Watchmen Art on ebay

[Aman619]

heres a dumb question: there were 12 Watchman books with 25 pgs (?) in each. plus covers. Where is all this artwork? Are there some people with dozens of pages scooped up right away out there?

 

Im asking because clearly they are a scarce commodoty based on the excitement of this auction, But to me, they werent exactly the scenes Id want as my "one and only" Watchman pages. So what are the odds of the killer pages I might go after showing up?

[heartened]

20K+ for all 4 pages together.

[spider9698]

Aye carumba!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Nexus]

20K+ for all 4 pages together.

 

Hari, you're not the first person in this thread to value these pages at $20K. However, you may be the most credible. It's easy for people to talk the talk and throw out crazy numbers (which actually do have an effect on how the market perceives value), but walk the walk? We know you can. Having said that, would you have paid $20K CASH for these pages?

 

As aman alluded, there are SO many pages from WATCHMEN. This four-page sequence, while very nice, is of a single character, out of costume. The action DPS would account for most of the value. Personally, I believe this has a max FMV of $10K. I believe there are single pages in the book that would go for higher.

 

Last year, the owner of the last five pages of issue #9 made them available privately. The pages had Dr. Manhattan and Silk Spectre. He wanted around $20K for the lot (he's in the UK and the price was in pounds...probably a bit more a year ago!). He did not find a buyer for his FIVE page sequence. He ended up parting them out and getting around $10K for them seperately.

 

Anyhow, just my opinion. The pages are now sold and it will be interesting to see if they end up in a collector's gallery or for sale somewhere.

[KLNole]

Wow, if Hari is right (and I am not doubting him), then my quest for a Watchmen page is done. I finished off pre-paying both of my kids college education. For the type of money that some of the art I would love to buy is going for, might tell my wife sure lets have another kid, I can afford to pre-pay four more years easier than buy some of the art. But then again, if I cash out both kids college funds, then I could afford 12 -15 pages. Hmmm.....

[dem1138]

Felix -

 

You've said it before, and I'll say it again - we are our own worst enemies in this hobby.

 

 

[buyatari]

Killing joke pages are a joke but there is only 1 issue. As people said there should be plenty of these around to help keep the price in check somewhat.

 

What are the going rates for Watchmen pages I always thought they were close to Miracleman pages in price.

[chrisco37]

Killing joke pages are a joke but there is only 1 issue. As people said there should be plenty of these around to help keep the price in check somewhat.

 

What are the going rates for Watchmen pages I always thought they were close to Miracleman pages in price.

 

The cheapest I've seen in the past few years was a page on eBay that ended around $1300, IIRC. It was a "so-so" page. Ozy at his fortress with two servants. He opens the top and lets the snow in and the servants freeze to death.

 

I think the pages in this thread are much better.

 

There was a site (I can't recall whose) that had a few pages, again a few years ago, listed in thh 1500-5K range. The 5K was a great Rorschach sequence. My guess is that a Rorschach or Dr. Manhattan page would be top-tier character-wise and would usually command the most money. The "lower end" pages would be maybe the newspaper vendor sequences or maybe something from the "Pirate comic". I would imagine you won't even see any page go for less than $1200-1500 anymore. But, I really cannot say that with any real certainty as I was priced out of the Watchmen market back then.

 

 

[buyatari]

Its been awhile since I read this book but weren't there a bunch of newpaper clippings pages at the end of each issue that would have very little if any "art" in each issue? I'd guess those would fairly reasonable.

[heartened]

20K+ for all 4 pages together.

 

Hari, you're not the first person in this thread to value these pages at $20K. However, you may be the most credible. It's easy for people to talk the talk and throw out crazy numbers (which actually do have an effect on how the market perceives value), but walk the walk? We know you can. Having said that, would you have paid $20K CASH for these pages?

 

As aman alluded, there are SO many pages from WATCHMEN. This four-page sequence, while very nice, is of a single character, out of costume. The action DPS would account for most of the value. Personally, I believe this has a max FMV of $10K. I believe there are single pages in the book that would go for higher.

 

Last year, the owner of the last five pages of issue #9 made them available privately. The pages had Dr. Manhattan and Silk Spectre. He wanted around $20K for the lot (he's in the UK and the price was in pounds...probably a bit more a year ago!). He did not find a buyer for his FIVE page sequence. He ended up parting them out and getting around $10K for them seperately.

 

Anyhow, just my opinion. The pages are now sold and it will be interesting to see if they end up in a collector's gallery or for sale somewhere.

 

I would have paid 15K cash without thinking twice. 20K, maybe. As with everything else, it all boils down to who wants these pages. I, for one, really find these pages memorable, especially that middle action sequence. It was the first time we really saw Ozymandias as formidable, and gave us a hint to his ultimate characterization. As such, I REALLY remember those pages, and would gladly add them to the collection.

 

I have been offered 15K cash for my TWO PAGE sequence to issue 12, another Ozy sequence. Granted, my pages also have Rorschach, Nite Owl, etc. on them, and it's the climax. So, I figured 12K for the two-pager on ebay. Add about 4K each for the bookend pages, and you get 20K.

 

The highest end seems to be the Rorschach pages, especially "torture" pages or the origin pages from issue #6. You will not find/get one for less than 8K these days, from what I've seen.

 

An interesting part about Watchmen art is there seems to be "character-driven" collectors even within this one series. I find this very interesting, and actually very nice. It shows we all go with our heart, and don't just collect what everyone else likes. This happens in this series, particularly, because it is SO story driven. You come to relate to one or two characters, and you start collecting them. I know some collectors who value the Ozy pages the most, others who value Rorschach, and still others who value Dr. Manhattan. Those three seem to do the "best", from a price standpoint.

 

Anyway, didn't mean to drag on in this thread! But, yeah, I would have paid 15K gladly, and perhaps 20K begrudgingly. If I was willing to do it, perhaps others were as well? Don't know, haven't really talked to anyone else. Except, actually, I did talk to Gene this morning and he didn't seem to think 20K was unreasonable "in this market". (his words, not mine).

 

Best,

[heartened]

Killing joke pages are a joke but there is only 1 issue. As people said there should be plenty of these around to help keep the price in check somewhat.

 

What are the going rates for Watchmen pages I always thought they were close to Miracleman pages in price.

 

The cheapest I've seen in the past few years was a page on eBay that ended around $1300, IIRC. It was a "so-so" page. Ozy at his fortress with two servants. He opens the top and lets the snow in and the servants freeze to death.

 

I think the pages in this thread are much better.

 

There was a site (I can't recall whose) that had a few pages, again a few years ago, listed in thh 1500-5K range. The 5K was a great Rorschach sequence. My guess is that a Rorschach or Dr. Manhattan page would be top-tier character-wise and would usually command the most money. The "lower end" pages would be maybe the newspaper vendor sequences or maybe something from the "Pirate comic". I would imagine you won't even see any page go for less than $1200-1500 anymore. But, I really cannot say that with any real certainty as I was priced out of the Watchmen market back then.

 

 

Not sure you'll get any pages (with main characters on them) for less than 2-2.5K these days. So, at a minimum, the four pager is 8-10K as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Aman619]

Wow, if Hari is right (and I am not doubting him), then my quest for a Watchmen page is done. I finished off pre-paying both of my kids college education. For the type of money that some of the art I would love to buy is going for, might tell my wife sure lets have another kid, I can afford to pre-pay four more years easier than buy some of the art. But then again, if I cash out both kids college funds, then I could afford 12 -15 pages. Hmmm.....

 

how do you "pre-pay" for college? Do you mean funding an account designed to grow into enough $$ to pay for 4 years at x/year?? or literally paying the college an amount they calculated that will cover each year?

 

[KLNole]

PM sent

[comix4fun]

Wow, if Hari is right (and I am not doubting him), then my quest for a Watchmen page is done. I finished off pre-paying both of my kids college education. For the type of money that some of the art I would love to buy is going for, might tell my wife sure lets have another kid, I can afford to pre-pay four more years easier than buy some of the art. But then again, if I cash out both kids college funds, then I could afford 12 -15 pages. Hmmm.....

 

how do you "pre-pay" for college? Do you mean funding an account designed to grow into enough $$ to pay for 4 years at x/year?? or literally paying the college an amount they calculated that will cover each year?

 

 

This For Example....

 

Prepaid Tuition Program (thumbs u

 

C

[otherworldsj33]

I would have gone the high teens, maybe 20k on it. I think that is about where it should be, at this time.

[batman_fan]

I think it is funny, I see so many people posting about their love for the Watchmen series. Myself, I never really cared for the artwork. That is what is pretty cool abot OA, lots of different tastes and very diverse collecting habits.

[Nexus]

I would have paid 15K cash without thinking twice. 20K, maybe.

 

OK, I accept that you would go $15K, maybe even $20K. But in a public auction, it would take ANOTHER bidder to drive the price that high. I could be wrong, but I just don't see that happening here. Not to say there aren't those willing to pay 5 figures for WATCHMEN art, just not for this particular sequence. In fact, I know of a couple collectors who are DYING for a great example (and willing to pay 5 figures for it) who had no interest in these pages at all.

 

I can understand why you're unhappy here as not only would you have won if the auction had gone to completion, but probably paid quite a bit less than your $15K number.

 

As with anything, these pages are only worth what someone is willing pay for them. So, theoretically, if there is one person willing to pay $20K for these pages, the seller would have to ID that exact right buyer and then be willing to put the screws to him. That could only happen in a private sale, not in a public auction.

 

Not saying this is going on here, but I sometimes find that a lot of post-sale talk of paying high above market numbers to be what I call "reverse sour grapes", a sort of "eff you" to the seller for ending the auction early. I know you can and are willing to go big for art you want, Hari, but coming from most other people, it's all just talk until it actually happens.

[chrisco37]

I'm way out of my league getting into this discussion, but, those pages are (IMO) in the upper-tier of Watchmen pages. As Hari noted, they show Ozy displaying his power. A significant sequence in the Watchment mythos.

 

As others have mentioned, and I'm sure you'll agree, Watchmen is more of a story/character driven book. Yes, Gibbons art is fantastic, but let's not kid ourselves. The reason Watchemn is so highly regarded is because of Alan Moore (a writer).

 

I, certainly, would love to own a page from this sequence (although it's not my favorite page in the story) if I could afford it.

 

I don't fault the seller for ending it early. If someone offered what he thought was FMV or FMV+, I'd take it as well. This is OA, not comic books. Comic books (post 1966) are a dime a dozen.

[heartened]

I would have paid 15K cash without thinking twice. 20K, maybe.

 

OK, I accept that you would go $15K, maybe even $20K. But in a public auction, it would take ANOTHER bidder to drive the price that high. I could be wrong, but I just don't see that happening here. Not to say there aren't those willing to pay 5 figures for WATCHMEN art, just not for this particular sequence. In fact, I know of a couple collectors who are DYING for a great example (and willing to pay 5 figures for it) who had no interest in these pages at all.

 

I can understand why you're unhappy here as not only would you have won if the auction had gone to completion, but probably paid quite a bit less than your $15K number.

 

As with anything, these pages are only worth what someone is willing pay for them. So, theoretically, if there is one person willing to pay $20K for these pages, the seller would have to ID that exact right buyer and then be willing to put the screws to him. That could only happen in a private sale, not in a public auction.

 

Not saying this is going on here, but I sometimes find that a lot of post-sale talk of paying high above market numbers to be what I call "reverse sour grapes", a sort of "eff you" to the seller for ending the auction early. I know you can and are willing to go big for art you want, Hari, but coming from most other people, it's all just talk until it actually happens.

 

I agree with everything you say here, Felix. And, I guess I probably would have won the auction, based on the majority of responses. There have been many cases where my final bid is much more than what I win it for, and I am surprised. But, I usually guess the market pretty well on 80s stuff, so I would bet it would have ended right around where I was willing to bid. I got to think that someone else would value them the same way I did, and have the money to go for it.

 

I already have a sequence that I'm proud of and like a bit more, so I'm not as upset here as it may come across. I've been around long enough to know that there's always something else around the corner for me to spend my money on. In fact, I've already spent over 10K this month (stay tuned!), so I wasn't looking forward to using another 15K especially when I need to go out and buy Christmas presents for people! These pages were not Grail-material for me, so in the end we're just discussing proper eBAY etiquette.

 

[Nexus]

This page has been mentioned in another thread, but I thought it would be more fitting to talk about it in a WATCHMEN discussion:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/WATCHMEN-ORIGINAL-ART-SPLASH-PG-DAVE-GIBBONS-ALAN-MOORE_W0QQitemZ190199486890QQihZ009QQcategoryZ14010QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

It's no longer available, which means to me that someone made an acceptable offer on it. There's been a groundswell of collectors looking for pages in the last few months and it will probably reach fever pitch around the time leading up to the release of the movie. The question is, will prices come back down after the movie hype has worn off? That's what I assumed would happen with V FOR VENDETTA, but those values have held.

 

It will be interesting to see what starts coming out of the woodwork.