely on a wall, and you can tell what it is at a glance. A lot of "modern" art, you aren't sure if it's a pinup, commission, or a published page. Also, decompressed storytelling has had an effect on the pages as well. While modern collectors know what it is, I'm not sure it has legs beyond the specific nostalgia era of the people who bought the comic. On the other hand, I could easily see some random collector who knows nothing about comics gravitate to a nice 80's panel page featuring a character they are familiar with from pop culture, with word balloons and corny comic book dialogue, regardless of the artist, or storyline. It's an interesting cultural artifact, if nothing else.

The Gilbert Shelton/Freak Bothers-ance is interesting.

On the other hand, quality American Flagg art by Howard Chaykin keeps going up.

The summer of '77, my family took a month-long vacation, which included loading up our station wagon and driving out to the West Coast. Along with stops at the Grand Canyon and Denver, we went to Los Angles. I brought along (and purchased on the way) comic books, and sci-fic and movie magazines like Starlog, all of which had a lot of coverage about the new Star Wars film. I begged my father to go see it, but I did not get to until I got back from the trip because the lines in LA to see the film were blocks long.

There's also a recent auction results history over at ComicLink.

The Secret Wars 8 page will not recoup its auction value for 30 years.

I just literally, last week, picked up a page of Space:1999 art from their oversized magazine by Gray Morrow. That IP has been dormant for 50 years. I mean, the very name points out how long it's been since it was adapted.

Gaiman tax.

Kirby's 2001 film adaptation is renowned as some of his best work. And it has a wider cultural footprint than comic books. I mean, how valuable are the pages of the Star Wars film adaption comic books? I suspect they are much, much more valuable due to Star Wars' cultural impact than the 2001 pages are. How much would you pay for an Al Williamson "Blade Runner" page?

I don't think the Caveman stuff would necessarily be desirable. I think Monolith, or cosmic or space stuff is where to put your money.

I certainly was. I wanted to bid on the previous page where Bowman is deactivating HAL, but it went way over my budget.

This is after the recent Kirby 2001 page where Bowman is deactivating HAL that got a really good result. Kirby's 2001 stuff related to the film is pretty desirable.

2001 is a far more important property and page. I'm not sure Kamandi is, although there are a few diehard fans of it.

That's been discussed for years, actually. Arnold wants to do it. I think they'd be better off rebooting it with a younger actor.

Speaking from experience, make sure your art is locked up securely when you are not around. I lost some valuable comics to one of my daughter's "boyfriends."