WTF - crazy AH! auction

[malvin]

Wow, all I can say is WOW (or WTF)

 

AH! ebay sketch auction link

 

$5K for a sketch? Considering the previous one (open to all) "only" went for $2,750, I did not expect $5K for this one where you had to be at the con to pick it up.

 

Now, there were only 2 bidders past $1K, but based on another thread that doesn't mean much. The winner does have 'lowish" (31) feedback though. I hope he pays.

 

OK, I've spewed my thoughts - the rest of you can discuss!

 

Malvin

[supapimp]

lots of pervs out there.

[Erato]

Wow, all I can say is WOW (or WTF)

 

AH! ebay sketch auction link

 

$5K for a sketch? Considering the previous one (open to all) "only" went for $2,750, I did not expect $5K for this one where you had to be at the con to pick it up.

 

Now, there were only 2 bidders past $1K, but based on another thread that doesn't mean much. The winner does have 'lowish" (31) feedback though. I hope he pays.

 

OK, I've spewed my thoughts - the rest of you can discuss!

 

Malvin

 

I guessed it, Malvin. No one believed me, but I guessed it!

 

Brian

[Dumur]

Okay this is getting ridiculous. Thank God I am not a sketch collector. Guess I'll just slum it down here with the other published cover and splash OA collector's over here.

[*paull*]

Insanity.

[SignatureSelect]

for 5 grand I could get neal adams to do something just as nice. I could even get steranko or probably even jim lee. I know sam keiths rate is 2500 for up to 4 characters or maybe I can buy a few glenn fabry covers. What is this guy thinking. I got a painting from Dave Mckean for 800 and hughes wants 5000. I have now decided that I don't ever want to own an adam hughes commission.

[Dumur]

Now to be fair...Adam doesn't charge $5K. He has had the most reasonable sketch prices for years. He sat through years of charging very little and putting out great work just to watch people flip them for 4 - 5 times the price. He isn't "charging" $5K. He's just letting the public battle over the only sketch he is doing. It's great. I am happy for him...and you know it isn't going to be flipped. So I don't fault Adam. I don;t fault anyone really...I say if the guy wants to pay that...good for him. I bet for $5K, Adam is going to not help but feel he has to knock it out of the park and I bet well do one hell of a "sketch"... but in terms of taste... I'm with you. I'll take that McKean painting, throw in a Sam Keith "sketch" and pick up a Paul Pope commission for that price... but that's just me.

[comix4fun]

for 5 grand I could get neal adams to do something just as nice. I could even get steranko or probably even jim lee. I know sam keiths rate is 2500 for up to 4 characters or maybe I can buy a few glenn fabry covers. What is this guy thinking. I got a painting from Dave Mckean for 800 and hughes wants 5000. I have now decided that I don't ever want to own an adam hughes commission.

 

 

Have you asked Neal Adams for a commission piece? A full custom commission, not a sketch? You'd have to take that $5k number and multiply it by 5.

 

And Adam Hughes is not charging $5k, go back and read the posts and click the link.

It was an auction for a guaranteed sketch at Big Apple Con. It's comic geeks like you and me and a ton of others that ran it up to $5k.

 

That's not Adam's fault and it's not something you should hold against him or blame him for.

[The Troll King]

As I posted in a previous thread Adam's sketch prices are $400 now with a 50 person list fill up in the first 10 minutes of the con.

 

It's a coin flip after that if you actually get the sketch.

[Royd]

This auction merely reflects what someone/s were willing to pay for a guaranteed AH! sketch at this con. The previous high-water mark was an auction for Mega-Con which went for around $3,500.00.

 

I believe that Adam will be sketching as normal at this con and, as mentioned above, will be charging his current sketch rate of $400.00.

 

Also, as has been mentioned in other posts, there are currently AH! published pieces on sale for less than $2000.00. No-one is forcing anyone to pay $5,000.00 for a sketch! *Sheesh*

 

The final bid figure is an indication of the strength of the appeal of Adam's work (whether "perv" material or not) and shows why he has won multiple industry awards as voted on by his peers. Best,

 

Royd

Mod, Hughes-Fans (7,600+ members worldwide and growing)

 

 

[easyt63]

I dont know why everyone is going crazy over the results of this auction. Some people have been trying to get a sketch from Adam for years and have been unsuccessful. This might have been two of those people, both seeing their chance to finally have a Hughes piece for the wall.

 

Adam is a really nice guy, and a hell of a hard worker. Its great to see him receive the popularity that he is getting after all the years of keeping his prices low, and doing many, many con apperances. Plus, people need to remember that some of us have not been into comics since the 70's or 80's, heck maybe not even the 90's. I was born in 1985, didnt read comics till around 1991 or so, so anything prior to that doesnt really hold and value to me. I most likely wouldnt buy a Ditko Spidey, or Kirby FF because I didnt grow up reading that. Now I would buy a Bagley Spidey cover or a Erik Larsen Savage Dragon piece (if he would ever sell one) because thats what I grew up reading. I love to draw, and I like drawing female characters the most. On top of that I dont think anyone does it better than Adam, so of course I buy his art. I like buying art from Invincible, Ryan Ottley is a awesome guy and I love the book and his art.

 

So think of that as well when comparing what you would spend 5K on.

[ecfanman]

Wow, all I can say is WOW (or WTF)

 

AH! ebay sketch auction link

 

$5K for a sketch? Considering the previous one (open to all) "only" went for $2,750, I did not expect $5K for this one where you had to be at the con to pick it up.

 

Now, there were only 2 bidders past $1K, but based on another thread that doesn't mean much. The winner does have 'lowish" (31) feedback though. I hope he pays.

 

OK, I've spewed my thoughts - the rest of you can discuss!

 

Malvin

 

But did you notice that all of the bids over $650 where from a ebayer with "private" feedback? If the winner is a legitimate bidder, this "private feedback" bidder is the sole reason the price was jacked up, and coincidentally up to the winners exact maximum.

 

Also the mysterious "k***j (private)" pushed the bid over $2500 with over two hours to go, thus driving out any other legitimate bidders at a high (but comparable to Baltimore) price before any of the snipers bid.

 

I am not into conspiracy theories, and it may be just coincidence, but doesn't it seem like someone might have intentially tried to screw up the auction?

 

If the winner is legit, I feel sorry for them. The "private" bidder probably cost him 2 to 3 thousand.

 

[Eric Seffinga]

Interesting thoughts to ponder.

Obviously what was paid for was the opportunity for an AH marker drawing (not really a sketch).

Impossible to know without seeing the finished product, but you gotta wonder how much of that the guy could get back if he ended up not digging it and needed to sell the piece.

 

How much is an opportunity worth?

 

-e.

[Claudio]

Obviously what was paid for was the opportunity for an AH marker drawing (not really a sketch).

 

-e.

 

I believe that's how all of his convention sketches are drawn.

[AKA Rick]

There were 23 bidders who created the $5k price tag, so it was the laws of supply and demand, not Adam Hughes that dictated the value and price here. This actually shows what a nice guy Adam Hughes is, since the bulk of the sketches he does to at conventions are at the $400 price (where he could easily auction or sell all of the sketch opportunities for much higher). Offering one per convention to a collector who has deep pockets and whose time is more valuable to them that's willing to pay for a guaranteed sketch (as opposed to waking up early, waiting in lines, flying across the country w/ airfare + hotel chasing artists only to get shut-out due to the random chance of it all) is both fair and smart. It helps both the artist and the collector.

 

I'd hope, by knowing this fan has paid $5k for the piece that there's an added consideration for the quality of the sketch and Adam Hughes takes this piece up a notch with even more effort to ensure satisfaction 'tho and theres some sort of differentiation between this piece and a standard what used to be $200 and now is $400 convention sketch 'tho.

 

The only negative to these $5k auctions is that it might inspire more non-fans/non-collectors who speculate they can stand in line for a sketch for $400 and then sell it for thousands online afterwards for quick profit. I know Adam Hughes has the random sketch picking system to weed out the obvious resellers, but his pieces still see the light of day on auctions after many convention appearances.

 

What Adam Hughes should do is take a picture of the sketch with the person who requested/purchased it at every convention and then post it in a sketch gallery on his website, then people will know who gets his art and ends up selling it to ensure the same person doesn't abuse his fan friendly system.

 

 

 

 

[pinupcartoonguy]

I think the value in these types of commission is being able to choose the subject matter, and the fact that the piece is being done specifically for the commissioner. So really, the premium is about the personal connection between th commissioner and the artist. With original art, it's not all about, "What will it be worth 10 years down the line if I try to sell it."

 

Alex

[Child,pleeze-migration]

There were 23 bidders who created the $5k price tag, so it was the laws of supply and demand, not Adam Hughes that dictated the value and price here. This actually shows what a nice guy Adam Hughes is, since the bulk of the sketches he does to at conventions are at the $400 price (where he could easily auction or sell all of the sketch opportunities for much higher). Offering one per convention to a collector who has deep pockets and whose time is more valuable to them that's willing to pay for a guaranteed sketch (as opposed to waking up early, waiting in lines, flying across the country w/ airfare + hotel chasing artists only to get shut-out due to the random chance of it all) is both fair and smart. It helps both the artist and the collector.

 

I'd hope, by knowing this fan has paid $5k for the piece that there's an added consideration for the quality of the sketch and Adam Hughes takes this piece up a notch with even more effort to ensure satisfaction 'tho and theres some sort of differentiation between this piece and a standard what used to be $200 and now is $400 convention sketch 'tho.

 

The only negative to these $5k auctions is that it might inspire more non-fans/non-collectors who speculate they can stand in line for a sketch for $400 and then sell it for thousands online afterwards for quick profit. I know Adam Hughes has the random sketch picking system to weed out the obvious resellers, but his pieces still see the light of day on auctions after many convention appearances.

 

What Adam Hughes should do is take a picture of the sketch with the person who requested/purchased it at every convention and then post it in a sketch gallery on his website, then people will know who gets his art and ends up selling it to ensure the same person doesn't abuse his fan friendly system.

 

 

 

I think the $5000 bid is an anomaly. The auctions at San Diego went for $2000. The auction just last week ended at around $2500 and Allison offered to ship that one worldwide. I don't see the auction reaching that height again until they come back to New York.

 

Also, Adam has a pretty loyal fanbase and they are pretty good at spotting flippers in the sketch line. Luckily, they don't have a severe problem of Adam Hughes sketches showing up on ebay. When they do show up, they're mostly before Adam used gray-scale markers.

 

Man... $5000. If someone offered that much for my recent AH Polaris piece, I would have a terrible headache deciding what to do.

 

 

[comix4fun]

There were 23 bidders who created the $5k price tag, so it was the laws of supply and demand, not Adam Hughes that dictated the value and price here. This actually shows what a nice guy Adam Hughes is, since the bulk of the sketches he does to at conventions are at the $400 price (where he could easily auction or sell all of the sketch opportunities for much higher). Offering one per convention to a collector who has deep pockets and whose time is more valuable to them that's willing to pay for a guaranteed sketch (as opposed to waking up early, waiting in lines, flying across the country w/ airfare + hotel chasing artists only to get shut-out due to the random chance of it all) is both fair and smart. It helps both the artist and the collector.

 

I'd hope, by knowing this fan has paid $5k for the piece that there's an added consideration for the quality of the sketch and Adam Hughes takes this piece up a notch with even more effort to ensure satisfaction 'tho and theres some sort of differentiation between this piece and a standard what used to be $200 and now is $400 convention sketch 'tho.

 

The only negative to these $5k auctions is that it might inspire more non-fans/non-collectors who speculate they can stand in line for a sketch for $400 and then sell it for thousands online afterwards for quick profit. I know Adam Hughes has the random sketch picking system to weed out the obvious resellers, but his pieces still see the light of day on auctions after many convention appearances.

 

What Adam Hughes should do is take a picture of the sketch with the person who requested/purchased it at every convention and then post it in a sketch gallery on his website, then people will know who gets his art and ends up selling it to ensure the same person doesn't abuse his fan friendly system.

 

 

 

I think the $5000 bid is an anomaly. The auctions at San Diego went for $2000. The auction just last week ended at around $2500 and Allison offered to ship that one worldwide. I don't see the auction reaching that height again until they come back to New York.

 

Also, Adam has a pretty loyal fanbase and they are pretty good at spotting flippers in the sketch line. Luckily, they don't have a severe problem of Adam Hughes sketches showing up on ebay. When they do show up, they're mostly before Adam used gray-scale markers.

 

Man... $5000. If someone offered that much for my recent AH Polaris piece, I would have a terrible headache deciding what to do.

 

 

 

Big Apple was $5000

 

The Megacon one went for over $3100

 

Baltimore was $2750

 

Each show they offered just one, SDCC they offered 3, and it was $2000-2100 each.

If they would have offered just one for SDCC you might have seen a bit more of a run up in a single auction as opposed to 3 auctions each with a different winner. Who knows what those winners would have done to the results if they were thrown into the octagon together with only one emerging the winner.

 

I agree that in this case the NYC factor probably helped a lot. Major show, major city, lots more moneyed fans compared to some other regional shows.

 

If someone ever offered you $5,000 for your con sketch (and you needed some cash at the time) just send Adam a check for 1/2 the profit, it shows appreciation for the artist, deference to his helping you out in the first place, and everyone wins.

 

Best,

C

[Mighty Hal]

Since I'm not a fan of sketches, $5K seems over the top to me. $5,000 for a single character, gray-marker sketch? Please.

 

Adam Hughes does lovely stuff but, unless things change, his OA artistic legacy seems to revolve around comic covers (he's not much of a panel page guy, anymore) and -- more specifically -- those AH! covers that feature women.

 

If you want an AH! cover, single character but pen-and-ink and published, Anthony Moy has had a Tomb Raider piece on his site for several months. $3500 and shipping.

 

If you want a different AH! cover, single character but pen-and-ink, there's a beautiful Phantom Lady cover on eBay at $3950...or best offer. I'm betting that $3500 would take that one, too.

 

With only a tiny bit of searching, you can find AH! covers for under $2K -- but those feature male characters. Not as much interest in that kind of work.

 

So the bump to $5K is -- ? To meet the artist? Because Hughes has never drawn Little Lulu and the winning bidder is dying to see the AH! interpretation? Because gray-marker rocks?

 

Nope, don't get it.

 

 

[comix4fun]

Given the seller of the Phantom Lady piece I think there is a better chance that if someone offered $3500 for it, the offer would be rejected, the piece pulled down and then re-listed for $4900 instead of $3900.

 

On a more serious note, that's an early 90's piece, and Adam's style has evolved a great deal since then. There's a reason it's not selling for what some of his better new covers sell for...

 

I know people like to dismiss the marker pieces but I have seen Adam's set up at shows, and what he puts into those pieces. He has a set of Copic markers with several dozen colors and includes all the colors that fit with the piece. Obviously there are base tones, but having seen several of the pieces up close, they are some of the nicest and most complete pieces you will see done in a convention setting, period. Most of the people that dismiss the marker sketches have never seen him work on one in person, or held one in their hands. Taking the time to look and appreciate first hand makes all the difference.

 

I don't get the $5,000 either. So I agree with you on that front, but people will pay what they want to pay, and want what they want. So the hand wringing is much ado about not a hell of a a lot, really.

 

I disagree about the connotation of being "just" a good-girl artist. Even if that was Adam's legacy (which I doubt, given his talent, will be all for which he is remembered ), it's a legacy that suited and complimented Vargas, Elvgren, and Stevens pretty well.

 

I don't think an artist has to work on specific genre's or on specific characters or even in a specific medium to achieve status. He just has to be gifted, talented, and willing to work at his craft. Those pretty well define Adam.

 

Best,

Chris