Check Out This Awesome Thing I Have!!! thread...

[Monkeyman]

J. Allen St. John pulp illustration. I read Tarzan books as a kid with his illustrations and was lucky enough to find this a couple of years ago. Maybe I'll get a Tarzan illo at some point.

 

 

[alxjhnsn]

The illustrations from those old books are amazing! Thanks for sharing.

[ShaneTurgeon]

Gene, as a massive GI Joe fan and art collector, i can't say enough how truly amazing seeing that issue 21 like that is. It just doesn't get any better than that! Thanks for posting a larger pic here than what's on CAF.

[Speedy-D]

Dan, I never tire of seeing that Crime Suspenstories, was that your idea or Anthonys, he really hit it out the park either way.

For me I dont think that can be topped in this thread

That was all my idea.

[Cimm]

[alxjhnsn]

[/url]

Nope. That's not good enough. You have to say why you think it is awesome.

[ShaneTurgeon]

Since Gene went there with GI Joe and my comic art collection doesn't have anything super amazing in it, i'm forced to post these two pieces (and i post two because they kind of go together)...

 

The original packaging paintings for Night Viper and Hydro Viper:

 

http://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=612418

 

http://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=612420

 

They're cool not only because they're the original paintings to some badass characters from one of the greatest toy lines of all time, but also because all of the pre-1990 GI Joe packaging art is still held in Hasbro's archives. At best count, there are less than 7 characters outside of their hands and i have two of them.

[alxjhnsn]

They're cool not only because they're the original paintings to some badass characters from one of the greatest toy lines of all time, but also because all of the pre-1990 GI Joe packaging art is still held in Hasbro's archives. At best count, there are less than 7 characters outside of their hands and i have two of them.

That is amazing! Thanks for sharing.

[Cimm]

Nope. That's not good enough. You have to say why you think it is awesome.

 

OOPs, sorry... I think it's the coolest thing I currently own because it is the preliminary cover study for what would become a Catwoman Annual painted cover, wherein I like the preliminary better than the actual finished painting. Oh, and I bought this directly from Doug Beekman

[Gal Schwartz]

 

 

You might say some pieces I have are more flashy

(though you can't flash much more than this... ),

but I still consider this one the most awesome

as it's the first full appearance of a major Batman villain:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also have the first mention and "caged" appearance

from the previous issue, but I'm only allowed to post one image...),

check my CAF fro the other one....

 

[r100comics]

Well, if you include my illustration art collection, then either my Robert McGinnis James Bond "Thunderball" movie poster art or my Gil Elvgren masterpiece "Anchors A Wow" would probably take top billing in the awesome department. But, if we're just talking about comic art, after all these years of collecting, I'm not sure any of the Kirbys, Romitas, Ditkos, Millers, Byrnes, etc. that I've acquired has been able to surpass the sheer awesomeness of the complete interior story to Marvel's G.I. Joe's #21, the "Silent Issue" featuring the first appearance of Storm Shadow - one of the best and most beloved stories of the awesome '80s!

 

 

Awesome ! This is one of the few times i don't mind someone stretching the screen out.

 

A few people scoffed at your original $20k (iirc) purchase price, but what a great buy it's proven to be.

 

Funnily enough, I was flicking through an old Wizard recently (Jan 2004), where they featured the purchase of this artwork from Larry Hama and mention you by name and I wondered what this complete issue must be worth today ?

[Terry Doyle]

I have a number of 'awesome' (to me) pieces I could nominate, so very difficult to choose just one example.

 

Not necessarily my favourite (though certainly in my top 5), but there's an interesting story behind this one (excuse the lousy photo, with the flash reflection on the glass):

 

 

Weird Fantasy # 14 cover by Al Feldstein

 

Accompanying story (cut-and-pasted from my CAF and dated September, 2010) . . .

 

"My favourite Al Feldstein WEIRD FANTASY cover! First time I saw the cover to this comic-book was at a Liverpool (UK) comic mart back in the late 1970s. At the time, I was a newcomer to EC (which I'd recently discovered, then, via the East Coast Comix reprint series).

 

Anyway, back to the story of the Liverpool comic mart . . . as I was walking around the venue (the Bluecoat Chambers), I noticed one of the attendees trying to sell a bunch of 1950s EC comics to a dealer. The dealer was trying to sound unimpressed/disinterested (in an effort to low-ball on the kind of prices he was willing to pay). I quietly stepped in and politely asked the guy with the ECs if he would consider selling his comics to me. Much to the displeasure of the dealer (if looks could kill . . . ), we moved away to another part of the venue to look at the books in detail and discuss an appropriate exchange of money. All the asking prices were very reasonable and I ended up buying most of the ECs. I also arranged to purchase others the seller had at home.

 

Amongst the selection I bought at the comic mart was WEIRD FANTASY # 14. Although EC was new to me, I'd already formed a definite preference for the Science-Fiction titles. Al Feldstein's cover art was a big pull for me, and I absolutely loved the cover image to that WF # 14 comic-book when I fist set eyes on it back at that 1970s venue! I'd grew up watching television repeats of all the old Science-Fiction movies of the 1950s - and Al's art was a perfect reflection of those times.

 

The image, showing a group of astronauts effecting a repair on their rocket ship is highly reminiscent of George Pal's DESTINATION MOON (1950), which no doubt influenced Al's science-fiction artwork, together with Chesley Bonestell's famous space paintings.

 

A journey beset by problems as man makes fledgling steps into the great unknown . . .

 

Several years later, during the early 1980s, when I'd progressed my EC addiction to buying original artwork from the Russ Cochran EC art auctions, I was looking forward to the time when the cover art to WF # 14 would become available for sale.

 

When the artwork eventually surfaced and Russ's Auction Catalogue reached my doorstep, timing was bad . . . an emergency had arisen in which I needed to buy a new motorcycle; essential transportation for getting me to and from my workplace. I had to make a practical decision and in the process missed-out on a much-loved piece of art.

 

Fast forward to nearly three decades later . . . the cover art re-surfaced for sale via Steve Ferzoco (who was offering it out on behalf of the then owner)! But by this time, the market for vintage EC artwork had skyrocketed in demand and value - and I couldn't quite raise the funds needed to meet the asking price.

 

In recent weeks (at this time of writing), the cover re-appeared for sale once again - ironically, by the auctioneer who had sold it first time round . . . Russ Cochran! Surprisingly (at least to me), the cover failed to meet its reserve price. Unfortunately I wasn't quite in a position to compete during the auction, but after I discovered that the artwork didn't sell I e-mailed Russ to ask if we could perhaps negotiate a deal on the cover (which had been on consignment from Don Lineberger, who tragically died several months after releasing this cover from his collection.). I put forward a proposal, and a little under a week later Russ got back to me with a counter-offer (that I was more than happy to agree to).

 

Funny things is . . . this past year I've been winding-down my collecting habits and selling off chunks of my collection to finance future plans that will have a lasting benefit for all of my family. Just when I think I'm over the addiction, something really special comes along and I know I have to make a concerted effort go for it (or face a future of regret). Nature of the beast, I guess . . .

 

Big, big thanks to Russ Cochran and Angie Meyer (Russ's right hand person) for making this wonderful acquisition possible Also special thanks to Steve Ferzoco (who first highlighted me to the cover's availability), Dan Forman (who offered some useful advice along the way) and Paul Stephenson (who pitched-in on organizing an overseas payment). Thank you guys . . . this is a cover from a long time ago, that I've long-admired. Although I've had to shed a number of prized possessions this past year, I somehow think that this particular piece of art is destined to remain with me."

 

 

[Doc Joe]

Well, if you include my illustration art collection, then either my Robert McGinnis James Bond "Thunderball" movie poster art or my Gil Elvgren masterpiece "Anchors A Wow" would probably take top billing in the awesome department. But, if we're just talking about comic art, after all these years of collecting, I'm not sure any of the Kirbys, Romitas, Ditkos, Millers, Byrnes, etc. that I've acquired has been able to surpass the sheer awesomeness of the complete interior story to Marvel's G.I. Joe's #21, the "Silent Issue" featuring the first appearance of Storm Shadow - one of the best and most beloved stories of the awesome '80s!

 

 

Awesome ! This is one of the few times i don't mind someone stretching the screen out.

 

A few people scoffed at your original $20k (iirc) purchase price, but what a great buy it's proven to be.

 

Funnily enough, I was flicking through an old Wizard recently (Jan 2004), where they featured the purchase of this artwork from Larry Hama and mention you by name and I wondered what this complete issue must be worth today ?

 

And always a joy to see the walls of Metropolis reflected on the background along with Kongs leg

 

[Speedy-D]

Happy Birthday!!!

[oceans11]

Some truly great things showing up in this thread and I'm enjoying it quite a bit. I have some comic art that I like but I don't think any of it falls into the "awesome" post level. For that I have to go with my Glen Orbik painting that was the cover of American Century #16.

 

I love pulp novels and their cover artwork. With some of the older art out of reach, I aimed for a more contemporary artist working in that style. I love Glen Orbik's work and spent a bit of time trying to find the right piece of art. A few e-mails back and forth with him and he still had this painting available. It took me half a second to say yes, as if I had another choice, and promptly went to work fundraising to complete the purchase. I got it framed up and it's been hanging on the wall ever since. I see it every day and it hasn't lost one bit of the thrill that it had when I first received it.

 

 

http://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=608717

 

Don

who apoligizes for the slight flash reflection at the bottom but that was the best pic I was able to get of it once it was behind glass

[Pirate]

why are people still posting? Gene wins, thread over.

[Speedy-D]

Some truly great things showing up in this thread and I'm enjoying it quite a bit. I have some comic art that I like but I don't think any of it falls into the "awesome" post level. For that I have to go with my Glen Orbik painting that was the cover of American Century #16.

Aw, don't think like that...i it catches your eye and you dig it, share!

[comixcroz]

Some truly great things showing up in this thread and I'm enjoying it quite a bit. I have some comic art that I like but I don't think any of it falls into the "awesome" post level. For that I have to go with my Glen Orbik painting that was the cover of American Century #16.

 

I love pulp novels and their cover artwork. With some of the older art out of reach, I aimed for a more contemporary artist working in that style. I love Glen Orbik's work and spent a bit of time trying to find the right piece of art. A few e-mails back and forth with him and he still had this painting available. It took me half a second to say yes, as if I had another choice, and promptly went to work fundraising to complete the purchase. I got it framed up and it's been hanging on the wall ever since. I see it every day and it hasn't lost one bit of the thrill that it had when I first received it.

 

 

http://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=608717

 

Don

who apoligizes for the slight flash reflection at the bottom but that was the best pic I was able to get of it once it was behind glass

that is awesome!

[oceans11]

why are people still posting? Gene wins, thread over.

 

Sorry. I figured I'd come in a distant 11th or 12th.

 

Some truly great things showing up in this thread and I'm enjoying it quite a bit. I have some comic art that I like but I don't think any of it falls into the "awesome" post level. For that I have to go with my Glen Orbik painting that was the cover of American Century #16.

Aw, don't think like that...i it catches your eye and you dig it, share!

 

I've got a lot of art that I like, and some that might even fall into the awesome level, or at least pretty dang cool level. Nothing quite on the amazing level of a complete GI Joe issue, which is impressive. That was my reasoning for going with the highlighting my Orbik painting in this thread.

 

Don

who's got something he thinks is awesome "worthy" lined up and is paying it off.

[comixcroz]

Well, if you include my illustration art collection, then either my Robert McGinnis James Bond "Thunderball" movie poster art or my Gil Elvgren masterpiece "Anchors A Wow" would probably take top billing in the awesome department. But, if we're just talking about comic art, after all these years of collecting, I'm not sure any of the Kirbys, Romitas, Ditkos, Millers, Byrnes, etc. that I've acquired has been able to surpass the sheer awesomeness of the complete interior story to Marvel's G.I. Joe's #21, the "Silent Issue" featuring the first appearance of Storm Shadow - one of the best and most beloved stories of the awesome '80s!

 

I can only imagine reading, or should I say viewing, one of the best Joe stories by flipping through the original art pages. That must be a great feeling!