Doohickamabob Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 My second - entirely speculative - point is that It may also be that by this point Baker has become so disenchanted with the cheapskate Fox and is rushing out second rate work. Not sure that fits my image of Baker-as-perfectionist. But when an artist is not focused on doing their best work, rushing things, they can fall into stylistic bad habits. This seems like a feasible theory to me. It certainly explains the significantly higher-quality work he did for St.John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
29dukedog Posted December 25, 2012 Share Posted December 25, 2012 Insomuch as this book is cover dated December, and is the 25th issue... Merry Christmas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sqeggs Posted December 25, 2012 Share Posted December 25, 2012 Insomuch as this book is cover dated December, and is the 25th issue... Merry Christmas! Sharp copy of a tough book. Merry Christmas to all Baker fans! (And to non-Baker fans, as well!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1952 Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 Merry Christmass & Happy New Year to all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iksar Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 (edited) I have a theory about this issue and the four other painted covers of this title. Overstreet says they're not by Baker, but I think they are. Here is my reasoning: 1. The only issues of the title that do not feature any Baker art (according to Overstreet) are issues 28 to 30. Even the issues with photo covers have Baker art inside. 2. The painted covers of all four have a Bakerish look to me, although not as stylistically familiar to collectors due to the different medium. 3. Baker did do paintings in a similar style for men's magazines. 4. Paintings take longer to produce than line art. Maybe the reason there are no Baker stories in Teenage Romances 28, 29, 30 is because he was completing cover paintings for issues 26 through 30. Now, I'm no expert on Baker, and maybe someone knows another reason there was no Baker art in those four issues, and maybe someone knows the name of the painter, but I think I may be onto something here. Thoughts? You can view all the TAR covers here (thanks, MyComicShop): http://www.mycomicshop.com/search?TID=373791 Edited December 26, 2012 by Iksar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comicnoir Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 It's difficult to say, but the TAR painted covers are hard to compare with his tonal magazine illustrations, because they were b&w and the covers were colour. They don't strike me as similar enough to say the painted covers were Baker. The painted covers differ from his line covers because they look generic. His covers had a tension, conflict and beauty sorely lacking in the painted covers. Another look at that list is also notable to me, in that I am reminded I have practically all the issues, minus the painted and photo covers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JvR11 Posted December 26, 2012 Author Share Posted December 26, 2012 When I spoke to Matt's brother, he indicated that Matt didn't work in paints just chalks and inks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comicnoir Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 Thanks for the clarification Joanna. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB-Gun Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 I have a theory about this issue and the four other painted covers of this title. Overstreet says they're not by Baker, but I think they are. Here is my reasoning: 1. The only issues of the title that do not feature any Baker art (according to Overstreet) are issues 28 to 30. Even the issues with photo covers have Baker art inside. 2. The painted covers of all four have a Bakerish look to me, although not as stylistically familiar to collectors due to the different medium. 3. Baker did do paintings in a similar style for men's magazines. 4. Paintings take longer to produce than line art. Maybe the reason there are no Baker stories in Teenage Romances 28, 29, 30 is because he was completing cover paintings for issues 26 through 30. Now, I'm no expert on Baker, and maybe someone knows another reason there was no Baker art in those four issues, and maybe someone knows the name of the painter, but I think I may be onto something here. Thoughts? You can view all the TAR covers here (thanks, MyComicShop): http://www.mycomicshop.com/search?TID=373791 Baker's wash covers looked painted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
29dukedog Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 I have a theory about this issue and the four other painted covers of this title. Overstreet says they're not by Baker, but I think they are. Here is my reasoning: 1. The only issues of the title that do not feature any Baker art (according to Overstreet) are issues 28 to 30. Even the issues with photo covers have Baker art inside. 2. The painted covers of all four have a Bakerish look to me, although not as stylistically familiar to collectors due to the different medium. 3. Baker did do paintings in a similar style for men's magazines. 4. Paintings take longer to produce than line art. Maybe the reason there are no Baker stories in Teenage Romances 28, 29, 30 is because he was completing cover paintings for issues 26 through 30. Now, I'm no expert on Baker, and maybe someone knows another reason there was no Baker art in those four issues, and maybe someone knows the name of the painter, but I think I may be onto something here. Thoughts? You can view all the TAR covers here (thanks, MyComicShop): http://www.mycomicshop.com/search?TID=373791 Baker's wash covers looked painted. I think this cover, and the others in the same style, were done on textured paper with ink and charcoal, or soft lead pencil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iksar Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 When I spoke to Matt's brother, he indicated that Matt didn't work in paints just chalks and inks. Really? I could have sworn I've seen paintings by Baker in Men's magazines. They looked like oils (or acrylics) to me. Or maybe my memory is shot... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comicnoir Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 When I spoke to Matt's brother, he indicated that Matt didn't work in paints just chalks and inks. Really? I could have sworn I've seen paintings by Baker in Men's magazines. They looked like oils (or acrylics) to me. Or maybe my memory is shot... Where they B&W? If so, they were probably done in wash (diluted ink). Maybe chalk highlights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1952 Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 ^agree Baker's work on mens magazine look more like Art done with ink and charcoal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB-Gun Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 ^agree Baker's work on mens magazine look more like Art done with ink and charcoal. From Rage, I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1952 Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 B&W paint? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1952 Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 just receive my eBay win of GCE#15 what a Beauty glad its back into my collection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sqeggs Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 Yowza! The SC eBay auctions brought in some very strong prices for Baker books -- at any rate, they seemed strong to me as I watched my bids get washed away! Some highlights: Cinderella Love 25 6.0 OW/W $2,187.87 (not bad for a book that Overstreet doesn't even break out!) Giant Comics Edition 12 4.0 (OW/W) $2,577.00 (not bad for a book with a chunk missing from its cover) Diary Secrets 13 9.2 White $1,999.00 Teen-Age Temptations 8 8.5 (OW/W) $1,431.76 Teen-Age Temptations 1 8.5 (OW/W) $1,425.00 All told the 18 Baker books went for $16,594. Congrats to the consignor! Anyone else surprised by these prices? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comicnoir Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 Yowza! The SC eBay auctions brought in some very strong prices for Baker books -- at any rate, they seemed strong to me as I watched my bids get washed away! Some highlights: Cinderella Love 25 6.0 OW/W $2,187.87 (not bad for a book that Overstreet doesn't even break out!) Giant Comics Edition 12 4.0 (OW/W) $2,577.00 (not bad for a book with a chunk missing from its cover) Diary Secrets 13 9.2 White $1,999.00 Teen-Age Temptations 8 8.5 (OW/W) $1,431.76 Teen-Age Temptations 1 8.5 (OW/W) $1,425.00 All told the 18 Baker books went for $16,594. Congrats to the consignor! Anyone else surprised by these prices? Sort of. I was the underbidder on the CL 25. I wanted it, but was scared of what I would have to pay. To the person who's bid I drove up (we both sniped at the same second), enjoy the book. The DS 13 is very hard to find and has a salacious cover, and is a 9.2 copy! I thought it would go for well over 1k, but 2k is very healthy. I bid on all of them and, like you, was washed away. At least you have your avatar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamstrange Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 Condolences on the Cinderella Love. That is a marvelous cover. I was surprised by the GCE and did not anticipate that much demand for a 4.0. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comicnoir Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 Wait, I made a mistake. Just checked. I won the Teen-age Temptations #1. Now I gotta sell my car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
