Where's my $300 grail?

[Mighty Hal]

When I saw the Neal Adams’ BATMAN #224 cover offered on eBay, I knew it was a true grail piece. I also knew, with a price tag in the five figures, I could never afford it.

 

There are people on this board who could and can afford this piece. I envy them but I can’t afford to run with the big dogs. My budget has me shopping for OA in the low hundreds of dollars. While I’ve spent over $300 at a pop, it’s been a rare occasion.

 

My question, then: Is it possible to find a ‘grail’ piece for $300 or so? By this, I mean, a significant piece of comic art by a renowned artist working during his or her prime – and a piece of comic art that would be recognized as a grail by the majority of comic art collectors?

 

Have any of you found your grail in the budget bin?

[Guardian Comics]

Hal: Off the top of my heard, I'd have to say not really unfortunately. Not in his or her prime. I'm not sure who your most coveted artists are but for example say it was Byrne or Romita Sr. I came across a page a couple of months ago of a couple of panel pages of Spider-Man Chapter One. The pencils were by Byrne and inked by Romita Sr. They were about $300 or so but unfortunately the art was absolutely god-awful. Beauty (especially in art) is in the eye of the beholder though and maybe to someone else they are grail pieces.

 

Jim

[Ares]

Have any of you found your grail in the budget bin?

 

whats Budget Bin defined as

[*paull*]

I also doubt that it's possible. The only way that can happen, I think, is if you catch onto an artist really early into his/her career, and then that art is viewed as a grail later on when that artist hits the big time. I don't think you could attach the word "grail" to any piece by a famous artist for $300. In many cases, you can't get a decent sketch from a classic artist for that kind of money (Frazetta, Wrightson, Steranko, etc.).

 

Even newer artists are charging big money for pages. Brian Hitch, James Jean, and many other current artists are charging more than that for basic pages.

 

What artists do you have in mind?

[blowout]

Have any of you found your grail in the budget bin?

 

whats Budget Bin defined as

 

He already defined it as around $300 or so.

[matewan1990]

Don't give up hope, though: I found one of my grails for $90 and that's INCLUDING shipping and handling.

The guy listed the art with a $9.99 starting bid and no one had bid on it. A couple days before it was scheduled to end, I emailed the seller and asked if he'd take $75 for it. I wasn't for sure if it was original art or not and he wasn't either. I was taking a chance. He called it a print, so, I figured, well, if it was for real, I'd have a sweet piece of art for cheap. If it was only a print, then I'd have lost only $90. Not too bad. And, if it was a print, it sure was nice with stats and all.

I even asked the guy — "Is this original art?" He said he thought it was an original piece by a Marvel Comics artist. He said he gave $25 for it in 1988 and would gladly take $75 plus $15 shipping and handling because that would more than double his investment. He said he'd end the auction if I'd buy a money order and email a photo of it.

So, I did just that and he followed through with his end of the deal.

The only bad part of the deal was that the art got sidetracked somehow in the mail and it took nearly two weeks for it to arrive. While I waited, I was on pins and needles.

Then, when it arrived, I was elated to learn it was, indeed, original art.

A lot of people have tried their best to trade me for the art, but I have held onto it. Heck, I don't have anything in it and I know it's worth well over $1000. I've had trade offers over that value for it.

So, don't give up hope. Those pieces are out there. You just have to be in the right place at the right time. I was truly blessed to have found the art for $90 and I'm so thankful to have gotten it so cheaply.

Mike Browning

[aardvark88]

U can still get a James Jean small but detailed pencil prelim for $250-$300. Try to pick 1 cover prelim before the comic gets published. If it is a popular cover, then collectors will go crazy trying to buy the original Fables, DC or Topps art.

[Ares]

Have any of you found your grail in the budget bin?

 

whats Budget Bin defined as

 

He already defined it as around $300 or so.

Well he mentioned 300 but not 100 as a budget but I see how it could be taken that way

[Mister Trent]

First American comic-books I read as a kid were the Harvey kiddie titles. Whilst I've put-together a good collection of various works over these past 20-odd years, it wasn't until several years ago that I managed to acquire some nice Harvey cover examples via Heritage (who seem to be sitting on all that stuff). For a decent 1960s cover (my era of nostalgia), I've been buying examples for under $200.

 

Few collectors are interested in that art - which is great for me - and I've certainly no shame or embarassment in admitting to a fondness for the work

Now, if I was younger - in tune with modern stuff - Mike Mayhew would be one of my idols. Recently, I managed to get myself a nice (unpublished) Mayhew PULSE cover (featuring Spidey and the Goblin) for a price approximating your $300 budget. Sometimes luck and timing can be on your side.

I suppose it depends on what you collect, and the competition involved.

[micmack]

A John Byrne Alpha Flight Cover (#3 I think, with Aurora featured) was on Ebay with a Buy it Now of $325 a few months back.... sold in about 30 min......

[vodou]

Don't give up hope, though: I found one of my grails for $90 and that's INCLUDING shipping and handling.

 

Mike, if you don't mind sharing, what was the piece? I've found a few exceptional deals over the years too, but never a grail.

[Mister Trent]

Don't give up hope, though: I found one of my grails for $90 and that's INCLUDING shipping and handling.

 

Mike, if you don't mind sharing, what was the piece? I've found a few exceptional deals over the years too, but never a grail.

 

Good point.

 

We often confuse 'exceptional deal' for a 'grail'

[Mighty Hal]

Not alot of encouragement here, guys. Although -- I have to say -- nice snag on the PULSE cover.

 

My grail of all grails? When I was a kid, my older cousin let me look at one of his comics. I couldn't see any of the cool DC stuff but he gave me his ratty TALES OF SUSPENSE #49. Iron Man versus X-Men's Angel. And I fell in love with comics.

 

Kirby cover. Ditko on the interior. My grail. The good news: I've heard that the pages still exist. The bad news: $300 would probably cover the insurance cost on an individual page.

[Mister Trent]

Not alot of encouragement here, guys. Although -- I have to say -- nice snag on the PULSE cover.

 

My grail of all grails? When I was a kid, my older cousin let me look at one of his comics. I couldn't see any of the cool DC stuff but he gave me his ratty TALES OF SUSPENSE #49. Iron Man versus X-Men's Angel. And I fell in love with comics.

 

Kirby cover. Ditko on the interior. My grail. The good news: I've heard that the pages still exist. The bad news: $300 would probably cover the insurance cost on an individual page.

 

I've seen pages crop up for sale. No, $300 won't get you your grail, but it might get you a deposit and time-payments next time an example materialises.

 

If it means a lot to you, and you can stretch the finances, why not go for it?

 

Opportunities for true grails don't come along very often - if at all - and money can always be replaced.

[*paull*]

I agree with the above by Trent...

 

Go for what you _really_ want... something that you'll be happy to have for a long time. Would you rather spend $300 on something that's OK for now, or $1000 on something that you'll be THRILLED to have. Like all of us, I'm sure you have some books that you could sell to save up some money.

 

Over the past 2-3 years, I've bought three pieces that I had to have, but really tested my spending limits. I ended up selling some stuff off to lessen the pain.

[Thomas]

I haven't spent more than 300.00 on a page in my entire collection and am very happy with what I own.

 

My favourite collecting niche would be any Cosmic Odyssey pages for various reasons. I only have one page so far but thanks to another collector on this board (thanks again pkveronese), my wife bought me a page for cheap that I cherish and even more so because my wife bought it for me.

 

I don't really have any 'grails' and am more trying to put together a nice collection that I enjoy and am proud to own while not breaking the bank. Fortunately I do have quite a bit of disposable income that I could spend on more expensive pages but so far I'm really happy with what I'm buying for only a couple hundred dollars.

 

Buy what you like and what makes you happy to look at and own and you can't go wrong.

[batman_fan]

My limit was $500 until recently. I think I snagged some great pages. I paid a little under $400 for a Buscema Avengers splash. A recent grail came up that I am making time payments on. I think the time payment route is a great way to go if you find someone who is willing to work with you (which I was very lucky to be able to find!). Sure you have to stay focused on your spending, but in my mind, it will be well worth it.

[*paull*]

I'm not saying that everyone should spend $500 or $1000 or whatever on original art. What I am saying, though, is don't limit yourself if it's a matter of spending a little more to get what you really want. Don't settle for something 2nd or 3rd rate that you don't really care for and could be hard to sell if need be.

[batman_fan]

I'm not saying that everyone should spend $500 or $1000 or whatever on original art. What I am saying, though, is don't limit yourself if it's a matter of spending a little more to get what you really want. Don't settle for something 2nd or 3rd rate that you don't really care for and could be hard to sell if need be.

 

I agree, I really don't regret anything I bought only the ones I let get away.

[comicartfan]

Buscema Avengers splash