Rick2you2

Well, since that seems to be the consensus, so be it.

I had noticed that. For the most part, they were/are relatively low level pieces selling for low level prices (like Madam Xanadu).

Then why was it drawn on the back of a page of art instead of as a formal submission? Bristol board isn’t expensive. And, when I have seen sketches on the back of art, they are usually just preliminary. Come to think of it, why was it done anyway? By the way, I love Tony’s work when he was free to draw in his natural style, and even when not, it is always very good.

So, if I infer correctly, Roy is telling Tony ink the back for free and I will approve the front page? Hell, I would by this for that alone.

Now you know why I posted it as a dilemma, although, yours is an easier choice. In my case, it is only about a 2/3rds splash. Depending on pricing, I may solve the problem by buying both since they won’t cost much.

This should be on the marketplace board.

Same with subject matters. Lately, there have been runs of commissions involving Batman sitting on stone gargoyles (which I confess are cool), weird commissions involving Wonder Woman (not just the usual run of soft porn), and that other Phantom guy, the one in the purple skintights.

Maybe, forever. Some people here have phenomenal memories. Personally, I don't care if it is "fresh to market" or not. I am not buying fish. Adams won't stink with age. The only thing the concept really means is that you get to perhaps figure out what the seller originally bought it for, and maybe lament you didn't buy it yourself when you could have.

I am talking out of my hat here, but is there a way to make the art unique with blockchain? Or does that have to be done before it is produced, and is it too costly? That would certainly help the market, but I think the best you will get is a market like lithographs as compared to paintings. Potentially valuable, but not an oil, etc. While I realize a lot of OA has become expensive, a lot of very good art is not. No reason to drink the Koolaid unless you want to try your hand at a little speculation and resale.

Phantom Sinister? l do buy other things too on occasion.

I’m more omnivorous than that. There are no “grails” I want that are within the range I will spend for OA, so I enjoy what I find and search for more— which is half the fun.

I’m not one of them, l like both. But, a lot of this market is nostalgia driven, so it does make sense.

You shouldn’t feel that way. I have stayed in the shallow end for years, and happily so, since I refuse to treat this hobby as an investment, and I don’t see the high value in old pieces just for the sake of nostalgia even if there is an active bidding market for it. As far as I’m concerned, modern artists often produce better art than some of the old stuff because the layouts and dramatic effort in pages has generally become looser and better. There is a thread every year in which people post their best purchases under $300 or so. Some very nice work indeed. I think the hardest part is to not get carried away by names, and to look at a panel page as to how well it tells a story, while looking at a cover or full splash as to its visual impact (much like fine art). Then, consider your own tastes.

Is there a logical explanation for this price, other than some people and some markets are dumb?

Oops.

From what I read, Delbo is selling all his rights to the art. When you buy a commissioned piece, you ordinarily do not get the right to re-use or market the image. So, that makes it worth more for commercial purposes.

I think there is a difference here. With a commission, it is a one off piece which is intended for personal use. Using it for commercial purposes in an ad, without permission, not only costs DC's parent company a licensing fee, but runs the risk of losing its protected status (like "cellophane"). If they behave like Disney, that won't be tolerated.

Agreed on Sienk. I still don't understand the pricing of the New Mutants pages.

Presumably, Delbo has trademark permission from DC. Otherwise, someone is asking for trouble. Frankly, I see this as a potential advertising piece by a future drug maker, local hospital or doctor’s group.

Did you ever give your beloved a grape ape mixtape?

Isn’t comparing Pollard and Sienk, like mixing apples and oranges? Also, a Galactus fan might have a different view.

I understand where you are coming from, but my approach is different. I am character-centric. So while I would happily buy a terrific battle piece with a good image of PS (rare), I do want a strong image of the lead. Here, there isn’t one, but the page is nicely framed around a different character. By the same token, the panel pages with a fight scene and good images of PS is not drop dead gorgeous. That would make the question too easy. This is just not a situation where preferences produce a clean “black and white” result.

As a follow-up, to those of you who are character-based collectors. The answer is too easy for more general collectors. If you had to choose between a good p.1 half splash with a small character image of what you collect, and a pretty good panel page showing off your character nicely in several panels, from the same artist, how would you lean? Neither is a grail, and assume a journeyman artist for the sake of simplicity (but actually quite good).

Bigger is better.

Without lungs, I guess she isn’t inhaling.