2015 May 28-30 Comics Signature Auction

[suspense39]

http://comics.ha.com/itm/original-comic-art/jack-kirby-and-mike-esposito-as-mickey-demeo-tales-to-astonish-71-like-a-beast-at-bay-page-3-hulk-original-a/a/7136-92275.s

 

Kirby hulk seems to be consistently lower than I'd expect, I've seen this page in person and it's a beautiful 4 panel page that sold for not much more than hunger dogs with no characters. I think it's a great pick up for who ever walked away with it. You'd think with how few show up, and a popular mainstay character by the creator it would be double this price.....am I wrong?

[comix4fun]

http://comics.ha.com/itm/original-comic-art/jack-kirby-and-mike-esposito-as-mickey-demeo-tales-to-astonish-71-like-a-beast-at-bay-page-3-hulk-original-a/a/7136-92275.s

 

Kirby hulk seems to be consistently lower than I'd expect, I've seen this page in person and it's a beautiful 4 panel page that sold for not much more than hunger dogs with no characters. I think it's a great pick up for who ever walked away with it. You'd think with how few show up, and a popular mainstay character by the creator it would be double this price.....am I wrong?

 

 

 

That's because this is barely Kirby Hulk. Espo was not Kirby's best finisher/inker. He's not in the top 5 (or 10). Espo isn't linked to Kirby the way Stone, Sinnott, and Ayers, for example, are. There's none of the signature Kirby posing, power and style on this page. It lacks all that Kirby punch and the inking/finishing doesn't help. These look like they were Kirby stick figures all the way.

 

If this were Kirby from the first 5 Hulk issues, where he did all the pencils, this is multiples of the final price (and it would look like Kirby).

[suspense39]

http://comics.ha.com/itm/original-comic-art/jack-kirby-and-mike-esposito-as-mickey-demeo-tales-to-astonish-71-like-a-beast-at-bay-page-3-hulk-original-a/a/7136-92275.s

 

Kirby hulk seems to be consistently lower than I'd expect, I've seen this page in person and it's a beautiful 4 panel page that sold for not much more than hunger dogs with no characters. I think it's a great pick up for who ever walked away with it. You'd think with how few show up, and a popular mainstay character by the creator it would be double this price.....am I wrong?

 

 

 

That's because this is barely Kirby Hulk. Espo was not Kirby's best finisher/inker. He's not in the top 5 (or 10). Espo isn't linked to Kirby the way Stone, Sinnott, and Ayers, for example, are. There's none of the signature Kirby posing, power and style on this page. It lacks all that Kirby punch and the inking/finishing doesn't help. These look like they were Kirby stick figures all the way.

 

If this were Kirby from the first 5 Hulk issues, where he did all the pencils, this is multiples of the final price (and it would look like Kirby).

 

To an extent I agree, but it's still a 4 panel Kirby hulk page that's nicely finished IMO even though it's Esposito ( I've seen it in person and maybe that didn't translate online). And as you said if it had "money " shots of hulk it would be multiples of this in terms of price.... I get that, but it still seems low to me, it's still Kirby silverage hulk. (That said I didn't go for it either

[comix4fun]

http://comics.ha.com/itm/original-comic-art/jack-kirby-and-mike-esposito-as-mickey-demeo-tales-to-astonish-71-like-a-beast-at-bay-page-3-hulk-original-a/a/7136-92275.s

 

Kirby hulk seems to be consistently lower than I'd expect, I've seen this page in person and it's a beautiful 4 panel page that sold for not much more than hunger dogs with no characters. I think it's a great pick up for who ever walked away with it. You'd think with how few show up, and a popular mainstay character by the creator it would be double this price.....am I wrong?

 

 

 

That's because this is barely Kirby Hulk. Espo was not Kirby's best finisher/inker. He's not in the top 5 (or 10). Espo isn't linked to Kirby the way Stone, Sinnott, and Ayers, for example, are. There's none of the signature Kirby posing, power and style on this page. It lacks all that Kirby punch and the inking/finishing doesn't help. These look like they were Kirby stick figures all the way.

 

If this were Kirby from the first 5 Hulk issues, where he did all the pencils, this is multiples of the final price (and it would look like Kirby).

 

To an extent I agree, but it's still a 4 panel Kirby hulk page that's nicely finished IMO even though it's Esposito ( I've seen it in person and maybe that didn't translate online). And as you said if it had "money " shots of hulk it would be multiples of this in terms of price.... I get that, but it still seems low to me, it's still Kirby silverage hulk. (That said I didn't go for it either

 

 

In an auction with less quality material, less lots, less Kirby I could see this at $5k even as light on the Kirby feel as it is. I think that had the most to do with the final price. I saw this page and didn't give it a second thought.

 

On the subject of Kirby pencils vs. layouts, I've owned pages from this book, from the Romita finished TTA 77, and I've owned pages from Hulk 2 and 5. There's a dramatic difference in the pages Kirby penciled and the ones he laid out. The look of the Hulk, face, proportions, and feel of the page lacks the sizzle that Kirby gave those other pages. Espo's finishes are clean but they don't "pop" like those other books. IMHO Hulk 5 was the peak of Kirby Hulk. He had perfected the look by that point and you see that version pop up in several modern artists. The Hulk on this page is more Hulk in name only, at least to me.

[dem1138]

I'd imagine that this is a record for a color proof!

 

Frank Miller Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Page Color Proof

$3824.00

 

 

[comix4fun]

I'd imagine that this is a record for a color proof!

 

Frank Miller Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Page Color Proof

$3824.00

 

 

 

It would have to be.

 

It was 4 pages on one large board. 4 great pages I might add, but a color copy nonetheless.

 

 

[malvin]

Well, nothing for me this round, there was only 1 item I wanted and was the under bidder.

 

Next time!

 

Malvin

[comix4fun]

Got the two items I wanted more than anything else in the auction!

[suspense39]

I was under bidder on what I wanted as well

[Doc Joe]

I wanted one of two thing; missed out on one, got the other, then 2 additional goodies beside;

 

but as Mark McGuire says "I'm not here to talk about the past"

 

next up...Clink

 

its gonna get ugly but they will be mine

[Nexus]

Got the two items I wanted more than anything else in the auction!

 

Was it two items in a single lot?

 

Congrats!

[mtlevy]

I picked up a few smaller tems - outbid on a bunch more - always wonder who wants to spend more than I on some of this stuff!

 

A few surprises but overall seemed in line with expectations

 

 

[comix4fun]

Got the two items I wanted more than anything else in the auction!

 

Was it two items in a single lot?

 

Congrats!

 

 

Two lots.

 

Although, one lot had two items.

 

So the answer is yes.

 

I had to utilize a good luck charm to pull it all together though.

[tth2]

I spent the most I`ve spent on a Heritage auction in almost a decade, and the vast majority was OA, which was by far the most I`ve ever spent on OA, ever. But the selection was that good.

 

I got outbid on only one piece that I was really going after, at a price level way beyond anything I would`ve imagined I would have to go to. The winning price apparently shattered all previous records... and I hope the winner chokes on it.

[delekkerste]

I spent the most I`ve spent on a Heritage auction in almost a decade, and the vast majority was OA, which was by far the most I`ve ever spent on OA, ever. But the selection was that good.

 

I got outbid on only one piece that I was really going after, at a price level way beyond anything I would`ve imagined I would have to go to. The winning price apparently shattered all previous records... and I hope the winner chokes on it.

 

I'm guessing that you were focused on strip art, as the selection and overall quality was arguably the best that Heritage has offered (or close to it).

[vagocollectibles]

I won 2 of the 5 pieces I was tracking. But they are the ones I wanted most ?. A nice Star Wars Marvel splash (price range I was expecting/hoping for) and a cool mid-eighties Spidey title page (went rather cheap - yippie!). This is the third time I bought trough HA and I'm sure this won't be the last time ?

[Ironmandrd]

Hopefully someone following more lots than I was will post the usual list of major outliers (perceived overperformers and underperformers). One high result that jumped out to me was Iron Man #74 splash by Jones--$10.1k. Superwow. Undoubtedly due to the Avengers in the background.

 

http://comics.ha.com/itm/original-comic-art/bob-brown-mike-esposito-and-frank-giacoia-avengers-118-page-22-defenders-cross-over-original-art-marvel-1973-/a/7136-92083.s

 

[Doc Joe]

Hopefully someone following more lots than I was will post the usual list of major outliers (perceived overperformers and underperformers). One high result that jumped out to me was Iron Man #74 splash by Jones--$10.1k. Superwow. Undoubtedly due to the Avengers in the background.

 

http://comics.ha.com/itm/original-comic-art/bob-brown-mike-esposito-and-frank-giacoia-avengers-118-page-22-defenders-cross-over-original-art-marvel-1973-/a/7136-92083.s

 

That is an awesome page, defenders and avengers with an avengers assemble! Not sure if it's 10k awesome for me but I guess it was for someone

[Peter G]

Hopefully someone following more lots than I was will post the usual list of major outliers (perceived overperformers and underperformers). One high result that jumped out to me was Iron Man #74 splash by Jones--$10.1k. Superwow. Undoubtedly due to the Avengers in the background.

 

http://comics.ha.com/itm/original-comic-art/bob-brown-mike-esposito-and-frank-giacoia-avengers-118-page-22-defenders-cross-over-original-art-marvel-1973-/a/7136-92083.s

 

That is an awesome page, defenders and avengers with an avengers assemble! Not sure if it's 10k awesome for me but I guess it was for someone

 

This image is not Iron Man 74

 

It is for Avengers 118 and it sold for $4,780.00

 

Too Much Confusion

[Doc Joe]

Hopefully someone following more lots than I was will post the usual list of major outliers (perceived overperformers and underperformers). One high result that jumped out to me was Iron Man #74 splash by Jones--$10.1k. Superwow. Undoubtedly due to the Avengers in the background.

 

http://comics.ha.com/itm/original-comic-art/bob-brown-mike-esposito-and-frank-giacoia-avengers-118-page-22-defenders-cross-over-original-art-marvel-1973-/a/7136-92083.s

 

That is an awesome page, defenders and avengers with an avengers assemble! Not sure if it's 10k awesome for me but I guess it was for someone

 

This image is not Iron Man 74

 

It is for Avengers 118 and it sold for $4,780.00

 

Too Much Confusion

 

 

much more sense!