Will you ever collect Original Comic Art?

[Murph]

You should add a qualifier with regards to pricing.

 

As it stands, with pricing the way it is. I would absolutely not.

 

Brian

[heartened]

Hi,

 

5 years ago, I would have answered "I'm sticking to comic books". Now I collect art 100%. And, I even sold a couple of books! There's no way I would have EVER predicted that. I was such a comic book high-grade nut for a loooooonnnnng time. Just ask Bob Storms, Ted Vanliew, Tom Brulato, Bechara Maalouf, etc. etc. I can't even count the number of times I went to Ted's house or Bob's apartment to do deals.

 

At least for me, the art bug crept in and took a firm hold Many of you can't imagine making the transition, but I'm living proof that it happens. I'm certainly not alone. And, believe me, I was a dedicated comic book high-grade afficionado just like the rest of you.

[blowout]

Maybe I should have added a pricing factor in the poll as there is a large fincial gap between the two hobbies right now.

Part of the appeal of collecting the art is to own one of a kind items, but the flip side is that if you can't afford a piece you want, there is really no alternative. With comic books if you can't afford a book in NM you can always shoot for a lower grade. That leaves room for a larger range of collectors, wheras original art offers up a much more limited playing field.

[Murph]

I'd only be interested in covers and historic panels. Neither of which come up available for sale very auction, and when they do.. the prices are simply a major deterrant. I wouldn't mind spending "comic book"-like prices on stuff (i.e. 10-15k for a cover or a couple grand for a panel) but paying 50-75k for a comic book cover is just too far out of reality for me. Pieces by Dali, Matisse, Chagall, etc..can be had for the same prices.. given these aren't goin to be spectacular pieces..

Hell, you can pick up a Thomas Kinkade original for around the same price as some comic art today.

 

Brian

[heartened]

I'd only be interested in covers and historic panels. Neither of which come up available for sale very auction, and when they do.. the prices are simply a major deterrant. I wouldn't mind spending "comic book"-like prices on stuff (i.e. 10-15k for a cover or a couple grand for a panel) but paying 50-75k for a comic book cover is just too far out of reality for me. Pieces by Dali, Matisse, Chagall, etc..can be had for the same prices.. given these aren't goin to be spectacular pieces..

Hell, you can pick up a Thomas Kinkade original for around the same price as some comic art today.

 

Brian

 

Hobbies are funny this way, and you really can't compare prices across hobbies. We'd spend 10-15K on comic books or comic art, but for that amount of money we can buy an original Presidential document hand-written and signed by Thomas Jefferson on original parchment paper. Does that seem fair? I walk into the Ken Rendell gallery on Madison Avenue all the time and see the best of the best in terms of original manuscripts and documents, and prices for the most part are LESS than what I've been paying for comic books and comic art over these years.

 

As I'm a doctor, I visited a friend tonight (also a doctor) who collects rare medical textbooks. He's got the first description of many of the diseases we know today, written in the 1700s and 1800s. First Editions. They are almost all cheaper than comic book prices. Again, it doesn't seem fair or appropriate. But, it is what it is.

[Murph]

Hari, I'm just pointing out why I don't purchase original art. I think the parallels between original comic art and artwork are a more succinct example. Manuscripts and such are more history than they are examples of beauty in art.

 

I just feel that it doesn't make sense to pay 75 grand for a comic book cover that will only appeal (and make sense) to a small cove of collectors versus purchasing a piece that is known by art historians and casual enthusiasts alike.

 

Perhaps that's just me, I've been around art a lot of my life as my mother has always been involved in art collecting. So maybe I'm the only one who thinks these parallels are bit off when I think of the classic works of Matisse and then (through price) compare them with, for instance, Steve Ditko.

 

That said, I do plan to go after a few pieces that are of particular interest to me as I've always found original art to be fascinating. Hell, I'll probably still [#@$%!!!] about the price even after I buy them..

 

Brian

[Timely]

I never bought any original art until last year when I bought 2 stories from the GOLDEN AGE for about $30 per page, that's almost free!

 

West

[aardvark88]

I recently bought an entire book of original comic art from circa 1966. 32 pages for about $550. Has a Black Knight vs Ivanhoe, Knights of the round table theme.

[blowout]

I recently bought an entire book of original comic art from circa 1966. 32 pages for about $550. Has a Black Knight vs Ivanhoe, Knights of the round table theme.

 

There is some reasonably priced art around if you are prepared to look.

[Norrin_Radd]

I recently bought an entire book of original comic art from circa 1966. 32 pages for about $550. Has a Black Knight vs Ivanhoe, Knights of the round table theme.

 

There is some reasonably priced art around if you are prepared to look.

 

And if you don't want SA/BA superhero art.

[blowout]

Just a reminder to those who havn't voted, this poll is good for another seven days.

 

For those that don't care...why are you reading this?

[heartened]

Interesting results. Not what I expected. In fact, I think the poll was created expecting to show the opposite.

[the blob]

there's plenty of affordable art out there if you aren't fixated on getting a kirby FF page, ditko ASM page, Byrne X-Men, etc.