Mighty Hal

Why did so much Kirby art hit the market all at once? Was it artist or collector driven? In either case, it doesn't feel as if we're seeing the same phenomena here. The WD collector base is significantly smaller than the number of Kirby collectors around. Besides, how much of the market was driven by the fellow who is now selling? If he was buying in quantity, it created a shortage of pages for other collectors, prices started to rise, the rising prices attracted still other collectors, and the market flourished. That may be about to change in a big way. Bronty mentioned that the WD market isn't as hot as it used to be. Is it because it's biggest collector is out of the game? Without his participation, will it ever get as hot again?

Some surprisingly good prices right now. Since Tuesday isn't the best day to wrap an auction, I'm hoping to find a bargain or two.

Thanks for sharing. I look forward to seeing the restoration results. But what a title! "Day of the Evil Gun"?

Absolutely true. Wally Wood, one of the greats IMO, famously said, "Never draw what you can swipe." And think of it this way: it's as close as you'll get to owning the Wings original! Great catch, by the way. I enjoyed comparing the two covers.

Just a quick note to say how much I appreciate and enjoy your reviews, Harry. Fun, fun, fun.

Gene, it feels like you've been predicting the impending demise of comics/comic art for years. The market remains robust. If anyone reacted to your earlier predictions and sold their stuff, they left money on the table. The future of the $3.99 floppy may not look bright, but the graphic novel area of my local library is growing rapidly. Some of those books have been read to death! Those crazy kids aren't hitting the LCS like before but a ton of them are reading both legal and pirated comics on the internet. A younger generation is still getting exposed to comics, just in a different way than in the past. What I'm saying is, no one knows what will happen in the years ahead, including when or if our hobby goes away.

Rick, welcome! I admire your tastes in regards to character and artists. Classic PS pages have been climbing in price over the last couple of years; I wish you luck in the hunt.

That is some update!

I agree, the podcasts have been a pleasure, but little time has been spent truly discussing a "humble collection". Even the half a podcast directed towards Mr. Johnson's collection didn't spend much time on what he'd purchased. A good portion of the 'cast was about the artist and his art. Most of the comic art out there is in the three and low four figure range. Not nearly as much smoke in those rooms, in my opinion, and I hunt there with a light heart. If your wallet is thicker, my congratulations. ? I can see why you'd want to tread lightly.

And you had no idea when you bought the book? No wonder you're stoked!

Has the Golden/Nam market heated to the point that 2K is reasonable for an attractive but not significant panel page?

As a great fan of comic art, I've met a few fine art snobs, too. Not too many, though, and my wife and I collect from both sides of the fence. I really like what you've done here. I wouldn't have realized your sources if you hadn't shown the images. Very fun!

Welcome, Joao! It is always a pleasure to meet a fellow collector. You have a terrific philosophy in regards to collecting, and it's one I need to remember. A balanced approach to this hobby will serve you well.

Love the commission. Stellar, cover-worthy art.

"File Not Found" when I tried it. Shame. I love Stevens' work.

A great start to your collection. I think you'll have a lot of fun with that very interesting approach to OA. Option (1) might have been more damaging to your body but (3) is gonna kill your wallet. Fair warning.

Don't have any early Adams but I love his work. Out of curiosity (because I've always wondered how these things play out), do you reward the collectors who provide scans with a copy of the upcoming book? If you use someone else's scan, do you credit the collector who provided it? Good luck with the project!

I need some clarification on your question. Do you mean, which artist is producing art you don't like and therefore it's low quality? If that's the case, the topic will soon be swamped by Liefeld-haters and, thereafter, replies by Liefeld-fans, and it won't really go anywhere. Do you mean, which artist used to produce art of a higher quality and has now gone downhill? If that's the case, I can think of several artists who I used to enjoy more but their style or approach has changed. I like the "old" Bill Sienkiewicz better than the one who wasn't following in Neal Adams' footsteps but that's on me, not him. Artistically, Bill S. was never going to grow as an artist if he continued following another man's style too closely. Or do you mean something else? From the image above, I think Kevin Nowlan was definitely giving an effort. In my eyes, that's a solid, professional comic book cover.

Fun report; thanks for looking at eBay and reporting what you found. Now I know there's a "bondage" price upside to certain comic art!

Although I enjoyed looking at the links, it's tough to get a good feel for pricing from those listings. The dates and dollar amounts seem to be all over the place, depending on the character involved and the amount of finish applied (rough pencils vs finished pencils vs pencils and inks). I hope an M.T. expert or two PM you to offer their advice. GLWTS.

Such a great page. Since I couldn't have afforded it at $15K, I probably won't be inquiring t $25K.

I've no love to share, regretfully, since Bizarro has never been the focus of my unfocused collection. Your original is terrific, though. The Dodson have done a stellar job here. It's been years since I have read a Bizarro take. Does he paint his nails these days? Wear eyeliner? Is there a history of Bizarro manscaping that I've missed?

A very fun report. I'm enjoying seeing your random purchases, too. Thanks for sharing.

A beautiful page. Happy birthday to the missus!

Odds are, you ask four different dealers, you'll get four different quotes. You ask Dealer A about (for example) Chaykin's American Flagg, he never really enjoyed it, the one panel page he had in 2006 sat in inventory forever, he'll offer one price. Dealer B loves Flagg, he has eight pages in his personal collection, he wants page prices to climb, he'll have a different view. As a buyer, I hate the "make an offer" thing. Good luck!