New podcast/video from Felix Comic Art (UPDATED 1/3/17!) 6 6

[Panelfan1]

To pile on, thanks Felix for another great podcast.

 

With regards to Gene's comments on nostalgia - I totally agree. The only thing I would say different is that nostalgia in my case doent just come from the earliest comics I bought. As a kid I watched a lot of superhero cartoons. When I find comics art today with some of those characters or cheesy dialogue my nostalgia is also stoked.

 

Not sure if anyone else feels that way.

 

 

Edited January 4, 2017 by Panelfan1

[JadeGiant]

I really related to Scott’s aesthetic-first point when listening to the podcast. It’s not an either-or discussion IMO, it is both and more heavily weighted in one direction or another depending on the collector. For myself (and most I would presume), nostalgia is what got us in this game and will always be intertwined into motivation for buying. I fell in love with comics and then had to buy a lot of them… and then toys/figures … then statues and memorabilia … and now art. As a big fan of the Hulk, even brand new art pieces are, at the core, nostalgia driven for my love of the character whose roots come from my childhood and thus very nostalgic. But the aesthetic is also at the core for me and equally (at least) important as I am a very visual person. I struggle to read through a good story (even a really good one) if it doesn’t appeal to me artistically but I can read pure dreck if the art is amazing. For this reason I can buy a great looking piece of art even if I have no clue where it came from. If the aesthetic is appealing enough I will buy on that alone. Even at my peak nostalgic period when Sal Buscema was drawing the Hulk, I don’t have nearly as great appreciation for comics drawn by a fill in artist that I didn’t appreciate. It doesn’t feel as nostalgic but it is really just that I don’t like the art. Sorry for the ramble on … back to podcast talk.

[Bronty]

41 minutes in and not a word about DKR. This podcast is a let down

 

 

 

One comment on aesthetics vs. nostalgia - it seems to me (and kind of is alluded to by Scott himself in the podcast), that Scott puts aesthetics first, BUT within his own personal band of nostalgia (which seems to be primarily late '60s to late '80s). Because surely there is a lot to appreciate aesthetically, especially from an artist's/inker's perspective, from earlier work that I don't recall being represented in Scott's collection. I'm thinking artists like Foster, Raymond, Fine, Wood, Williamson, Frazetta - all unquestionably "artist's artists" from an earlier era. If it really was all about aesthetics uber alles, surely anyone would put some of these artists before, say, Buscema/Palmer (as good as that combination was).

 

At the end of the day, I really do believe that nostalgia plays a larger role than many believe. Even people who now collect things that they didn't grow up with (e.g., Golden Age comics or Modern OA, when they grew up with, say, Strikeforce: Morituri and Power Pack and Alpha Flight) - they may have evolved from what they first read and collected, but I think the thrill of discovery and appreciation of the medium all harkens back to memories/feelings/emotions that were cultivated in those early days, and that, in the end, it's STILL about nostalgia, even when it doesn't necessarily look like it on the surface. Just my

 

Good observation, and I agree totally.

[Bronty]

41 minutes in and not a word about DKR. This podcast is a let down

 

The early Boris Vallejo shout-out made up for it, though.

 

True, that took the episode from A+ to A++!

[vodou]

41 minutes in and not a word about DKR. This podcast is a let down

 

The early Boris Vallejo shout-out made up for it, though.

 

True, that took the episode from A+ to A++!

Yeah but Sandy Blatt's Boris' were the good ones, not...well anyway

[Bronty]

41 minutes in and not a word about DKR. This podcast is a let down

 

The early Boris Vallejo shout-out made up for it, though.

 

True, that took the episode from A+ to A++!

Yeah but Sandy Blatt's Boris' were the good ones, not...well anyway

 

We have different definitions of what's good. I like the good context. You're more interested in the good image first. I wouldn't even be interested in the ones you like and I'm sure you wouldn't want the ones I like.

[vodou]

We have different definitions of what's good. I like the good context. You're more interested in the good image first. I wouldn't even be interested in the ones you like and I'm sure you wouldn't want the ones I like.

Too bad Liefeld didn't do any early 90s SNES box art, in between Badrock pin-ups, then I could really have a laugh at your expense

[Bronty]

We have different definitions of what's good. I like the good context. You're more interested in the good image first. I wouldn't even be interested in the ones you like and I'm sure you wouldn't want the ones I like.

Too bad Liefeld didn't do any early 90s SNES box art, in between Badrock pin-ups, then I could really have a laugh at your expense

 

True!

 

Although the games related to comic properties are generally pretty limp and not something I'm generally too interested in. But if there was a badrock snes cover I'd buy it if it was cheap and if I never, ever ever displayed it

[vodou]

Dude RL was *hot* then, I'm sure he could have gotten Metroid (or whichever you really love) if he wanted it!

[Bronty]

Dude RL was *hot* then, I'm sure he could have gotten Metroid (or whichever you really love) if he wanted it!

 

Barf. Time to collect beanie babies

[stinkininkin]

In light of what's mentioned in the podcast...

 

I dug up a picture from SDCC 1980, of me standing in front of Sandy Blatt's table of original art, my first bite from the apple so to speak, and nothing (including my wallet) would ever be the same again. I am holding a copy of the first piece of art I ever bought, a Neal Adams Deadman cover, though I'm not sure why I'm not holding the actual art. Perhaps this was a day or two after the purchase, and the art itself was back in the hotel room? Hard to remember 37 years later. Looking at this picture, I do wish I had chosen the the Brave and Bold 85 cover of Batman/Sgt Rock just to the left of Sandy's shoulder over the Deadman cover, but such was the ignorance of youth.

 

Scott

 

[DeadpoolJr.]

In light of what's mentioned in the podcast...

 

I dug up a picture from SDCC 1980, of me standing in front of Sandy Blatt's table of original art, my first bite from the apple so to speak, and nothing (including my wallet) would ever be the same again. I am holding a copy of the first piece of art I ever bought, a Neal Adams Deadman cover, though I'm not sure why I'm not holding the actual art. Perhaps this was a day or two after the purchase, and the art itself was back in the hotel room? Hard to remember 37 years later. Looking at this picture, I do wish I had chosen the the Brave and Bold 85 cover of Batman/Sgt Rock just to the left of Sandy's shoulder over the Deadman cover, but such was the ignorance of youth.

 

Scott

 

 

 

Great picture, it's always amazing to see the quantity, and quality of work that was available back then compared to now.

[stinkininkin]

In light of what's mentioned in the podcast...

 

I dug up a picture from SDCC 1980, of me standing in front of Sandy Blatt's table of original art, my first bite from the apple so to speak, and nothing (including my wallet) would ever be the same again. I am holding a copy of the first piece of art I ever bought, a Neal Adams Deadman cover, though I'm not sure why I'm not holding the actual art. Perhaps this was a day or two after the purchase, and the art itself was back in the hotel room? Hard to remember 37 years later. Looking at this picture, I do wish I had chosen the the Brave and Bold 85 cover of Batman/Sgt Rock just to the left of Sandy's shoulder over the Deadman cover, but such was the ignorance of youth.

 

Scott

 

 

 

Great picture, it's always amazing to see the quantity, and quality of work that was available back then compared to now.

 

It bears repeating, this photo is from 1980, which means most of the art shown available is 10 years old or less at the time of the photo. I'd argue that finding/availability of the best modern art that is 10 years old or less is not hard to do today, either online or at a show.

 

Scott

[John E.]

Another wonderful podcast! Y'know, the Lee-Williams team is such a "household" name in the comic reading world that I was surprised to hear how much of a normal guy Scott Williams is! Scott, I really appreciate your take on collecting; I hung on every word!

[Bronty]

Great pic

[Bronty]

How were the wall pieces held up? Tape?

[Panelfan1]

I think its a camera trick like the 60s batman and robin climbing up walls. It looked so real.

 

 

[Bronty]

Well I figure either tape or tacks. Either way... funny to think about

[The Blot]

Felix - another excellent podcast! Keep em coming

 

Scott- really appreciated your take on the hobby and comic art in general. Loved hearing it from an artist's perspective.

[stinkininkin]

Great interview, especially in the sense that Scott talks about some stuff that we haven't heard in other Felix interviews. The part I'm left still thinking about is where Scott is in the contemplating being more hobby-oriented in retirement (when there's more free time) and why wouldn't he continue to collect comic art, his favorite hobby. And Felix mentions how his parents, both in their 70s, are still collecting art. Thus it's not a certainty that all collectors will slow down as they age, will largely or completely divest.

 

That gets me to: how does one stay active (forget about ramping up with the luxury of more free time) in an already rather expensive hobby, when one's disposable income stream drops to at or near zero? Are collectors willing to significantly step down their spending, increase their trading/selling, or something else to fill the gap (and still stay 'active')?

 

I kind of always assumed I'd mostly cash out, hopefully exiting ahead of the crowd too btw. But...what Scott said, sort of rings true for me too...it would be nice to keep at this -in a meaningful way- in perpetuity.

 

In the last few years, I've thought a lot about how I can stay active as my income drops from retirement. Maybe I focus entirely on interior pages and leave covers and splashes to the big boys? I'd be 100% fine with that since I love interiors as much or more than covers and splashes. Problem is, the interiors that I would be inclined towards are now in the 5 figure range (or more!). Not a lot of help there. Still working it out, but I know I won't be buying cheap art that doesn't speak to me just to stay active in the hobby. The one ace up my sleeve to keep things relevant is that I have made friends in this hobby that will always be friends regardless of my buying habits. In that regard, I'll always have a great connection with the hobby, but not sure that it would completely replace that weird need to collect that many of us have. Like I said, still working it out.

 

Scott