Lake Como Comic Art Festival - Cernobbio (Como Lake) 12/14 May 1 1

[pestonaccio]

Good evening folks,

I was just wondering if this incredible convention is known outside of Europe. It started slow before COVID, then stopped (as everything else), then reappeared with an incredible cast of guests and dealers (https://lccaf.com/it/home/). I think Steve Morger is behind it, with the help of Frank Cho, Enrico Salvini and many others.

I will be there on Saturday the 13th; is somebody from this group attending as well?

 

Ciao

Luca

[Carlo M]

I will be there.  It is a good event, not too crowded and 100% focused on OA.  There will be some high profile dealers and lots of artists.  And the setting is beautiful.  will report back with some pictures.

Carlo

[pestonaccio]

Ciao Carlo,

I will meet you there. Long time no see!

[RBerman]

I will be there all weekend. We should plan a meal, exchange contact info, etc.

[skrilla1212]

Known outside of Europe? Yes.

Jealous of everyone who can make it due to the location, talent and what sounds like incredible atmosphere, and hope to someday have the time and money to make it from the US? Also yes.

[Terry E. Gibbs]

Yes, known in Australia, thanks to Annabel Kirby,  but not sure by how many, and if anyone has been. Most art collectors here I know of are commission and or / Modern Marvel based. Was on my list of things to do, until the latest big  stock market drop, dropped that dream as well.

[alxjhnsn]

Kathy and I wanted to go this year, but she has a work conflict.

Next year!

[igotnogame]

Any updates for us unfortunates that couldn't attend?  

[J.Sid]

How many days is the convention?

 

[barneythecantankerous]

On 5/14/2023 at 7:10 AM, J.Sid said:

How many days is the convention?

 

2 days for the convention, 1 day for a reception on Friday, which also gets you earlier access on the weekend.

On 5/13/2023 at 9:35 PM, igotnogame said:

Any updates for us unfortunates that couldn't attend?  

What kind of update would you like? 

I will say Dave McKean brought the heat IMO - a couple of Sandman related covers; an Arkham Asylum cover; Hellblazer stuff; etc. Just absolutely all incredible stuff. I'll try to get some pictures.

Most other artists just took commissions such as Gary Frank and Lee Bermejo, who didn't bring any published work. 

The Bill Sienkiewicz stall was hilarious - dude dressed up like a slimy salesman trying to sell unpublished work for $10k+ (absolutely nothing had prices on either), when 2 tables down a dealer had published stuff for €700-1,200.

[pestonaccio]

I am on my way to Milan airport, after attending the show on Saturday.

Wonderful location, good weather, a lot of space to chat, show art and relax. Many dealers and too many artists.

Did I have fun? Yes. Did I buy something? No. Did I consider buying anything? No. Prices were higher then usual, probably because the convention was sold as a "rich people only" show and everyone tried to make as much money as possible.

Example 1): One dealer had one piece for sale at 45k and after a couple of hours it went up to 65k; another piece from 55k to 100k.

Example 2): I saw a nice piece for sale, priced 13k; I enquired about a better piece I have (the seller agreed my piece was better - same artist, same story) and he told me he would be happy to have it in his next auction as the piece would fetch 6/8k... At first I thought he said 16/18k then he said I got it wrong and the price was 6/8... I wondered how my piece, better, would fetch half the price of the piece he was selling; He said its piece was priced aggressively by "the consignor". Well that happened to almost all the pieces he had.

Example 3) in order to buy the first spot for a commission you had to auction. Last minute decision. You want to be the first in line with Manara? Bid. And the money is not included in the commission. So you pay the ticket, you pay the first spot, you pay the commission. One artist got a 25 euros winning bid and he got offended and didn't do any work during the day.

Just three examples, but not a good way to do business. 

A lot of artists, but many of them unknown (at least) to me. McKean had the best stuff, but it was sold early on the first day. Nice chap. Commissions, commissions, commissions. 

Not too many people, I think they sold something like 300/400 tickets.

Will I be back? I don't know, probably yes, but only to meet friends, just forget to do business.

My two cents.

[Rick2you2]

On 5/14/2023 at 3:20 AM, pestonaccio said:

I am on my way to Milan airport, after attending the show on Saturday.

Wonderful location, good weather, a lot of space to chat, show art and relax. Many dealers and too many artists.

Did I have fun? Yes. Did I buy something? No. Did I consider buying anything? No. Prices were higher then usual, probably because the convention was sold as a "rich people only" show and everyone tried to make as much money as possible.

Example 1): One dealer had one piece for sale at 45k and after a couple of hours it went up to 65k; another piece from 55k to 100k.

Example 2): I saw a nice piece for sale, priced 13k; I enquired about a better piece I have (the seller agreed my piece was better - same artist, same story) and he told me he would be happy to have it in his next auction as the piece would fetch 6/8k... At first I thought he said 16/18k then he said I got it wrong and the price was 6/8... I wondered how my piece, better, would fetch half the price of the piece he was selling; He said its piece was priced aggressively by "the consignor". Well that happened to almost all the pieces he had.

Example 3) in order to buy the first spot for a commission you had to auction. Last minute decision. You want to be the first in line with Manara? Bid. And the money is not included in the commission. So you pay the ticket, you pay the first spot, you pay the commission. One artist got a 25 euros winning bid and he got offended and didn't do any work during the day.

Just three examples, but not a good way to do business. 

A lot of artists, but many of them unknown (at least) to me. McKean had the best stuff, but it was sold early on the first day. Nice chap. Commissions, commissions, commissions. 

Not too many people, I think they sold something like 300/400 tickets.

Will I be back? I don't know, probably yes, but only to meet friends, just forget to do business.

My two cents.

Not a pretty picture.

[grapeape]

Wait a minute:

Items went up from $45k to $65k and from $55k to $100k? Where have I heard complaints like these before? I'm staring at the banner of art dealers on my CAF page. Nothing. I'm at a complete loss. This must be a phenomena uniquely related to Lake FOMO.

For the safety of all attendees, prices were likely raised to get your attention. It's like the poor flight attendant trying to teach flotation device protocol while the disinterested passengers watch TikTok. "You folks just don't get it."

If those first sticker prices didn't agitate you to the proper FOMO, than the dealers were obligated, for your well being, to inject that FOMO in to you by shows end.

 

 

[John E.]

On 5/14/2023 at 9:30 AM, grapeape said:

Lake FOMO.

[KirbyCollector]

As Bill Cox's new show in January seems to be the US version of this, can we call it FOMOrlando?

[igotnogame]

On 5/14/2023 at 1:27 AM, barneythecantankerous said:

What kind of update would you like? 

I will say Dave McKean brought the heat IMO - a couple of Sandman related covers; an Arkham Asylum cover; Hellblazer stuff; etc. Just absolutely all incredible stuff. I'll try to get some pictures.

Most other artists just took commissions such as Gary Frank and Lee Bermejo, who didn't bring any published work. 

The Bill Sienkiewicz stall was hilarious - dude dressed up like a slimy salesman trying to sell unpublished work for $10k+ (absolutely nothing had prices on either), when 2 tables down a dealer had published stuff for €700-1,200.

Pictures would be great if you have any.  Of course I'm a sucker for anything McKean related.  😁

[Murphman13]

Interesting comments about the pricing. Especially since Bill’s CAF update a few days ago showed reported dealer’s sales at some of the lowest $ amounts he can remember. Of course Lake Como is a high end market but I would think starting at high prices and then marking them higher during the show is counterproductive. I’ve also noticed that the overall sales figures in the dueling dealers are lower lately. 

[Twanj]

On 5/14/2023 at 6:11 PM, Murphman13 said:

Interesting comments about the pricing. Especially since Bill’s CAF update a few days ago showed reported dealer’s sales at some of the lowest $ amounts he can remember. Of course Lake Como is a high end market but I would think starting at high prices and then marking them higher during the show is counterproductive. I’ve also noticed that the overall sales figures in the dueling dealers are lower lately. 

Well, the reps job is to get the artist the most they can. Sometimes the artist wants even more.

I recently offered a rep (happens to be at Como) cash for some art by an artist that had been for sale for years. He said the artist was taking everything down and tripling prices, and he wasn't happy about it because if it doesn't sell and just sits there he doesn't make anything either.

[barneythecantankerous]

On 5/14/2023 at 9:20 AM, pestonaccio said:

Example 1): One dealer had one piece for sale at 45k and after a couple of hours it went up to 65k; another piece from 55k to 100k.

I'm a little sceptical about this so-called upping of prices, as literally every table I stopped at the dealers and artists mentioned how quiet it was Sunday. Some even desperate for sales. Nor did I personally observe this practice. Is there a reason you cannot be more specific?

On 5/14/2023 at 10:04 PM, igotnogame said:

Pictures would be great if you have any.  Of course I'm a sucker for anything McKean related.  😁

Here's a collection of my incredibly bad pictures from Dave's booth, a couple covers I got and some of Como: https://imgur.com/a/0FNIEHb

---

Overall there is definitely "Como pricing", where artists and reps bump their prices compared to other shows. The counter point one of you is ready to respond with is "yes but some travelled international", yes, sure - but they don't normally bump prices to this extreme. In fact it's usually the case, at least from my experience in the UK, that prices are less than at US shows for international guests.

There's definitely an overwhelming presence of reps compared to 2019, I wonder if that and the overall impression the convention has in the community has created this false expectation with vendors that all the attendees are piggy banks.

[thehumantorch]

On 5/14/2023 at 1:20 AM, pestonaccio said:

I am on my way to Milan airport, after attending the show on Saturday.

Wonderful location, good weather, a lot of space to chat, show art and relax. Many dealers and too many artists.

Did I have fun? Yes. Did I buy something? No. Did I consider buying anything? No. Prices were higher then usual, probably because the convention was sold as a "rich people only" show and everyone tried to make as much money as possible.

Example 1): One dealer had one piece for sale at 45k and after a couple of hours it went up to 65k; another piece from 55k to 100k.

Example 2): I saw a nice piece for sale, priced 13k; I enquired about a better piece I have (the seller agreed my piece was better - same artist, same story) and he told me he would be happy to have it in his next auction as the piece would fetch 6/8k... At first I thought he said 16/18k then he said I got it wrong and the price was 6/8... I wondered how my piece, better, would fetch half the price of the piece he was selling; He said its piece was priced aggressively by "the consignor". Well that happened to almost all the pieces he had.

Example 3) in order to buy the first spot for a commission you had to auction. Last minute decision. You want to be the first in line with Manara? Bid. And the money is not included in the commission. So you pay the ticket, you pay the first spot, you pay the commission. One artist got a 25 euros winning bid and he got offended and didn't do any work during the day.

Just three examples, but not a good way to do business. 

A lot of artists, but many of them unknown (at least) to me. McKean had the best stuff, but it was sold early on the first day. Nice chap. Commissions, commissions, commissions. 

Not too many people, I think they sold something like 300/400 tickets.

Will I be back? I don't know, probably yes, but only to meet friends, just forget to do business.

My two cents.

Auctions for commission spots?  I miss the days when collecting comics and comic art wasn't cool and it wasn't about squeezing every last dollar out of a fan.