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Blank Variant Covers - Graded or Raw?

Started by KEY ISSUES Comics,

46 posts in this topic

Dave Aikins

Dave Aikins

Posted
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and in other respects... many artists are crazy, and take themselves waaay too seriously. You wonder if the career in comics- and being exploited by the comics companies- has hurt them too much.

 

I mean, really? Out of all the thing in life to get that upset about.. someone reselling your art? Price the art as high as you want, sell your art and move on. If it's being resold for a higher amount- GOOD NEWS!!! up your prices and move on.

 

sigh.

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AKA Rick

AKA Rick

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I agree, once you own the piece it is your right to sell it, trade it, give it away as a gift, or even burn it.

 

I think artists are short sighted sometimes actually, since the sale and resale of their artwork does keep them in the public eye and also helps them identify the market value of their work. It keeps them relevant and somewhat should be flattering (or discouraging when pieces don't sell).

 

I find it funny when some artists accuse people or rant and rave about the reselling of their art as well. If they don't like the economics of it, then they could of course post up their own art auctions. If it's not about the money, and is about the fans, just keep drawing free sketches of quick mediocre level, personalize 'em, that if sold would flood he market and retail little value.

 

Artists like Neal Adams who started giving art for free is now charging market value rates of sketches starting at $300... artists like Adam Hughes is now auctioning off commissions for $3,000+ (where before they were $400 and some folks were instantly reselling them to the disgust of the both the artist and many of his fans). So, in fact they're benefiting in the long run. The artists should encourage the reselling, then the art actually goes into the hands of the true fans, because only a true fan would pay top dollar for their art, be it via an auction, website sale, direct from artist or any transaction, when you think of it.

 

I think utopia will be when the artist and the fan can eliminate that middle "broker / flipper" layer that often times gets in the way. Nobody likes to see people who either abuse the system or take advantage of the system, generally speaking.

 

Who loses out in the short run are those 99%'ers (Occupy Artists Alley!) of fans who don't have deep pockets that can't afford to keep up with the prices. But one can say, if they're true fans, then just the experience of meeting that artist, having a chance to speak and interact with him or her and possibly getting an autograph should be satisfaction enough, without the materialistic need for a sketch.

 

It's funny to see those obviously speculators toting around their blank sketch covers waiting in line with dollar signs in their eyes as if it were their key to retirement. Again... hopefully for them... Beanie Babies...

 

 

 

 

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Captain Canuck

Captain Canuck

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Personally, I have slowly made the transition from signed comics to sketch covers, because they are a lot cheaper than a commission or published OA from some artists, to commissions and now published OA. Everyone has to consider their own economics, but one shouldn't be in this hobby for the potential money, but for the love of the art and some of the work these artists produce. Unless it is a really sought after artist or issue, even then, I don't think there is a lot of money to be made. I could be wrong, but that is my take.

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Greedo

Greedo

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Personally, I have slowly made the transition from signed comics to sketch covers, because they are a lot cheaper than a commission or published OA from some artists, to commissions and now published OA. Everyone has to consider their own economics, but one shouldn't be in this hobby for the potential money, but for the love of the art and some of the work these artists produce. Unless it is a really sought after artist or issue, even then, I don't think there is a lot of money to be made. I could be wrong, but that is my take.

 

I just goes back to buying what you like and at price that you think it is worth to you. You will be happier for it. (thumbs u

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Pete Marino

Pete Marino

Posted
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Personally, I have slowly made the transition from signed comics to sketch covers, because they are a lot cheaper than a commission or published OA from some artists, to commissions and now published OA. Everyone has to consider their own economics, but one shouldn't be in this hobby for the potential money, but for the love of the art and some of the work these artists produce. Unless it is a really sought after artist or issue, even then, I don't think there is a lot of money to be made. I could be wrong, but that is my take.

 

I just goes back to buying what you like and at price that you think it is worth to you. You will be happier for it. (thumbs u

 

No offense but I feel like I am listening to the re publicans (this is a curse word?) say that universal healthcare is not in the best interest of the middle class.....

 

This hobby is based on a love of comics and art, but the backbone of it is economics. How many people in this hobby really do not look at the financial aspect as well? If that was true, why wouldn't you just always sell what you have for what you purchased it for?

 

Most of the time (I know there are exceptions) people are looking to either get top dollar for their stuff, or get cash quick so they sell a little under market.....

 

To say this hobby is not about money at all baffles me. Sorry if this is a non-popular POV, but if we were not obsessed with how much things sell for, we wouldn't have all these threads about how much do you think x will go for on HA.com or the highest selling art of all time...

 

If there was a flaw in the market, and someone saw a way to use that to make profit, I don't see anything wrong with that. But like someone said above, the market corrected itself, and now things are being purchased closer to their FMV at con's.

 

Now the stories about people lying and crying and then flipping the next day.... yeah of course I disagree. But that's a different topic, then we're talking about, deception vs purchasing a service (a sketch) and selling it higher on the open market.

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Greedo

Greedo

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I think you missed the point of my and Canuck's (i think) post.

 

If you take the comic art economy out of the equation, you can enjoy your art for what it is and you can pay what it is worth to you, not what the Market says it worth. This is just a better way to enjoy the hobby (just my opinion). At the end of the day you like what you have and if the market falls out from under you, you still like what you have.

 

Now if people want to speculate, then that is fine as well. But there are always winners and losers and at the end of the day you may be stuck with stuff you don't want or take a loss.

 

I try not to speculate, but if I see a great deal I will snag it up, just as long as It meets the qualifications above (I like the art and I like the price). Now if I have an opportunity to turn a profit great, if not great (because I still like the art)

 

 

Now if you look at this hobby as an investment or a business, then that is a different story.

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Pete Marino

Pete Marino

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I get your POV. thanks for the succinct summary. When I read your posts, I thought you were trying to say, throw caution to the wind, pay what you can afford, and to hell with what anyone else would be willing to pay for the same thing, because it's a hobby, not a financial endeavour.

 

And I do agree. I buy what I like at a price I feel comfortable with.

 

But there is also an aspect of my decision making that says, if I had to sell this, what % of my money could I get back.

 

That said, I am sure a vast majority of my little collection holds more value to me than the price anyone else would be willing to pay.

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AKA Rick

AKA Rick

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Yes, I do agree, it is economic based in many ways.

 

In what other industry does a piece of paper with some pencil and ink scribbled onto it weighing less than 6 ounces command prices in the tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars?

 

The emotion of pride in ownership and greed in possession tied together often times dictates as well as differentiates the fan from the investor.

 

A fan could in theory be satisfied with seeing piece or having a reprint, copy, print or digital file. After all, it shouldn't be about the ownership or value, but the aesthetics and apprecition.

 

People love to own, and what seems to be a common bond between original art collectors as motivation is that fact of owning a "one of a kind" item that nobody else can own, and maybe that's a vanity or greed based motive in some cases, some like to inspire envy and jealousy as well, where others simply enjoy the nostalgic feel-good vibes a piece gives them, but it is an emotion based hobby.

 

It's also an investment... as I said, any time someone potentially more per OZ of paper for comic art or a comic book for that matter, than the street value of cocaine, they have an additiction and more than the market value of gold, then it's an investment. It has value dictated by supply and demand, is commonly traded and recognized as something of value to a larger community.

 

It's a commodity that many look as a good investment much like stocks and bonds, precious metals, real estate and other ways to diversify their retirement planning. It's like having a 401k that you can enjoy as an added benefit, to many collectors and investors...

 

...after all, with comic art and any other possessions, "you can't take it with you" so whether a lonely old bachelor, a single crazy cat lady, or being married with children as heirs to the empire, that comic art will outlive any mortals (sans destruction by fire or silverfish) and eventually (as well as hopefully) exchanges hands to a fan who can find equal enjoyment in the piece... and that exchange is usually an economic one.

 

 

 

 

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KEY ISSUES Comics

KEY ISSUES Comics

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I've been away from this thread a for a while, but now I'm back and I'm excited to read all of the comments and opinions. I'll do my homework and learn what I can. I just don't want to spend X dollars only to get 1/4 of it back come the time to sell, if ever.

 

But, back to the original question. Am I more likely to get a better return on my investment if get the books CGC SSed as opposed to raw?

 

Thanks!

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3319comics

3319comics

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I know like everything else its is up to personal preference but what do people lean towards more if your options were:

 

CGC Graded Sketch cover

Non Graded Sketch cover

Unpublished Commission Art

Published Art - pages from comics, etc...

 

When it comes to the costs between these and the product recieved, what makes more sense from a collecting of art from comicbook artists ?

 

I personally love sketch covers , but like the published pages are starting to cost an arm and leg. I have gotten a few commissioned pieces and like them and seem to be great pieces for the cost and alot of the artists are more willing to do those.

 

 

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AKA Rick

AKA Rick

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Slabbing sketch covers is probably best suited for investors and speculators, since if you're a fan or collector, the cost of slabbing adds a lot to the overall acquisiton cost, sometimes exceeding the cost of the actual sketch, so you have to ask yourself, would I rather entomb a sketch in plastic where the greater part of the collecting community doesn't care about the grade (placing higher value to the actual artist and the rendering), or would I rather use that money to secure another sketch cover (unslabbed) to my collection.

 

The blank sketch cover comic book is $5

The sketches are generally $20-40 for most mainstream, but not superstar artists

The grading service fee is I'm guessing about $50 including shipping, etc.

 

What CGC grading essentialy does for sketch covers is provides a cute professional looking cool frame for the artwork with a little name plate saying what it is. It's a nice way to show and store that format of art, but again, the nature of what the process is, of an artist handling the comic and not putting the dainty kids gloves on to ensure it's in mint condition, but really just manhandling it and going to town drawing a beautiful piece, that's what original art is all about, flaws and all.

 

So, again, I think for the greater part of the original art community, nobody really cares about slabbed and graded sketch covers... sure it's nice to have a 9.8 or 9.6, but at the end of the day, I doubt if faced with either a mediocre grade or a mediocre rendering (or artist), the importance of a grade is the first to be thrown out the door.

 

Save your money and get more art! :)

 

 

 

 

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DrWatson

DrWatson

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In addition to that, it would be best if the grades can be kept at 9.6 or higher.

 

I actually disagree - I prefer my my books to have a high grade, but it is honestly secondary compared to how good the sketch is.

Grades matter when he's talking about resale and investment. Have you tried moving a 9.0 Mike Lily sketch for cost lately? It doesn't happen.

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Greedo

Greedo

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In addition to that, it would be best if the grades can be kept at 9.6 or higher.

 

I hate that this is true. :(

I still believe CGC should grade all sketch covers as NG and just authenticate the sketch.

 

I agree.

 

In addition to that, it would be best if the grades can be kept at 9.6 or higher.

 

I hate that this is true. :(

I still believe CGC should grade all sketch covers as NG and just authenticate the sketch.

 

Case and point! I want to buy his 9.0 Lilly Loki, because I like the art. But if I were to buy it at his cost, I would never make my money back if I want/need to sell it down the line.

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