Comic art community- a look back 1 1

[gumbydarnit]

With the odd state that our hobby is in nowadays, I thought it might be fun to look back and share some memories from the way back machine. I could list 5 or 6 memorable moments, but I will leave it open for y’all reminisce.

To get the ball rolling, early on we communicated on Gary Land’s ComicartL on yahoo groups. Sometime around the year 2000 the artist Bob McLeod was making a plea that convention sketches should cost more than $25. It was a valid argument at the time, but it met some resistance. Kinda funny to think about that now (My memory is somewhat faulty so it may not be Bob who was stating his case but it I think it was). 
 

Those inexpensive prices made for a fun time with lots of sketch books being passed from artist to artist. It was an exciting time to hit the cons - Mid Ohio Con was my go to convention.

Please feel free to add your own hobby flashbacks along with some details to bring those who weren’t around up to speed.

Edited January 29, 2022 by gumbydarnit

[zhamlau]

Stacks of art for 5-10 dollars a page on artists tables. No binders, just milk crates or other improvised holders. And nearly 1/4 of the dealers had one or two really good pieces for sale at a larger con (usually at the top row of their displays cause the art would be to large to display below). The coalescing of all art into a few mega market makers hadn’t happened yet so you ran into it in the wild frequently. No one thought of these as rare one of a kind treasures that would cost an average guys monthly (or yearly) salary since it was so common to find. It was a different era. 

[Hekla]

I didn't start buying OA until 2010 (had just gotten back into collecting comics again the previous year) but I remember panel pages being plentiful on ebay for $100-ish BIN. There was a Kirby Captain America 101 (maybe 102? but it had no image of Cap) page on ebay that sat for $1000 for a long time and I couldn't quite pull the trigger on it. Got hooked pretty quickly and found the ComicL group and then this site and CAF shortly afterward.

Edited January 28, 2022 by Hekla

[gumbydarnit]

- The Felix Podcast

For me this was a comic art community milestone, it was the most direct form of entertainment created that was targeted to us. It helped connect comic art fans to others in our tribe. Felix expanded our horizons by introducing us to other collectors around the globe. He showed us there are even some collectors that are younger than 50 years old!
 

What an exciting bunch of podcasts, we heard recollections from those lucky ones who caught the bug way before we did - Scott Dunbier, Albert Moy, Scott Williams, Dave Mandel and soooo many others sharing stories of being on the ground when all the pages we all covet were popping up and being acquired by regular Joes -passionate fans without the deep pockets but had a burning passion for the art form. Everyone should thank Felix for unearthing these stories, but more importantly for bringing the tribe together!

Of his podcasts, the one I remember the fondest is his interview with Scott Free, Frank Miller’s art dealer who sold many of Frank’s Dark Knight pages. Man what a fun show that was! 
 

https://felixcomicart.libsyn.com/the-felix-comic-art-podcast-episode-18-scott-free

Here’s Felix’s show description:

The Felix Comic Art Podcast presents the ultimate episode for THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS original art fans with our special guest, Scott Free!

Who is Scott Free? Scott was Frank Miller's art rep during THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, and it was through Scott that so much of the best DKR art was sold (including the DKR #2 cover). Then it all ended abruptly, and Scott's been off the radar for the past 30 years. DKR art fans have been looking for him ever since. What happened? Why did Frank Miller stop selling his art? Also, why did Frank take over inking from Klaus Janson? Listen and find out!

 

Thanks Felix for bringing us all a bit closer!

Edited January 29, 2022 by gumbydarnit

[Bird]

I started at Rutgers, probably grad school 1991. I bought a Sandman page out of CBG, blind bid I think, for $125 and recall getting sweaty reading the letter and wondering where I would get the money. The page was Delirium telling Destiny "there are things not written in your book". Owned it for 25 years or so and sold it for $1600 IIRC.

At that time I was working at a community mental health center and reading CBG when I realized there were conventions where artists attended. I remember using supervisors phone after they left and calling in to see who was at the con, she asked who I wanted to see and it went south from there. May have been that very show I was calling about where I was walking around and saw a line...what could be at the front of the line. Someone drawing on backing boards? Paul Ryan? I got in line. I was walking around Philly before it went Wizard and some cutie pie was getting a sketch from someone who was chatting her up. Wait, that guy is drawing Elektra!?! I got in line and met Bill Sienkeiwicz for the first time. Living in Indiana from 94-98 and went to Mid-Ohio each year, met PCR on my birthday and he drew me a sweet Elric for $25. Went to Chicago one year, stayed in the Sofitel with a bunch on pros (me and wifey in the pool while 3-4 pros talk shop) and FM in the bar alone and me without the $7 to buy him a drink. really. I didn't have the $7 and I wasn't going to get it anywhere soon. I said hello. I went to Detroit alone to see Tony Harris, he was hungover from partying with tablemate Tim Bradstreet, they had a joint list I was #2 on but Tony never did anything and Tim started his own list and I was SOL. Fuggin' Tony. My MAN! But a bit daft perhaps.

The infamous White Plains show, oh am I glad I drove out there by myself. BWS! The Legends group in NYC. Jim Lee and Mark Silvestri touring the Killer Instinct crossover.

I was and am a lone wolf collector for the most part. So it was a while until I stumbled onto comicart-l. I joined the week Alison Sohn had her FDQ exit, perhaps the very day, or so I recall. Catherine Jones had left by then but I still got the benefit of her wisdom on framing art.

stream of consciousness depleted for now

[Bird]

one more for the ladies...wifey comes along and we are in line for Chris Claremont (this may have been Chicago, same show where Alex Ross had his father with him signing Kingdom Come?). When we get to Claremont I spazz and toss wifey in the line of fire "name an X-Men and this guy probably created them!" "storm?" (It was a bogus question, I know. I spazzed.)

[gumbydarnit]

On 1/29/2022 at 8:46 AM, Bird said:

Catherine Jones had left by then but I still got the benefit of her wisdom on framing art.

YES! If I remember correctly, she was pretty insistent that art should not be framed surrounded by a black matte. It has an effect of visually punching a hole in your wall with such a stark contrast to off white painted walls.

 

It was food for thought and coming from a very talented artist you had to consider her viewpoint.

[vodou]

On 1/29/2022 at 9:46 AM, Bird said:

The infamous White Plains show, oh am I glad I drove out there by myself.

That's a page in history that should never be forgotten - incredible show!

[Bird]

On 1/29/2022 at 10:01 AM, gumbydarnit said:

YES! If I remember correctly, she was pretty insistent that art should not be framed surrounded by a black matte. It has an effect of visually punching a hole in your wall with such a stark contrast to off white painted walls.

 

It was food for thought and coming from a very talented artist you had to consider her viewpoint.

absolutely, I follow it to his day. my interpretation - the art was created by an artist and you bought it because you like it. Do not then attempt to be an artist yourself when framing, let the piece speak for itself and not compete with the framing/matte for the eye's attention. So white matte matching the background of the paper as closely as possible with a stark black frame. bottom of the matte a little longer than the other sides to pull the eye down and through the image (so I might matte 2 inches on three sides and 2.5/3 on the bottom).

and certainly do not frame it with the printed image, please

this post represents the opinion of the poster only and is not intended to represent the opinions of Jeffrey Catherine Jones in any way, nor insult those who do not follow this method of framing although why they would not recognize the wisdom in it is beyond me and frankly only a subhuman would resort to a garish and gaudy matte and frame and then place it on the wall I mean come on what could you possibly be thinking and who do you think comes over and says WOW I mean it's just not right and it shouldn't be allowed how can you call yourself a fan of the hobby

wait, wait, spaced out there for a minute...

[gumbydarnit]

On 1/29/2022 at 9:11 AM, vodou said:

That's a page in history that should never be forgotten - incredible show!

I remember when seeing the guest list and thinking that would have been a heck of a show… 

care to share a few of your show memories?

[vodou]

On 1/29/2022 at 10:37 AM, gumbydarnit said:

I remember when seeing the guest list and thinking that would have been a heck of a show… 

care to share a few of your show memories?

1. John Buscema insisting the stated credit on a SSOC panel page original was wrong; not him; but he still signed it anyway. He was right, I was young and naïve, should have known better! (and known the obvious difference between Buscema and Mayerick -ugh!)
2. George Tuska and his wife recollecting Silver Age Marvel days, what it was like "finishing" over Kirby layouts, all while signing my TOS Sleeper trilogy panel page.
3. Bernie Wrightson's eyebrows...they were ALIVE!
4. Spending HOURS siting with Dan and Josie DeCarlo going through their stacks of originals, all strip art, and talking about anything/everything Archie, WWII, how they met and married, on and on, seemingly neverending.

I'm sure there's more, but that's off the top of my head.

Oh yeah...Mike Zeck, he didn't do the show but did invite me to stop by his place in Connecticut on my way back home. I set aside several hours for just this and he, like all others above too, his eyes never glazed in boredom, talking Marvel days, original art, collectors, his commission list (and I saw a number of them in his studio, not yet mailed out, that are now known as legendary pieces from that period too) that was all so nice and I made sure not to wear my welcome out either.

[gumbydarnit]

Thanks Vodou!
 

You know the commissions Zeck was creating back then were JAW DROPPING! Man why why why didn’t I get in that queue?!?

 

Vodou teach me the art of not wearing out your welcome, I get so wrapped up in the moment I have a hard time marking the perfectly timed exit.

 

If I remember correctly, that show had ALL of the Studio artists on the guest list!

Edited January 29, 2022 by gumbydarnit

[gumbydarnit]

Vodou- Here’s THE Zeck commission that I covet the most, from the collection of everyone’s friend the wonderful Jim Warden.
 

Captain America Annual 8 cover recreation.

https://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=1523711

Edited January 29, 2022 by gumbydarnit

[fsumavila]

I've only been collecting since 2001-02, when I stumbled across original art pages on eBay. I bought a Dazzler page w/the FF on it for something like $15. Even at that point, which is now 20 years ago, eBay had tons of great pages. I bought a couple of 80s covers, including a Micronauts New Voyages one, for under $300. I remember being gobsmacked to see Bob Larkin's cover to the Empire Strikes Back Marvel Super Special issue pop up on eBay w/a BIN of $3000, which seemed astronomical to me. I waited 15-20 minutes before deciding to pull the trigger; too late, it was gone. Never seen that one pop up again. 

The comic art-l group is where I really started to learn about the hobby, and meeting other collectors. Probably the first conventions I attended to look for comic art were the Big Apple Cons held in the basement of St. Paul the Apostle church on 60th street, back when I was living in the city. just a few short blocks from my apt, I had the chance to see legends like Dave Cockrum in...2002, I think. I wish I had taken the time to talk with Gene Colan, Herb Trimpe, George Tuska and some of the other greats at that show. 

It's funny that, even though I started collecting in the 21st century, I feel like the hobby has completely changed. I can't imagine how different it must feel for longtime collectors who have been at it for way longer.

[gumbydarnit]

On 1/29/2022 at 12:18 PM, fsumavila said:

I wish I had taken the time to talk with Gene Colan, Herb Trimpe, George Tuska and some of the other greats at that show.

SO TRUE! There were a lot of talented artists making appearances at cons that I should have taken the time to meet and buy a small piece or sketch. Back then, I was younger and I didn’t place as much importance on those guys as I should have. I just had my blinders on for my key guys -Byrne, Perez, Miller and Golden. But we live and learn.

How cool to live that close to those NYC comic cons! I’ve always been jealous of you east coast guys with all that access to artists and art.

[Hekla]

On 1/29/2022 at 11:18 AM, fsumavila said:

I've only been collecting since 2001-02, when I stumbled across original art pages on eBay. I bought a Dazzler page w/the FF on it for something like $15. Even at that point, which is now 20 years ago, eBay had tons of great pages. I bought a couple of 80s covers, including a Micronauts New Voyages one, for under $300. I remember being gobsmacked to see Bob Larkin's cover to the Empire Strikes Back Marvel Super Special issue pop up on eBay w/a BIN of $3000, which seemed astronomical to me. I waited 15-20 minutes before deciding to pull the trigger; too late, it was gone. Never seen that one pop up again. 

The comic art-l group is where I really started to learn about the hobby, and meeting other collectors. Probably the first conventions I attended to look for comic art were the Big Apple Cons held in the basement of St. Paul the Apostle church on 60th street, back when I was living in the city. just a few short blocks from my apt, I had the chance to see legends like Dave Cockrum in...2002, I think. I wish I had taken the time to talk with Gene Colan, Herb Trimpe, George Tuska and some of the other greats at that show. 

It's funny that, even though I started collecting in the 21st century, I feel like the hobby has completely changed. I can't imagine how different it must feel for longtime collectors who have been at it for way longer.

I've heard from others about that ESB cover on ebay, which would be an ultimate grail for me.

A seller posted a GSXM 1 page on ebay a couple of years after I started collecting.... 10kBIN if IRC. Was a ton of money but I anguished over it and messaged the seller and had a good chat; then it was gone.

[cstojano]

On 1/29/2022 at 2:16 PM, Hekla said:

I've heard from others about that ESB cover on ebay, which would be an ultimate grail for me.

A seller posted a GSXM 1 page on ebay a couple of years after I started collecting.... 10kBIN if IRC. Was a ton of money but I anguished over it and messaged the seller and had a good chat; then it was gone.

What do you reckon that Larkin cover would be worth in 2020 (not a typo).

[Hekla]

On 1/29/2022 at 4:29 PM, cstojano said:

What do you reckon that Larkin cover would be worth in 2020 (not a typo).

Good question. I don’t follow the Larkin market, but Star Wars was hot then with D+ Mandalorian hype and a public sale would have made waves. 40k-50k maybe. Did you have a lead in 2020?

[Nexus]

On 1/29/2022 at 6:27 AM, gumbydarnit said:

- The Felix Podcast

For me this was a comic art community milestone, it was the most direct form of entertainment created that was targeted to us. It helped connect comic art fans to others in our tribe. Felix expanded our horizons by introducing us to other collectors around the globe. He showed us there are even some collectors that are younger than 50 years old!
 

What an exciting bunch of podcasts, we heard recollections from those lucky ones who caught the bug way before we did - Scott Dunbier, Albert Moy, Scott Williams, Dave Mandel and soooo many others sharing stories of being on the ground when all the pages we all covet were popping up and being acquired by regular Joes -passionate fans without the deep pockets but had a burning passion for the art form. Everyone should thank Felix for unearthing these stories, but more importantly for bringing the tribe together!

Of his podcasts, the one I remember the fondest is his interview with Scott Free, Frank Miller’s art dealer who sold many of Frank’s Dark Knight pages. Man what a fun show that was! 
 

https://felixcomicart.libsyn.com/the-felix-comic-art-podcast-episode-18-scott-free

Here’s Felix’s show description:

The Felix Comic Art Podcast presents the ultimate episode for THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS original art fans with our special guest, Scott Free!

Who is Scott Free? Scott was Frank Miller's art rep during THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, and it was through Scott that so much of the best DKR art was sold (including the DKR #2 cover). Then it all ended abruptly, and Scott's been off the radar for the past 30 years. DKR art fans have been looking for him ever since. What happened? Why did Frank Miller stop selling his art? Also, why did Frank take over inking from Klaus Janson? Listen and find out!

 

Thanks Felix for bringing us all a bit closer!

Thanks Gumby!

Getting to meet Scott Free was a highlight of doing the podcast for me, too. And still the only episode I've had to edit for content.

New episode is coming in a few hours!

[GotSuperPowers?]

I wonder about people that were around when I started collecting/joined the comicart-L around 2001/2, but seem to have stopped collecting:

Ken Danker

Hugo Brache (sp)

The Mysterious Trevor Z (I think that's his/the sites name - a great collection of Mignola and Swamp Thing pieces if I remember correctly)