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cashing in

Started by thatcomicbookguy,

62 posts in this topic

entalmighty1

entalmighty1

Posted
Posted
If their loved ones look on Ebay all their going to find is listings extolling the awesomeness of the deceased, so if anything it might be kind of... nice!

 

I like this statement. Completely agree, now that I think about it in a different light.

 

Perspective, what is it? :laugh:

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seanfingh

seanfingh

Posted
Posted

 

This is a very sticky wicket in my mind. There is an aspect of ghoulishness to it. But there is also the fact that increased demand nearly always takes place, and there will never be any more of that persons signed memorabilia available.

 

A lot has been made, in the Sig Room, over the years about bumping prices upon death. If you do it, you are a profiteer, if you don't you are a sucker. It is a lose, lose scenario.

 

And it adds an unsavory aspect to an already sad situation.

 

 

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bb8

bb8

Posted
Posted

These kind of threads make me feel better that I don't collect SS books. I have an extra copy of DD 1; it's much funner to say, 'the Daredevil show is killer, I hope the book gets a bump' than 'so-and-so died, gotta sell their signed memorabilia asap.'

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A-DONIS

A-DONIS

Posted
Posted

I did it once, never again. It was a priced Turner sketch. Did I make a nice profit? Yes? Was it worth in the end? No.

 

The fact of the matter is that some dealers have decided to add almost a 300% increase to an asking price once Trimpe passed away.

 

In my opinion, it is distasteful and leaves no amount of respect for the creator.

 

To attempt to salvage the entire situation by then declaring that portions of the sales will be donated to the Hero Initiative is a little too late.

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mysterio

mysterio

Posted
Posted
I did it once, never again. It was a priced Turner sketch. Did I make a nice profit? Yes? Was it worth in the end? No.

 

The fact of the matter is that some dealers have decided to add almost a 300% increase to an asking price once Trimpe passed away.

 

In my opinion, it is distasteful and leaves no amount of respect for the creator.

 

To attempt to salvage the entire situation by then declaring that portions of the sales will be donated to the Hero Initiative is a little too late.

 

But like anything else in this hobby, it all comes down to whatever an "acceptable profit margin" is. And, as we've seen all too often, someone is going to demonize you no matter what happens. This is true whether you are buying collections (and accused of fleecing someone's grandmother for pennies on the dollar if you dare to price in a profit margin for yourself) or selling books you own (and greedily profiteering off of collectors who all have spotless motives for collecting and thus deserve to buy at less than your cost). Unfortunately, the death of a creator impacts the market for collectibles like signatures, sketches, or other original art. And if one happens to deal in those things (full or part time) then this is a road that will have to be traversed at some point.

 

The easiest way to get around some of the ghoulishness/profiteering perception is to wait some period of time before selling. This also gives the market time to settle in at a new (and probably higher) price, and you can bake in the new expections to your asking prices. How long that "acceptable" period of time might be is anyone's guess.

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stanley1883

stanley1883

Posted
Posted

At the end of the day, yes Money probably is one of the most important thing, no matter how much we disagree, my point is letting some time pass.

 

I can't quantify time, but suffice to say that hours after or the day after is too soon for my liking. Lets honor their memory and contributions first before we cash in on their name.

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comix4fun

comix4fun

Posted
Posted
Did anyone else just get the metro newsletter? :facepalm: Taking a page out of Chuck's book I guess.

 

 

 

Post a copy here.

 

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seanfingh

seanfingh

Posted
Posted
Weird thing is, many of my faves passed away too soon. Dave Stevens, Don Newton, and Marshall Rogers to name a few. I don't think it ghoulish to look for their stuff if I really want it. (shrug)

 

The ghoulishness is not in seeking out the work of the departed, but in transactions that occur close to the time of the creator's passing.

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mysterio

mysterio

Posted
Posted
Did anyone else just get the metro newsletter? :facepalm: Taking a page out of Chuck's book I guess.

 

 

 

Post a copy here.

 

I saw it too. They give a few paragraphs about his career, and then at the bottom link to copies of his work that are in their inventory. From what I saw it looked fine up to the point where they provide the link to their sales, and that does seem to cross the line a bit into poor taste.

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Vikingreed

Vikingreed

Posted
Posted

I don't see a problem with it.

 

Maybe those books have been there all along, and no one wanted them.

Maybe they were collecting dust in someone's collection, and the news made them bring them out.

 

Maybe they just like money.

 

If the demand is there, what's the issue?

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revat

revat

Posted
Posted
I don't see a problem with it.

 

Maybe those books have been there all along, and no one wanted them.

Maybe they were collecting dust in someone's collection, and the news made them bring them out.

 

Maybe they just like money.

 

If the demand is there, what's the issue?

 

I more or less agree. From one perspective, I get how one could see it as crass. But on the other hand, I do think most artists would want their work to go to the person who appreciates it more, even if they have to pay more for it.

 

Lets say I've got 15 Trimpe SS. I have two up on display all the time, the other 13 in the boxes. Haven't thought about them in a while. News of the death made me think about them, I take them out (the ones I haven't looked at in years), think "maybe someone else will appreciate these more than me." So I pick the 2 I like least (for whatever reason), I look on the bay, and price according to market.

 

I'm not saying this is always the case, but it doesn't sound that unreasonable. People are always so eager to judge from their high horses. Its not like people are sitting around rooting for people to pass just to sell on ebay, but I'm not going to judge someone when I don't know their situation, which could literally be anything, and frankly none of my business. If I don't buy because I attribute negative motives to a complete stranger on the internet, of course that's my prerogative, but I don't think it makes that much sense to just automatically assume people are awful as a rule because an economic situation results from a artist passing.

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Lazyboy

Lazyboy

Posted
Posted
Is it just me or does anyone else think it's really distasteful of people cashing in on Artists who have passed away. I have noticed an influx of new books come up for auction and sale. Is that what the hobby is about, people waiting for artists who are getting on to get signatures and sketches to flog them off at a higher price, once the word has passed there no longer with us? What's going to happen when and hopefully no time soon that Stan Lee passes. Are we going to see the same version but on a much grander scale? I like to think that this hobby is alot more different than others as there is a form of respect for the artists who take the time to sign our books and draw our sketches. Not instantly at the hour we hear them pass throw there books online for thousands of dollars more. Sorry for my rant but kinda bugs me is all.

_________________________

It's not like it's just about signatures and sketches.

 

The best time to sell something is when there's a lot of attention (at least somewhat) related to that item and despite how it may seem recently, movie hype is not the only thing that draws attention.

 

When it comes to items from a creator who just passed away, there will likely never be more attention/demand/money available for the vast majority of those items in a potential seller's lifetime.

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Loukayza

Loukayza

Posted
Posted
Did anyone else just get the metro newsletter? :facepalm: Taking a page out of Chuck's book I guess.

 

 

 

Post a copy here.

 

Here you go. It's a nice memoriam I guess, until the last line....

 

"At the time this newsletter was being prepped, we were deeply upset to learn of the passing of one of the great unsung journeymen of comics, legendary Hulk artist and Wolverine's proud papa, Herb Trimpe. His clean, cheerful style fit the barrel-chested, brutal world of the Hulk like a glove and his gregarious lines and cinematic compositions made the green giant's exploits an instant favorite for all young male readers of a certain age. When we think of the Hulk, we almost instantly think of Trimpe's style, and his beefy rendition of the lovable brute is arguably more iconic than even the initial Jack Kirby stories. Trimpe was also the first to draw probably the most famous creation of the Bronze Age, the Wolverine, whose first appearance shows off Trimpe's bombastic style perfectly.

 

Born in Peekskill, New York, in 1939, Trimpe attended NYC's School of Visual Arts and learned his trade working as a background artist and inker for Dell comics. After a stint in the Air Force, Trimpe contacted friend and fellow vet John Verpooten, who hired the versatile draftsman for the then-nascent Marvel bullpen. His obvious talent and proficiency quickly led to a promotion from the production department to the big leagues, starting with the Marvel western series (which remained his lifelong favorite genre), and finally finding his niche with the Hulk, his signature character, whose adventures he drew through much of the 1970s. One of the very few Marvel artists to pencil for every major character, and endeared himself forever to kids of the 80s by drafting issues of both G.I. Joe and the Transformers.

 

After leaving Marvel during the turmoil of the 1990s bankruptcy, Trimpe returned to college for his Bachelor's Degree in the Arts and went on to teach art and continue to contribute to series for indie publishers such as Dark Horse. An ordained Episcopalian minister and winner of the Inkpot Award and the Clampett Award, he is survived by his three children from his second marriage. The comics industry was built on the talents of quiet, dependable gentle giants such as Trimpe, whose classy and reliable style may not have been as flashy as those of the superstar artists, but whose impeccable storytelling skills burned the Marvel heroes into the brains of three generations. The man may be gone, but the work is immortal. RIP.

 

For a selection of Trimpe's work in our inventory, please click here."

 

End quote...

 

 

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