The Official Commissions-You-Are-Waiting-For Thread

[alxjhnsn]

I want to see it. Yep, commissions are not the way to get rich; not that that has stopped me.

[GotSuperPowers?]

And now I find out that my Mike Allred commission is done. I declined to see a scan, but Simon has seen it I guess. Simon and I referred to it as the "strange Dr. Strange" commission (I think he came up with that). I asked for Doc and Clea, Wong, Rintrah, and The Ancient One at the beach. A day off, spent at the beach. When Simon started arranging Mike Allred commissions I initially had an idea of the Defenders at the beach playing volleyball, an idea I would only think of asking Mike Allred to execute. Well, that seemed unwieldy and too many characters (meaning too much cash - coulda been $800-$100 extra for those characters) so I made it Doc and his posse, going for one extra character. I must say, this could be sad. I do not expect it, but it could be sad. I have such high hopes for this commission, it better rock my socks off. full-on JACKBLACKmode "C'mon Allred, kick it with a tasty groove. Kick it. Kick it. For chissakes would you kick it Allred!" If it isn't everything I have hoped for, which is a really tall order, I will have wasted the cash because this one is not gonna retain value on resale. But I do think I will have a smile on my face, a real spoon-eatin' grin from that awesome Allred tastiness, when I open it Monday (Saturday maybe?)!!!

 

Thanks Mike and Si!

 

Yup, I dubbed it the Strange Dr. Strange piece and that's definitely a spot on description! The plan is to mail it on Saturday so Monday at the very earliest.

 

Simon

[Eric Seffinga]

That Allred commish sounds like fun.

[Paladin]

Nick Bradshaw commission is complete. If your friends with him on Facebook you've already seen it. Got this from him on Friday. What an excellent commission, worth every penny. What a super nice guy as well, hope to maybe get another one from him sometime down the line.

 

Now all I'm waiting on is a commission from Ron Frenz and i'm done until Mega Con 2013.

 

 

Sweet Spidey Commission! (thumbs u

[Paladin]

He offered another one, and we will hash it out at NYCC. What about you?

 

Just Facebooked him that a Bent Enchantress wasn't what I was hoping for and asked if there was anything that he could do. Hopefully, it'll have a good ending.

 

Prints offered. Inquired about new Enchantress that I'd pick up at some future date. No response yet.

 

Tacit agreement to do one in a month and a half after catching up on deadlines and wedding plans.

 

Well, I checked in, got the same response and a "it wasn't my fault that it got damaged" quote. And a "I've got other commissions that need to be done." Disappointing, but I was really disappointed in myself that I didn't ask for my money back when I found out that he wouldn't be able to finish it during the San Diego Con, like he said he would. He had injured his back.

 

So, I'm hopeful---and more patient---but also now realistic. And I learned the great lesson about not paying everything up front. This Ale Garza attempted commission sans damage has kind of soured me on the whole "get a sketch each Con" tradition.

[Paladin]

He offered another one, and we will hash it out at NYCC. What about you?

 

Just Facebooked him that a Bent Enchantress wasn't what I was hoping for and asked if there was anything that he could do. Hopefully, it'll have a good ending.

 

Prints offered. Inquired about new Enchantress that I'd pick up at some future date. No response yet.

 

Tacit agreement to do one in a month and a half after catching up on deadlines and wedding plans.

 

Well, I checked in, got the same response and a "it wasn't my fault that it got damaged" quote. And a "I've got other commissions that need to be done." Disappointing, but I was really disappointed in myself that I didn't ask for my money back when I found out that he wouldn't be able to finish it during the San Diego Con, like he said he would. He had injured his back.

 

So, I'm hopeful---and more patient---but also now realistic. And I learned the great lesson about not paying everything up front. This Ale Garza attempted commission sans damage has kind of soured me on the whole "get a sketch each Con" tradition.

 

Still no replacement Enchantress from Ale Garza.

 

Think the artists even think about disappointed commission customers?... And yes that possibly could be a joke.

 

Any rock solid artists that go out of their way to not disappoint?

[jick]

Just thought I'd seek out your advice for my next commission.

 

My theme has been Birthdate recreations or reimaginations from comics cover dated October 1977.

 

If anyone has the time and willing to take the effort please check this out:

 

http://www.comicbookdb.com/coverdate.php?month=10&year=1977

 

Who artists from that era are still living and doing commissions?

 

So far I was able to get:

 

Flash 254

(recreation by original inker Joe Rubinstein)

http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=890565&GSub=122143

 

Justice League 147

(alternate cover by original interior inker Frank McLaughlin)

http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=918904&GSub=122143

 

Marvel Team-Up 62

(reimagining by original interior penciller John Byrne)

http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=937211&GSub=122143

 

I was looking into some options but they don't seem feasible.

 

George Perez - Marvel 2-in-1 32 or Fantastic Four 187 or Avengers 164 - but I think George's list is full and he is not taking cover quality commissions - mostly made with markers.

 

Mike Grell - Superboy 232 or Green Lantern 97 - the original art to both comics exist so it would be quite odd to have it recreated, plus I am not to keen in the 100% payment upfront his rep said was needed

 

I see covers by Al Milgrom and Joe Sinnott from that era. Are these artists still active?

 

I might have to go with John Byrne for Super-Villain Team-Up 14. Not too sure yet since that cover has way too many characters and you know how characters all add up to the character count. It can prove to be really costly!

[alxjhnsn]

Joe Sinnott is active. He inks the Spider-man comic strip.

 

He does some commission work, but ....

 

His son runs a website - http://www.joesinnott.com - on Joe's behalf.

 

His granddaughter runs his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/joltin.joe.sinnott

 

 

[alxjhnsn]

I'll give you my list of "good guys" (your mileage may vary, of course):

 

Good guys still drawing (in no particular order)

• Frank Brunner – Still has it and boy does he have it

• Nick Cardy – Awesome experience and such a nice guy

• Mike DeCarlo – Lots of fun to work with, fast, professional, and very creative.

• Mike Grell – Worked through his agent (Scott Kress) and Mike nailed it

• Ernie Colon – Doesn’t do commissions frequently, but he does good ones!

• Carmine Infantino – really a sketch mediated by J. David Spurlock

• Mike Netzer – A real pleasure. I like Mike.

• Al Plastino – Awesome! Fun to work with and really did a great job. Prefers recreations which worked for me.

• Fred Hembeck – Excellent experience and he nailed the task. Couldn’t be happier. Got to meet him recently.

• John Sterling Lucas – Really good guy. He should get more work. He also did a perfect job; really exceed my expectations.

• Herb Trimpe – Nailed it and easy to work with.

• Stan Lynde – He nailed it. Seriously good work

• Dan Parent – Lots of fun and he really got what I was looking for

• Joe Kubert – Won through a charity auction

• Thom Zahler – I’m flying him to Houston for Comicpalooza; trying to get him some extra press so I must have liked it.

 

Good guys who have passed

• George Tuska – Even at 90+, he was blazing fast and customer oriented. I was impressed.

• *spoon* Giordano – Fun to work with and I like what he did for me.

• Gene Colan – He promised to knock my socks off and he did.

• Jim Mooney – He was delightful and fast.

 

Mediocre (slow, but good quality)

• Joe Rubinstein

 

You can see them all in my CAF gallery - http://cafurl.com?i=15459. Enjoy them, I do.

[wolf_2099]

Been waiting over 6 months for a sketch cover commission from Aaron Campbell. Despite several it'll be done and out this week e-mails. Now I'm not getting responses at all.

 

I was (and am) really enjoying the new Shadow book from Dynamite, and wanted a sketch cover of his to go with the Alex Ross and Jae Lee one, along with a piece of OA.

 

I bought a splash page from him and it was well handled, and asked him if he took commissions. He said he always did so I paid and shipped him a blank to work.

 

I've pretty well given up in recieveing it. The worst part about it isn't even the $75 or $100 lost, it's the fact it takes the enjoyment I have out of the OA splash I have. Looking at it just reminds me of getting screwed over.

[yellow954]

three

clay mann which I'll get at supercon

brad walker , same thing

rod thornton, doubt ill ever see

[mister_not_so_nice]

Been waiting over 6 months for a sketch cover commission from Aaron Campbell. Despite several it'll be done and out this week e-mails. Now I'm not getting responses at all.

 

I was (and am) really enjoying the new Shadow book from Dynamite, and wanted a sketch cover of his to go with the Alex Ross and Jae Lee one, along with a piece of OA.

 

I bought a splash page from him and it was well handled, and asked him if he took commissions. He said he always did so I paid and shipped him a blank to work.

 

I've pretty well given up in recieveing it. The worst part about it isn't even the $75 or $100 lost, it's the fact it takes the enjoyment I have out of the OA splash I have. Looking at it just reminds me of getting screwed over.

Aaron seems to have a good head on his shoulders and I'm sure he's just been swamped. With convention season ramping up it's probably not going to get any better. If emails don't work try FACEBOOK. He seems to post there often.

 

I started the Comic Art Escrow a few years ago because i am tired of reading these stories. Like a seatbelt, it only works if you use it

[Bird]

Seth Frail and Nick Pitarra, both outstanding for 15 months and both were accepted for completion to be done in 1-2 weeks, not 1-2 years. Nick at least is semi-responsive and periodically offers my money back (with the appropriate attitude, no real issues with anything but completion with Nick) but I want the art. Seth is a different story. He actually sent prelims after my last email but the trail is now cold again I think.

[Bird]

three

clay mann which I'll get at supercon

brad walker , same thing

rod thornton, doubt ill ever see

 

Never forget, never stop emailing every 6 months, and save all replies. You will get it eventually, save the death of you or the artist, in my experience. I have received 11 year, 4 year, and 3 year overdue commissions. Teddy Kristiansen actually emailed me more after sending me the art than in the decade long odyssey he led me on to get the damn thing. Beware artists from other continents, they can be hard to get a hold of. When I expressed my exasperation with the ordeal, Teddy offered a refund and that I keep the art and I accepted. You may never see it, ever. The artists don't realize that it sours the fan on them 100% when they act like this. Oh well.

[AKA Rick]

I think either not paying "Cash in Advance" or a 20% deposit is fair, in cases where the Artist is not of organized (or unknown) reputation, there's zero skin in the game when an artist takes the money up front, is oblivious (or careless) to the repercussions of their actions to their reputation, and has no motivation to basically gain the perception of that "lie,cheat and steal" character, when it's (delays) usually more born out of laziness, disorganization and overcommitments.

 

Paying by Pay Pal is the best to the degree that it provides recourse within a set length of time. As for the fees, it's "the cost of doing business" either to be absorbed by the artist, or an added expense (consider it your insurance fee) paid for by the buyer.

 

Never buy into the whole "it's almost done" (aka "the check's in the mail" delay tactic) updates if close to the deadline for a refund. Just get the refund. You can always re-submit payment after you get your refund once your piece is done and/or delivered, but if you let the time elapse and can't get your money back, you're stuck in the same situation you don't want to be in as if you'd paid cash, with zero leverage.

 

The saddest part of all of the commission chasing is it makes the customer / buyer, who continues to cordially email the artist, feel like they're "begging" for the artwork and that almost seemingly "groveling" situation is very disheartening, when in fact, as a customer, the buyer should at minimum be treated fairly, respected, acknowledged and responded to, as opposed to ignored and pushed to the side.

 

This is in part why I'm less of a fan of the commission scene, unless I can get it done at the show/convention (...and those situations where you set it up at the show to be done, and it's not done, I'd advise just get your money back, don't put yourself in a situation where you're chasing the piece, but let the artist know up front - you may be given priority to your piece (then again, you might get a lackluster rushed job too). Commission collecting is not for the impatient, sensitive, nor faint at heart.

[wolf_2099]

Been waiting over 6 months for a sketch cover commission from Aaron Campbell. Despite several it'll be done and out this week e-mails. Now I'm not getting responses at all.

 

I was (and am) really enjoying the new Shadow book from Dynamite, and wanted a sketch cover of his to go with the Alex Ross and Jae Lee one, along with a piece of OA.

 

I bought a splash page from him and it was well handled, and asked him if he took commissions. He said he always did so I paid and shipped him a blank to work.

 

I've pretty well given up in recieveing it. The worst part about it isn't even the $75 or $100 lost, it's the fact it takes the enjoyment I have out of the OA splash I have. Looking at it just reminds me of getting screwed over.

Aaron seems to have a good head on his shoulders and I'm sure he's just been swamped. With convention season ramping up it's probably not going to get any better. If emails don't work try FACEBOOK. He seems to post there often.

 

I started the Comic Art Escrow a few years ago because i am tired of reading these stories. Like a seatbelt, it only works if you use it

 

If it was any more expensive, and if the OA turn around was not so good. I would have done something like that, or only done half up front.

 

As it is, I wouldn't mind that it is taking so long, as long as their was communication.

[alxjhnsn]

I'm on the clock for two pieces:

• Re-creation of Showcase #29 by Russ Heath due within the next 2 months or so
  
• Tonal, two person (Raven and Trigon) by George Perez to be picked up at Comicpalooza here in Houston in May. Hand delivery is the best.

I thought I should mention that the Russ Heath pieces arrived on time and are beautiful. Yes, pieces. Turns out my wife had ordered one, too.

 

[Pirate]

Still waiting for Tom Nguyen. 4 years this weekend

[simplyrob]

FCBD will be 1 year waiting for Cory Walker. i keep emailing and he says "keep bugging me". all good.

 

edit: important to note, no funds have been exchanged.

[alrioart]

Still waiting 2 years for Ale Garza.

He promised to send me a different piece of art instead. Never did.