G.I. Joe #21 Original Art From Another Perspective

[Illiterati-migration]

 

Really, though, it's just something about Gene that drives men to verbally assault him... he's like message board chum.

 

It's the hair, buddy... it's all about the hair...

 

You should have seen greggy weeping in San Diego at the mere sight of Gene's awe-inspiring hair...

Another urban legend started by House? Now...should I expose the TRUTH about your past to the open forum? Decisions...decisions!

 

'House is that lobotomized person_having_a_hard_time_understanding_my_point TRUTH from the Cooler?!?!?!!? Actaully, that kinda makes sense...

 

No...he's azdork and TJ combined!

 

 

Dammit, Greggy! You know TJ searches the boards hourly looking for mention of his name! Next thing you know, he'll be down here posting pictures of his cat or making some asinine remark that only a coinee could find amusing!

[delekkerste]

It's the hair, buddy... it's all about the hair...

 

You should have seen greggy weeping in San Diego at the mere sight of Gene's awe-inspiring hair...

 

Shortly after the San Diego Con, I started to worry that I was losing my hair (which my dermatologist later refuted)...in any case, the paranoia lingers on, so I think I've only had it cut once since then. Here's a pic of me from last night (see attachment) at an event at the Guggenheim Museum...if that hair doesn't make men weep and women swoon, I don't know what will. I hope Greggy doesn't hurt himself!

 

Gene

[comicartfan]

Here's a pic of me

 

I'd rather look at your orignal comic art.....

[Joanna]

Gene,

 

I liked hearing that you'd bought the art from a favorite issue. I know that when I was buying art, it was all about how I responded to the pieces, not perceived future value. Because I've had to let several pieces go, I've learned that most of them were worth a lot more than I paid, while a couple didn't fetch what I thought they deserved. The ones I have left are the pieces I couldn't part with. They all have high sentimental value, many of which were gifts to me from the artists. With those pieces, dollar value doesn't enter into the equation.

 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that no one here should be criticizing another's purchases. We all spend our money how we want to. We buy the books we like, the art we like, we collect or invest or whatever -- but if it's your money, you get to decide. Don't listen to your detractors, because they probably have a bunch of stuff that means something to them that would be worthless to you. That's how it always is. They're judging based on false assumptions, different tastes, or simply because they don't like tales of market crashes.

 

Now go gaze at your pages. That's all that really matters.

 

-- Joanna

 

P.S. Nice tux! Very dapper.

[Aman619]

As far as the #21 deal, although I'm one of the premiere Joe collectors out there, I was not even made aware that it was going up for sale. Would I have paid $10k for it? - without a doubt! I do have a feeling that it did go for more than that (and for Ben and Larry's sake I hope it did). I know there are other List members who also would have made a run for this and made it interesting. My sense is that it should have gone for $15-20k.

 

This is an expert opinion you have entered into the books on this case. Starting a new thread with this was in "defense" of your purchase (not that you have to defend what you state repeatedly was not an investment...) by illustrating to us non GIJoe believers just how incredibly important #21 was/is. And how many other collectors would kill for similar pages, if not these exact pages that you happily paid a healthy 5-figure sum for...

 

So I have one question: This 'expert opinion' you cited states a value of 15-20K for the book's art. Did you pay significantly MORE than what he thinks the books pages are worth? If so, if you paid $35K, or as a few have guessed closer to $50K....you overpaid.

 

And if you overpaid, and continue to insist that you werent investing, you are not that different from the CGC-'investors' you insist are throwing money away because they too are just buying what they love. Im talking about the guys here on these boards, not the mythical "new money investors" lured in by the easy riches they hear about... Anybody ever meet any of these guys? I havent. Just comics fans willing to spend thousands (sometimes too many 1000s) for cool scarce-in-HG books. And all of them say the same thing you do: if the book sloses value, so what - - I love the book.

 

Gene, at this point its about time to suggest that you dost protest too much. As Joanna and others are saying, Enjoy your pages...

[Illiterati-migration]

So I have one question: This 'expert opinion' you cited states a value of 15-20K for the book's art. Did you pay significantly MORE than what he thinks the books pages are worth? If so, if you paid $35K, or as a few have guessed closer to $50K....you overpaid.

 

For the love of God.

 

Are you THAT jealous that he has money to throw around and dump into something he enjoys? Is it inconceivable to you that someone would purchase something for reasons OTHER than monetary appreciation? MAYBE Gene's not struggling to make ends meet? MAYBE he can AFFORD to buy something he likes SIMPLY because he likes it?

 

I think it's time to ask yourself why you're SO concerned with Gene's spending habits. (This, of course, applies to all of you who are critiquing The Purchase.)

 

And Aman, re-read your post. You've made up your mind about what you consider to be his motivations... so you can take comments like: "Enjoy your pages... " and blow them out the proper orifice.

 

I'm just really tired of reading the petty sniping and lowbrow psycho-analysis from the peanut gallery here. Gene has offered a very valid perspective on the comic industry and possible future trends. Now, if the current state of affairs in (and Gene's gloomy forecast for) the comic market has made you all this insecure, then perhaps it's time to turn your critical eye INWARD and start analyzing why YOU'RE collecting.

[Aman619]

Oh cmon, why are YOU so upset? SInce this started, Gene's posts (while well-written and very self-controlled which is a bonus on these crazy boards) have increasingly become defensive. I was willing to let it go with what Joanna spoke of as different interests for different collectors. Its just that this last article proved nothing, and, opened up the line of thought I asked about.

 

If the expert opinion says its worth half what he paid. either the expert doesnt know what he is talking about (in which case why should we believe any of the rest of the article?), or Gene paid way over market value.

 

And, Im not jealous. Not of the purchase price, his ability to pay it, or (of course) of the collectible in question. I'm what is so lovingly referred to as a BSD myself... and what still doesnt ring true is anyone (even deep pockets Gene) throwing so much hard-earned money into acquiring a collectible and shouting that all the rest of us are making the mistake of our lives with OUR purchases.

[Illiterati-migration]

Oh cmon, why are YOU so upset? SInce this started, Gene's posts (while well-written and very self-controlled which is a bonus on these crazy boards) have increasingly become defensive. I was willing to let it go with what Joanna spoke of as different interests for different collectors. Its just that this last article proved nothing, and, opened up the line of thought I asked about.

 

If the expert opinion says its worth half what he paid. either the expert doesnt know what he is talking about (in which case why should we believe any of the rest of the article?), or Gene paid way over market value.

 

And, Im not jealous. Not of the purchase price, his ability to pay it, or (of course) of the collectible in question. I'm what is so lovingly referred to as a BSD myself... and what still doesnt ring true is anyone (even deep pockets Gene) throwing so much hard-earned money into acquiring a collectible and shouting that all the rest of us are making the mistake of our lives with OUR purchases.

 

Gene's posts have increasingly become defensive.

 

This is moronic. Should he just sit there and let more and more and more of you people jump his case about his purchase?

 

If the expert opinion says its worth half what he paid. either the expert doesnt know what he is talking about (in which case why should we believe any of the rest of the article?), or Gene paid way over market value .

 

So what?

 

and what still doesnt ring true is anyone (even deep pockets Gene) throwing so much hard-earned money into acquiring a collectible and shouting that all the rest of us are making the mistake of our lives with OUR purchases.

 

The funny thing about all this is that FROM THE BEGINNING Gene has said that the original art market is COMPLETELY unstable and that there is NO "guide" for what a piece will go for in the future. In fact, original art has shown almost NO "appreciation" over time. A piece is released to the public, sold for whatever price the market will bear, and that's pretty much it. Only occasionally will you see prices increase for particular pieces... and that's usually only because it's the new "fad" (typically dictated by a source like Wizard or somesuch)-- and even then those prices tend to come back to earth.

 

Gene bought it because he liked it. It's not hard to understand if you truly care about what you're collecting. I really think a lot of this "misunderstanding" comes from the fact that we have a LOT of "investors" here on the boards and very few comic READERS. Have you noticed that the "Modern" forum is about the quietest forum we have here? I would bet that most of the people who are betching at Gene aren't comic book READERS any more. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, most of the books now are [!@#%^&^]... hell, most of the books EVER have been [!@#%^&^]... but it's a different thing when you're still reading because you're passionate about the books as opposed to when you're simply purchasing because you think you're making a sound investment.

 

That being said, when you're passionate about the books, you don't mind dumping money into a "future-less" piece of art.

 

 

 

 

[Aman619]

Gene's posts have increasingly become defensive.

 

This is moronic. Should he just sit there and let more and more and more of you people jump his case about his purchase?

 

well, yeah! That was my point. He's free to buy what he wants. As we are. But I see nothing wrong with anyone civilly criticizing any purchase that comes up here. In Gene and JC's case, they spend so much time writing posts calling everyone elses purchases into question, I think its thin skinned to not expect the same. And I havent seen "more and more people jumping on his case", have you?

 

But dont get me wrong: from my first comment on this issue, for me it has always been "You paid how much $$$ for GI What? I just dont get it under any circumstances! Still dont!! GIJoe has absolutely NO INTEREST to me. But his answers and others posts caused me to realize that we all collect what we like. And pay what we decide is fair for our own peace of mind.

 

I feel he shouldnt have to 'defend' himself or the purchase...and that posting article didnt help matters. From the beginning he repeated that it wasnr the money - -he just needed to buy it. So why trot out an expert to say its the most valuable holy grail 80s book ever made???

[Illiterati-migration]

I feel he shouldnt have to 'defend' himself or the purchase...and that posting article didnt help matters. From the beginning he repeated that it wasnr the money - -he just needed to buy it. So why trot out an expert to say its the most valuable holy grail 80s book ever made???

 

He cited a post, no? Is that so horribly offensive? He cited the post because everyone was jumping on his case... I would think that any of us would do the same. That's not being "thin-skinned"... that's being human. Hell, he's been infinitely more patient with the haters and trolls than I would have been.

[Rickdogg]

I would pay whatver you paid for the art if I had the cash too You lucky dogg!!!!!!!!

[wolvergeek]

Same here. This has to be the most sought after artwork of the entire Joe series. The cover would be kick-arse to own!

[wolvergeek]

I'd much rather have the original art to the book than a 9.8 or 9.9

[Crackandpresstoan11]

"but hopefully this should silence the jokers out there who think this artwork has little significance or monetary value."

 

Just like a-holes, this is one guys opinion, everybody has one. Too bas Gene can't listen to others opinions without flying off the handle. But then again why would you care how much anybody thinks you under or overpaid? You didn't buy this as a investment, right?? You should learn how to take a little criticism every now and then, just like everybody else on these boards.

 

"I hope you can see that I'm just defending myself against personal attacks and people spreading misinformation about the art"

 

What misinformation has been spread about this art? Since when did opinion become fact?

 

"Notice that in the earlier Joe #21 threads I uttered nary a peep about the cost or value...it's only been over the past several days as certain Board members decided they had an axe to grind with me and raised the issue as part of their agenda."

 

You call articles in Wizard, CBG, and posting said articles on this board "nary a peep"??? You must have wanted all the publicity and fame to go along with the purchase, but don't want anyone to question or have any opinion about it? Sorry Gene, but the world does not revolve around you. I have no axe to grind, nor an agenda. You and your boy DAM attacked another poster. I though it was an unfair, voiced my opinions, and now your on some crusade to prove you are right and all the critics are wrong?? Anyway, I'm done posting about it. Like Rob says, you talk out of both sides of your mouth.

 

Just one question..... In my experience, I have found art collectors to be much more aggressive than comic collectors when it comes to going after pieces they want. If this art is so coveted as you claim, why would you go out of your way to make the purchase so public? I'm sure I can find more info on you in a 2 min. internet search than you would ever want anyone to know. Why do you want everyone to know what you have? Seems like your just asking for trouble, but this is just from my perspective.

 

 

 

 

 

[ArAich]

Sheesh Tom....always a pleasure to here your bright, sunshiny view on things...

[Darthdiesel]

Have you noticed that the "Modern" forum is about the quietest forum we have here?

 

Folks have a titty when people talk about books that came out that Wednesday, and sometimes rightfully so... that's why the forum is so quiet. I read all my subs on Wednesday when I can..or whenever I'm "in the can" over the next few days (picture that next time you are looking at a CGC 9.8 of mine with a supapimp "stuff" qualifer )

 

I'd love to talk about more Modern stuff books but afraid of the repercussions in an accidental spoiler or two I just have no control!

[Foolkiller]

I wasn't going to bother commenting on this thread but I can't resist:

 

Although Gene did post regarding the purchase, other than noting it for the abstract coolness of the purchase of itself. I never heard Gene saying... look at me and this valuable purchase... no comments about the inherent value about the purchase.

 

Recently, people have jumped on Gene about the purchase in relation to the criticism laid down regarding in his take on stocks v. comics because he bought something of significant value and was criticizing others for "investing" in comics.

 

I disagree that Gene's on some crusade to prove anyone wrong, other than to say that he's proving his point. Gene's opinions, whether you agree or disagree, and I don't always agree, are backed up by data and fact, not emotion and theory. While you cannot simply dismiss the latter, the former is more logical and reliable. I always respect Gene's opinion and respect the intellect.

 

The reason for the publicity surrounding the purchase is that the issue has siginificant historical value... friends of mine who don't even collect comics know of that issue, remember it growing up and loved it as kids. This is an important and siginificant purchase and people should know about it... he only made it public AFTER the sale was completed.

 

As for DAM and Gene attacking another poster... reread that thread... I believe the other poster started the war of words. Look, I'm friends with both Gene and DAM, so maybe you'll discount this opinion, but to me, all this criticism regarding Gene is B.S. I've never seen him start lobbing the personal attacks (first) ever, in my mind... you've got people who can't sustain their opinions with facts, get involved in opining about subjects where they don't have enough information, and then do so without civility (and I'm not even directing this at you per se Tom). But it's frustrating when people come on here and rip Gene and I think it's completely unwarranted. I've never seen Gene discount an opinion that was well thought out and well reasoned... he's perfectly willing to agree to disagree about many matters.

 

Like most things in life, paying attention, listenting carefully and treating people with respect are key: many board members forget this, and then whine when they feel they aren't treated that way and can't take a dose of their own medicine.

[Darthdiesel]

bah...I'd much rather have the original art for the Scarlett/Lady Jaye love scene...what...you've never seen this one ?

[lighthouse]

I'd love to talk about more Modern stuff books but afraid of the repercussions in an accidental spoiler or two I just have no control!

 

Thanks for sharing my pain... Since I read over half the Marvel and DC books a week before they come out, I find myself not wanting to respond to any modern thread to avoid spoiling it. Even if you figure that a week after release is enough time to wait before speaking freely, by that point it's two weeks since I read the book and I have read over 100 new comics since then. The luster is a little gone by that point...

 

If I get bored after Christmas I may start posting every single week in the Modern section about the advance copies I have read. Mark all the threads as being spoilers and just dish... A lot of the folks here don't read new books anyway, so finding out a week early wouldn't spoil anything for them...

[rob_react]

I'd love to talk about more Modern stuff books but afraid of the repercussions in an accidental spoiler or two I just have no control!

 

Just put SPOILERS in the title and go nuts!