Golden Age book or Original Art?

[Fan4Fan]

Hi,

 

I have a small bit of extra play money that could get me a decent (Fine or so) Golden Age book (would be my first) or an original art page (also my first).

 

Which would you choose and why?

 

Thanks,

Fan4Fan

[Amazing_Bag_man]

Ever tried a coin toss....

[valiantman]

Hi,

 

I have a small bit of extra play money that could get me a decent (Fine or so) Golden Age book (would be my first) or an original art page (also my first).

 

Which would you choose and why?

 

Depends on your "hold time".

Are you planning to hang onto whichever you choose indefinitely?

 

If so, pick the one you'll like the most, and makes you feel the best.

 

If you're thinking you might sell the item in a year or two,

then there's a whole other can of worms comparing original art to comic books.

[aardvark88]

Try to pick up an orig. GA comic art page to enjoy both at the same time. Fawcett, Jumbo, Western, romance, Classics Illustrated/Jr. type art is relatively inexpensive: under $200 for a splash page.

[Fan4Fan]

Yeah.

 

Landed on its edge.

 

I'm not looking for a decision, but it seems like other folks on here have gone one way or the other (and some lucky ones have gone both directions) and I thought they might like to share.

 

Thanks,

Fan4Fan

[rob_react]

Can you give more specifics? What comics/ art are you looking at?

[Amazing_Bag_man]

Hey...It's tails which I would indicate that you should choose to get G.A. book because you get not only the whole pages of art but a story to goes with it and appreicate that era of comic history. Or better yet go for two out of three toss....

[dam60]

Fan4Fan, to echo Rob's statement, can i have a little bit of background about your collecting interestes and also about the particular art / book that you are deciding between?

 

Best,

 

DAM

[Fan4Fan]

Try to pick up an orig. GA comic art page to enjoy both at the same time. Fawcett, Jumbo, Western, romance, Classics Illustrated/Jr. type art is relatively inexpensive: under $200 for a splash page.

 

Problem is that I generally prefer Bronze Age art, but have a slight interest in the Golden Age.

 

As to the other ?'s....

 

I plan on holding on to whichever indefinitely, and it would probably be the only one of each (since I don't have a lot of extra funds very often).

 

As far as what specfically... ?

 

I guess I was thinking Golden Age DC since a reprint in JLoA 110 (I guess it was a reprint of All-Star #40) was my first Golden Age exposure as a kid and made something of an impression. Enough, anyway, that I was thinking about either an All-Star book or a Wonder Woman book (since the latter seems undervalued to some degree so I could conceivably get more book for my money). Condition would likely be Fine to VF.

 

As far as art... I'd like to pick up something Bronze Age (well... I'd like Silver Age Kirby, but I don't have that much to play with) from one of my favorite titles (Captain America, Avengers, FF, 2-in-1, Marvel Feature, Hulk, Ms. Marvel). Possibly something Modern (Black Panther, Untold Tales of Spider-Man, Avengers Forever, Spider-Girl).

 

Ballpark is in the $300 to $400 range. I haven't seen anything specific yet (but that may be partly due to not knowing which way to go).

 

Thanks,

Fan4Fan

[dam60]

F4F, if I were you I might want to lurk ebay a bit and see what comes up in the next month or so in terms of nice GA DC and in terms of some original art. With $300-$400 you can get a decent 2/3rds - full page splash of a new comic or you can get a pretty decent panel page to 1/2 splash from the BA. SA art I don't see all that often, and when I do it comes with a price. I don't know the price of an All Star #40 but I would shop around a bit.

 

Best,

 

DAM

[Fan4Fan]

F4F, if I were you I might want to lurk ebay a bit and see what comes up in the next month or so in terms of nice GA DC and in terms of some original art. With $300-$400 you can get a decent 2/3rds - full page splash of a new comic or you can get a pretty decent panel page to 1/2 splash from the BA. SA art I don't see all that often, and when I do it comes with a price. I don't know the price of an All Star #40 but I would shop around a bit.

 

Been lurking for several months (even got the wife mildly interested since it would hang in the study and she'd have to see it), but little has come up (mostly due to my specific tastes rather than price).

 

Since I've already read All Star #40, I'd probably go for a different issue if I went the All-Star route. Wonder Woman seems underpriced, but I didn't know if that had always been the case.

 

Thanks,

Fan4Fan

[chrisco37]

Ballpark is in the $300 to $400 range.

 

Go w/ the artwork. The Bronze titles/characters you mentioned can be had relatively cheap (unless you're looking for a major artist). You should be able to get a couple pages w/ $300.

 

I recently passed on a page from a Marvel Team-Up w/ Cap and Spidey both on the page (not a splash or anything). It was only $60.

 

Also, a few months back, I picked up a page from Super Villain Team-Up that had Doom, Namor, and the entire FF featured for $60.

 

Also, if you're looking for modern stuff, you can pick up pages from Ultimate Spider-Man for around $100.

 

If you are patient, you should be able to acquire some cool pieces.

 

Chris

[dam60]

You know what, if this is only going to be a one time thing and you want to hang something up, I would definitely go for the art. If you wanted to build a GA run of something or even a type set, that would be my recommendation, but if you want just one thing that you can really appreciate, take the art. There is some nice stuff out there.

 

Also, if you have $400, you might want to consider a commission. A lot of artists will do some damn fine work for $400.

 

DAM

[rob_react]

I'll go with the art too. For that money, in the era you're looking at, you can get a really nice page. A lot of great art can be had in that range. Art is also a much less mature market than Golden Age comics.

[Fan4Fan]

I'd been strongly leaning toward art, but not finding anything for the last several months (and all of the interesting talk on the GA boards) had me wavering in my resolution.

 

Maybe if I'm really lucky, I can get both

 

Thanks,

Fan4Fan

[aardvark88]

A Kirby Capt Amer page from around issue #198-200 may set u back $350. Kirby Eternals or Blk Panther mini series art around $200-300. Kirby Capt Victory art for anywhere from $95-175 depending on hero image quality.

[FlyingDonut]

If you're looking for the All Stars, buy the Archives and take the rest of the money and buy art. Don't buy any FF art from 140-175, though, as its all icky and gross and you definitely wouldn't want it.

[Fan4Fan]

If you're looking for the All Stars, buy the Archives and take the rest of the money and buy art. Don't buy any FF art from 140-175, though, as its all icky and gross and you definitely wouldn't want it.

 

I'd be happy with stuff between 176 and 200... unless that earlier icky stuff is cheaper

 

Good idea about the Archives... I start to get nervous about resto work if I think too hard about a GA purchase.

 

Thanks,

Fan4Fan

[Mushroom]

I'd been strongly leaning toward art, but not finding anything for the last several months (and all of the interesting talk on the GA boards) had me wavering in my resolution.

 

Maybe if I'm really lucky, I can get both

 

Thanks,

Fan4Fan

 

Be warned. Once you get your first GA book you will be hooked and there will be no turning back.

[ghoulaid]

Be warned. Once you get your first GA book you will be hooked and there will be no turning back.

 

Absolutely! Golden Age is magical but I also think everyone should have at least one piece of art in their collection. Otherwise, comics still take priority over art.