Best of 2013 - Results

[Doc McCoy]

One of my favorite commission pieces from last year, Alex. Great humor, great art, pantless ducks! What more can you ask for?

What more? I've had a request for Round 2!

 

Given the way history has played out, maybe Round 2 should involve Howard trying on his Disney uniform!

[TMNT]

or just give everyone an award.

[Sideshow Bob]

My first year in the Lowry. I was stoked to get a couple of votes, since even if I could have voted for myself, I was always going to be giving my vote to an outstanding Killing Joke page and Sub Mariner #1.

 

But that expectation didn't stop me from posting my five best acquisitions of the year. In some ways, I was excited just to be among that elite company. And going through the process of deciding what in 2013 was going to make my (repeat, MY) cut helped me grow as a collector, revisiting my impulse buys and evaluating what really was a meaningful addition to my OA collection.

 

Was I going to win? Hell no, but that didn't stop me from running a couple marathons, alongside the other 35,000 runners with no expectations of beating the ten guys in front. To have five of my best 2013 acquisitions posted in the Lowry (votes or no votes) was the equivalent of getting another hard-fought marathon medal.

 

And after I finish a marathon, I usually double-back and cheer on those who are still coming in, rather than yell at them to give up and go home since they've already lost.

 

 

[Nexus]

My first year in the Lowry. I was stoked to get a couple of votes, since even if I could have voted for myself, I was always going to be giving my vote to an outstanding Killing Joke page and Sub Mariner #1.

 

But that expectation didn't stop me from posting my five best acquisitions of the year. In some ways, I was excited just to be among that elite company. And going through the process of deciding what in 2013 was going to make my (repeat, MY) cut helped me grow as a collector, revisiting my impulse buys and evaluating what really was a meaningful addition to my OA collection.

 

Was I going to win? Hell no, but that didn't stop me from running a couple marathons, alongside the other 35,000 runners with no expectations of beating the ten guys in front. To have five of my best 2013 acquisitions posted in the Lowry (votes or no votes) was the equivalent of getting another hard-fought marathon medal.

 

And after I finish a marathon, I usually double-back and cheer on those who are still coming in, rather than yell at them to give up and go home since they've already lost.

 

 

 

I enjoy picking my top five pieces for the year and I enjoy seeing what other collectors pick for theirs. I've participated every year I've been on CAF. I get more votes some years than others, but it's always fun. Thanks for the votes that came my way this time.

 

 

[Raymondb0]

Thanks Bill and Brian for doing this yet again!

 

It is always fun and rewarding to see some amazing works of art that I might have missed for the year!

 

Congratulations to all the winners!!! Thanks to everyone that voted and for the votes I was lucky enough to receive. Really meant something in the splash category to come so close. I have always had a soft spot for Storm and the Claremont/Byrne/Austin era.

 

All the best and hope to see meet more of you at Charlotte and NYCC.

 

Ray

 

[Jesusjon]

Sincere thanks to those that cast votes for the pieces I entered! Only bought a few pieces this year and felt stoked just to be able to participate again after a few years off!

 

Lots of great art to look at - it's a lot of fun. Thanks to all those who ran this and participated as well!

[mister_not_so_nice]

Well, I pretty much got snubbed, as I expected. Thanks, folks. You sure make doing this feel worthwhile.

 

I got 1 vote total, and that actually surprised me. I am perfectly content

 

I cleaned up this year. 4 different pages got at least one vote. A personal best for me.

I suspect that instead of voting for the art it is actually pity votes from friends in the hobby.

 

But getting votes is hardly the reason I enter the "Best Of" every year. My primary goal for posting my previous year's acquisitions is to put them in front of the eyes that don't/won't visit my CAF. In my romanticized ideal, someone will see one of the pics I posted and say, "WAIT A MINUTE, who is this artist? I need to check out more of his/her work."

 

Next year when I post my pieces I'll do it simply to display some new art from artists you may not have heard of yet and I'll ask people to please NOT vote for any of them. Instead, give your votes to someone that G.A.F. :for you:

Don't cry, everyone's a winner. If you bought a single piece of art last year you're well ahead of the person that didn't.

[mister_not_so_nice]

Next year, can I treat my growing pile of 80s Infantino Flash panel pages as a single one?

 

NO!

 

One year I did submit my 16 page AXEMAN story as an entry. I didn't get any votes.

 

I would like to see a complete story(minimum 4 pages) section.

[Speedy-D]

A complete story section sounds like a great idea.

[mister_not_so_nice]

A complete story section sounds like a great idea.

 

Can I enter THE ONES I didn't get to enter before

[alxjhnsn]

One of my favorite commission pieces from last year, Alex. Great humor, great art, pantless ducks! What more can you ask for?

What more? I've had a request for Round 2!

 

Given the way history has played out, maybe Round 2 should involve Howard trying on his Disney uniform!

 

Howard dressed as Donald at Disneyworld would be funny, but not really a second round - more post fight.

 

[oceans11]

Well, I pretty much got snubbed, as I expected. Thanks, folks. You sure make doing this feel worthwhile.

 

I think it's an awful idea to be collecting art for pats on the back. Via the internet.

 

 

I don't collect for pats on the back, individual_without_enough_empathy! But taking the time to do the "best of" is. Keep getting snubbed and it really seems to be a wasted effort. But you just keep chirping, like you know what you are talking about.

 

I don't care enough to jump into this, but the key thing from your original post which made me drop the reply was that you expected to get snubbed. I'm assuming it's because A: you think the voting is inherently unfair, or B: you've had some bad experience in the past that sort of shifted your thoughts on how this year would turn out.

 

So why enter? It's supposed to be a stupid, fun internet thing, where we take a step back and look at some of the cool and beautiful art people picked up in the past year. That's all. Is it a popularity contest to a degree? I don't think so; even if it were, who cares? The best we can do is either over-regulate it and add rules and guidelines to the point that it isn't fun anymore, or just give everyone an award.

 

 

I do find it kind of funny that there is the statement made about "awful idea to be collecting art for pats on the back" that is posted in a the ultimate thread "patting people on the back" for their art. That's essentially what the annual Lowry and voting is.

 

I agree that it's a stupid, fun internet thing where we look at the beautiful art people picked up in the past year. Lots and lots of nice art was posted and some people picked up some stellar pieces. The voting, which does serve the purpose of bringing people in to look at the art, does take some of the fun away as it now becomes a competition. One that those with fairly high art budgets are going to win by default; as they are able to pick up those key pieces of art from significant artists or books.

 

Let's look at panel pages alone.. Sandman by Kieth. Killing Joke page. Some Neal Adams, John Byrne, Romita,and Frank Miller. It's all the usual suspects and artists that conveniently also happen to be near the top of the price range for art. So am I surprised. Not really. No way that I'm going to get any attention there with my submissions of Barreto Supergirl, Marie Severin Spider Man, Kubert X-Men pages. Didn't really expect it as they're all on the lower end of the price scale.

 

Hey, I'm not complaining as I entered them mostly to show off what I was proud of acquiring, with the off hand hope that someone else might appreciate them as much as I do. But I do see how James, and others, could be discouraged with how this plays out. I also see how it could turn some people off of participating altogether. Why play in something where you are constantly ignored. I think that same sentiment goes for views and comments. It's not the pat on the back, it's more the sense of inclusion that comes with people appreciating what you bring to the hobby. Not really sure there's an answer to how to correct things, but it's fairly obvious that Lowry votes are mostly proportionate to how much money you spend on the art.

 

Don

who normally lurks but felt compelled to comment here.

[Meeley Man]

Hey, I'm not complaining as I entered them mostly to show off what I was proud of acquiring, with the off hand hope that someone else might appreciate them as much as I do. But I do see how James, and others, could be discouraged with how this plays out. I also see how it could turn some people off of participating altogether. Why play in something where you are constantly ignored. I think that same sentiment goes for views and comments. It's not the pat on the back, it's more the sense of inclusion that comes with people appreciating what you bring to the hobby. Not really sure there's an answer to how to correct things, but it's fairly obvious that Lowry votes are mostly proportionate to how much money you spend on the art.

 

And just to be clear, I'm not saying any of my entries deserved to be among the top vote getters. But to have one piece get, say, three votes? That doesn't sound like the "realm of impossibility," if the system was anything close to fair.

 

But I agree with Don, in that it seems how much you spend, and perhaps certain folks who everyone likes, are the ones who get all the votes. So, if that's the circle jerk people want, then just set it up that way. Leave the Lowry for the Heavy Hitters only. And they can then circle jerk themselves to death. It would certainly save the rest of us a lot of wasted time, only to end up being completely ignored.

[Mephisto]

I have to agree with most of that sentiment.

This was a PM I sent a friend over 2 weeks ago out of the blue when the best of thread was started.

"I've long felt the Lowry Best of is a lot of work for a little stroking."

 

Because that's really what it is. I haven't really looked at entries in years because it is all stuff I've already seen on CAF!

This has nothing to do with a sour grapes thing either. I renewed looking at it about a decade ago but can't even recall if I took the time to make entries. I'm leaning towards no as even then it was more work for the hand job that it is. Even the person I sent that message to feels that years ago it may have made more sense but now it is more or less nothing more than what James has said about it being a circle jerk.

[Jesusjon]

The Lowry always brings out some art I haven't seen that year on CAF and it focuses it all in one place at one time. For that alone I think it's worthwhile. The voting just makes it interesting, even if we all know that just about any KJ piece is going to do awesome (as well it should).

 

I entered 4 pieces, and while I tied for 5th in one category, one of my pieces received 0 votes and another received 1. SO? Those are still great pieces. The Batwoman panel page I entered that received 1 vote will always be in my collection, and be a prized possession. I know how much I love it, and I know that others dig it too, just maybe not as much as a DK or KJ page!

 

I've never been able to run with the big boys. But someone recently compared collecting OA to playing golf - you go out there and try to shoot a good game, even if you're not Tiger Woods. (But isn't it nice to play on the same course as Tiger and occasionally chat about the sport we love, that is, if he's a nice dude and all. If he's an arrogant SOB about how good his game is, he deserves some bad press for it.)

 

Life's too short to worry about how many votes we got! But I'm not here to tell anyone how to feel.

 

I look at some of the pieces that got single digit votes and I would DEARLY love to add them to my collection, if the opportunity arose. For the most part, my tastes diverge a little bit from the norm - my favorite cover was Greg Kessler's Y #57. And I like Massimo better than most of the artists in the top 10! No offense to anyone, but this stuff is subjective. I don't care if something is old, only if it's treasured by me and makes me feel nostalgic. On top of that, if Greg were willing to sell (dibs - pretty please?) I'm sure the purchase price would be a pro rata bargain versus what it would take to obtain some of the stuff that garnered a lot a lot of votes.

 

Anyhow my .02.

 

 

[HokieGAK]

I look at some of the pieces that got single digit votes and I would DEARLY love to add them to my collection, if the opportunity arose. For the most part, my tastes diverge a little bit from the norm - my favorite cover was Greg Kessler's Y #57. And I like Massimo better than most of the artists in the top 10! No offense to anyone, but this stuff is subjective. I don't care if something is old, only if it's treasured by me and makes me feel nostalgic. On top of that, if Greg were willing to sell (dibs - pretty please?) I'm sure the purchase price would be a pro rata bargain versus what it would take to obtain some of the stuff that garnered a lot a lot of votes.

 

Anyhow my .02.

 

 

Thanks for the kind words, Jon! This was definitely the piece I was most disappointed about the results on. I really believed it might be one of the top choices for covers, but I guess maybe the scan doesn't do it justice. I will keep you in mind if I ever decide to sell, but now that I've read this that "pro rata bargain" might be out the window! Congrats on your own results with the Fables 100 cover! It truly is a beautiful piece!

[Nexus]

Is submitting to the Lowry a lot of work? I uploaded five pieces and it took me less than five minutes. Voting took me a little longer, but overall, maybe a half hour out of my life? Most, if not all, of us waste more time than that on a regular basis (e.g. reading/posting on message boards).

 

I agree that attention for the main published categories is heavily slanted toward higher-end marquee pieces. That's just the reality of the hobby. But the unpublished categories (con sketches and other) tend to be more art-focused and less about market value. Then again, there can be an argument made that boobs have the same unfair advantage in con sketches, as high-end superhero pieces have in covers.

 

Anyway, I suggested last year with doing away with the vote and just making this an event where everyone can show off their top five. Which is what it's supposed to be about, right? It appears that won't be happening, so I have another suggestion: Let those who wish to participate in the Lowry, but don't want to be included in the vote, be given the choice to opt out of the vote.

 

Let's try it and see if it results in more participation. As it is, some collectors sit out "Best of" because they won't get enough votes, while others sit it out because they'll get too many. There are plenty of mega-collectors who don't want to deal with the potential anger and animosity that can come with the vote. This way, those who hope for pats on the back have a better chance of getting them while those who don't care as much can still display their top five picks. Hopefully, a win-win.

[eewwnuk]

But every posting be like Ditko, Kirby, Mcfarlane on the double splash

Dark Knight, Killing Joke, Buscema on the cover piece

We don't care, we're hanging Liefeld’s in our dreams

 

But everybody's like Campbell, A Hughes,Mark Brooks on your con sketch.

John Byrne, Miller, Wolvie ala Jim Lee

We don't care, we’re all caught up in our art affair

 

And we'll never be Lowry (lowry)

 

 

Sorry, this thread made me think of this song.

[Terry Doyle]

From my point of view, I considered this a good exercise to draw attention to artists that would otherwise be overlooked on the daily postings to CAF (too numerous to keep up with).

 

No big surprise with the winning entries (heck, I even voted for some of them), but I was also drawn to a number of obscure pieces/artists that I found potentially interesting.

 

Even the winning entries hardly had big voting numbers attached to them, so I feel quite pleased that four of my own pieces had one vote apiece!

 

Nothing here to be bitter or resentful about. I've come away with a new appreciation for some artists I previously new zilch about, so I consider this a positive experience . . .

[Terry Doyle]

But every posting be like Ditko, Kirby, Mcfarlane on the double splash

Dark Knight, Killing Joke, Buscema on the cover piece

We don't care, we're hanging Liefeld’s in our dreams

 

But everybody's like Campbell, A Hughes,Mark Brooks on your con sketch.

John Byrne, Miller, Wolvie ala Jim Lee

We don't care, we’re all caught up in our art affair

 

And we'll never be Lowry (lowry)

 

 

Sorry, this thread made me think of this song.

 

What you taking? I want me some of that!