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Most Desirable Batman Artist

Started by TheWatcher,

29 posts in this topic

TheWatcher

TheWatcher

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As an OA newbie, I was kinda shocked at the numbers being thrown around for the KJ page on Heritage. I wondered who is the most desirable artist that Batman collectors want to have a piece by. The four names I came up with are: Kane, Adams, Bolland, Miller (in no particular order). What are your thoughts? How would you rank them? I assume Kane is on top simply due to scarcity, but after that?

 

 

 

Angelo

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chrisco37

chrisco37

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Man, that's a tough call.

 

Personally, I'd probably like to have a KJ page the most. Follwed by a DKR page (I think the cover to #1 is one of my favorite Batman images ever).

Adams Batman is classic (and what most artists seem to model the "modern Batman" around). And Kane, as you said, is the toughest to find.

 

I think it'd be tough to come to a concensus #1 on this one (alot harder than say, FF, where 99% would say Kirby, or Spidey where it'd probably be a near 50/50 split between Ditko/Romita). It would just depend on your time frame. For some, Jim Aparo drew the classic Batman, others maybe it's Marshall Rogers.

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Artemaria

Artemaria

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Does this mean "most desireable" in terms of whose art is worth the most, or most desireable in terms of whose interpretation of the character do I enjoy the most?

 

There is also the problem of time. Today's interpretations of Batman are necessarily derivative of what has come before, but what has come before has been magnificent.

 

I would say Neal Adams Batman pages are worth the most. There was a panel page that went for $27K (1st panel appearance of Ras Al Ghul) which is about as high a modern era Batman panel page as I'm aware of. I've seen more common Adams Batman pages (with Batman in them) go for $1500 and up on eBay.

 

The high watermark Adams page is followed by Bolland Killing Joke pages. But, in my opinion, the price of KJ pages is inflated because of their scarcity and because the story was so good to so many people (I know this is sacrilege, but I thought the art was better than the story in that book - however both were at extremely high levels which is very rare to find in the same book). On eBay about two years ago, a Bolland page from JLA 200 featuring Batman went for about $2,500, so regular Bolland Batman pages are not ridiculous (though high). If KJ were a limited series of six issues or something like that, I think the panel pages from the story would cost less for the simple fact that there would be more of them.

 

From what I understand, MIller's Dark Knight Returns pages are somewhere between common Adams pages and Killing Joke pages, depending on the page. Again, great art, great story, but DKR ran for several issues, so the panel pages are not as scarce as KJ pages.

 

After that, there many great artists who interpreted Batman. My favorite of this last group is Marshall Rogers and Terry Austin's seminal 1970s run. I think they re-invented the character's look and the Steve Englehart stories were great as well. Depending on the page, these can run more or about the same as common Neal Adams Batman pages with Batman in them. In that era, there was absolutely nothing that looked like what Rogers/Austin they were doing. Both the Batman and Gotham City looked just magnificent.

 

I also believe that page for page, panel for panel, Detective 475 and 476 (drawn by Rogers/Austin) are either among the best, or the best, two Batman issues ever drawn. Pages from those two issues are very highly sought after. For example, Albert Moy is selling a double page spread from X-men 141 by John Byrne. It has a price. But he is not selling his two Rogers/Austin pages from Detective 476. Also, in response to my inquiry, Terry Austin's art rep. wrote that his early Rogers originals that he inked were "not available at any price." To me, that confirms that those books were something special.

 

So, there's my two cents. I'd love to hear from others.

 

- A

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TheWatcher

TheWatcher

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Does this mean "most desireable" in terms of whose art is worth the most, or most desireable in terms of whose interpretation of the character do I enjoy the most?

 

I kinda tried to leave it open to interpretation, whether some read it as "most valuable" or "the one I would personally prefer". But I do appreciate your summary of the market. I, too, am a big fan of Rogers. Some day I would LOVE to own some art from his run on Mister Miracle. I thought it was just exceptional cloud9.gif

 

 

Angelo

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SignatureSelect

SignatureSelect

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Don't forget Sprang and Robinson. Also you have McFarline for a short run on Detective.

 

Mcfarlane also did the cover to Batman 423. I am sure Mcfarlane Batman art would go for crazy money due to Mcfarlanes popularity and the scarcity. I Vote for Sheldon Moldoff.

 

He was truly an excellent batman artist.

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Mister Trent

Mister Trent

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I Vote for Sheldon Moldoff.

 

He was truly an excellent batman artist.

 

I certainly wouldn't class Shelly's art in the same league as people like Neal Adams and Carmine Infantino, but I do have a soft spot for his BATMAN titles from the 1950s/early 1960s. I like those books a lot. thumbsup2.gif

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TheWatcher

TheWatcher

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Some day I would LOVE to own some art from his run on Mister Miracle. I thought it was just exceptional cloud9.gif

 

 

Angelo

 

Hard to find. Saw two pieces on eBay over the years. Not cheap.

 

I figured as much. But a guy can dream.

 

Angelo

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