Watchmen Covers

[irchooker]

Personally I find most of the interior pages pretty lacking in terms of artistic punch (although I like gibbons it certainly doesn't wow me), ... Let's face it this is not a series collected for the artwork itself.

 

I have to tell you, I think this is just crazy! Watchmen's basic subtext are all the things that can only be done with comics. It's panel structure, the flash back sequences, the pacing, the entire way it's constructed is about COMICS. Then there are things like symbolism, comic within a comic, recurring images, these are the things that make it a wonderful comic. The scenes with major characters doing action-y things, those are the weak points of the series. Having a page with 'all the characters' or 'action poses', 1/3 or 1/4 or 1/2 splashes or all the other nonsense that give superhero OA collectors a sense of glee, these are the weakest components of the story. So, basically, the things that superhero OA collectors love about superhero OA are the things that are weak about Watchmen, because at it's heart Watchmen is about all the great things that comics can/do/should represent and NOT about action scenes, or the things that make superhero comics, and by extension superhero OA, the ... unsatisfactory artistic product that it is.

[heartened]

I was thinking that too. I think it would be easy to find someone willing to pay more than 10k for a cover though. Personally I find most of the interior pages pretty lacking in terms of artistic punch (although I like gibbons it certainly doesn't wow me), so I don't really see covers lacking in artistic punch as being much of a barrier. Let's face it this is not a series collected for the artwork itself.

 

You hit the nail on the head. It's collected for the story. The art is nice and crisp, but it's the story that is remembered and "famous." Hence, the covers are "worthless", i.e. not a part of the story.

 

OK, saying they're "worthless" is a bit harsh, I know

 

[heartened]

Personally I find most of the interior pages pretty lacking in terms of artistic punch (although I like gibbons it certainly doesn't wow me), ... Let's face it this is not a series collected for the artwork itself.

 

I have to tell you, I think this is just crazy! Watchmen's basic subtext are all the things that can only be done with comics. It's panel structure, the flash back sequences, the pacing, the entire way it's constructed is about COMICS. Then there are things like symbolism, comic within a comic, recurring images, these are the things that make it a wonderful comic. The scenes with major characters doing action-y things, those are the weak points of the series. Having a page with 'all the characters' or 'action poses', 1/3 or 1/4 or 1/2 splashes or all the other nonsense that give superhero OA collectors a sense of glee, these are the weakest components of the story. So, basically, the things that superhero OA collectors love about superhero OA are the things that are weak about Watchmen, because at it's heart Watchmen is about all the great things that comics can/do/should represent and NOT about action scenes, or the things that make superhero comics, and by extension superhero OA, the ... unsatisfactory artistic product that it is.

 

Very insightful and accurate! All of Moore's work can be summed up this way, and is what sets him apart from the rest.

 

[blowout]

Personally I find most of the interior pages pretty lacking in terms of artistic punch (although I like gibbons it certainly doesn't wow me), ... Let's face it this is not a series collected for the artwork itself.

 

I have to tell you, I think this is just crazy! Watchmen's basic subtext are all the things that can only be done with comics. It's panel structure, the flash back sequences, the pacing, the entire way it's constructed is about COMICS. Then there are things like symbolism, comic within a comic, recurring images, these are the things that make it a wonderful comic. The scenes with major characters doing action-y things, those are the weak points of the series. Having a page with 'all the characters' or 'action poses', 1/3 or 1/4 or 1/2 splashes or all the other nonsense that give superhero OA collectors a sense of glee, these are the weakest components of the story. So, basically, the things that superhero OA collectors love about superhero OA are the things that are weak about Watchmen, because at it's heart Watchmen is about all the great things that comics can/do/should represent and NOT about action scenes, or the things that make superhero comics, and by extension superhero OA, the ... unsatisfactory artistic product that it is.

 

Very insightful and accurate! All of Moore's work can be summed up this way, and is what sets him apart from the rest.

 

You think this summary of the artistic apeal of the watchmen art is 'insightful and acurate', but doesn't it completely contradict what you stated in your previous post?

[Jesusjon]

heh heh I'm just looking for a nice 7-9 panel story page from Watchmen featuring my favorite characters of course. The covers would be almost valueless to me (but would probably be great trade bait!! to each their own!)

 

Would still be fun to see all the covers on display in a Watchmen OA exhibit though...

[heartened]

Personally I find most of the interior pages pretty lacking in terms of artistic punch (although I like gibbons it certainly doesn't wow me), ... Let's face it this is not a series collected for the artwork itself.

 

I have to tell you, I think this is just crazy! Watchmen's basic subtext are all the things that can only be done with comics. It's panel structure, the flash back sequences, the pacing, the entire way it's constructed is about COMICS. Then there are things like symbolism, comic within a comic, recurring images, these are the things that make it a wonderful comic. The scenes with major characters doing action-y things, those are the weak points of the series. Having a page with 'all the characters' or 'action poses', 1/3 or 1/4 or 1/2 splashes or all the other nonsense that give superhero OA collectors a sense of glee, these are the weakest components of the story. So, basically, the things that superhero OA collectors love about superhero OA are the things that are weak about Watchmen, because at it's heart Watchmen is about all the great things that comics can/do/should represent and NOT about action scenes, or the things that make superhero comics, and by extension superhero OA, the ... unsatisfactory artistic product that it is.

 

Very insightful and accurate! All of Moore's work can be summed up this way, and is what sets him apart from the rest.

 

You think this summary of the artistic apeal of the watchmen art is 'insightful and acurate', but doesn't it completely contradict what you stated in your previous post?

 

Not really. I think the art is nice, actually, as I said. But it's not the art that drew me to this work. It was the story. It's the story that commands the high price now, not the art itself.

 

[bocaratondefense]

FWIW A pair of panel pages from #8 sold for what looks like $17,000 on the Albert Moy website.

 

 

[Jesusjon]

Looks like they haven't sold. The language seems to (?) indicate that 8/27 will be "sold with 8/28" then 8/28 is listed at 17K. (no sold indicator on that) But I could be wrong!

 

Whatever else you can say, at least the upcoming movie has scared some pages out into the open! Fun to see em!

[dem1138]

Correct -- under price for the first of the pair -- Albert wrote "Sold with 8/28" meaning that they'll be sold as a pair -- then when you click on the 2nd of the pair -- you get the price. The pages have not sold.

[Mighty Hal]

Finishing WATCHING THE WATCHMEN today, I read that Dave Gibbons sold all of his original artwork (including the covers) as each issue was completed. He sold it all to a friend with a comic store, who made it clear that he'd be marking up prices and re-selling it. So how much did Gibbons make for his original artwork?

 

"Paul had been completely upfront, so it wasn't a problem between us, even when he sold the complete set of covers at auction... Each cover went for roughly what I'd made on a complete issue."

 

And how does he feel now? Pretty much like I'd feel:

 

"Occasionally over recent years, well-meaning friends have sent me links to online auctions of WATCHMEN originals. No doubt they're trying to show me how much the work is valued but, even so, I've learnt not to even look. As I said, there's no use in crying over spilt milk, but then spilt milk doesn't appreciate in value a hundred-fold in twenty years."

 

 

[Nexus]

First off, the covers don't do a whole lot for me, either. That said, there'd be no shortage of buyers for the #1 cover at $50K. The other covers would get at least $20K a piece. I don't necessarily agree, but hey, collectors love covers.

 

Finishing WATCHING THE WATCHMEN today, I read that Dave Gibbons sold all of his original artwork (including the covers) as each issue was completed. He sold it all to a friend with a comic store, who made it clear that he'd be marking up prices and re-selling it. So how much did Gibbons make for his original artwork?

 

"Paul had been completely upfront, so it wasn't a problem between us, even when he sold the complete set of covers at auction... Each cover went for roughly what I'd made on a complete issue."

 

And how does he feel now? Pretty much like I'd feel:

 

"Occasionally over recent years, well-meaning friends have sent me links to online auctions of WATCHMEN originals. No doubt they're trying to show me how much the work is valued but, even so, I've learnt not to even look. As I said, there's no use in crying over spilt milk, but then spilt milk doesn't appreciate in value a hundred-fold in twenty years."

 

At the CBLDF auction at SDCC this year, Gibbons himself auctioned off his charity WATCHMEN piece. As bidding got higher and higher (finally closing at $9K), you could see Gibbons express both delight and shock. I'm sure he also thought the same thing we all did: What would a published page have gone for?

 

I talked to Kevin O'Neill about his LOEG artwork last year. He didn't sell it when it was published, in large part because he had talked to Gibbons about it and didn't want to go through the same regret. Of course, LOEG and WATCHMEN are not entirely comparable, but you get the point.

[Bronty]

does he still have it all? that's cool if so

[J.Sid]

I would bid as high as I could on the cover to # 1.... and get smacked down pretty hard. The other covers don't do a thing for me. Even if I could pick up one for $1,000, I think I could find other art I enjoyed more for that money.

[cheekyj2112]

Old news to some of you, probably, but I've just read that the Watchmen covers (#1 - 12) sold at Sotheby's 3rd comic art auction...in 1993...as a single lot. The estimate was $20-30K and the winning bidder paid $17,250.

 

Did the winning bidder keep the covers or have they drifted into the general OA-iverse? If they're out there, any idea of current value?

 

 

A friend of mine used to own the covers and I remember him telling that for a while it didn't look like they were going to actually sell; Shamus may have been the only bidder.

 

The covers are very iconic but ultimately they don't tick the usual boxes of what collectors look for in a comic cover - no characters or even figures are portrayed at all. Had the covers been split up I think there would have been more interest. If I'm being honest, I think the covers are very striking but I don't give them a second thought in comparison to missing out on some of the inhouse ads.

 

Cheers

Joseph

 

http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryDetail.asp?GCat=9492

[DocGo]

The covers are very iconic but ultimately they don't tick the usual boxes of what collectors look for in a comic cover - no characters or even figures are portrayed at all.

 

Cover to #4 has Jon Osterman (pre-Dr. Manhattan) & an old girlfriend and #8 has a full-body bust of Nite Owl I. These sorta portray some characters...

[buyatari]

Finishing WATCHING THE WATCHMEN today, I read that Dave Gibbons sold all of his original artwork (including the covers) as each issue was completed. He sold it all to a friend with a comic store, who made it clear that he'd be marking up prices and re-selling it. So how much did Gibbons make for his original artwork?

 

"Paul had been completely upfront, so it wasn't a problem between us, even when he sold the complete set of covers at auction... Each cover went for roughly what I'd made on a complete issue."

 

And how does he feel now? Pretty much like I'd feel:

 

"Occasionally over recent years, well-meaning friends have sent me links to online auctions of WATCHMEN originals. No doubt they're trying to show me how much the work is valued but, even so, I've learnt not to even look. As I said, there's no use in crying over spilt milk, but then spilt milk doesn't appreciate in value a hundred-fold in twenty years."

 

 

Part of the reason these pages are so desirable is when they were sold and who they were sold to. Had the artist kept every page and released them now he certainly would have made more than he did then but I don't think the prices would be what they are. The market has created itself in this time to have them all hidden away would have stopped that from happening.

 

However, had he the forsight to hold back the very best pages from each issue and would have release all the others when he did.......

[Mister Trent]

Finishing WATCHING THE WATCHMEN today, I read that Dave Gibbons sold all of his original artwork (including the covers) as each issue was completed. He sold it all to a friend with a comic store, who made it clear that he'd be marking up prices and re-selling it. So how much did Gibbons make for his original artwork?

 

"Paul had been completely upfront, so it wasn't a problem between us, even when he sold the complete set of covers at auction... Each cover went for roughly what I'd made on a complete issue."

 

 

Paul Hudson?

 

If so, decent guy.

[JLA22fan-migration]

I reckon so. I bought my panel pages in groups of three, for approx 500 dollars each, from Comic Showcase in Earlham Street. Is the shop still around ?

[Mister Trent]

I reckon so. I bought my panel pages in groups of three, for approx 500 dollars each, from Comic Showcase in Earlham Street. Is the shop still around ?

 

Don't think so.

 

When I was buying art from Paul (on ocassional trips to London), Comic Showcase was based in Neal Street.

 

I used to have fun negotiating prices on Large Art Silver-Art Marvel pages with Paul . . .

 

"C'mon, let me have this Kirby/Stone FANTASTIC FOUR page for £100, you know I'm offering you a good price!"

[blowout]

I reckon so. I bought my panel pages in groups of three, for approx 500 dollars each, from Comic Showcase in Earlham Street. Is the shop still around ?

 

Don't think so.

 

When I was buying art from Paul (on ocassional trips to London), Comic Showcase was based in Neal Street.

 

I used to have fun negotiating prices on Large Art Silver-Art Marvel pages with Paul . . .

 

"C'mon, let me have this Kirby/Stone FANTASTIC FOUR page for £100, you know I'm offering you a good price!"

 

Comic Showcase no longer exists. The shop in Neal Street closed down a number of years ago and they re-opened a much smaller store on Charing Cross Road. Sadly, even that store has now closed its doors.