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POLL: Your collecting preference -- ART v. STORY

Started by Jesusjon,

Art V. Story  

192 members have voted

  1. 1. Art V. Story

    • 12736
    • 12736

33 posts in this topic

Mighty Hal

Mighty Hal

Posted
Posted

Heartened, on the right day, I'd absolutely agree with you. This isn't the right day, as I've just received a piece that features a character I've never read...and the piece is gorgeous.

 

This is comic art and this is, clearly, a nostalgia-driven hobby. But I own several covers that feature characters I've never read (Manhunter, Batgirl -- the modern version, and Powers, just to name the first three that come to mind)...just because I liked the art.

 

Have I bought other pieces because I loved the character, loved the storyline, and loved the art? Absolutely. But if a story rocks and the artwork doesn't...I'm almost never tempted to buy a piece of OA from that book.

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heartened

heartened

Posted
Posted

Congrats on your recent purchases. Attach some scans, if you have them!

 

Don't get me wrong, there are many examples that are artistically beautiful in and of themselves, and if the world were to come to an end, and a new civilization found these pieces of art 1000s of years from now, they might even hang them up and marvel over their beauty and meaning, and even form a religion around them (forgive me, just came off a Planet of the Apes marathon on AMC).

 

But, it is within the comic book context that comic art will remain most important; that is, as one of the purely American cultural art forms that has survived for over 100 years. And, I'll be the first to promote that aspect of its importance to the outside world (as I have done, and continue to do when asked). If the outside world comes to truly appreciate comic art, it will be within that larger context of what comic books themselves mean (and have meant) to our society.

 

Sorry for changing the subject of this thread a bit! Back to the original post, I would much rather buy a piece of art from a story that I remember well (granted, the art has to be appealing as well), than buy a piece of art that's just pretty. If it's all about artistic merit, then my scopes would have to expand far beyond comic art to all types of art (illustration, fine, etc.).

 

 

 

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Mighty Hal

Mighty Hal

Posted
Posted

Nicely stated, Hari. I can't even disagree (although I'll happily buy a piece of art that's pretty).

 

And a piece I'd love to have is your Neal Adams'/X-Men/Avenging Angel page. Because of (a) the art; (b) the story; and © nostalgia.

 

Truth is, we can't separate art from story when we discuss comic OA. Art without story is illustration and story without art is...well, story. Put a love for them together and you have our hobby.

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sborock

sborock

Posted
Posted

"Art without story is illustration and story without art is...well, story. Put a love for them together and you have our hobby."

 

I AGREE! :applause:

 

 

But, I read so many comics because I love them and collect OA because I love looking at the "large pretty illustrations". I loved reading certain stories (1st Avenger/Defenders war, Grimjack, O'Neill/Adams GL/GA, HTD, Dark Knight, Watchman, Preacher, Sandman, Longbow Hunters, 52, Legion GDS, Wolfman/Perez TT, and soooo many others), but I just don't want panel pages hanging up on my wall. To me they are not as much fun to look at and, as I stated before, I have all the reprints to read. But as they say" Different strokes....". That is one of the things that makes our hobby so great; we all love comic and OA collecting/reading, but we have our own way of personally enjoying it! :cloud9:

 

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NightGallery1

NightGallery1

Posted
Posted
In the case of the 2 Swampthing #5 pages selling on ebay at the same time, I guess 'art' won over 'story' ...

 

same Wein story, different Wrightson art

SWAMP THING #5, PG 11 $5,300

 

SWAMP THING #5, PG 5 $11,700

 

Best,

 

I've noticed some really high prices paid recently for Swampy pages. In addition to the $11,700 that was just plunked down for the ST #5 page 5, the same page (ST #8 page 8) that Heritage sold last year for $5,078 was sold once again by Heritage about a month ago for $11,352.

 

Bill

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Mister Trent

Mister Trent

Posted
Posted
Story over art. This is comic art. If you think you're buying art for art's sake, you're fooling yourself. This will, with rare exception, primarily remain a character, story, and nostalgia-driven hobby. Think about all the expensive art out there. How many are not character, story or nostalgia-driven (i.e. driven ONLY by the art itself). I can think of only a few examples, perhaps James Jean's covers, and some of the true illustrators like Frazetta, Jones, and Wrightson.

 

Personally, I'm heavily into the EC art.

 

No continuing characters there.

 

Nothing nostalgia-driven . . . I discovered EC during the 1970s, as an adult.

 

I was attracted by the great ART, complemented by great writing.

 

I buy EC art because it's great art.

 

Nothing to fool myself about there . . .

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