Oh how the times have changed 3 3

[Xatari]

Haha! I remember when I got into the hobby a few years ago and first came across that site. It was a time warp, and I thought I may need to look for an AOL disc in my mailbox to get me another month of free internet. 

[F For Fake]

On 12/29/2023 at 12:27 PM, Rodey said:

The Artist's Choice website and Spencer Beck. I miss his yearly sales and trying to buy Mark Bagley New Warriors stuff. I'm sure I drove him nuts. Is he ever going to update his site? LOL. 

Those really were fun times. Scouring every corner of the site to find something worth buying, then sending the list and waiting days...weeks...maybe longer...to see what he actually had in stock. I know it drove people nuts, but I got a lot of really nice pages at great prices through those sales.

[F For Fake]

On 12/27/2023 at 2:17 PM, MAR1979 said:

I too have been dealing with Will for 20 years and have found him to be a totally straight shooter.

Will represents the "best" of Comic Art Dealers! Even if I'm not so sure that is a positive statement  
 

Will was the first "real" dealer I ever worked with. Worked out extremely generous terms on time payments so I could land some stuff I really wanted. These days I tend to stay away from dealers, in favor of looking for deals at auctions, but I wouldn't hesitate to work with Will again. Very polite, kind, fair and professional.

Edited January 4 by F For Fake

[malvin]

On 1/4/2024 at 7:20 AM, F For Fake said:

Those really were fun times. Scouring every corner of the site to find something worth buying, then sending the list and waiting days...weeks...maybe longer...to see what he actually had in stock. I know it drove people nuts, but I got a lot of really nice pages at great prices through those sales.

Yes, there was definitely a thrill in the hunt, especially with the pages with no scans and I have to flip through the book and describe the first panel. Anticipating an art drop (before that term was defined) when you knew artists he repped worked on a book and he would eventually update the website was also "fun"

There are probably more but pages I bought from Spencer back in the day include:

1. My JR Daredevil Man Without Fear pages that I bought during his annual sales (at 2 different years since I could only afford one at a time back then)

https://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=42681

https://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=42680

2. Almost all my George Perez Brave and the Bold pages (The Batman splash was via auction, the rest via his per issue art drops)

https://www.comicartfans.com/galleryroom.asp?gsub=56109

3. Andrea DiVito Young Avengers pages where it was revealed Patriot got his powers from MGH (had to wait for a sale until I thought it was worth it)

https://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=469402

https://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=469403

There are probably more but the above comes to mind!

Malvin

[F For Fake]

On 1/4/2024 at 12:16 PM, malvin said:

Yes, there was definitely a thrill in the hunt, especially with the pages with no scans and I have to flip through the book and describe the first panel. Anticipating an art drop (before that term was defined) when you knew artists he repped worked on a book and he would eventually update the website was also "fun"

There are probably more but pages I bought from Spencer back in the day include:

1. My JR Daredevil Man Without Fear pages that I bought during his annual sales (at 2 different years since I could only afford one at a time back then)

https://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=42681

https://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=42680

2. Almost all my George Perez Brave and the Bold pages (The Batman splash was via auction, the rest via his per issue art drops)

https://www.comicartfans.com/galleryroom.asp?gsub=56109

3. Andrea DiVito Young Avengers pages where it was revealed Patriot got his powers from MGH (had to wait for a sale until I thought it was worth it)

https://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=469402

https://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=469403

There are probably more but the above comes to mind!

Malvin

That's all great stuff! And yes, no doubt, the pages without scans could be very exciting, sometimes you really didn't know what you were going to get ha One time I ordered a Giffen cover, Thanos #9, and there wasn't a scan on the site, but I thought "Well, it says it's the cover to Thanos #9, that's what it should be!" When it showed up, it was actually the cover to #10, which had been labelled #9 on the art itself. He offered to refund, but I kept it, because it was still an awesome cover. (Wish I still had it!) Sometimes I'd just order random panel pages from artists I liked, without scans, and just let myself be surprised. At the time it was cheap enough that I could take a chance. Good times.

[Hekla]

On 12/26/2023 at 10:13 AM, christosgage said:

I just realized that another thing that's different today is when I started collecting art, not many people (if anyone) were interested in my primary areas of interest, Herb Trimpe Godzilla and Shogun Warriors art. Now there are a lot of interested Godzilla buyers, including dedicated Godzilla collectors who aren't into other comic art, and Shogun Warriors art is going for more than I ever thought I'd see.

When I first started collecting (2009/10) and scouring eBay, Godzilla panel pages seemed to come up frequently for ~$100. Around that same time, an unused cover for Shogun #3 (IIRC) that I bid on which ultimately sold for well over $1000 and (as a newbie) that blew my mind. 

[christosgage]

On 1/7/2024 at 8:34 AM, Hekla said:

When I first started collecting (2009/10) and scouring eBay, Godzilla panel pages seemed to come up frequently for ~$100. Around that same time, an unused cover for Shogun #3 (IIRC) that I bid on which ultimately sold for well over $1000 and (as a newbie) that blew my mind. 

Wow! That's pretty high for a Shogun cover at the time. I don't suppose you have an image of it? I'd love to see it!

I don't recall Godzilla panel pages (or at least ones with cool Godzilla images) being that plentiful on ebay at the time, but not long after (2013 or so) is when I bought page 2 from Godzilla #1 and the page with the first appearance of Red Ronin for sub-$500 each on ebay, so there were definitely Godzilla bargains to be had in those days!

[Hekla]

On 1/7/2024 at 8:22 AM, christosgage said:

Wow! That's pretty high for a Shogun cover at the time. I don't suppose you have an image of it? I'd love to see it!

I don't recall Godzilla panel pages (or at least ones with cool Godzilla images) being that plentiful on ebay at the time, but not long after (2013 or so) is when I bought page 2 from Godzilla #1 and the page with the first appearance of Red Ronin for sub-$500 each on ebay, so there were definitely Godzilla bargains to be had in those days!

I bought the endpage from Godzilla #1 off ebay in 2013, so we were probably competing in same auctions at that time lol.

Re: the Shogun cover, I didn’t save an image, but the cover was similar to the published #3 cover except the robot was not catching the derailed train. The description said something to the effect of the cover was rejected due to not being able to pass the Comics Code. It was inked and had the trade dress, so it looked like a completed cover.

[Terry E. Gibbs]

Found when I started back in 2016 and I think it still applies today, that a rep is much better to work with than a dealer. The rep needs to clear volume and for the artist, for many, the number of pages just keeps on coming, so sitting on them and waiting for them to double in 2 years is not a big thing. Also found the artists to be very reasonable compared with many collectors/speculators etc. Back in 2016 I picked up a  stack from Spencer that Porter had been sitting on from early 2000s but could use the cashflow after injuring his thumb very badly. Spencer also repped Finch so grabbed a few of those and Booth was doing some awesome Flash work and he repped him as well. So for pages yet to be listed I simply asked the prices, and eventually Booth dug them out (was not too long, but when you are chasing, it seems for ever).

Same for Anabel Kirby, when Rafa Sandoval was working Flash, picked up two complete books, that were never offered to the public. Actually only two covers and one double splash was ever offered, that I grabbed. The rest were offered to me before the market. Kept cashflow moving for the artist and rep, happy client, happy rep and happy artist.

And of course some artists have sat on stuff, and you can buy direct.

When buying at auction, there is a false feeling, that you are buying at the market price. It is an illusion. Nothing beats knowing past sales and importance of content. Auction can be great, but not always.

 

 

[Doc McCoy]

On 1/7/2024 at 7:38 PM, Terry E. Gibbs said:

Found when I started back in 2016 and I think it still applies today, that a rep is much better to work with than a dealer. The rep needs to clear volume and for the artist, for many, the number of pages just keeps on coming, so sitting on them and waiting for them to double in 2 years is not a big thing. Also found the artists to be very reasonable compared with many collectors/speculators etc. Back in 2016 I picked up a  stack from Spencer that Porter had been sitting on from early 2000s but could use the cashflow after injuring his thumb very badly. Spencer also repped Finch so grabbed a few of those and Booth was doing some awesome Flash work and he repped him as well. So for pages yet to be listed I simply asked the prices, and eventually Booth dug them out (was not too long, but when you are chasing, it seems for ever).

Same for Anabel Kirby, when Rafa Sandoval was working Flash, picked up two complete books, that were never offered to the public. Actually only two covers and one double splash was ever offered, that I grabbed. The rest were offered to me before the market. Kept cashflow moving for the artist and rep, happy client, happy rep and happy artist.

And of course some artists have sat on stuff, and you can buy direct.

When buying at auction, there is a false feeling, that you are buying at the market price. It is an illusion. Nothing beats knowing past sales and importance of content. Auction can be great, but not always.

 

 

I'm not so sure anymore.  I agree that it used to be that way, but these days, rep or dealer, prices have gotten so high that customer service has gone out the window and the majority of them take the attitude that you'll get it when I get around to it, no matter how much you are spending.

[Terry E. Gibbs]

On 1/9/2024 at 7:23 AM, Doc McCoy said:

I'm not so sure anymore.  I agree that it used to be that way, but these days, rep or dealer, prices have gotten so high that customer service has gone out the window and the majority of them take the attitude that you'll get it when I get around to it, no matter how much you are spending.

Comes back to knowing your own market.

[Will_K]

Waiting for the next issue of CBG was more like a surprise... who might be selling what ?

These days, reps and dealers can really drive demand with the teasers (e.g. via e-mail or IG) before the actual the "art drops".  At least they know that much about the market for what they're selling.  And all of that collides with the upcoming auctions.  I still feel like a broke kid in a candy store.

[Dr. Balls]

Back in 1996 at my comic shop, I asked local Marvel inker named Mike Halblieb to come in and sign for customers (he had a self-published book out and was also signing his Marvel stuff), he brought in a bunch of pages from his What If #84 assignment (penciled by Mark Pacella) and was selling them for a whopping $50 each - and no takers. I distinctly recall doing well enough at the shop that day that I could splurge, so I bought these three as he was wrapping up.

I absolutely loved original art, but being in Montana and the internet in it's infancy, there was almost no way to track down OA for me. But, I was 23 years old and broke, so the chances of me buying OA and hanging onto it were slim anyways.

I've cherished these for many years - and will never sell these ones, despite being able to sell anything I own that isn't nailed down. They remind me of my shop, the 90's, the wonderment of talking with a "Marvel" artist and hearing stories about creating art for a living (something I was working on in my own life), and how you'll never get a full-team X-Men page for $50.

[Rick2you2]

On 1/12/2024 at 11:19 AM, Dr. Balls said:

Back in 1996 at my comic shop, I asked local Marvel inker named Mike Halblieb to come in and sign for customers (he had a self-published book out and was also signing his Marvel stuff), he brought in a bunch of pages from his What If #84 assignment (penciled by Mark Pacella) and was selling them for a whopping $50 each - and no takers. I distinctly recall doing well enough at the shop that day that I could splurge, so I bought these three as he was wrapping up.

I absolutely loved original art, but being in Montana and the internet in it's infancy, there was almost no way to track down OA for me. But, I was 23 years old and broke, so the chances of me buying OA and hanging onto it were slim anyways.

I've cherished these for many years - and will never sell these ones, despite being able to sell anything I own that isn't nailed down. They remind me of my shop, the 90's, the wonderment of talking with a "Marvel" artist and hearing stories about creating art for a living (something I was working on in my own life), and how you'll never get a full-team X-Men page for $50.

That is a very nice piece.
One of the downsides of today’s market, IMO, is that very good work isn’t necessarily high priced work, and not everything by a fan favorite is particularly good. 

[Dr. Balls]

On 1/12/2024 at 11:16 AM, Rick2you2 said:

That is a very nice piece.
One of the downsides of today’s market, IMO, is that very good work isn’t necessarily high priced work, and not everything by a fan favorite is particularly good. 

Thanks! And I agree - and that's what's great: that adage works for my collecting focus. I have lots of great art by forgotten artists that I can still find relatively cheaply - because it's independent stuff from the 90s, and I love it while a large portion of the hobby ignores it. I have also passed up more than a few fan favorite artist pieces that just weren't that great for the money. The beauty of this particular hobby (OA, specifically) is that there are so many nuances in what people collect, there's a lot of room to find stuff not everyone else wants. The flipside is that sometime this hobby confounds me with how it works.

[Michael Browning]

I have one other memory of how times have changed that I’ll share:

Back when I first got into the hobby, I got some really nice Hulk pages by Sal Buscema and Gerry Talaoc. I think they were from Hulk 297 and 300, or somewhere around those, and I saw what Sal Hulk pages were selling for and there was a piece of art I wanted to trade for so I offered them up to one of the (then-and-now) small-time dealers in what I thought was a very lopsided-in-his-favor offer and he told me how worthless my art was and how he had owned all those pages before I got them (wasn’t true; I got them from Tom Fleming who had owned them for years and Tom even confirmed that to me). He trashed all my art in multiple and very lengthy and detailed emails and messages and told me to go back and get some real art to offer him and not to bother him anymore. He was offended that I offered him my junk art in trade for his art so he wanted to teach me a lesson and the messages I got from him just went on and on about how I needed to learn about the hobby and how to price my art. He was so nasty and it almost caused me to leave the hobby. 

Now that he’s forgotten all that - how awful he treated me - and because I have art that he would like to get from me, he wants to be my buddy, even inviting me to do an online show with him last year.

That would be a big NO. Because I haven’t forgotten.

Ah, how times have changed.

[gumbydarnit]

Michael sorry to hear of your bad experience with this dealer. I found that greed sometimes shows itself through a phony personalty… seems like this guy didn’t even bother with the phony personality!

Glad you stuck around… probably took you a while to attempt another trade.

[Michael Browning]

On 1/13/2024 at 9:44 AM, gumbydarnit said:

Michael sorry to hear of your bad experience with this dealer. I found that greed sometimes shows itself through a phony personalty… seems like this guy didn’t even bother with the phony personality!

Glad you stuck around… probably took you a while to attempt another trade.

Nah, I moved on quickly, because I wanted to prove the dealer wrong. And I did, by several hundred dollars on each page. 😉

[MAR1979]

On 1/7/2024 at 8:34 AM, Hekla said:

When I first started collecting (2009/10) and scouring eBay, Godzilla panel pages seemed to come up frequently for ~$100. Around that same time, an unused cover for Shogun #3 (IIRC) that I bid on which ultimately sold for well over $1000 and (as a newbie) that blew my mind. 

I've been in hobby since 1999, 1970s Marvel Godzilla pages always commanding high coin.  Perhaps prior to 2002 some lesser Marvel pages with Godzilla were hovering around $100 but so too were a fair amount of 70s Marvel panel non-A list titles and non-A list artist pages

If your comment was not in regards to 1970s Marvel Godzilla pages but for Dark Horse or other publishers then it makes sense.

Edited January 20 by MAR1979

[MAR1979]

On 1/12/2024 at 11:36 PM, Michael Browning said:

I have one other memory of how times have changed that I’ll share:

Back when I first got into the hobby, I got some really nice Hulk pages by Sal Buscema and Gerry Talaoc. I think they were from Hulk 297 and 300, or somewhere around those, and I saw what Sal Hulk pages were selling for and there was a piece of art I wanted to trade for so I offered them up to one of the (then-and-now) small-time dealers in what I thought was a very lopsided-in-his-favor offer and he told me how worthless my art was and how he had owned all those pages before I got them (wasn’t true; I got them from Tom Fleming who had owned them for years and Tom even confirmed that to me). He trashed all my art in multiple and very lengthy and detailed emails and messages and told me to go back and get some real art to offer him and not to bother him anymore. He was offended that I offered him my junk art in trade for his art so he wanted to teach me a lesson and the messages I got from him just went on and on about how I needed to learn about the hobby and how to price my art. He was so nasty and it almost caused me to leave the hobby. 

Now that he’s forgotten all that - how awful he treated me - and because I have art that he would like to get from me, he wants to be my buddy, even inviting me to do an online show with him last year.

That would be a big NO. Because I haven’t forgotten.

Ah, how times have changed.

I have 2 guesses on who that dealer is...

Edited January 20 by MAR1979