Is the maximum bid feature on comic link ever gamed?

[inovrmihd]

Has anyone been disatisfied with the maximum bid feature on the comic link auctions? The problem I have in mind is where you happen to win at coincidentally your maximum bid, when it was placed well away from the market, as though someone else was fishing to try to force your maximum bid?

[xraysteve]

I have not had any problems with the maximum bid feature. I have won auctions on the first bid increment above the previous bid. My experience is with smaller items less than $5K.

[dem1138]

Did you win the Ditko/Roussos Dr. Strange page for 35K or that ASM 18 page that's been around for 24K? That would help explain those ridiculous prices.

[comix4fun]

As a past and present Ditko owner, of both ASM and Strange Tales pages, I see nothing wrong with those prices.

[dem1138]

Chris,

 

Thank you for your unbiased opinion. It is greatly appreciated.

 

Sincerely,

--The Management

[comix4fun]

Chris,

 

Thank you for your unbiased opinion. It is greatly appreciated.

 

Sincerely,

--The Management

 

 

 

Since you don't currently own a Ditko page I had to step in with that comment since you couldn't.

 

In all seriousness though, for an all Ditko Strange Tales pages I would not have been shocked. That price would not even be a record. For a Ditko inked by Bell page, I have to say that didn't see that price coming.

[inovrmihd]

Is there anything in particular that is "wrong" with either of the ditko pages mentioned? The Strange Tales piece auctiioned yesterday was not inked by Ditko. Did he ink most of his other ST pages? How would you compare it to the page from issue 129 sold earlier on comic link for $23,500? Again, I am new, so any insite would be appreciated. Thanks.

[comix4fun]

Is there anything in particular that is "wrong" with either of the ditko pages mentioned? The Strange Tales piece auctiioned yesterday was not inked by Ditko. Did he ink most of his other ST pages? How would you compare it to the page from issue 129 sold earlier on comic link for $23,500? Again, I am new, so any insite would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

 

Ditko's work on Dr. Strange and Strange Tales has always seemed to be harder to track down than his ASM work. Most of that is due to the fact that his stories in Strange Tales were mostly 8 page - 10 page stories while the ASM's were full length and his run on ASM lasted longer.

 

In terms of how many pages were created Ditko created something like 3 ASM pages for ever Dr. Strange page. I did the research a couple of years ago, so I don't have the exact numbers in front of me.

 

Compounding that relative scarcity is the fact that on some of the stories for Strange Tales, Ditko worked with an inker. In the world of Ditko OA collecting there are the pages he inked himself and then there is everything else. The premium prices are normally paid for the pages he inked himself or created without any other collaboration.

 

Indeed, even the Spider-Man pages where Ditko worked with Kirby do not command the same prices as the "pure" Ditko ASM pages.

 

While Bell's inks were serviceable and while Ditko could have worked with worse inkers, the pages he created by himself have far more depth, detail and distinct Ditko feel. It was the perfect match of artist, character, and subject matter. So when people search for an example they look for all Ditko first and prefer it, but will not reject a fine example such as this when they have the chance.

 

I hope that helps,

Chris

 

[dem1138]

The other piece of the puzzle is that most of Ditko's ASM pages are out there whereas many of Ditko's Strange Tales pages still reside with Ditko.

 

 

[comix4fun]

The other piece of the puzzle is that most of Ditko's ASM pages are out there whereas many of Ditko's Strange Tales pages still reside with Ditko*.

 

*according to urban legend

 

 

 

Hard to confirm that. I have heard so many damn rumors about that. He's got it, He doesn't, he burned them, he used them as a cutting board, he made paper airplanes out of them and tossed them off the Empire State Building.

 

At this point, I don't even think Steve would know what became of them.

 

 

[dem1138]

The other piece of the puzzle is that most of Ditko's ASM pages are out there whereas many of Ditko's Strange Tales pages still reside with Ditko*.

 

*according to urban legend

 

 

 

Hard to confirm that. I have heard so many damn rumors about that. He's got it, He doesn't, he burned them, he used them as a cutting board, he made paper airplanes out of them and tossed them off the Empire State Building.

 

At this point, I don't even think Steve would know what became of them.

 

 

True that it's impossible to confirm first hand but I have had it confirmed 2nd hand - so me conveying it would be 3rd hand. There's a reason that Dr. Strange pages have only surfaced from specific issues. I'm not suggesting that he has 20 issues worth, but I do understand that he has several of them - and he really didn't do that many issues - even less when you take out the issues he didn't ink. Hence, one could argue that the Dr. Strange market is inflated because there's an artificial shortage of pages on the market - though for the foreseeable future - what's out there is out there.

[comix4fun]

The other piece of the puzzle is that most of Ditko's ASM pages are out there whereas many of Ditko's Strange Tales pages still reside with Ditko*.

 

*according to urban legend

 

 

 

Hard to confirm that. I have heard so many damn rumors about that. He's got it, He doesn't, he burned them, he used them as a cutting board, he made paper airplanes out of them and tossed them off the Empire State Building.

 

At this point, I don't even think Steve would know what became of them.

 

 

True that it's impossible to confirm first hand but I have had it confirmed 2nd hand - so me conveying it would be 3rd hand. There's a reason that Dr. Strange pages have only surfaced from specific issues. I'm not suggesting that he has 20 issues worth, but I do understand that he has several of them - and he really didn't do that many issues - even less when you take out the issues he didn't ink. Hence, one could argue that the Dr. Strange market is inflated because there's an artificial shortage of pages on the market - though for the foreseeable future - what's out there is out there.

 

 

If Ditko still has any artwork from any series it would be tantamount to those pages having been destroyed. Given the amount of money he has shunned from Marvel and complete disregard he's show for money and lack of desire to sell artwork I don't think we'll ever see them again if he does have them.

[dem1138]

Well, that's why I said "for the foreseeable future." But who knows what will happen to those stories. Will they be destroyed? Will a dealer nudge their way in after he passes? Will the family consign them at that juncture? That's part of the fun of all of this...only time will tell.

 

Stranger things have happened - like the entire AF #15 getting donated to the Library of Congress out of the blue to the bafflement of everyone.

 

 

[mxs7]

According to the information I researched back in the mid 1980s through the mid 1990s, there were about twice as many Ditko Spider-Man books (not original art pages--complete books of original art) than Ditko Dr. Strange stories out in the market place. When I complied those numbers I didn't know about a few other complete Spider-Man books out of the vault, making the discrepancy between total number of pages of the two characters even greater. I think it is safe to say there is a minimum of 4 times as many Ditko Spider-Man pages out in the market than Ditko Dr. Strange pages, and that figure is likely quite a bit higher.

 

Even if Ditko doesn't have the art to many of the Dr. Strange stories, many are completely unknown in collecting circles. So either Ditko has them or they are lost at this point...Mike

[mxs7]

"Compounding that relative scarcity is the fact that on some of the stories for Strange Tales, Ditko worked with an inker. In the world of Ditko OA collecting there are the pages he inked himself and then there is everything else. The premium prices are normally paid for the pages he inked himself or created without any other collaboration."

 

Very true, but I would also submit a careful analysis of Ditko's Spider-Man and Dr. Strange art shows he sometimes (often?) used an uncredited assistant on those books. Some of the inks on the stories where Bell is listed as the inker have lines that are remarkably similar to lines in supposedly pure Ditko books. Whether a credit was given or not may be a matter of the degree someone assisted in the inks. Obviously, opinions differ on this subject...Mike

[mxs7]

Did you win the Ditko/Roussos Dr. Strange page for 35K or that ASM 18 page that's been around for 24K? That would help explain those ridiculous prices.

 

I was also a bit shocked by the price on the Ditko Strange Tales 125 page. However, I have seen a number of the Strange Tales 125 Dr. Strange pages for sale over the years. Is it possible someone is trying to reassemble this book? Perhaps that would explain the increase in prices...Mike