Weird Science 16 cover sells for $200K Good Lord, Choke Gasp!

[comix4fun]

Tales from the Crypt was shown on cable I believe here in the U.S. in the early to mid 1990s (i.e., pre-high speed Internet ancient history when people watched shows like that for a glimpse of skin). It never really reached a wide audience and I don't think is very popular or memorable today (for the record, I enjoyed the few episodes I saw).

 

The TALES FROM THE CRYPT TV series lasted something like 7 seasons. I'd find it hard to believe that the show would have lasted that long if it had been anything less than successful.

 

Certainly, the series was syndicated over here in the UK on one of the major network channels (where viewing figures are counted in the millions).

 

As for the skin glimpses . . . from what I remember, they were few and far between.

 

 

To build on that point...

Tales from the Crypt has spawned no less than 6 motion pictures from 1972 thru 2001. Also not something that happens to ideas that don't reach a wide audience.

 

Nearly 100 live action TV episodes and that's not counting the animated series "Tales from the Cryptkeeper"

 

Chris

 

 

[delekkerste]

The TALES FROM THE CRYPT TV series lasted something like 7 seasons. I'd find it hard to believe that the show would have lasted that long if it had been anything less than successful.

 

7 seasons on a subscriber-only pay cable channel in the low-budget, pre-Internet, pre-Sopranos, pre-Sex and the City era. Not network. Cheap to produce, so the hurdle was set very low.

 

It was good for its time, but I don't think too many people miss it that much, or will be that nostalgic about for it 30 years from now. Certainly not enough to want to spend millions on the 1950s OA then.

[Mister Trent]

The TALES FROM THE CRYPT TV series lasted something like 7 seasons. I'd find it hard to believe that the show would have lasted that long if it had been anything less than successful.

 

7 seasons on a subscriber-only pay cable channel in the low-budget, pre-Internet, pre-Sopranos, pre-Sex and the City era. Not network. Cheap to produce, so the hurdle was set very low.

 

It was good for its time, but I don't think too many people miss it that much, or will be that nostalgic about for it 30 years from now. Certainly not enough to want to spend millions on the 1950s OA then.

 

Not forgetting overseas syndication.

 

And DVD box-set releases.

 

And merchandise

[delekkerste]

To build on that point...

Tales from the Crypt has spawned no less than 6 motion pictures from 1972 thru 2001. Also not something that happens to ideas that don't reach a wide audience.

 

Nearly 100 live action TV episodes and that's not counting the animated series "Tales from the Cryptkeeper"

 

Not forgetting overseas syndication.

 

And DVD box-set releases.

 

And merchandise

 

 

Guys, all that may be true, but let's not miss the forest for the trees. What has the real cultural impact been? How memorable was any of it (excluding the original comics, of course)? How many people are passionate and nostalgic enough about it to still care about the TV show, 12 years after the final episode aired on HBO? Did it get more people buying the reprint comics? The originals? The original art? I'm pretty sure that the guys laying out the big bucks for the EC art all developed their passion and nostalgia from the original source material.

 

 

[MutantKeys]

Wasnt the show on Fox 5 for a period of time as well? Or at least re-runs

[MutantKeys]

One of my favorite shows of all time, btw

[delekkerste]

One of my favorite shows of all time, btw

 

Until you buy a Wally Wood cover because of your love of the show, you just proved my point.

[*paull*]

The TV show is not even a memory for the general public. Show a picture of the Crypt Keeper to 1000 Americans, and I bet maybe 1 can identify him.

[Mephisto]

To build on that point...

Tales from the Crypt has spawned no less than 6 motion pictures from 1972 thru 2001. Also not something that happens to ideas that don't reach a wide audience.

 

Nearly 100 live action TV episodes and that's not counting the animated series "Tales from the Cryptkeeper"

 

Not forgetting overseas syndication.

 

And DVD box-set releases.

 

And merchandise

 

 

Guys, all that may be true, but let's not miss the forest for the trees. What has the real cultural impact been? How memorable was any of it (excluding the original comics, of course)? How many people are passionate and nostalgic enough about it to still care about the TV show, 12 years after the final episode aired on HBO? Did it get more people buying the reprint comics? The originals? The original art? I'm pretty sure that the guys laying out the big bucks for the EC art all developed their passion and nostalgia from the original source material.

 

 

A lot of those horror shows were junk. The original TZ from the 60's still holds up better than most of the garbage from the past 20 years. I've caught some episodes of Tales from the Dark Side that I remember seeing when I was very young. Talk about budgeted, I've seen better opening titles for public access shows.

[Bronty]

yeah, for sure. OK so it was on TV but so what. Anyone who's ever actually seen the show knows it was pretty much garbage.

[Mister Trent]

To build on that point...

Tales from the Crypt has spawned no less than 6 motion pictures from 1972 thru 2001. Also not something that happens to ideas that don't reach a wide audience.

 

Nearly 100 live action TV episodes and that's not counting the animated series "Tales from the Cryptkeeper"

 

Not forgetting overseas syndication.

 

And DVD box-set releases.

 

And merchandise

 

 

How many people are passionate and nostalgic enough about it to still care about the TV show, 12 years after the final episode aired on HBO?

 

Probably the same people who shell out for the DVDs

[bluechip]

Who knew the most espensive piece ever bought would be by Wally Wood. I thought it would be an Eisner, Kirby or Frazetta

 

 

The key factor is that it's a piece which speaks for itself. It works on anybody's wall without requiring any explanation. And it's obvious that it was created to be published and not created to be sold as original art (which you cannot say for much of the modern stuff).

 

Pieces which meet all those criteria will satisfy any person who likes art, whether they know comics or not.

[Mister Trent]

To build on that point...

Tales from the Crypt has spawned no less than 6 motion pictures from 1972 thru 2001. Also not something that happens to ideas that don't reach a wide audience.

 

Nearly 100 live action TV episodes and that's not counting the animated series "Tales from the Cryptkeeper"

 

Not forgetting overseas syndication.

 

And DVD box-set releases.

 

And merchandise

 

 

How many people are passionate and nostalgic enough about it to still care about the TV show, 12 years after the final episode aired on HBO? Did it get more people buying the reprint comics? The originals? The original art? I'm pretty sure that the guys laying out the big bucks for the EC art all developed their passion and nostalgia from the original source material.

 

 

Where is it suggested, in this thread, that the TV series prompted people to go out and buy EC original art?

 

I simply made the point that the success of the EC books resulted in constant reprints over several decades, along with movies and a long-running TV show.

[delekkerste]

Where is it suggested, in this thread, that the TV series prompted people to go out and buy EC original art?

 

I simply made the point that the success of the EC books resulted in constant reprints over several decades, along with movies and a long-running TV show.

 

I merely proposed that, "the most historic/iconic comic book images from the most popular artists drawing the most popular characters - will eventually surpass [EC] pieces like this in price" as the former have remained very much in the mainstream popular culture while EC's have become a much more a niche part of the hobby with a greying collecting base. Brett then countered with the possibility that the art would stand on its own superb merit and as an example of Americana sci-fi in the future rather than being tied to the popularity or nostalgia for the characters. You then cited some examples about how EC has survived in various media forms after the demise of the actual company. I took the implication to be that this could continue in the future (with the resultant impact on the EC OA market) and argued that EC's influence through reprints, Warren influence, TV and movies was less than inferred from your post. You disagreed, Chris and Danny disagreed, Paul agreed and somehow we were all left wondering how we even got to arguing about all 6 people who actually went out and bought the DVD boxset of Tales from the Crypt.

 

I do believe that was the most pointless exercise of my day. Can we talk about something else?

[Bronty]

heheh its a good day for you post-wise gene.

[westform]

Hi Guys; did I miss something in this thread? The cover belonged to JimH, no? Sorry to put a wet blanket over the party but I would bet, and mind you it's only my opinion, that there was most likely trade involved. Here's the scenario I see happening.... Jim won't sell the cover, fine.... get's offered a big number $75k and turns it down, fine. But, hey here's a really fine Wood cover plus 50k for yours Jim. Ok... sounds like a deal. I wouldn't sell mine for less than 200k, so it's 50k cash and your mighty fine 150k Wood cover in trade. Ok, could have been multiple pieces and trade for the cover. And, yes, it could have been all cash, but until I read that it was 200k cash on the barrel I'm going to question it. There are a mighty few (like count them on one hand) number of guys who make the market in EC covers; I always like to get the fine print first...

 

.... secondly, all this talk of this tv show or this movie means very little in the sceme of things in the hobby. For all our lofty ideals of 'buy what you like and you can't go wrong' it is only part of the equation... and I would venture to say that as you climb up the scale of $'s it becomes less and less a factor to many. In any hobby or collectable area, there is a history and a continuity. New collectors that come in (and many old ones too) jump into that stream and go from there. The group psyche will tell you what to buy. Ask an expert in any collectible field and you will get some pretty definate lists of ultimate or near ultimate art to search out, and I would venture to say that there would be much overlap on the list. Now the list may be broken down into great technical draftsmen, and/or historical character based must haves but the point is that there is a short list. This list may evolve somewhat over time and that is where you take a little risk, but it is pretty easy to figure it out by jumping in and getting advice. Anyway, it just doesn't matter what tv show you have nostalgia for, because there will always be collectors for Raymond Flash Gordon, and Wood EC, and Kirby FF.

[buyatari]

A lot of these old comic chartacters won't ever be best sellers in the comic books again but appear in other forms in our culture.

 

Tv and movies were already mentioned.

 

Videogames are a big one, as more kids today play videogames than read comics anyway.

 

 

 

 

Will these kids grow up and go after a Krazy Kat original work?

 

I think a child who does have a Felix the Cat game and then grows up and collects OA will seek it out just a little more than character art he has no connection to like the Yellow Kid. As others have said he will pick up on what's important and then make decisions based on what is cherished within the hobby and what he would most like for himself. Keeping the character alive in culture does help even if there is no immediate or discernable connection between the appearance in pop culture and demand for the OA.

[westform]

I think that he will use character identification as one criteria when collecting. No doubt.

 

But, if he really enters the hobby, he will most likely have moments of education that broaden his horizens. Or, he will simply be offered pieces that have no nostalgia for him but hit him artistically in the gut. Or, he will simply come in full guns trying to put together a 'laundry' list of important pieces. Many ways to collect but I can say from personal experience and knowledge of others collecting habits that nostalgia becomes only one factor.

 

Personally, I own about 20 to 30% of pieces that I have no nostalgia for. And, yes, some are big ticket items. I grew to appreciate them as I evolved with the hobby. And, I am a big nostalgia guy... many collectors I know the % is reversed.

[tth2]

Actually Pat is a pediatric critical care doc and dont believe he is a member of the boards.

 

Hmmm, maybe my mom was right and I should have gone to med school after all.

If every Asian kid did what every Asian parent wanted, there'd be 2 billion doctors in the world.

[tth2]

I actually meant for my question to be somewhat rhetorical.

 

It just seems that there is some smoke and mirrors going on here. If it was in Jim's collection and he sold it privately than why not state that in the press release. The release makes it seem like Heritage will broker BIG deals for private collectors. As if part of their business is privately shopping prime material to their top clients and brokering TOP deals for them.

 

This was not the case here, but the release makes it sound like it was. And then of course there is the added incentive of pushing up the EC market.

In fact, don't a lot of the auction houses do private treaty deals? I don't know if that's what happened in this particular transaction or whether Halperin simply used the Heritage media machine to hype his own private deal, but since auction houses often know "where the bodies are", they are well suited to act as brokers of private deals.