I me mine

Wetering Portrait

2011-11-17T12:42:00.000-08:00

Here's a very fine portrait I acquired by the artist Johannes Embrosius van de Wetering de Rooij (1877-1972). Wetering was born in Woudrichem in the Netherlands and studied art in The Hague and eventually obtained a royal grant. He is most known for his landscapes and water scenes, which makes this portrait quite rare. In fact, the highest auction record I could find for him was not a landscape but instead a scene of people reading on a terrace. (click for larger image)

A photograph of Wetering in his studio.

Animal Farm

2011-11-08T01:00:00.000-08:00

Picked up a terrific museum-quality painting that I am really excited about. It's oil on wood panel. The painting is not signed, and I have no idea who the artist is. I do know that the artist was incredibly skilled - the details are just stunning. Looks like a Dutch farm perhaps. I had originally estimated the date around 1940's - 1950's, but I was able to dig up a little information that shed some light on this piece.

The label on the back lists Borst and Clausen as the framer out of Manhattan in New York. I did a little research and Borst opened his shop in NY in 1886. In July of 1890, Borst retires and Clausen takes over the shop. Not sure how long the company stayed in business after that, but it seems this painting dates to the turn of the century - maybe 1910 or so. I'll have to do a little more digging on this one, so for now, I'll just enjoy looking at it! (click for larger image)

H. Loveland Hawaiian Shore

2011-10-23T00:12:00.000-07:00

Got this nice seascape in recently dated 1941 by an H. Loveland. I have not been able to find any info on the artist yet, but according to the label on the back, it is entitled "Hawaiian Seas". The label also reads "Association of Honolulu Artists", and finally a price of $50. It's going to need some cleaning as it has yellowed quite a bit, and there is some very minor paint loss that will need touching up, but otherwise a real nice painting. (click for larger image)

Fantastic Four 266 Cover

2011-10-19T21:46:00.000-07:00

In all my years of comic art collecting, there has only been one piece I have regretted selling - this cover. Well, after it being absent from my collection for several years, it is finally back!

The story goes back a few years - another comic art collector friend and I were discussing John Byrne's Fantastic Four years, and we decided to choose our favorite covers. Our choices were very different, and somehow this cover came out as my top choice - a classic image that I fell in love with as soon as I saw the original comic book back in the mid-80's. He said "I bet you could find that one", and with his encouragement, I contacted a dealer friend to inquire if he knew where it might be (he being the guru of all things Byrne). Turns out he knew exactly where it was; at HIS house! Shortly thereafter, we made a deal and it was mine. I won't go into the foolish reasoning that got me to sell it after that, but suffice to say, I regretted it. Well, I was happy to right that wrong recently and get this baby home again.

This cover, depicting The Invisible Woman, The Thing, and Charisma, is done entirely in marker, which is typical for this period of Byrne art. One thing of note - the figures are HUGE on this cover - probably the largest figures on any of the covers he did during his stint on the Fantastic Four. I actually did the overlay on this cover the first time I owned it, since none of the lettering is actually on the art. I also tweaked the scan in Photoshop - the lettering is quite white compared to the paper stock of the art. I'm going to re-do the overlay and match the color with the paper stock. (click for larger image)

If you want to read more about this cover, John Byrne's run on the Fantastic Four, and my chase of John Byrne art, check out some of my CFA-APA articles (link).

Di Angelo Painting

2011-10-18T20:21:00.000-07:00

Just got a new painting in and I am loving it. Probably dates from the late 40's, early 50's and is signed Di Angelo. Very nicely painted image of people strolling through a market. It has a beautiful hand painted frame with a very interesting old label on the back that says "Artistic Framing, Bloomingdales NY". I'll have to do some research on this one... (click for larger image)

Did a little research and it looks like this is the Italian artist Pasquale D'Angelo (1896 - 1955). The seller told me it was from the 30's, which makes sense given the artists life span. I found a very similar work by the artist of an alley scene that was probably done about the same time as this painting, and even looks like the same city.

Dark Knight Returns Production Page

2011-09-13T11:57:00.000-07:00

I've been seeing some of these production pages on ebay lately, and thought I'd pick one up. Not exactly sure of their origins, but they appear to be printers proofs of some kind, and may have been distributed with anniversary copies of the DKR TPB. They consist of two layers; one is the color art (computer printout), and the other is a clear overlay containing the black and white line art. I took some time and created another overlay that contains the lettering so you can actually read the page (click for larger image). Coincidentally, this page immediately follows the original page that I own from the book.

Fantastic Four 253 2 Page Sequence

2011-02-27T23:27:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: SOLD IN 2011!

Another killer couple of pages from FF 253. Featuring all four of the FF, a "Flame On!", Sue using her powers, and some really cool aliens. Love the inking on these pages! Classic stuff!! (click for larger image)

The Saint 07-30-1958

2010-05-29T18:11:00.000-07:00

Very nice Saint daily from 1958 by Frank Spranger. It's pretty amazing to see what these old strip artists could do with a brush. (click for larger image)

Mr. Cho

2009-12-05T21:04:00.000-08:00

Found a new painting today that I couldn't pass up. Very nicely rendered portrait of an Asian man with heavy impasto. Don't know anything about it yet other than that the artist was very good. It's about 10" x 12", and is signed Cho 66. I love finding good art! (click for larger image).

Faster Than a Speeding Bullet - The Art of the Superhero

2009-11-01T23:21:00.000-08:00

I was fortunate enough to be asked to loan pieces from my comic art collection to the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at the University of Oregon for the "Faster Than a Speeding Bullet - The Art of the Superhero" exibit. I have not made it up to the show yet, but aside from my pieces, there are some amazing items on display. The show runs through January 3, 2010. This gallery contains each of the items I have loaned to the museum:

http://cafurl.com/?i=13592

More info here:

http://jsma.uoregon.edu

Fantastic Four 260

2009-09-04T00:46:00.001-07:00

Sometimes you see a great piece of art but don't buy it. That was the case with this piece - it had been for sale for a long time with no takers. I knew that if it had sold, I'd have regretted not buying it. So after about 2 years, I finally made it happen. Great decision on my part - it's now one of my favorite John Byrne pieces in my collection! (pencils and inks by John Byrne. click for larger image)

Fine Art Collection by Thumbnails

2009-08-15T14:46:00.000-07:00

This gallery is arranged to view my fine art collection via thumbnail images. Clicking the thumbnail will take you to the original blog entry for the piece. Once there, you can read my comments about the piece and you can click on the image there for a larger scan. Comments are welcome, so if you see something you like, let me know.

Tilly Moes - Floral

2009-08-15T13:25:00.000-07:00

This is a really fine painting by the artist Tilly Moes (click for larger image). I did some research on the web, and found out this about her:

Sofia Theodora van Driel was born in Dusseldorf (Germany) on September 25th, 1899, the daughter of Johannes Gerardus van Driel and Sophia Adriana van Lammeren. Until her wedding in 1927 she lived with her parents in The Hague, where she, from 1913 - 1918 attended the Academy of Fine Arts. During the period prior to her wedding she painted "antique" still life subjects. These were dark appearing, complicated compositions with various fruit and flowers. For these she used the pseudonym Tilly Moes. In addition to this she had a position in an office in order to be able to pay the bills.

While browsing the website, I found images of her works. A few of them are strikingly similar to this painting and were probably done around the same time. It looks like it might be the same arrangement of flowers in fact. (see images e-m09 and e-m11):

http://tinyurl.com/rx8gwg

Portrait of the artist circa 1918

The artist and her husband in thier studio circa 1937

Heeeeeere's Jonni!!

2009-07-27T00:55:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite characters from Alan Moore's ABC line of comics was Jonni Future. The reason is simple - Art Adams. Art really pushed himself to a new level while working on the book, and I'm really pleased to have another Jonni piece in my collection. The amount of work he puts into these pinups is just incredible. (Pencils and inks by Art Adams. Click for larger image)

Dutch Scene 2

2009-07-21T12:18:00.000-07:00

I picked up a pair of very nice paintings by the same artist depicting Dutch canals with houses and lovely scenery. They are both unsigned, and probably date to somewhere between the 1920's through 1940's. Both are on wood panels and are approximately 18 x 24. (click for larger image)

Dutch Scene 1

2009-07-20T23:23:00.001-07:00

What I Want Part II

2009-06-25T09:47:00.000-07:00

In one of my first blog entries, I submitted a small want list. I'm also looking for any of the three paintings by artist Darrell K. Sweet shown here. They were done for Stephen R. Donaldson's Chronicles of Thomas Covenant trilogy way back in the late 1970's. From left to right, they are, Lord Foul's Bane, The Illearth War, and The Power That Preserves. I will pay a finder's fee for successful acquisition! (click for larger image)

World's Finest 258 Page

2009-06-25T00:25:00.000-07:00

More nostalgia from my early days of comic reading (1979). This was one of the few stories that stood out to me from way back then - likely due to the fact that it was scripted by the great Denny O'Neill. It features two of my favorite DC artists of that time - Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (pencils), and Dick Giordano (inks), and the cover is a classic done by Neal Adams, which depicts the action in panel one (click for larger image)

Fantastic Four 264, pages 13 and 14

2009-05-10T00:10:00.000-07:00

More greatness from John Byrne - vintage Fantastic Four pages from 1984!! These pages are from Byrne's "marker" period, which I used to look down on slightly. Recently, I've begun to have a change of heart. I really think this might be some of his best work. The earlier "pen and ink" FF pages certainly have a great line quality to them - they are very tight and crisp, but these later pages have a great energy to them. They're a bit looser, but I think Byrne's storytelling, anatomy, and layouts are better. I guess each period has it's own appeal - I'm glad to have examples of both. (click for larger image)

Art Adams Storm 2

2009-04-11T14:31:00.001-07:00

After about 5 years of admiring this piece, I've finally been able to add it to my collection! This was originally done one month after my Art Adams Jonni Future pinup way back in 2004. I'd seen it change hands a few times, and let the last owner know that I wanted it next! I think these pinups that Art has done in the past several years are some of his best. Now I need to go find another one to covet... :) (click for larger image)

Daredevil 217 Splash - 1985

2008-12-20T02:01:00.000-08:00

If it wasn't for David Mazzucchelli, I may have never discovered Frank Miller. Back in the 1980's, when I started reading comics full-time, I almost always made buying decisions based on the artist of the book. Coming in at issue 216 (I think), I'd completely missed out on Miller's original run on Daredevil. For me, Daredevil was defined by Denny O'Neil scripts and Mazzucchelli art. The stories were dark and moody, and Mazzucchelli's art was the perfect fit. Miller would be back on the book with issue 227 - the first of a seven issue story arc, later collected in a trade edition entitled "Born Again" (now a classic - see the other Mazzucchelli pages from this saga in this blog). But prior to Miller's return, there was some great stuff being done on this title. I recently re-read most of these stories, and they really hold up well. I was happy to pick up this splash, penciled and inked by Mazzucchelli himself (click for larger image).

Dr. Kildare 05-30-1963

2008-12-14T00:36:00.000-08:00

Found another great strip that I couldn't resist - a 1963 Dr. Kildare daily by Ken Bald featuring a very lovely woman. I owned a few Bald Judd Saxon dailies once, but sold them off. It's nice to have another Bald back in my collection. This strip is a bit earlier than the ones I used to own, and the quality is a bit nicer. What makes it extra special though is that it once belonged to comic art giant Wally Wood!! Pretty nifty (see inscription).

Whenever I see a strip signed with a dedication to another person (like my On Stage daily by Leonard Starr ), I always assume the artist was particularly pleased with the strip since they were giving it as a gift. I could be wrong but both the dedicated strips in my collection are pretty darned good examples. (Click for larger scan. Pencils and inks Ken Bald.)

UPDATE - SOLD THIS PIECE IN MAY 2009!!

Early Gallo

2008-09-23T03:03:00.000-07:00

Many years ago, I was helping artist Gregory Gallo clean out his studio and we came across this piece (which he told me to throw in the trash!). I convinced him to let me keep it. It's a pretty early example of his work and is dated 6/27/84. The main image with the face seems to be painted on a piece of cardboard, and the background with the pink, white, and green is actually a very thick piece of wood - might have been a cabinet door or something. (click for larger image)

Fantastic Four 253 Pages!!

2008-09-06T09:45:00.000-07:00

Well, it seems I've come full circle in my collecting life. As outlined in my article for CFA-APA 62, owning a John Byrne Fantastic Four page is what set me down the path of collecting original art. Despite the fact that Byrne worked on over 60 issues, good pages are very scarce!! Over the years, I was able to acquire some nice pages, but all of them were from the later part of the run - the 260's, in which Byrne used marker to ink the pages. For the first time, I've finally been able to get a hold of some earlier pages from 253. These pages are all inked using the traditional "pens" (or crow quill), and they are amazing!! The inking is very crisp and detailed, and the blacks are very solid - a big difference from the later marker pages. Couple that with the great content - all four of the FF in battle, well, I couldn't ask for more.

Morrison - Quitely All Star Superman 07, Page 21

2008-07-29T00:21:00.001-07:00

For the last few years I've been saying that we're in a second "Golden Age" of comics. The quality of writing and art in many titles is as good or better than anything previously produced in the history of the medium. Some of the standouts have been - The Ultimates by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch, Ex Machina by Brian K. Vaughan and Tony Harris, 100 Bullets by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso, Astonishing X-Men by Josh Whedon and John Cassaday, and Alan Moore's ABC line of comics - Tom Strong (art by Chris Sprouse), and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (art by Kevin O'Neill), to name just a few.

My most recent favorite has been Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's new Superman series. Morrison seems to be harkening back to the Man of Steel's Silver Age, where anything could happen in any given issue. And that's the fun of it - no worrying about continuity, and no need to be a Superman historian. You can just jump right in and enjoy the fun. I've taken a strong liking to Quitely's work too. My first exposure to his work didn't really impress me, but after reading this series, I'm finally beginning to see the light (it might help that he's not being inked by anyone - the pencils are scanned directly and colored). I picked up this page at San Diego Comicon in 2008, and I'd love a bunch more! I've added word balloons using Photoshop to make it more readable (click for larger image).

Killing Joke Prelim 28

2008-06-08T23:52:00.000-07:00

Here's another neat prelim from Alan Moore's Killing Joke, with art by Brian Bolland. I love comparing these to the printed page and seeing the differences. You can see in panel four that Bolland indicated that the Joker's face be rotated, and in the printed page, he has done just that. I also love the last panel with the Joker's reflection in the puddle. The very next panel in the book begins a flashback sequence and is nearly identical to this one - it also shows him standing over a puddle just before the "accident" that will turn him into the Joker. Moore uses this trick several times in the story when he switches from past to present and vice versa, and I'm quite fond of it.

Rusty Riley 11-07-55

2008-04-29T23:31:00.000-07:00

The second of the two Rusty strips I picked up recenly. Love all the line work on Tex's coat. I can't say with certainty, but it appears Godwin only ever used brush which is really amazing!

Rusty Riley 01/17/55

2008-04-26T12:56:00.000-07:00

UPDATE - SOLD THIS PIECE IN AUGUST 2008!!

As mentioned in my article for the CFA-APA 65, I believe that strip art is where you get the most bang for your buck. My personal favorites are the photo-realistic adventure strips of the 1950's and later. Guys like Alex Raymond, Stan Drake, Leonard Starr, Jose Luis Salinas, Ken Bald, Neal Adams, Frank Godwin and others were producing high quality strips, literally, on a daily basis. Since most collectors interests are driven by superhero based nostalgia, many of these great artists works can be had amazingly cheap.

I made the decision a while back to sell off my strip art collection. I haven't really regretted it, but whenever I see a particularly nice daily, it gets the wheels turning in my head. In fact, whenever I see a nice Godwin Rusty Riley, I wonder why I don't own a bunch. That changed recently as I picked up a couple of nice dailies from 1955. Here's the first one.

Unknown Floral

2008-01-08T22:35:00.000-08:00

This painting was found at an estate sale in New York and is supposedly from the 19th century. It's got enough dirt on it, so it's plausible. I can't quite make out the signature - could be "Melancon" or something close to it. (click for larger image).... this post is dedicated to Kenny...

Henk Dekker - Boats on Beach

2007-12-20T14:53:00.000-08:00

Another nice sea scene with some boats near the shore of a beach. This was sold as a Henk Dekker original (Dutch, 1897-1974), but I'm not sure since the signature is so hard to read. The painting is actually quite a bit darker in person but for some reason it photographs lighter. Unframed, the piece is quite small at about 7 3/4 x 5 inches.(click for larger image.)

Gregory Gallo II

2007-12-07T21:06:00.001-08:00

This was, I think, the very first original piece of art I ever purchased. I bought it from the artist, whom I worked for many years ago (proabaly around 1992), for what was, at the time, a relatively large amount of money. There are actually about 6 or 7 paintings in this "series" that look very similar to this one in compisition and color. They were all very detailed, and were my favorite pieces he had done. I had to have one and I hit him up at the right time with a good cash offer! (click for larger image.)

Gregory Gallo

2007-12-07T14:54:00.000-08:00

This painting was a gift of sorts. I used to work for the artist back in New York a long time ago. I saw this painting the morning after it was completed and was really blown away by it. I made such a fuss over it that my friend sold it to me for $2. It's very large at about 4 feet by 4 feet and is dated 10/14/92. The photo is not the best since the canvas is not on the stretchers at the moment. (click for larger image.)

Edgar Freyberg Seascape

2007-12-06T15:56:00.001-08:00

This is a very nice seascape by the German artist Edgar Freyberg (b. 1927). It's an oil on canvas and is pretty large at 24" x 32". I'm told his work is in several museums and I know he has sold in auctions around the world. I believe there is a gallery in London that currently represents him. (click for larger image.)

Koemann

2007-11-28T16:29:00.001-08:00

This painting is by an artist I haven't been able to identify. The seller says it's Dutch and the signature reads "Koemann", but the signature is not definitive in person. Still, a very lovely little painting with great light. This one is quite small - without frame it measures 5 1/2 x 8 inches and is painted on an oak board. (click for larger image.)

Jan Valach

2007-11-27T23:55:00.001-08:00

My very first oil painting! Don't know anything about the artist except that he might be Czech. This is pretty large at 20 x 28 without the frame. (click for larger image.)

Asajj Ventress by Mahmud Asrar

2007-11-20T07:46:00.000-08:00

This is a great piece by a relatively unknown artist Mahmud Asrar. I think he's super-talented and reminds me a lot of the great Adam Hughes who he cites as an influence (click for larger image).

UPDATE: SOLD THIS PIECE IN JUNE OF 2008!!

Art Adams Wolfman

2007-11-15T00:17:00.000-08:00

I can't get enough of these incredibly rendered Art Adams pinups. While I generally prefer the sexy female characters he does, this one was too nice to pass up. (click for larger scan.)

Public School 49, Queens NY

2007-11-07T19:20:00.000-08:00

This is where I went to school from kindergarten through the sixth grade. My mother also attended the school when she was a young girl. Our house was half a mile from the school and I walked it everyday right through Juniper Vally park. Many years after I attended, the school was renamed Dorothy K. Bonawit Kole school. I searched the web but all I could find out was that she was a teacher and principal in the New York area sometime around the 1940's - 1960's (I think). The photo above was probably taken just after the completion of construction in 1932. You can see the old Elmhurst gas tanks (constructed in 1910) in the background. The empty lot in the foreground was completely covered in housing while I attended (as was all of Queens). I took a trip to NY in October of 2006 and took the picture of the school seen below (click for larger images).

Killing Joke Prelim 3

2007-10-25T16:16:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: SOLD THIS PIECE IN AUGUST OF 2008!

The most recent KJ prelim I picked up featuring a nice shot of the Joker! (Interesting note: the pencil image has a slight red cast to it. That's because I took a picture of it with my digital camera behind my house while the San Diego forestfires of 2007 were raging. Lots of ash in the sky and everything tinged in red. Eerie... (Brian Bolland pencils. Click for larger image.)

Thumbnails - Click for Larger Image

2007-10-10T22:29:00.000-07:00

This gallery is arranged to view my comic art collection via thumbnail images and is organized by artist. Clicking the thumbnail will take you to the original blog entry for the piece. Once there, you can read my comments about the piece and you can click on the image there for a larger scan. Comments are welcome, so if you see something you like, let me know.

Adams, Arthur

Adams, Neal

Bolland, Brian

Buckler, Rich

Byrne, John (Alpha Flight)

Byrne, John (Fantastic Four)

Gibbons, Dave

Mazzucchelli, David

Miller, Frank

Sienkiewicz, Bill

Comic Strip Art

Godwin, Frank

Murphy, John Cullen

Spranger, Frank

Starr, Leonard

Alpha Flight 28, Page 02

2007-10-10T22:18:00.000-07:00

This page features some of the members of Omega Flight; Courtney (disguised as Guardian), Wild Child, Diamond Lil, and Flashback. On their way to cause trouble, no doubt... (Pencils and foreground inks John Byrne, background inks Keith Williams. Click for larger image.)

Killing Joke Prelim 2

2007-10-10T19:59:00.000-07:00

I'd heard from a fellow collector that Brian Bolland did multiple prelims per page. I got to ask Bolland directly at San Diego Comicon 2006 about his working process, and he confirmed that he only did one version per page (as shown above), and used a projector to transfer the image to the final art board. (Click for larger image.)

Frazetta - The Trials of Judas Wiley

2007-10-10T01:06:00.000-07:00

Frazetta is a God. There, I said it. I'd love to own bunches of Frazetta's, but the stuff isn't cheap. This is a cool pencil prelim for the 1972 painting. (Click for larger image.)

Update 01/17/08: Thought I'd add the picture of the finished painting which is remarkably similar to the prelim:

UPDATE - SOLD THIS PIECE IN MAY 2009!!

On Stage 01-28-65

2007-10-10T00:19:00.000-07:00

I really like the inks on this beautiful On Stage daily by Leonard Starr. Dollar for dollar, you get the most bang for your buck with strip art. This period of the photo-realistic strips is my favorite, and was loaded with amazingly talented illustrators. To see more of what I'm talking about, and to get a glimpse of my former collection, check out my CFA-APA article from issue 65. (Pencils and inks Leonard Starr. Click for larger image.)

Big Ben Bolt 09-05-61

2007-10-10T00:08:00.000-07:00

My already small strip art collection was whittled down to only two pieces in the last year or so. I sold my best pieces, but kept this one and an On Stage daily because they just aren't worth selling, and I enjoy looking at them. This is a nice BBB strip by the great John-Cullen Murphy. When you see strips like this one, you begin to realize where a guy like Neal Adams picked up his tricks. (Pencils and inks John Cullen-Murphy. Click for larger image.)

Alpha Flight 07

2007-10-09T00:11:00.000-07:00

I wish I had bought all the Alpha Flight covers I was offered! I passed on a few good ones. At least I have the Alpha Flight 15 cover, and this one. I really enjoyed the Aurora character, and always liked this cover. (Pencils and inks John Byrne. Click for larger image.)

Alpha Flight 26 End Splash

2007-10-09T00:07:00.000-07:00

The big reveal! You didn't think Byrne was going to fake a death, did you!? (Pencils and inks John Byrne. Click for larger image.)

Alpha Flight 05, Page 13

2007-10-08T23:52:00.000-07:00

Another cool page from issue 5. Love the big panel with the close-up of Puck! Byrne is using marker here, and the paper is more glossy than I've ever seen. It makes his inks a lot slicker - looks great! (Pencils and inks John Byrne. Click for larger image.)

Alpha Flight 05, Page 09

2007-10-08T23:48:00.000-07:00

I had a bunch of these pages from issue 5 featuring Puck. Sold most of them but kept a couple. I really like the art from this issue. Byrne is using marker here, and the paper is more glossy than I've ever seen. It makes his inks a lot slicker - looks great! (Pencils and inks John Byrne. Click for larger image.)

Alpha Flight 12, Page 13

2007-10-07T22:57:00.000-07:00

John Byrne was a master of characterization. There was always something interesting going on with each character which enabled the reader to empathize with them (whether they were likeable or not). Here's and interesting interaction between Puck and Northstar from issue 12. (Pencils and inks John Byrne. Click for larger image.)

Alpha Flight 12, Page 24

2007-10-07T22:52:00.000-07:00

Another cool page from Alpha Flight 12 featuring Guardian going toe to toe with Flashback (or several Flashback's) of Omega Flight. I'm looking for page 25 which would give me a nice 5 page sequence. (Pencils and inks John Byrne. Click for larger image.)

Alpha Flight 12, Pages 26, 27, and 28

2007-10-07T22:42:00.000-07:00

Alpha Flight was one of my favorite comics back in the 80's and another reason why I'm such a huge John Byrne fan. The series climaxed with this issue (#12), and it was quite a shocker. These pages feature Snowbird, Diamond Lil, Shaman, and Smart Alec (don't look in the bag...!!) I'm always on the lookout for more good AF pages! (Pencils and inks John Byrne. Click for larger image.)

Who Watches the Watchmen?

2007-10-04T01:30:00.000-07:00

Depending on the day of the week, Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Watchmen might be my favorite comic book series of all time. It made Time Magazine's top 100 novels from 1923 to the present (2005): http://tinyurl.com/2d9zz5 That's NOVELS, not comic books. Not too shabby, eh? Some comic fans have decried the book for being "deconstructionist", and complain that it's geared strictly to an adult audience, but I'm of the mind that it's okay to have "mature" comic books. Reading them doesn't take away my enjoyment of the "fun" superhero books. By the way, Watchmen is fun too, and the artwork is amazing. I'm still discovering new things each time I re-read the series. This is a great page showing Dan's infatuation with Lauri. It also features the Owl Car - cool!! (Pencils, inks, and lettering by Dave Gibbons. Click for larger image.)

Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons - Watchmen

2007-10-04T01:18:00.000-07:00

This was the first Watchmen page I bought. While it's probably the least expensive of the three I currently own, it is probably the best drawn page. It depicts two scenes at once; Lauri has realized that her relationship with Dr. Manhattan is over and decides to leave. Meanwhile, Janey Slater, Dr. Manhattans aged and former lover, tells a reporter about thier failed relationship and her realization that he's given her cancer. Alan Moore employs a literary trick here (common in his works, and especially Watchmen), by using the same dialoge to tell two different stories. It also features the lesbian cabdriver and Dr. Manhattan's ass. Great page. (Pencils, inks, and lettering by Dave Gibbons. Click for larger image.)

Funny story. I met Dave Gibbons at the San Diego Comicon in 2005 and had him sign this page for me. He turned it sideways and signed in the margin. When he lifted his hand, the second caption in panel two had lifted off the page completely and sat hanging from his wrist. He glanced up at me, caption still hanging, and gave me a worried look. Then we both started laughing. I said, if anyone was going to ruin my page, I hoped it would be him. He also asked me what the current market value of the page was. When I told him he replied "I don't think I got that much for doing the whole book!". Nice guy.

Daredevil Born Again II

2007-10-04T01:11:00.000-07:00

This was the second Daredevil page from Frank Miller's "Born Again" series that I purchased. The scene depicted on this page, featuring Nuke, Captain America, and Daredevil, is what is depicted on the cover of this issue. (Pencils and inks by David Mazzucchelli. Click for larger image.)

Jonni Future Page

2007-09-30T01:33:00.000-07:00

I am a big fan of the Jonni Future series for one simple reason - Art Adams. The guy did some of the best work of his carreer on the books. One collector purchased all the art for the first five or so issues, making loose pages very scarce. (Pencils and inks Art Adams. Click for larger view.)

Neal Adams Strange Adventures 208, Page 11

2007-09-30T01:21:00.000-07:00

This page is one of my favorite pieces in my collection. It's an all out action page done in 4 panels. The inking on this page is as good as you will ever see from Neal Adams. (Pencils and inks Neal Adams. Click for larger image.)

Update 09-18-2011:

I loaned some art to the Jordan Schnitzer Museum at the University of Oregon last year for their Art of the Superhero - Faster Than a Speeding Bullet exhibit. I found this cool video on youtube with curator Ben Saunders discussing the art with the U of O president Richard Lariviere. Note this piece in the background.

Here is the LINK

Neal Adams Strange Adventures 213, Page 06

2007-09-30T01:11:00.001-07:00

UPDATE: SOLD THIS PIECE IN AUGUST OF 2008!

This was the first piece of Neal Adams art I ever purchased. I developed a fondness for Neal's work on Deadman (Strange Adventures & Brave and the Bold) via the reprints done in the 1980's. As mentioned previously, I focus primarily on 1980's artwork, and even though these stories were originally published in the late 1960's, I only became aware of them much later on. (Pencils and inks Neal Adams. Click for larger image.)

Neal Adams Spectre

2007-09-30T01:03:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: SOLD THIS PIECE IN AUGUST OF 2008!

I happen to think that Neal Adams' best comic work was done immediately upon entering the comic book industry (1967?). Currently, I have four pages of art by Neal; three are from this period, and one from the early 70's. I think Neal's inking is better on the earlier stuff (although, the 1970's Batman page isn't too shabby either!), and really enjoy owning these pieces. (Pencils and inks Neal Adams. Click for larger image.)

Art Adams Storm

2007-09-29T01:58:00.001-07:00

Have to give a shout out to my good friend Mario for selling me this piece. Hey Mario! I LOVE it!! (Pencils and inks Art Adams. Click for larger image.)

Art Adams Jonni Future

2007-09-29T01:35:00.000-07:00

This was my first Art Adams pinup. He did this one personally for me so I guess that makes it a little extra special. I'm a HUGE fan of Jonni Future, so I was stoked when I got this piece. (Pencils and inks Art Adams. Click for larger image.)

Art Adams Batgirl

2007-09-29T01:32:00.000-07:00

Art kills me with these awesome pinups. I absolutely love having them in my collection. If you have one and are considering selling, please contact me! (Pencils and inks Art Adams . Click for larger image.)

My CFA-APA Articles

2007-09-29T01:07:00.000-07:00

I joined the CFA-APA (Comic and Fantasy Art Amateur Press Association) in March of 2004 (issue 62). Below is a list of all the articles I have published to date. Click the link to read.

About the CFA-APA

CFA-APA 62 The Chase (My John Byrne Fantastic Four Obsession)
CFA-APA 63 Humor Artists (Interview with Scott Williams Part I)
CFA-APA 64 Still Going Strong (Art Adams)
CFA-APA 65 Will Eisner (My Strip Art Collection)
CFA-APA 66 Artists of the Fantastic Four (More John Byrne FF!)
CFA-APA 67 Recreations: Threat or Menace? (My take on the subject)
CFA-APA 68 Gene Colan (My Shrinking Collection)
CFA-APA 69 Frank Miller (Miller's Prime Years)
CFA-APA 70 Alex Toth (Scott Williams Part II)
CFA-APA 71 International Artists (Neal Adams - yeah, I know...)
CFA-APA 72 Modern Good Girl Art (Franchesco! and other things)

Comic Art Collection by Title

2007-09-28T23:45:00.000-07:00

Alpha Flight
Batgirl
Batman
Big Ben Bolt
Captain America
Daredevil
Dark Knight Returns
Deadman
Elektra Assassin
Fantastic Four
Joker
Jonni Future
Killing Joke
Namor
On Stage
Powergirl
Ronin
Rusty Riley
She-Hulk
Spectre
Storm
Strange Adventures
Superman
V for Vendetta
Watchmen
Wolfman
World's Finest
COVER
PINUP/SPLASH
PANEL PAGE
STRIP ART

Comic Art Collection By Artist

2007-09-28T23:30:00.000-07:00

Art Adams
Neal Adams
Ken Bald
Brian Bolland
Rich Buckler
John Byrne
John Cullen-Murphy
Frank Frazetta
Dave Gibbons
Dick Giordano
Frank Godwin
Klaus Janson
David Lloyd
David Mazzucchelli
Frank Miller
Alan Moore
Frank Quitely
Bill Sienkiewicz
Leonard Starr
Keith Williams

Fantastic Four 268, Page 17

2007-09-28T00:30:00.000-07:00

I loved when Byrne brought the She-Hulk into the FF fold. Nobody has done the character as well since. This is a great page with Jen trying to prove that she can make it in the group. (Pencils and inks John Byrne. Click for larger image.)

Fantastic Four 268, Page 22

2007-09-28T00:23:00.000-07:00

Cool end page featuring the She-Hulk, Human Torch, and a nice closeup of Mr. Fantastic. (Pencils and inks John Byrne. Click for larger image.)

Fantastic Four 268, Page 04

2007-09-28T00:12:00.000-07:00

Cool page with Mr. Fantastic, The Hulk, and Dr. Octopus! (Pencils and inks John Byrne. Click for larger image.)

Fantastic Four Pages

2007-09-27T23:03:00.001-07:00

Here are some more pages from the FF 269 story that I kept. The close-up image of Reed Richards on the first page is so definitive to me. (Pencils and inks John Byrne. Click for larger image.)

John Byrne Fantastic Four

2007-09-27T22:42:00.000-07:00

This is what got me going down that long road of original art collecting. I thought it would be neat to own a cool page from John Byrne's run on the Fantastic Four. I had so much trouble finding a page that instead, I ended up buying an entire issue, cover and all (FF 269) since that was all that was available. I sold most of the book off and kept my favorite pages (like the two shown here). Interesting note: this splash is the first appearance of Termius in the Marvel Universe! (Pencils and inks John Byrne. Click for larger image.)

CFA-APA 72 Modern Good Girl Art

2007-09-26T12:49:00.000-07:00

In this issue we get to discuss one of my all-time favorite topics - Good Girl Art! I also ruminate about the current prices of comic art, and report on the 2007 San Diego Comicon convention. Plus, I do an interview with Good Girl artist Franchesco! You can read my submission by clicking on the image.

CFA-APA 71 International Artists

2007-09-26T10:58:00.000-07:00

The CFA-APA organization had once again plotted to make me look bad by choosing another topic I don't know much about; international artists. I am a big fan of a lot of the erotic artists from around the world, especially Horacio Altuna and Paolo Eleuteri Serpieri (in fact I used to own a beautiful Druuna page by Serpieri), but chose instead to write about an American artist that I've long been a fan of; Neal Adams. There was already an issue of the CFA-APA dedicated to Adams but since I wasn't a member at the time, I thought I'd take a crack at writing about him in this issue. You can read my submission by clicking on the image.

CFA-APA 70 Alex Toth

2007-09-26T10:27:00.000-07:00

I don't think I've ever read a single comic book illustrated by Alex Toth, but I have seen enough of his work to understand how brilliant he was. One of the perks of being a member of the CFA-APA is being able to learn from other members, many of whom are experts on certain subjects or creators. Since I'm not a Toth expert by any means, I published the Part II of my interview with inker Scott Williams (see CFA-APA 63 for Part I). You can read my submission by clicking on the image.

Daredevil Born Again

2007-09-25T16:42:00.000-07:00

One of the stories that always makes my top five favorites list is Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli's Born Again saga in which Daredevil is nearly destroyed (and then put back together by Miller). Unlike Miller's earlier Daredevil work, which I find a bit juvenile and dated, this one holds up remarkably well these twenty-odd years later. Half the genius of this story is David Mazzucchelli's art. He's easily one of my favorite comic book artists and really makes this story come to life. It's too bad he didn't do more mainstream comic book work. (Pencils and inks by David Mazzucchelli. Click for larger view.)

Worlds Finest 260

2007-09-25T16:08:00.000-07:00

This piece is the bastard child of my collection. Well, not really; but it is certainly the odd-ball. Most of my collection focuses on my nostalgia for comics from the 1980's. This piece is more like a throwback to the late 70's (even though the issue was released in January 1980), and represents to me, all the great cover artists working for DC at that time. My favorites from that period are Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Rich Buckler, Ross Andru, and Neal Adams. More often than not, these guys were paired with super-inker Dick Giordano, resulting in some classic covers from that period.

The other thing this cover reminds me of, is sitting around with my cousin Frank and discovering, for the first time, the wonderful world of comics. His collection of mostly DC titles was my real first exposure to the medium, and even though the stories from this period aren't significant to me, the art sure left and impression and is probably one of the reasons I became an artist myself. (Pencils by Rich Buckler, inks by Dick Giordano. Click for larger image).

Remember, remember the fifth of November...

2007-09-25T14:30:00.000-07:00

SOLD!! SEPTEMBER 2011 (making way for a new acquisition...!)

I was really impressed the first time I read V for Vendetta and immediately knew I had to own a piece of art from the series. Sadly, my first choice was in the hands of another collector who wouldn't (and still won't) let it go. After scurrying without success after the few pieces that hit the market in the last few years, I was able to pry this page out of someones collection. Thank goodness I did because good pages rarely hit the market anymore. (Pencils and inks by David Lloyd. Click for larger image).

CFA-APA 69 Frank Miller

2007-09-25T14:07:00.000-07:00

Another exiting topic for me - one of my favorite comic creators, Frank Miller!! You can read my submission by clicking on the image.

CFA-APA 68 Gene Colan

2007-09-25T13:36:00.000-07:00

I have always liked Gene Colan's work. I think he's an amazing penciler, and guess what? At age 81 he's still producing great art! Check out his website if you're interested in a commission (or if you just want to see the nice work he's been doing) http://www.genecolan.com As with Eisner, I have a tremendous respect for the man, but once again, didn't feel knowledgeable enough to do an entire article on him. Instead, I talked about my change in collecting habits (namely, reducing the size of my collection!) You can read my submission by clicking on the image.

CFA-APA 67 Recreations: Threat or Menace?

2007-09-25T13:20:00.000-07:00

In this issue of the CFA-APA we go into details about the evils of recreations...! You can read my submission by clicking on the image.

A Young Girl Reading

2007-09-25T08:58:00.000-07:00

Mama did at least three versions of this needlepoint depicting Jean-Honore Fragonard's A Young Girl Reading. My mother has had one for as long as I can remember, my Aunt Kathy has one, and a smaller version was created as a wedding gift for wife and I in 1999. The original painting hangs in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. (click for larger image).

Frank Miller's Ronin

2007-09-25T01:39:00.000-07:00

Ronin is one of my all-time favorite comic books. It was so original, and so different; it really blew me away the first time I read it. I believe only pages from book one were ever sold, and even those are very scarce, so I consider myself very lucky to have these. They are real treasures in my collection. Miller did the pencils and inks on this series, and I think it's some of the best art he's ever produced. (click for larger image).

The page on the left is a key one in the story - it is where the character actually becomes the Ronin (a masterless samurai) and where he's given his mission of avenging his master's murder.

Alpha Flight 15

2007-09-25T01:25:00.000-07:00

John Byrne is the reason I started collecting original art. His comics were probably the first ones I read where I saw the medium fully realized; great stories combined with great art. This cover dates back to 1984, which I feel was his peak period. Aside from writing, penciling and inking Alpha Flight, he was (incredibly) writing, penciling and inking the Fantastic Four as well! When you read both titles and see how good the work really was, it's incredible. I remember reading this issue way back when and really being enamored with the cover. Never dreamed I'd ever own it. (Pencils and inks John Byrne. Click for larger image).

Elektra Assassin

2007-09-25T00:24:00.000-07:00

Frank Miller was on a tear in 1986 (as highlighted in my article for CFA-APA 69). Here are some of the things he released that year: The Dark Knight Returns, Daredevil: Born Again, and Elektra Assassin. I think it's safe to say that it will be considered the best year of his career. This splash sat on a dealer's website for a loooong time. One day a buddy of mine and I were discussing it and he said "Some day that piece will be gone and we'll both wonder why we didn't buy it." So I bought it. It's the only color piece in my collection and the only Bill Sienkiewicz piece in my collection (which is too bad). (Bill Sienkiewicz all. Click for larger image).

The Piano Lesson

2007-09-24T12:00:00.000-07:00

My sister was kind enough to send me another of Mama's needlepoints since she had so many, and I so few. This one depicts The Piano Lesson based on the original painting by Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Beautiful colors on this one. (click for larger image).

Phillip Tighe

2007-09-24T11:50:00.000-07:00

This is my mother's father Phillip Tighe (in uniform) with an unidentified friend. He was born on July 16th, 1909 and served in the Philippines during World War II. This picture was taken just after the war in front of my house in Middle Village in October of 1945. (click for larger image).

The Killing Joke

2007-09-24T01:04:00.001-07:00

UPDATE: SOLD THIS PIECE IN APRIL OF 2008!

Well, a prelim may be as close as I get to owning a Killing Joke page, prices being what they are these days, so I'll have to contend myself with this. I'd heard from a fellow collector that Brian Bolland did multiple prelims per page. I got to ask Bolland directly at San Diego Comicon 2006 about his working process, and he confirmed that he only did one version per page (as shown above), and used a projector to transfer the image to the final art board. I also got him to sign a couple of pieces for me. (Brian Bolland pencils. Click for larger image.)

Sed quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

2007-09-24T00:38:00.000-07:00

This page from Watchmen, featuring Rorschach, is one of the most sought after pieces in my collection. While he is certainly not my personal favorite character, he seems to be the one that made the biggest impression on comic book readers. The thing that makes this page so great (as explained to me by the seller) is that it's a page that features Rorschach being Rorschach. Lots of characterization going on here... (Dave Gibbons pencils, inks, and lettering. Click for larger image).

Neal Adams The Batman

2007-09-21T23:56:00.000-07:00

Comic art doesn't get much better than this. You've got arguably the greatest comic book artist of all time doing the character he's best known for, on one of the best Batman stories he ever did (The Joker's Five Way Revenge - Denny O'Neil script). You've also got Neal Adams inking himself which is rare on Batman interiors. Aside from getting a nice cover, I don't think I'm going to do much better (click for larger image).

Art Adams Powergirl

2007-09-21T14:55:00.000-07:00

Art Adams has really kicked it up a notch in recent years. This Powergirl piece is what he calls a convention "sketch". They aren't cheap, but I think they're worth every penny. I'm looking for more of these (Art Adams pencils and inks. Click for larger image).

CFA-APA 66 Artists of the Fantastic Four

2007-09-21T00:47:00.000-07:00

If there was ever a CFA-APA topic perfect for me, it's got to be this one (unfortunately, it was not my best article). The reason I got into the comic art hobby was that I wanted one nice example from John Byrne's run on Fantastic Four. In my very first APA article (CFA-APA 62), I wrote extensively about my obsession for this artwork. In this article, I go into greater detail about why I like Byrne's work on the series so much. You can read my submission by clicking on the image.

CFA-APA 65 Will Eisner

2007-09-21T00:32:00.000-07:00

While I knew enough about Will Eisner's work to understand why he was one of the most important comic creators to have worked in the industry, I didn't know enough to write an entire article about him. Instead, I chose to write about my small comic strip art collection. Shortly after entering the original art hobby, I discovered comic strip art, and especially, the photo-realistic strips of the 1950's and 1960's. Sadly, I no longer own most of the strips featured in the article as I felt the need to whittle my collection down to the bare essentials (as highlighted in my article for CFA-APA 68). You can read my submission by clicking on the image.

Home in the 70's

2007-09-19T23:35:00.000-07:00

Here's a decrepit photo of my house in Middle Village dating from the 1970's. Don't know who took the picture, or why. Parked in front of the house is my Aunt Kathy's old blue Dodge Dart. The station wagon to the left (gold colored) belonged to our neighbor Mrs. Galvin and is parked in front of her house in the photo. The house on the right side of the photo belonged to Mr. and Mrs. Jankowski (click for larger image).

CFA-APA 64 Still Going Strong

2007-09-19T23:01:00.000-07:00

This issue of the CFA-APA is dedicated to artists that have been working for 20 years or more. I chose Art Adams because he was an early favorite of mine, and his stuff today is better than ever. You can read my submission by clicking on the image.

Fruit Bowl, Glass, and Apples

2007-09-19T22:41:00.000-07:00

Possibly my favorite of all Mama's needlepoints is this one depicting Cezanne's original Fruit Bowl, Glass, and Apples. This one used to hang in my Aunt Adele's dining room where many a happy holiday meal was shared. It currently hangs in the hallway of my house where I enjoy it every day (click for larger image).

CFA-APA 63 Humor Artists

2007-09-19T17:03:00.000-07:00

Since I have no particular insight into humor art, I opted to write "off-topic" this issue, and published an interview I did with superstar inker Scott Williams. Though the interview is complete as presented, I used some of the extra material later on in CFA-APA 70 as a part two of the interview. You can read my submission by clicking on the image.

The Dark Knight Returns

2007-09-19T01:27:00.000-07:00

It's all downhill from here...

This is probably my favorite piece of art in my collection, a page from Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns. (click for larger image.) This half splash is page three from book one and it really sets up the whole premise of the book; Batman has been in retirement for ten years and he hates himself for it. He’s a man who is at war within; “…While in my gut, the creature writhes and snarls and tells me what I need...”

There’s an interesting bit of subtext that is going on in this page as well. I don’t know if it was Miller’s intent or just my interpretation, but it seems he's portraying Gordon as a manipulator of sorts. Gordon has sensed that Bruce wants to resume the role of Batman and, in a very underhanded way, tries to keep him in check by subtly reminding him of the tragic fate of Jason (the last Robin), and of his estrangement with Dick (original Robin). When Gordon asks “Spoken to Dick lately?” Bruce replies “Not for seven years, Jim. You know that.” (emphasis mine).

From an artistic perspective, this page struck a nerve with me the first time I read it and long before I knew anything about owning original art. I recall being a young artist back in 1986, and marveling at the delicacy of the two hands in the first panel, and also being intrigued by the lighting of the faces in the next three. Klaus Janson’s inks on this page are him at his finest and that really matters to me. Rumor has it that Janson fell behind on the inking chores and, by book three, had recruited assistants to help him (surprisingly, Todd McFarlane has reported that he was one of those assistants). Any cursory analysis of the art clearly shows a change in style after book two. I’m of the opinion that books one and two have far superior inks and have a strong preference for those pages, which is why it was such a thrill for me to be able to obtain this one (Frank Miller pencils, Klaus Janson inks.)

Found this French video on youtube which discusses Miller's Dark Knight. Pay attention and you will see this page (either 53 seconds into it or 2:08 left to go - depending how your counter is set).

Mama's Needlepoints

2007-09-18T21:03:00.000-07:00

Mama Marine was my father's mother (born Josephine Piazza on April 12, 1911 in Brooklyn, NY). She was a first generation Italian-American and every family member, no matter what their relation, called her "Mama".

Mama was a great cook, and loved to play the organ (she loved opera, and adored Luciano Pavarotti). Her other passion was her needlepoint work. There was never a time, in all the years that I knew her, when she wasn't working on one piece or another (or several at once). Every relative had one or more of her needlepoints hanging on their walls so that, no matter whose family you were visiting, there was always a wonderful needlepoint to enjoy.

The beautiful needlepoint pictured above, which recreates a famous tapestry hanging in the Musée de Cluny in Paris, is one of her larger works at approximately 40 x 32 inches (click for larger image). Her version hangs above my bed.

About The Original Tapestry - "Smell"

The Lady and the Unicorn tapestry, discovered in 1841 by Prosper Mérimée in Boussac castle, then the subprefect of the Creuse, became an immediate legend thanks to the works of George Sand. Purchased in 1882 by Edmond Du Sommerard, it was the subject of studies which identified its origin, iconography, and style. The tapestry is complete with its six pieces. Five of them illustrate each of the five senses. Fabulous animals, the lion and the unicorn, wear armour which identifies the sponsor as Jean Le Viste, a powerful personage close to King Charles VII. Familiar animals, a rabbit, birds, a monkey, inhabit the background of the tapestries and create a dream-like universe.

"Smell" : the Lady is making a flower chain. Behind her, the monkey once again provides the key to this allegory: he is inhaling the perfume of a rose he stole from her basket.

This Old House

2007-09-18T03:08:00.000-07:00

This is the house I grew up in, located at 62-58 83rd Place, in Middle Village New York (click for larger image). My Great-Grandparents purchased the house in the late 1930's and it remained in the family up until about 2000. The source of this photograph is the City of New York who, between 1939 and 1941, took pictures of every structure in the five boroughs for the purpose of assessing property tax. More information here: http://www.nyc.gov/html/records/html/taxphotos/home.shtml

CFA-APA 62 - The Chase

2007-09-18T01:21:00.001-07:00

My first article for the CFA-APA was published in issue 62. You can read my submission by clicking on the image.

I am a HUGE John Byrne fan but...

2007-09-18T01:08:00.000-07:00

I still laugh out loud every time I look at this (click image for larger view). To experience JB to the fullest, check out http://www.byrnerobotics.com/ and get it all from the horse's mouth.