Grant Turner

I’ve been keeping my eye out for a Ditko page in the ‘61-‘86 time frame. Very pleased to have found this at CAF’s Comic Art Live! plus, I love Mr Hyde so that’s just the icing on the cake

That’s me too! It’s all gravy now! (and you’re spot on. With prices as they are, it’s much easier to look and admire than look and desire)

About 8 years ago I sold my comic book collection to devote my full attention to comic art. I managed to raise about some decent money and used it to pretty good effect. I acquired some great pieces, and some pieces I liked but didn’t love. Those pages I used to trade up. Some trades I made huge gains, some were loses, but I was able to continue to refine and grow the collection and now have about 2x what I started with in art. But flash forward to the present, and the truth is, I love everything I have. I no longer have anything I’d want to offer up for a trade. And now here’s the thing. With no trade options, and not being independently wealthy, I now have anywhere between $500- $2500 I would be willing/able to spend on art. As the hobby gets pricier and pricier, that might, but 9 times out of 10, probably won’t, be enough to get the pieces I want (I collect Silver and Bronze Age Marvel). Obviously, deals are still out there, but I’ll need to be vigilant and more than a little lucky to keep my collection growing. All that to say, I’m actually content with what I’ve amassed. I’ve got some real cool first appearance pages. Pages by all of my favorite artists. It’s a small but mighty collection. What about you guys? As you find yourself priced out of the hobby are you happy with what you’ve got? (here’s a link to my CAF page If you want to see what I’ve got) https://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryDetail.asp?GCat=130820

I bought a Ditko Daredevil 235 page featuring Mr Hyde, that I felt was reasonably priced (and I’ve been wanting a Ditko, Marvel, pre 90’s page for my collection) the page right before it in the book, featuring the same characters and almost identical in layout and design, sold on heritage a month ago for twice what I paid for mine, so I think the seller was being fair so I’m pretty happy!

One of my favorites in my collection!

November 2020, two pages from Amazing Spider-Man Annual 16 sold on Heritage for $2800 apiece. April 2022, a page from the same book sold on eBay for over $11,000

There is obviously a Spider-Man premium, but this seems to be the highest priced Ayers solo panel page ever, and there’s still 9 days to go. Technically only spider’s 8th appearance so probably a steal even at that price

I had a 20k+ item I debated about selling on comiclink. I just worried it wouldn’t clear $25k and after fees I’d end up around 22k i opted for heritage and it sold for 32, and they waived sellers fees so I cleared 25k still not sure if I was right, but that was my thought process. A similar page (maybe even a better page same artist, same era) sold last week right at 25k (on CLink) but then I sold several $500-$5000 pieces on CLink’s last auction, and they all performed where I was hoping with the lower sellers fee netting me 10% more. so, all that to say, price point may be an issue, timing is likely an issue, and other non controllables. maybe if I have another 20k+ page I go back to heritage, but CLink certainly won my respect this last time around (although it took to the literal last second for every page to trip its target!)

I had two items for sale in tonight’s auction. Both were majorly underselling until the last second, then each just nudged over where I was hoping they’d go. Phew… (but oh man, the stress)

Picked this up from Paul Pelletier’s website. As some of you can probably concur, good Alpha Flight art is hard to come by. So this definitely caught my eye. I’m a big Puck fan too, so that made this a must have!

I’m always heartbroken by the idea of something getting lost, or displaced, and then eventually thrown in some lost and found pile or a landfill… I hope this one is found, it deserves better

Luke Cage Hero for Hire 2 pg 20 by Tuska and Graham Got this in from the last big Heritage auction. I’ve been hunting for a page from this book (particularly one with Claire, in her first appearance) for some time! I was really happy to pick it up, and for less than I was prepared to go for it! lovely early Luke Cage

On a positive note, I just won a page that I’ve wanted, from a book where I’ve seen other pages, on dealer websites, go for more than 1000-1500 more (I know all pages aren’t created equally, but I was prepared to spend $2,500 and got it for $1,500) so there are still opportunities out there, but man it requires patience! (probably didn’t hurt that it was late in the day on Sunday too…)

Unpublished Bob McLeod Rahne Sinclair (Wolfsbane) sketch

“1) silver Age page featuring Mr Fantastic (doesn’t have to be by Kirby, but the earlier the better) 2) sliver Age (Marvel) Ditko page” I actually knocked #1 off of my list! I got a Strange Tales 106 page (tied with ASM 1 and FF 12 as Reed’s 15th appearance)

Just arrived. Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe- Mr Fantastic by Byrne and Rubinstein my favorite hero, my favorite artist in the 80’s. Very excited to have tracked this down (and it’s huge. As published the art image is about 3-4” tall, as drawn its almost a foot tall!)

I bought an early Young Avengers page with the whole team on it, for what I considered a fair price. I’ve been looking for awhile without much luck so I was happy to find it here!

The best $20 (ended up being around $35 with shipping) I ever spent was for this Pasqual Ferry preliminary sketch for the first appearance of Kid Loki

Yes. Sorry, it was from an email they sent out.

Purchased in august for 3.8k offered now for nearly 10x that!!!!! KIRBY, JACK / JOHN ROMITA - Tales Of Suspense #77 pg 7 1st & only full SA appearance - Peggy Carter + Howard Stark prototype 1966 - $37,500

A huge pickup for me. Defenders 100 is easily in my top three favorite stories, and I’ve been looking for a page from it ever since I started the hobby. much thanks to Scott Kress for reaching out to me! Defenders 100 pg 6 by Perlin and Sinnott

I’ve seen many use the distinction “birth page” for the very first page the character appears vs “first appearance page” which is a page from the book where the character first appears yours sounds to be a definite first appearance page. Whether it’s the birth page could be debated

Got this in today. Avengers 47 pg 7 by Buscema/Tuska. first appearance of Dane Whitman this is a big one for me, Dane is a huge favorite of mine!

Arrived just in time for Joe Sinnott’s birthday yesterday. West Coast Avengers # 1 pg 21 pencils by Al Milgrom inks by joltin’ Joe! I loved this book as a kid so it’s nice to have a page as an old man!

Any guess on how high this might go? Key book. Major 1st appearance. Complete story. https://comics.ha.com/itm/original-comic-art/don-heck-tales-of-suspense-50-complete-13-page-story-the-hands-of-the-mandarin-original-total-13-/p/7248-155002.s