Rick2you2

Let me add a few things. First, my limited niche is not too popular, and I find myself liking things which aren’t universally loved. That is the best way, if you are so inclined, to get the best “deals”. I also won’t buy the higher priced stuff for the simple reason that I don’t consider it an investment to sell later. I remain amazed at the high quality output I see in more modern stuff, and will happily graze in those pastures rather than deal with Heritage too often. Comiclink suits me better in most cases.

If you like the style, this one is about as good as they get. He did several books near the end of the Series 2 run, and I felt I needed one as a representative.

I did. I won. I guess my last comment was too cryptic.

A skybox is like a frame for thick 3D objects, usually with a depth of about two inches or so. They can be used for “framing” things like seashells, butterflies, the kid’s baby shoes, etc.

Bidding is over. Price went at the expected range of $1,000 to $1,500 (almost exactly in the middle, too), Oy vey.

I have occasionally used a very simple technique to avoid this problem. Take the maximum market price for the piece and multiply by 5. That’s your proxy. It never ever gets that high, but you won’t lose by a few dollars, either. And if you did lose, someone else really earned it.

I would never cut it from the book. If I were getting it framed, I would try a skybox with UV glass.

Personally, I don’t think there are any real bidding strategies that work, although there are some pitfalls which can hurt you. In my view, it is mostly a matter of how many other people like the same piece, and whether the other bidders are collectors or dealers. If mostly dealers, they generally don’t bid above market price (or a significantly lesser percent of it) unless they feel the market is low (which does happen). If you like a piece which isn’t involving a popular character, artist or subject, you will do better. If I want a piece, I bid high. If I am indifferent, I don’t. I tend not to bid early, and rarely bid during live auctions due to the speed and risk of overpaying for something I don’t care much about. I also don’t bid on many pieces at a single auction to preserve capital for what I really want. I rather put in a proxy and hope for the best. If none of this sounds brilliant, none of it is. Highest bid wins.

If the artwork all predates 1975, then copyright is much easier—but not fair to the artists.

My opinion is more of a question: who authorized the printing as copyright owner? Kirby’s heirs? Marvel? Hopefully not just the owner of the page, or someone may have a legal problem on their hands.

It is also now getting into a price range in which I may prefer to wait for a cheaper one from the artist. Not due to a lack of funds, just an unwillingness to spend them.

The problem I have is mostly with his style. I just don’t like it much. I also think the detailing of PS is mediocre. Ordinarily, I would figure in the $1,000 to $1,500 range, but this discussion may affect it.

You mean, like taking care of a Ford Pinto?

I have actually taken that perspective in a different way by pursuing distinctly different styles and subjects. For example, I have a double cover from Scribblenauts Unleashed with a cuddly Phantom Stranger. I commissioned Colleen Doran to do a female version. I have a funny animal version. Then there is the more typical variation between super-realism and stylistic work (which I prefer these days). But I passed on an Alan Kupperberg story from Firestorm and have passed on a lot of mediocre stuff. So, to put it differently, is this bad enough in my eyes (other opinions may vary) that it warrants special attention? Let me add something: is it wrong to try buying something I don’t like if it denies the piece to someone who does like it? Yes, that also bothers me.

Cost is not a direct factor, but I am in the process of buying some other pieces, and like everyone, I do like to watch my cash flow. My other half thinks I am nuts to consider going for it.

Bingo. The way he drew PS ..., but the layout is okay. Do you like his work? Some people must, since it has some time left before closing, and I think it is at, or almost at, market.

I have been debating whether to post this or not, because saying it out loud sounds pretty stupid. I am thinking about buying a piece that I don’t like, and was wondering if anyone has done that before. If so, did you ever think later it was a good idea? No, this is not about buying for investing. The art in question is by an artist whose work I do not like. I have not liked it for over 30 years. But, the piece in question would be a good representative of the artist’s work on a certain run of books, and my completist instincts do like that. I also like to compare art, and this would be an excellent example to compare to things I do like. It provides a good contrast in styles. Part of me actually wants to buy it so I can say to myself, boy is that bad (it actually isn’t horrible, just uninteresting, with flourishes in all the wrong places). Some people find the Rocky Horror Show worth watching. Anyway, it’s a slow Saturday.

I don’t know if CAF polices its listings.

He accused me of identifying a fake Facebook page, when I simply referred to this very thread. So for good measure, I not only corrected his misstatement but referred to the Facebook page where his behavior is regularly attacked. Nothing since then.

You can also scan it, with thumb nails (for future convenience) in an organized fashion and put it on a thumb drive for importation to a different device. I am in the process of doing that for my old iPad.

It isn’t dumb. In my case, I have one framed piece on a wall, that was framed about 30 years ago. The others are in Mylar sleeves I place on furniture. Every once in a while, I rotate them in and out of folios.

Congratulations on hitting 1000 posts.

Correct, IMO, but we aren’t comparing a dozen large white eggs to each other. This is art, unique art, so asking a question as though all things are equal doesn’t really work. It’s all about the image and desireability.

Price is always a function of demand, not content. In my view, a pencil-only published cover is the equal of a pencilled and inked published cover. If one is more aesthetically pleasing than the other, that's the one which is worth more for the simple reason that more people will want it. Whether 2 pieces are both equally aesthetically pleasing is a matter of opinion, with the price of each one a function of the largest number of potentially interested buyers. Bottom line: if you like it, bid on it; ignore ratio's as meaningless.

For the simple reason that it is a buyer’s basic responsibility to know what the buyer is buying. Some of their actions are what I would consider to be fraudulent, which falls outside of caveat emptor, or violates some other legal rules, but for the most part, the biggest complaints are that their prices are too high. When I have gone to shows, they do have pieces, generally of lesser quality or desirability, which are not terribly priced. And, they do make sales. To be clear: I am not a fan or an apologist for bad behavior. I just try to look at it with dispassion. There is a piece coming up which they apparently consigned to Heritage which opens for bids on 6/19. It is a mediocre Jim Aparo cover from the Phantom Stranger run with a woman in front of a treasure chest. Albert Moye had been trying to sell it for several years at $8,000 without success. In March, 2019, it showed up at the Donnelly’s booth at the NJ comic art convention. There, it was on sale for $11,000. I am very curious to see what they get for it, and if they will likely make money. My guess is they should at least break even, which suggests their pricing has not been madness, at least in that one instance.