The Voord

Okay, you nailed it.

I wasn't suggesting you have unlimited funds. I was suggesting you contact the eBay seller directly to ask for price discovery, which would at least put an end to guessing games. I never mentioned making a private offer, I said that if any revealed reserve price was do-able for you, a revised listing with a BIN was a possible way forward. If it was me, I'd be opening up a dialogue with the seller to see if we could find common ground to break the impasse. . . rather than complain about it on an internet forum. It's only if exploratory discussions broke down irretrievably that I would feel comfortable about conducting a post mortem publically.

Sounds like you're more disgruntled about losing out on the time-limited eBay offer than you are missing out on the artwork . . .which you'd like to buy, "for less than your max, if possible?" (yeah, you and everybody else in this hobby). Instead of going all round the houses, why don't you just contact the seller directly via PM asking for 'best price' he's willing to let the art go at? He can change the listing to feature an agreed BIN price, timed for when you're watching. If it's not do-able for you, end of story, move on.

I really wouldn't try to distinguish between JIM and Thor. They just dropped JIM from the logo with the numbering of the book continuing. It's still the same comic-book and, personally, I'd be more focused on the artwork and content. It's ALL Thor . . .

Great artwork, I really like Powell's 'The Goon'.

I reached out to Matt on FB and he's confirmed that the drawing is his. Signatures are poles apart, but the artist tells me he recently changed his way of signing art. Problem solved and I'm happy for you that the art's authentic.

No CAF presence for Matt Flint and a google search yields results for an artist who specializes in wildlife paintings (totally disconnected to comic-book stuff). The signature on display for the close-up of the upper drawing you provided doesn't really correspond to the name 'Matt Flint' (looks more like, A . . . A . . . ). Problem with buying unpublished drawings from eBay sellers is that it's rife with problems over what, exactly, it is that you're buying. I'm no expert on Tucci artwork, but from a little investigation on my behalf the face (on the bottom character) does appear to be authentic. Not my intention to rain on your parade, but you did ask, and I'd hate to think that you might have been stung.

Not so sure about that top piece . . . the inking lacks finesse and looks shaky in parts? Sorry, it's my honest opinion.

Fan art?

The investment angle now figures heavily in today's marketplace for OA . . . but most of us here are collectors, first and foremost. A lot of us have over-paid for art that has a special connection. It's not uncommon. Are you more concerned with the fact that you might have paid well above FMV, rather than being delighted with what you bought? If you've made good choices, values are likely to eventually catch-up to what you might have over-paid.

I started collecting artwork in 1982, which was pre-investment-mentality days . . . at a time before the internet was invented. All I can say is that I've done spectacularly well on re-sale over the years, which had more to do with luck than shrewd collecting on my behalf. The market changed over the years and I can appreciate more nowadays, with prices having gone the way they have, why the investment angle figures more heavily for collectors shelling out big bucks for their art fix in today's world.

I got as far as the paragraph which reads: "Today I have better taste. In fact, I have better taste than most of you. This is not because I’m smarter or worked harder, this is because I had the luxury of reading and buying and selling comics and art without using exclusively my money. If you are reasonably intelligent and have decent self-awareness (most of you), you can develop taste. If you have nearly unlimited access to comic books and great access to original art (almost none of you), you can develop taste better and faster. " . . . and couldn't stomach any more of the author's elitist attitude.

I run a FB group for Movie Poster original artwork: https://www.facebook.com/groups/131047770909401/ Currently at over 1,200 members and growing. It's (obviously) not comic-book art, but if you're a fan of the movies might be worth joining. You don't have to own any paintings to participate and can just sit back and enjoy the eye candy. For example . . .

I still love CAF but, yeah, it's become a bit of a chore trawling through all the junk that gets posted (bit like eBay). Lately, I'm not really following new art being posted, preferring to opt for searches of those artists I admire.

The painting's now been cleaned-up, matted and framed with recreated captioned materials currently being prepared. Here's a photo of how it now looks (excuse the glass reflection). . .

Good luck to the show's audience . . . they're going to need it.

I'd liken him to someone who produced bad fan-fiction back in the day . . . and never really progressed much over the years with his attempts at writing.

Chibnall was from Formby, Merseyside, so it is him.

I reckon the Mona Lisa needs to be altered . . .

Via Richie Halegua! See my FB post . . .

NEW IN TODAY . . . an unused movie poster design for the 1968 film, THE POWER. Not 100% sure who the artist is but I lean towards Gray Morrow, who is credited with painting the used movie poster design (and to my eye, there are strong similarities). The movie was both George Pal and Byron Haskin's last outing on the big screen (WAR OF THE WORLDS is probably their best-known and loved collaboration). Full write-up large scan and additional image at: https://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=1541955

You could use it to line the bottom of your budgie's cage? Maybe he'd like the bright colours if you wanted to go that route . . .

I agree with most that having this unfinished page inked was not a wise move. Sinnott is rightly regarded as a terrific inker, yet the way he's inked the Surfer's face looks off to me. Might have been a better option to have asked Sinnott to ink a separate version to keep the unfinished original artwork intact, but what's done is done. The BIN price-tag seems horrendous to me and I'm struggling to see how having an interesting (unfinished) page of artwork altered can justify the ask-price? If anything, what's been done here is more likely to have a negative impact on value. Would be very surprised to learn that this one finds a buyer anytime soon. Not angry, just saddened. One to be filed under, "It seemed like a good idea at the time".

I'd be absolutely shocked to hear that this drawing saw print, professionally. Let's be honest, it's not very good, is it? Maybe for a fanzine?

You can never have too many pictures, thanks for sharing!