Jerry Weist's Comic Art Price Guide 3rd Edition (2011)

[Dano]

I admit I like the idea because even though I've moved mostly out of comics, I still love paging through the price guide for the articles and pretty pictures. It'd be cool to have something like that in my new obsession, OA.

 

Dan

[tth2]

This thread cracks me up. I imagine the same curmudgeonly conversations were held after Bob released his 1st and 2nd editions of the comic book price guide.

 

apples and volkswagens

I`m sure the same kind of curmudgeonly comment was made whenever anyone pointed out that successful price guides already existed for other collectibles!

[groovyedwin]

As others have indicated, the price guide is of limited value except for seeing a select snap shot of what occurred in the past. Both previous editions failed to properly represents reality on numerous artists and were in error in numerous places about what is out there and what is not. There is a significant amount of art that exists outside of the "in the know network" of individuals who contribute to the price guide. As Rich pointed out, educating oneself is the best thing and that the guide is not too useful for getting that education.

 

Edwin

[artdealer]

[quote=AKA Rick

 

I still get a kick out of seeing the old "Graphic Collectibles" catalogs (pre-internet days) and the prices art went for in years past compared to the values of today those pieces would command... sort of a testament to Mitch's longevity in the industry with fair market pricing and access to great artwork.

 

Thanks!

I can't even look at those old catalogs anymore. It makes me sick.

I sold 2 complete sets of my catalogs a few years ago. Thannk goodness they are all gone.

MI

[comix4fun]

This thread cracks me up. I imagine the same curmudgeonly conversations were held after Bob released his 1st and 2nd editions of the comic book price guide.

 

apples and volkswagens

I`m sure the same kind of curmudgeonly comment was made whenever anyone pointed out that successful price guides already existed for other collectibles!

 

 

 

How many of those "success price guides" are for items that are each one of a kind and unique?

[innocuous]

I have one edition. I honestly have never looked at the prices, but have read the articles. I also recall most non-art pictures were of Jerry.

 

I like the idea of this as a guide of historical sales, plus some entertaining articles.

[tth2]

This thread cracks me up. I imagine the same curmudgeonly conversations were held after Bob released his 1st and 2nd editions of the comic book price guide.

 

apples and volkswagens

I`m sure the same kind of curmudgeonly comment was made whenever anyone pointed out that successful price guides already existed for other collectibles!

 

 

 

How many of those "success price guides" are for items that are each one of a kind and unique?

Are you telling me that people don't already benchmark to come up with prices for these "one of a kind and unique" items? Of course they do. If the data is based on real prices of known sales, why is it such a bad thing to help people figure out what's the going rate for general sub-categories of OA, e.g., a mid-60s mid-run non-key non-splash Kirby superhero page vs. a mid-60s mid-run non-key splash Kirby page vs. a mid-60s key non-spliash Kirby superhero page, etc. etc. It doesn't mean people have to suspend all other judgment or due diligence and just blindly follow the OA price guide anymore than they have to act that way when using the comic price guide.

 

Mostly, I was just amused by the overwhelming hostility to the idea and was just pointing out that similar hostility was probably expressed to the initial comic price guides too. If it could give some new collectors SOME general frames of reference to use when considering buying OA, thus giving them enough assurance to try dipping their toes, and potentially opening up the hobby to new blood who would otherwise stay away because they don't relish the idea of stumbling along completely blindly and having their faces ripped off, why is it such a bad thing?

[westform]

[quote=

 

My perspective is simple = It's only worth something at the very moment it's being traded for cash. When it's in your closet or on your wall, it's only value is of a spiritual nature. If when your friends come over & you have comic art on the wall and you say "isn't that cool. I love it" .. then you are a collector. If however you then say "and it's worth $10,000 dollars" - then you are either looking for an ego boost, or you are not as interested in the art as you are the money. If you aren;'t selling it - it isn't worth any cash.. it's only worth the spiritual enjoyment you get from the item which is why you're collecting. I have lots of worthless stuff sitting in my vault. It's my "spiritual cache". It will be someone else's money tree.

 

 

My advice; if you have friends, and they come over... don't tell them what your art is 'worth'. They will think you are crazy. Really.

 

And, best case, they will say 'cool comic books' when checking out your framed pieces on the wall.. 'why are they framed'?

 

Worst case, 'cool posters, my kids would love to have one of those'. Can't see this hobby as being the end all for the ego driven.

 

My barometer for investor v. collector sentiments. First of all, either way, never show any civilian your collection; but, if you do get inquiries out on the street... do you say you collect and hoarde comic book art from your childhood, or do you 'dabble in the illustrative arts as a small diversification of your portfolio'...

[lb jefferies]

never show any civilian your collection

 

Hilarious. And I totally agree.

[Bronty]

This thread cracks me up. I imagine the same curmudgeonly conversations were held after Bob released his 1st and 2nd editions of the comic book price guide.

 

apples and volkswagens

I`m sure the same kind of curmudgeonly comment was made whenever anyone pointed out that successful price guides already existed for other collectibles!

 

 

 

How many of those "success price guides" are for items that are each one of a kind and unique?

Are you telling me that people don't already benchmark to come up with prices for these "one of a kind and unique" items? Of course they do. If the data is based on real prices of known sales, why is it such a bad thing to help people figure out what's the going rate for general sub-categories of OA, e.g., a mid-60s mid-run non-key non-splash Kirby superhero page vs. a mid-60s mid-run non-key splash Kirby page vs. a mid-60s key non-spliash Kirby superhero page, etc. etc. It doesn't mean people have to suspend all other judgment or due diligence and just blindly follow the OA price guide anymore than they have to act that way when using the comic price guide.

 

Mostly, I was just amused by the overwhelming hostility to the idea and was just pointing out that similar hostility was probably expressed to the initial comic price guides too. If it could give some new collectors SOME general frames of reference to use when considering buying OA, thus giving them enough assurance to try dipping their toes, and potentially opening up the hobby to new blood who would otherwise stay away because they don't relish the idea of stumbling along completely blindly and having their faces ripped off, why is it such a bad thing?

 

Tim, I know what you're saying. At the same time I think where people are coming from is that there is no shortcutting your homework in this market. A book would provide a little knowledge, but as the saying goes, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. I mean if the book says kirby mid 60s FF splash 10-80k is that really helpful? If 10-80 is the range then I guess 45k is the price for an average splash?

 

Back in the day price guides had some merit but the last five or ten years? I think a strong case could be made that when it comes to pricing overtstreet provides more misinformation than accurate information. Whether or not people made curmudgeonly comments 40 years ago, a static, printed guide is an idea whose time has come and gone, in general, let alone for comic art which at the very least is a more difficult animal to deal with.

[glendgold]

Any word on when this is coming out?

 

Glen

[BitterOldMan]

Heritage had a copy at their 2011 SDCC booth.

[Mio]

A price guide is a good idea, so long as it is based on actual sales and not a collection of dealers' dreamer prices. But in printed form I would have zero interest. A collected online archive is much more useful - kind of like what Heritage already has.

[sborock]

Well.........

I have a copy in front of me at the moment (When we were breaking down the Heritage booth in SDCC, I was allowed to take the "display copy" home with me) and I am having a blast reading it.

 

Everyone who stopped by the booth and looked through the guide, loved it!

 

Yes, it's a price guide, but the word "guide" should be the stand out word. Just like the OSPG, there will be published estimates of prices that will seem low and high and we will all argue about those prices. Hey, this is a chat board, what else do we do?

 

What I love about this book are the articles, pictures of collectors/artists and some really cool images of art. This guide was a labor of love for Jerry (Damn, I really miss him! ) and it really shows. Just check out the Preface and Jerry's "The Comic Art Price Guide Philosophy" article as it will answer many of the questions and expand on many of the comments made in this thread.

 

The back cover ad by Dave Mandel is the greatest ad ever! Laughed my butt off when I first saw it.

 

Hey, just my (Which we all know is worth less than that )

[AKA Rick]

I agree with being discreet. You always have to ask yourself... "What do I have to gain? VERSUS What do I have to lose?"

 

Sharing is one thing. Exposing and endangering is another.

 

I know some people like to share out of their own excitement, where others like to be competive and even find it a way to feed their own ego and brag about what they own.

 

I think the pieces can speak for themselves without price valuation.

 

 

 

As for the PRICE GUIDE, I do see value in it from a few perspectives. One, just having sales precedent, a context for what something actually sold for as opposed to speculation on what peoples varied opinions of what things are worth, or worst yet, what they think it would take for them to sell a piece for. So, to track the Heritage Auctions, eBay Auctions, and any other transaction where there's actual proof of a purchase price and date of the transaction can be helpful as a guide providing frames of reference for both valuation and price setting for buyers and sellers.

 

It also makes the book a nostalgic reference to look back at, just like how some look at an old Overstreet Price Guide, and remember when Hulk #181 was $3 or wished they could go back in time to buy an Avengers #1 for $180 in Mint Condition. I think a lot of people like to see retrospectives of "what could have been?" 20/20 hindsight to opportunities. That's also why so many people who collect art love seeing Mitch's old Graphic Collectibles mail order catalogs from the pre-internet days. Fun reading.

 

The other side I do like to see is when the guide shows images of the original art, so it becomes an art book to appreciate as well.

 

I look forward to the release of the price guide for those reasons.

 

 

My advice; if you have friends, and they come over... don't tell them what your art is 'worth'. They will think you are crazy. Really.

 

And, best case, they will say 'cool comic books' when checking out your framed pieces on the wall.. 'why are they framed'?

 

Worst case, 'cool posters, my kids would love to have one of those'. Can't see this hobby as being the end all for the ego driven.

 

My barometer for investor v. collector sentiments. First of all, either way, never show any civilian your collection; but, if you do get inquiries out on the street... do you say you collect and hoarde comic book art from your childhood, or do you 'dabble in the illustrative arts as a small diversification of your portfolio'...

 

correct

[Mmehdy]

 

 

I was very impressed with what I saw at SDCC. The guide looks great. But it would be great if it comes out every 3 or 4 years. This is a start and a positive one for OA market, Now dont wimp out and buy the dammmm thing...support it

[CollectingFool]

I was very impressed with what I saw at SDCC. The guide looks great. But it would be great if it comes out every 3 or 4 years. This is a start and a positive one for OA market, Now dont wimp out and buy the dammmm thing...support it

 

I own the last two and plan to get this one. I do love looking at the art and reading the articles and the ads are interesting too. I still absolutely believe the prices will be completely useless. To me it's an interesting book about our hobby but not even close to to useful as a price guide. Of course I haven't seen this one yet but I'm basing my opinion on what I know about the hobby and the last two editions.

 

 

[artcollector9]

Ruben is right on .

 

We'd be better off with an annual Market Sales book with specific examples and prices...it would be a nice keepsake and over time, we'd have records of sales from which we could determine trends.

 

Having said that, Heritage's database of completed auctions serves this need very nicely.

 

I'll buy a copy too, but like Ruben, for reasons OTHER than using it as a price guide!

 

[Claudio]

So, do we know when it will come out?

[blowout]

So, do we know when it will come out?

 

Yes, that would be good to know!