otherworldsj33

All they are doing is driving the art underground. They know that. How is that good for them or anyone else? And at the price of (my guess) most collectors having hard feelings toward them. Maybe more boos for them then applause at the next cons they attend, assuming they decide to go after this sheet show.

The family just got a s h i t load of money and now they want to go after original art that has been out there for at least 30 years (when some of the art was returned to Jack). They now have the money to throw at lawyers to lean on sellers and auction houses. I bet Marc Toberoff is behind this. Again, I'm not saying it's right, I'm just saying. People seem to have come out throwing rocks, judging that the family has 'gotten enough' and should be done with it all. Who are we to say? This track doesn't look like one I'd personally go down were I in their shoes, but I also don't know the whole story or what their end aims are. You and your family couldn't live on 40 or 50 million? As much as comic art has escalated, I doubt there are very many people in our hobby who are worth even close to that. Even most of the more fortunate collectors have collections worth probably less then 5 million, way less in most cases. Have some grace, and let it go. The time is past. It smacks of a legal shake down and pure greed to almost all of us. In this matter, it makes Adams look good, which is hard to do.

I can't see how there can't be at least some negative feelings toward the family in this. Now that we know the lawyer is a s...bag, it puts the family in a even more negative light. The family has a good name. Kirby (and his wife) are remembered by knowledgeable fans as much for their kindness and love as for his art. Personally, to me, that is more important then his art. His kids, and/or grand kids, and/or nieces or nephews, are tarnishing that name. What do you need to know more then what is already going on? As Sandy Alderson said, at best it's bad optics. It's not going to get better. It can only stay at this public relations nightmare level or get worse.

Makes me wonder how long the family actually had this on their mind. It seems they initiated it not long after they got the settlement money. I also am curious as to who their lawyer is. How they came across him. BTW, there are not many people who make money for their family after they are dead. Kirby, provider and gentlemen he was, glad to see he was financially able to aid his loved ones from the grave. If he could have seen this day in the flesh. Despite that I think his family are either ill advised or greedy, or both. Once again proves that ideas and values instilled live on long after the life span of the propagator.

Sounds like the Kirby family has been taking lessons from the gangsters. Or the US govt. Great way to tarnish a good name.

Please God, I would like to make at least one appearance at his show before it's to late. It seems without fail something always comes up ! April 8th, April 8th, April 8th...

Nice !!

Finally someone who is not on his pedestal on this thread. Bravo.

Originally Posted By: otherwroldsj33 But if occasionally I regretted putting the piece in auction, and it was already underway, I would do that. Or if I had a piece in auction that I thought just wasn't getting the respect, I might do that. Just not as a matter of routine business. Reply Posted by Meeley Man "Then I'd consider you someone I'd be wary of doing business with, especially at auction. And if you are concerned about "not getting enough respect" at auction for a piece, then solution is very simple: Don't put it up to auction. But if you want to risk your reputation, to get around the dictates of the market, then when those things are exposed, it's on you. Not the people who've exposed you." My reply. What can I say, beyond I specifically said I would not do it as a matter of routine business. I don't think it would hurt my reputation at all with most people. I actually would not care if anyone "exposed" me, and in fact, I would probably, on a more important piece, (not a $300 piece) reveal it anyway. With due respect, at this point in my life, I have learned there are always going to be people who are not happy with everything I do, all the time. It doesn't even matter much anymore to me with most people think, knowing the hypocritical and depraved nature of most people. As long as my conscience is clear, and I am not a humanist, or one who believes in moral relativism, by the way, I am not really looking to take polls to justify my actions.

If this behavior is on the up and up then why did he only admit it reluctantly after being caught ? "Caught"? Or discovered?

Guys, he is telling you straight up what he is doing. It is not illegal. So he wants to ask a friend to bid on, and if he wins, pay for, a piece so he could possibly trade for or buy back. Remember, he is also paying the 19.5% commission fee. Or you can say, in a round about way, it can be like putting a reserve on a piece. No one is forcing another bidder to bid on the piece. Is it much different then a free agent using the NY Yankees as a pawn or a tool in driving the price up for his services? Then it is considered smart business, right? Or how about Halperin bidding on, or asking someone to, bid on a piece he wants? Is it much different? Can it possibly be considered a bit of a grey area? Yeah, I can see that, to an extent. I personally would not make that a business practice. I would rather just do a reserve. But if occasionally I regretted putting the piece in auction, and it was already underway, I would do that. Or if I had a piece in auction that I thought just wasn't getting the respect, I might do that. Just not as a matter of routine business. But to say, or imply, that what Mike is doing is a non debatable, unscrupulous thing to do, I think is unfair, and even possibly hypocritical for some here. I love to hear M.Stock's point of view on this...

Fantastic book! Congrats! Is this a Gil Kane cover?

Any retired or semi retired old timers you can do.? Richard Haliagia ( I know I spelled it wrong), or maybe Conrad, if he is well enough. The Koch brothers would be fascinating, especially if they could open up a bit. Maybe even some artists that had a interest from early on as collectors of OA.

The Diamonds were a lot closer to Kings Highway. On the other side of Brooklyn college from My Friends.

Did you ever witness them argue? The father and son? A few times I did. The father didn't seem to care that people were there. The son seemed to be a little more inhibited by that, but not by much. Their verbal sparring filled my comedy quota for a week.

I do remember the Diamonds. Father and son. Their store was a bit closer to where I lived and worked. At one time for maybe 4 years or so, it was in the late '70's, early '80's, they were selling more new comic books then anyone in Brooklyn. That place was a beehive at times. I picked up a run of Spider-mans there from #3 to #20, all of them in true nm- to nm, for $900.

Your memory is good too. That was exactly what the front windows looked like. If I recall correctly, there was a glass display area on each side of the door, right? To the left as one walked in was some shelving and cabinets for, as you said, books, paperbacks, and pulps. If you remember, they had taller cabinets to the far left, against the wall. I think the store had three aisles? The cabinets in the middle aisles weren't that high. Didn't they have some stuff, posters, or clippings from old newspapers, or covers to paperbacks, pinned up on the wall, closer to the ceiling? I'm not sure, but I think they did. The place had old creaky wood floors? I am not sure about that either. And yeah, that showcase was always a mess. I think they just literally threw stuff in there.

You certainly nailed it. The first time I went there was in 1968, or '69. There was, as you mentioned, a large glass case close to the store entrance, on the right when you came in. It was around 2 to 4 feet long, and about 1 and a half feet wide. Dotty usually was behind it. I think they had that section of the store slightly elevated, maybe about a foot higher, for security reasons. The place had a musty old book smell. I don't recall if they had a cash register, or if she pulled change out of a medium sized purse she had in back of that glass case. I think it was the latter. The case had in it the more valuable comics, and also books, but mostly comics. In 1969, and I think until they closed, there was all the way in the back, in the corner, a staggered wood shelving unit about 3 levels high that held (in 1969) mid to low grade comics that were from around 1964 to about 1967. Mostly Marvel's and DC's. I am pretty sure that they were priced at 10 to 12 for a dollar. I am also fairly sure the store was closer to Newkirk then Cortelyou. There was a YMCA a block or two away, on, or close to, Bedford Ave. As to when it opened, the only people who might know that are Paul Levitz, or Roger Stern, or Sal Quartuccio. Sal worked there too. If you remember, he was well known in the '70's for owning Sal Q. Productions. He sold a lot of artists portfolio's at the time. Looking back, with perspective, Rudy and Dotty seemed like the quintessential hard working, business owning, Brooklyn Jewish couple of that era. I was a shy, quiet, 9, 10, 11 year old kid in those years, and even though they were first and foremost business people, they were always so, so nice to me, treated me respectfully, were encouraging, and mostly fair, to me, as I remember them.

I heard that too, about them being co-owners. Does anyone know if that was true? I went to Passaic only once, in the early nineties. Even then, I picked up a lot of nice books at very reasonable prices.

My Friends Book store. It was on Flatbush Ave. If I remember correctly, it was a husband and wife who wife who owned it. I think the wife's name was Dotty, or Dodie. She was in her fifties at the time, I think. They closed around 1978.

When I ordered Robert Bells bags In 1970, I was 11. I wanted to bag my GL #76, my Detective #395, and some others of most cherished comics. He enclosed a catalog with them. I became borderline depressed for a couple of hours after looking at the prices of those back issue comics that I wanted to own, (almost desperately). There was no way I could afford one hundred dollars for a FF #1 in mint condition. Or somewhere thereabouts that price, I can't recall the exact amount. I could not convince my parents to spend any real money on old comics. Really nothing more then around 20 bucks for a single comic. Of which I had three of at the time. An Action 34, a Batman 14, and a Superman 10, all in vg/fn range. In 1970, my dad had taken me to a used book store in Brooklyn that had a large selection of old comics. So large in fact, that and various times Roger Stern and Paul Levitz worked there to help the owners out. Anyway, there was a mid grade Superman #1 there. The asking price was one thousand. I tried hard to get him to buy it. He was doing well at the time and could afford it. Finally, after a few minutes of me trying to talk him into it, he cut me off, ended the conversation. His stern remark was that "no way I am going to pay one thousand dollars for a used .10 cent comic."

There are many who believe pressing isn't restortion, but I have also spoken to many collectors who believe that altering a book from it's original state through un-natural means is restoration. In any case, I never mentioned restoration, I did mention grade manipulation.

I have heard and even witnessed a few things in a similiar vein regarding comics that are a lot more jarring then that. And yes, by other collectors.

I got, maybe not joy, but something therapuetic from burning them. From a standpoint of giving someone else joy, whose to say I havn't given away comics over the years? Am I compelled to give away every comic I no longer want?

And it was Adams who signed his name 6 times. Why do you question that?