Ditko ASM #31 Complete Interior Artwork - Thoughts? 0

[dem1138]

Someone seriously needs to write a book or post the details on a website for everyone to read so we can refer to that work when anyone asks instead of retreading the same questions every few months when something new gets us talking. From my experience, if you want to know the details, go to the cons, go to the OA gatherings, and network. Most people who know the information first or second hand will tell you what you want to know face to face or through PM, but a public forum makes everyone a little...shy.

[vodou]

I think it's all out there too. A few strays may have been lost to Fed-Ex, floods, etc. but the bulk is probably still sitting in one safe place...

[crawdad]

I think it's all out there too. A few strays may have been lost to Fed-Ex, floods, etc. but the bulk is probably still sitting in one safe place...

 

OK.

 

Then whether saved, stolen, or a few being lost...

 

The vast bulk is EXTANT.

 

That is what I presumed.

 

Thanks for confirming my theory.

 

I guess that's good news also, that Ditko isn't chasing art and royalties, I respect his impeccable self-reliance.

I think Ditko is one of the best fantasy artists, his style is very individual.

 

I'm all grown-up and find it hard to read old comic books anymore.

 

Doctor Strange went over my head when I was 11; but recently I sailed from one story to the next esp. in the Dormammu saga... finally appealing to me as a great read, with awesome art.

 

(conveniently compiled in basic b+w in the budget priced Essential Doctor Strange).

 

Often in recent years I've agreed with friends that certain movies such as BACK FROM ETERNITY, TV shows such as Twilight Zone, etc. seem to have been influenced by Ditko endings, his existential metaphors in stories where the nightmare never ends.

Ditko was one of comix artist (R.I.P.) Jim Osborne's personal favorites too.

 

Jim traded me his mort files (tear sheets) from various pre-hero reprint titles such as Fantasy Masterpieces; and numerous original printings from Strange Tales of Dr. Strange stories.

 

I expanded the file with more pre-hero Ditko fantasy stories. Of no monetary value, it is a prized binder 4 inches thick with amazing fantasy by a true comic art genius, IMO.

 

I had the winning bid around 10 years ago for a complete Ditko story that went for a reasonable $1400 from Sotheby's - "Where Lurks the Ghost", from Tales To Astonish #25.

 

Looking at Essential Spider-Man Vol. 2, at the 20 pages of ASM #31.

Very fine graphic art, indeed magnificent.

One advantage over the previous ish: #31 only has 4 Batman TV-show style sound effects,

while #30 has at least 15 cases of onomatopoeia.

 

I'd like to pick up a page, but to quote the sinister-looking Webbed one from panel 7, pg. 16, ASM 31:

 

SORRY MISTER! I'M FLAT BROKE MYSELF!

Edited July 1, 2006 by crawdad

[crawdad]

Some people on this Board were insisting either late last year or earlier this year that this artwork had been sold, but I have heard the same thing you have. Maybe someone from the former camp can provide some details of what they know that the rest of us don't?

 

See my revised post for an update on this artwork.

[markseifert]

The vast bulk is EXTANT.

 

That is what I presumed.

 

Thanks for confirming my theory.

 

There is a wealth of info on this and related subjects on the comicart-l group. When I first discovered the group a year or so ago I spent quite a while browsing through old posts. There's not one post or group of posts I can point you to because it's scattered far and wide throughout that board's history, but if you start browsing through old posts you can come away with some idea of what the art collecting community considers to be probable regarding the existence (and/or current disposition in the marketplace) of important silver Marvel art.

 

Just to throw out an example related to the topic at hand, I believe I saw one old thread detailing which Ditko ASM books had been broken up, whether pages had been on the market yet, etc.

 

You've got to work your way through lots of posts and search around for artists/books that interest you, but for those who are interested in the mysteries of silver Marvel art, spending some time searching through that list is pretty much required reading. As far as I know, it's the best public source of info on the topic.

 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/comicart-l/

[Forbush-Man]

Doctor Strange went over my head when I was 11; but recently I sailed from one story to the next esp. in the Dormammu saga... finally appealing to me as a great read, with awesome art.

 

The Ditko Dr. Strange stories are some of my favorites by Ditko. I think I like them even more than his Spider-man stories, believe or not. Much of it has to do with the fact that much of the art takes place in different dimensions, where Ditko could go wild with the characters, their outfits and the background scenery.

[jimjum12]

My main reason for tossing out the $350k figure is that I believe a top bid from an individual in that range would be required to keep the book together.This book would make a nice exhibit at the Geppi Museum,by the way.With asking prices and unaccepted cash offers for single comic books approaching the 300k level more and more often,that price for a full original art ASM story from a classic storyline that is still in very clean condition just doesn't seem THAT outlandish.If I had a net worth of say 10 million(which MANY people do),I would seriously consider going that high,but I'm a Ditko ASM NUT.I definitely think that it is possible,though probably won't happen.There are certainly several factors that make this lot difficult to predict.GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[vodou]

If I had a net worth of say 10 million(which MANY people do),I would seriously consider going that high,but I'm a Ditko ASM NUT.

 

But you don't. And those that do just simply aren't Ditko ASM NUTs...at least not to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

 

Recommended reading - The Millionaire Next Door by Stanley & Danko. It dispels a lot of the myth around the wealthy and how they got to be that way. And who they are. While about ten years old now the research is probably still on the mark. Biggest thing to come out of it was that less than 7% of all millionaires inherited it. You read that right - 90%+ are first generation self-made millionaires.

 

For any of you that work for a living (all of us, right?) nobody knows better than you how hard it is to earn and keep a buck (after taxes). How much harder is it to put a million or more of those bucks next to each other and not spend them?

 

If you did would you really let 20%+ of your net worth go in one fell swoop for a buncha ink on board? (keeping in mind that you don't intend to resell)

 

Another interesting fact - the official US Gov't definition of upper middle class is $250k-$500k net worth. Above that is upper class territory. Not a lot of money actually is it? That's because there's a lot less SUPER rich folks ($10mil net or whatever) than the media, advertising people and politicians would lead you to believe. Don't forget we're talking "net" worth here...less of those than you may suspect. Look around everybody is leveraged to mortgage, vehicle and credit cards. The only non-depreciating part of that equation may be real estate.

 

Instead of taking what's handed to you in popular myth/media, do a bit of research into reality. And I mean everybody, not just the dude I'm quoting above.

 

Those of us in MA (oh so close to blessed NH) know that $300k doesn't even get you a nice house...how much more $$$ in the slush fund do you need beyond that amount to justify buying some nice Ditko as an afterthought?

 

One final thought - a kitty of $10mil would kick off $400,000 alone in money market interest every year. Would you really want to mess with that??

[Mister Trent]

My main reason for tossing out the $350k figure is that I believe a top bid from an individual in that range would be required to keep the book together.This book would make a nice exhibit at the Geppi Museum,by the way.With asking prices and unaccepted cash offers for single comic books approaching the 300k level more and more often,that price for a full original art ASM story from a classic storyline that is still in very clean condition just doesn't seem THAT outlandish.If I had a net worth of say 10 million(which MANY people do),I would seriously consider going that high,but I'm a Ditko ASM NUT.I definitely think that it is possible,though probably won't happen.There are certainly several factors that make this lot difficult to predict.GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

 

Broken-up, I'd reckon the book to be worth around $300k. A sizeable chunk of the (perceived) value would be down to a standout splash page . . .

[jimjum12]

You're right.It's always easy to talk about spending money that I don't have.Most of the art that I'd want is out of my league.GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[delekkerste]

Well, I got the Mastro catalogs this week and my interest is piqued. Any idea what is a realistic price expectation for the all-college scene pages (i.e., those featuring Peter, Flash, Gwen and Harry) but no Spidey? To me, Spidey has always been more of a human drama than a superhero book - I've gone back and re-read those early issues time and again just focusing on the out-of-costume sub-plots and skipping the battle scenes, so those pages would be of interest to me.

 

Gene

[jimjum12]

I've seen non Spidey pages go for as little as a few thousand,sometimes less(but failing to meet reserve).I hope you manage to get one.That human angle that you speak of is to me what comics are all about.GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

 

p.s. this auction has me VERY excited.

[spider9698]

I would say 5-7K each Gene. It is going to be an interesting auction. First lot will be the entire book. Then that winning bid goes head to head with the combined total of the individual pages when auctioned separately.

[comix4fun]

First lot will be the entire book. Then that winning bid goes head to head with the combined total of the individual pages when auctioned separately.

 

 

A lovely "Have their Cake and Eat it too" situation.

I frankly hope it falls on its face, this really is jerking bidders around, who won't know for quite a while if they get anything at all.

 

 

C

[spider9698]

I am more familiar with the scenario where the entire book gets sold if it hits a reserve. If not, then the pages get sold individually. My sense is the book will be broken up.

[comix4fun]

I am more familiar with the scenario where the entire book gets sold if it hits a reserve. If not, then the pages get sold individually. My sense is the book will be broken up.

 

I have the same feeling especially since this is mastroauctions and considering the dollar levels.

Mastro only takes cash and certified checks. No credit cards, no trade, no value against future consignments...cash. They will need to have someone with $150K plus in cash on hand who is also interested in having a complete Ditko book.

 

There are far more collectors with $10k able to get a single page than people able to purchase the entire book for cash.

 

So I agree.

Chris

[spider9698]

Also no time payments. I think the big dogs will go after the splash and we could see a high price for that page.

[jimjum12]

Plus it's mainly a build up story to 32 & 33 with no major villain.The more I think about it the more I have to agree with the unlikelyhood of the book remaining intact.Judging from the '92 Sotheby's catalog the pages are(were...)in exceptionally nice condition.Probably not a whole lot of stat work.GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[dem1138]

There are only a few decent pages, and besides the splash, no page is phenomenal - just historical. The complete book is now in the "lead" at a bid close to 100K - which only breaks down to 5K/page...

 

A little more than 9 days to go...

[delekkerste]

This auction is freakin' endless. Can we just get on with the proceedings already...

Edited August 7, 2006 by delekkerste