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cover color guides

Started by justin,

37 posts in this topic

Mighty Hal

Mighty Hal

Posted
Posted

Somebody must collect the things because they're offered on eBay all of the time. And they're not always cheap, either. Some are but I've seen others posted at $300 - $500. I don't know if anybody buys them at those prices but they come up to auction frequently.

 

Color guides from the "Jack Adler" collection are among the most expensive. I'm clearly out of the loop here because I don't know why these are at a premium, why Jack Adler had a collection of 'em, and why exactly I should care that Jack Adler had them first. I've seen a few I'd love to have...a Neal Adams' Strange Adventures comes to mind...but I won't pay the asking price. If I had the original comic art that matched up with the color guide, I'd be more tempted to open my wallet.

 

But I agree with aardvark88 -- the upside on the color guides is limited. Most OA collectors would prefer to throw their $300 - $500 toward a piece of line art.

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justin

justin

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Well, I'm glad to know this. However I just couldn't resist getting this. This is one of my most favorite covers in any comic. Double score cause I loved this series as a kid and had forgotten about it until recently. I paid $50. Too much? probably, but I couldn't resist. It's got the 'ol sentimental value. None of that crappy commercial value;) If anyone knows where I can get my hands on the original penciled cover let me know!

 

darkhawk17rf3.jpg

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adamstrange

adamstrange

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Does anyone like collecting cover color guides besides/as well as original art? Are they a good investment if you can get them for cheap?

 

I advise not to buy anything for "investment".

 

Color guides are probably more of interest to comic collectors than OA collectors. In some ways color guides and proofs are more of interest to them because of the color than they are to the OA collectors who are content with B&W.

 

The Adler collection was the first time I'd seen a great deal of interest or cost to CG/Proofs. A lot has to do with the fact that Adler only saved ones that he particularly liked and those issues were ones that resonate with collectors of 70s material. I didn't buy any of them but it was an example that you never know when a previously overlooked item becomes of interest. It didn't hurt that the seller did a good job hyping them when he placed them on ebay, but I don't know that the ad by itself would have been enough to get the prices he got (100 bucks and up) without there being latent demand.

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SignatureSelect

SignatureSelect

Posted
Posted
Somebody must collect the things because they're offered on eBay all of the time. And they're not always cheap, either. Some are but I've seen others posted at $300 - $500. I don't know if anybody buys them at those prices but they come up to auction frequently.

 

Color guides from the "Jack Adler" collection are among the most expensive. I'm clearly out of the loop here because I don't know why these are at a premium, why Jack Adler had a collection of 'em, and why exactly I should care that Jack Adler had them first. I've seen a few I'd love to have...a Neal Adams' Strange Adventures comes to mind...but I won't pay the asking price. If I had the original comic art that matched up with the color guide, I'd be more tempted to open my wallet.

 

But I agree with aardvark88 -- the upside on the color guides is limited. Most OA collectors would prefer to throw their $300 - $500 toward a piece of line art.

 

Jack adler is a very accomplished colorists. The pieces you are seeing are pieces he did and kept for his collection.

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SignatureSelect

SignatureSelect

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Well, I'm glad to know this. However I just couldn't resist getting this. This is one of my most favorite covers in any comic. Double score cause I loved this series as a kid and had forgotten about it until recently. I paid $50. Too much? probably, but I couldn't resist. It's got the 'ol sentimental value. None of that crappy commercial value;) If anyone knows where I can get my hands on the original penciled cover let me know!

 

darkhawk17rf3.jpg

 

I would never pay more than 10 for a color guide. I bought an ethan van sciver cover today for less than 50.

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Mushroom

Mushroom

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They are a good investment if u can buy them for $5 & sell them for $10 else just buy the ones u like & forget about flipping. Not too much upside on them. Most OA collectors want the b/w line art.

 

Typical comment from the uninformed.........

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Mushroom

Mushroom

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Does anyone like collecting cover color guides besides/as well as original art? Are they a good investment if you can get them for cheap?

 

Justin, I probably have the largest private collection of the Adler horde. I have almost 10% of the circa 3300 pieces that exist. The collection was put together by Adler who did the bulk of the colouring for DC in the late SA to mid BA. Some of the pieces were coloured by the artists themselves (such as Adams, Kaluta, Cardy etc etc). If you do a search you will find some previous threads that discuss Adler and the innovations he bought to the hobby.

 

The collection is broken down into 4 types of production art.

 

Hand Coloured. These are the most desirable pieces and for all the bigotry that line art followers have towards them then so do those who collect hand coloured art towards line art. To me there is nothing better than seeing how the colourist presented the final image for publication. These oieces make up the smallest component of the collection and vary greatly in quality. Those who have seen the Bat #232 will say that it is breathtaking whilst other's look like they have been coloured by my son. These pieces are the most expensive to purchase and can range from $150 to over $1k. Some of the Romantic Book Covers sold for well in excess of $1k.

 

Approval Cover. These are the final checks before the book is printed. They are great to get autographed and framed. Some have major differences to the end product and this gives them added appeal. Dependant on the desirability of the book they tend to go for $50 to $150.

 

Four colour seperations. Not many of these in the Adler collection and as such they tend to sell for around $150-. Great pieces because they tend to be acetates representing the four colour plates.

 

Cover Proofs. These are actual covers (not just the front) that are used in the final checking process. For every 10 Approval Covers in the collection there is probably 1 cover proof. I have a Swamp Thing #1 that looks really sweet.

 

My personal taste from this collection are the hand coloured (I generally only get approval covers if they are matching pieces to the hand coloured) and I have almost the full run of HOM Approval Covers (nearly all signed).

 

There are some dupes in the Approval Covers but the Hand Coloured are all one off pieces.

 

Most of the top line Adler pieces have never been see on ebay or other sites because they are purchased direct from keycomics. They are a legitimate comic art form and are extremely well loved by those who collect them.

 

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Mushroom

Mushroom

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But I agree with aardvark88 -- the upside on the color guides is limited. Most OA collectors would prefer to throw their $300 - $500 toward a piece of line art.

 

$300 - $500 isn't going to buy you a Bat #232 cover or any late SA or BA DC cover. insane.gif

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comix4fun

comix4fun

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To me there is nothing better than seeing how the colourist presented the final image for publication.

 

 

Are you saying that the actual original art to the cover is not as good as a hand colored guide?

 

 

Four colour seperations. Not many of these in the Adler collection and as such they tend to sell for around $150-. Great pieces because they tend to be acetates representing the four colour plates.

 

 

I have a few 4 color seps...I have never paid very much for them though. And never seen them sell for more than $50. Which ones have sold for $150. I would not mind knowing to see where the others stack up?

 

 

They are a legitimate comic art form and are extremely well loved by those who collect them.

 

 

I can agree that the hand colored pieces are a form of art. But I have a hard time lumping 4 color seps or proofs in that group. They are basically no different than a print or poster except for scarcity. There is nothing original to them. They are a product of the printing process with just a copy of the artist or colorists work on them and no original work to them. It is like saying an artist proof of a print is original art because there are not alot of them. It may be nice to look at, and it may be scarce but it is not original art and it was not touched by the artist.

 

 

Chris

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Mushroom

Mushroom

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To me there is nothing better than seeing how the colourist presented the final image for publication.

 

 

Are you saying that the actual original art to the cover is not as good as a hand colored guide?

 

Yep....in my world I would rather have hand coloured then just some lines and a photostats. Horses for course.

 

 

Four colour seperations. Not many of these in the Adler collection and as such they tend to sell for around $150-. Great pieces because they tend to be acetates representing the four colour plates.

 

 

I have a few 4 color seps...I have never paid very much for them though. And never seen them sell for more than $50. Which ones have sold for $150. I would not mind knowing to see where the others stack up?

 

Go to Heritage and look up what the x-men #94, Daredevil etc etc etc went for less than 12 months ago. Many thousands........ 893scratchchin-thumb.gif

 

 

They are a legitimate comic art form and are extremely well loved by those who collect them.

 

 

I can agree that the hand colored pieces are a form of art. But I have a hard time lumping 4 color seps or proofs in that group. They are basically no different than a print or poster except for scarcity. There is nothing original to them. They are a product of the printing process with just a copy of the artist or colorists work on them and no original work to them. It is like saying an artist proof of a print is original art because there are not alot of them. It may be nice to look at, and it may be scarce but it is not original art and it was not touched by the artist.

 

 

Chris

 

I was only implying the hand coloured were a form of art..........sorry for any misunderstanding.

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comix4fun

comix4fun

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Go to Heritage and look up what the x-men #94, Daredevil etc etc etc went for less than 12 months ago. Many thousands........

 

 

 

ok found em..

 

X-men #94 $717

Daredevil #172 $203

X-men #130 $143

X-men #135 $358

X-men #137 $418

Marvel Premiere #57 $49

Red Sonja #12 $77

What if #27 $83

Rom #18 $119

 

and the only one to crack $1000

Giant Size X-men #1...$4480

(musta been a couple of hard cores going after it)

 

So one did go for many thousands(the top book of the entire bronze age) and the ones that made a run over $300 were landmark X-men books. The run of the mill stuff is $50-100.

I can see where most of the bids came in...with the exception of the Giant Size #1...which looks like a special circumstance.

Which is pretty big cash for what you get.

 

Chris

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Mushroom

Mushroom

Posted
Posted
Go to Heritage and look up what the x-men #94, Daredevil etc etc etc went for less than 12 months ago. Many thousands........

 

 

 

ok found em..

 

X-men #94 $717

Daredevil #172 $203

X-men #130 $143

X-men #135 $358

X-men #137 $418

Marvel Premiere #57 $49

Red Sonja #12 $77

What if #27 $83

Rom #18 $119

 

and the only one to crack $1000

Giant Size X-men #1...$4480

(musta been a couple of hard cores going after it)

 

So one did go for many thousands(the top book of the entire bronze age) and the ones that made a run over $300 were landmark X-men books. The run of the mill stuff is $50-100.

I can see where most of the bids came in...with the exception of the Giant Size #1...which looks like a special circumstance.

Which is pretty big cash for what you get.

 

Chris

 

I said they go for around $150- and I have been proven correct. Only one went for the $50- you were spouting and what is run of the mill? Moon Knight #1 went for $148 and I think that is run of the mill.

 

Don't talk about markets and prices that you aren't active in.........

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blowout

blowout

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I don't even understand why there needs to be an argument. Obviously everyone has different things that they appreciate from the artistic process, which is as it should be.

All the price data has been noted for us all to see now, no need for nitpicking over who said what. confused-smiley-013.gif

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