Rick2you2

See what happens when you smoke cigarettes?

Not necessarily, but it raises the legal bar by making it harder for a defrauded buyer to win. It also depends on what the auction house knows or should have known.

Or, we could just cut off one of his balls, since they seem too large to begin with.

Good catch. The arm is deliberately bent backward to grab the knife, but the arm length still seems out of proportion.

Given the Italian reputation for quality control, they probably fell off.

I don’t know what it is illustrating, but are you sure it was a flaw and not a deliberate design choice? The other hand looks normal, and the grotesque shape and position of the bad one is too strange to be accidental.

Now that I have been exposed as a collector who is not discerning, I remain comfortable with my standards. Why buy another Aparo Phantom Stranger page just because he is known for his work on that book? The standards you are advocating make sense for someone who is interested in buying things that are likely to increase in value, but to suggest any other standard shows a lack of discernment is insulting (even though you did not mean it). And yes, I consider aesthetics to be extremely important to this nostalgia-driven hobby, as have large numbers of collectors who, for example, buy commissions. I suggest there may be a lot of those non-discerning types who can actually be quite discerning about taste. They know what they think is good: even Artgerm. We have both agreed that the long term trend of comic art is not favorable. Those non-discerning types are likely to be carrying the hobby because they know what they like.

If you are looking at the “ money” end of the hobby, that’s a good list, but a lot of us just buy what we like for the fun of it, and little regard for future value. I actually prefer the wrong book, artist, time, etc., since I like the variety. A Scribblenauts cover with the Phantom Stranger was a virtual grail for me for years for the very reason that the character is the antithesis of cute. If memory serves me, didn’t you used to collect Vampirella images? Did you apply those standards to them?

I thought that spot was generally given to the Jaguar XKE. But, I would definitely list the Miura as one of the most desirable cars ever built.

If I want it enough, I can be flexible. But, the seller’s reputation for integrity is critical. That is one I am least likely to bend on. I hate old brownish glue stains, and am not keen on physical damage even if fixable. I also dislike artistic errors in costuming, and overly dense layouts.

You mean like the scene in North by Northwest where the crop duster comes at Cary Grant? Ford is a bit tougher, but what about the famous fight scene in the Quiet Man between John Wayne and his brother-in-law, one of the greatest fight scenes of all time? So yes, film clips work, too. Movies are special, but I would not call comics a poor cousin. Unlike movies, the reader substantially controls the pace of the story based on his reading preferences. He can skip things he doesn’t like, or blow through them quickly, and reprioritize things he does like. Try that the next time you sit in front of the Titanic.

I certainly agree with what you are generally saying since you are following up on my above comment about comic art being sequential art, like movie clips. Let me add that, on the whole, I think this art has generally improved since the end of the Silver Age as panel pages have opened up and away from classic 6 panel layouts and scene illustrations to a more fluid story form (no, I am not tarring all artists with that brush). The old masters could be great illustrators, but were they also great story-tellers when forced to illustrate in a stiffer medium that didn’t encourage them to do so? And, why do we sometimes treat panel pages as containing a series of miniature splashes instead of an object that is recording movement? We glorify some fairly small differences in artistic styles rather than focusing on the bigger picture.

My comments were not directed at your personal preferences. If you collect what we collect, it is a given you like black and white line art. As for Norman Rockwell’s paintings, the words that comes to my mind are treacly followed by mush. If it wasn’t glorified as the recollection of a past there never really was, I doubt it would be held in such high esteem even if his skill set is high (which it is, but not uniquely so). Comic art is fundamentally different. First and foremost, sequential art is designed to tell, or help tell, a story. It would be more relatable to the general public if treated that way. We treat it as though we might as well take some stills from a movie.

Aesthetics are partly, if not mostly, a function of culture. I don’t see too many fans of calligraphy here, as compared to Chinese calligraphy. Where I do have a problem is with price being so dependent on nostalgia, or even subject matter (e.g, Batman v. Metamorpho page). Lichtenstein recognized the cultural import and impact of comics to make very good art. It works because critics played along. They can do it here, too.

Regarding those anonymous artists you mentioned, any number of them have also done art for ad’s, magazines, etc., including Adams and Chaykin, to name a few of my favorites. You will also find comic artists’ fine art in some museums or exhibits. The problem you seem to be having is with the subject and form of their artwork, which somehow allows Norman Rockwell’s Saturday Evening Post covers to gain entry, despite their cheesy subject matters, yet excludes Captain America? Some people don’t care for black and white line art. My other half feels the same, preferring things that are in color and painted, even if not so hot. But to say it lacks aesthetics is wrong.

Mine was cream colored with brown accents and a brown pagoda roof. Three weeks after I got it, I drove through a snow storm but got it home. Next morning, it wouldn't start. I apparently had fried the entire electrical harness. That's when I also got a list of roughly 18 significant repairs that were needed (valve job, structural rot, replacing brake system, etc.). But, it did have its offsetting advantages. Did you know a woman could fit her head between the top of a car seat and the bottom of its steering wheel--without an adjustable steeing wheel! She was looking for her glasses, of course.

While I know you didn't intend this reaction, it makes a strong case for how good Simon was on his own.

Bet he's not too thrilled with their rust, either.

Nothing like going to an old Jaguar show, seeing a field of non-running Jag’s, and realizing that's their natural state. Not everyone can afford to rebuild a car, or wants to undertake the effort. I basically went through it with my old MB 280 SL. Now, I only want reliability (although, I still get the urge for a 1967 [not 1966] Olds Toronado, which I think is undervalued in the market). Still surprised the Jag XK- S type, convertible doesn’t get more love, even if the 12 cylinder version is supposed to be a hellish repair bill down the road.

I am taking what tth2 wrote as an attempt to illustrate a point using exaggeration. I suspect that in this market the Frazetta piece would sell for more. Likewise, some people do value art buried under stats. The focused question, however, involves the way Heritage lists a piece at auction and the reasons for it. Furthermore, as a general principle, I would agree with him. Don’t forget that this is a thin market with a limited number of potentially interested buyers, so it is much easier to find examples which are not on a smooth statistical curve.

Given the reliability of old Jaguars’ electrical systems, burial sounds like the highest and best use for the Vanden Plas. He could enjoy sitting in it, while dead, without worrying whether it would start. I once met an owner who loved her old XK-140, but she had to keep a battery charger in the trunk because no matter how much she spent on mechanic repairs, it was the only way she could assure it would start. Naturally, the car was for sale. I passed.

My guess would be that if the original published art has the stat, the art underneath doesn’t count. That’s my feeling, by the way. It is nice to have, but of no real worth.

I remember them well. I always wanted a Darrin bodied Packard convertable, preferably a 1940-41 on a 180 Chassis, in champaigne yellow. Failing that, a Jaguar C-type. Oh, and a Pantera GTS as a runabout.

I just looked at his site. I was shocked to see he could post—and sell—rough preliminary figures for $24.95. I wonder what he would charge—and sell—for a bag of his garbage? He can keep the recyclable cans and bottles. They may have a deposit value.

"Sanity is over-rated." Attributed to Cynthia Hand.