Comic Connect Question 0

[Siege Perilous]

As someone just really starting to jump into this hobby and is trying out a lot of the main OA sites for the first time I'm finding myself with a few questions. For those of you that use ComicConnect can you save comic art to your Want List? It looks like it's only set up for actual comic issues?

Any help would be great. Thanks!

[Flambit]

I find Comic Connect so unbelievably difficult to navigate for original art that I don't even consider them a serious alternative to Heritage or Comic Link.  They seem to be totally geared towards comics sales and OA is sort of a distant after thought that their database seems totally ill equipped to handle.  There was a thread not too long ago about this.  

I understand the recent Berk auction did well, and more power to them, but I think that was more based on the incredible firepower of the material at hand rather than the reputation of the auction house itself.  

It's a shame, because I'd love to see a third really strong auction house step up, and I thought once maybe Comic Connect might be that one.  But not in their current form, I don't think.  

[rrichards]

6 hours ago, Flambit said:

I find Comic Connect so unbelievably difficult to navigate for original art that I don't even consider them a serious alternative to Heritage or Comic Link.  They seem to be totally geared towards comics sales and OA is sort of a distant after thought that their database seems totally ill equipped to handle.  There was a thread not too long ago about this.  

I understand the recent Berk auction did well, and more power to them, but I think that was more based on the incredible firepower of the material at hand rather than the reputation of the auction house itself.  

It's a shame, because I'd love to see a third really strong auction house step up, and I thought once maybe Comic Connect might be that one.  But not in their current form, I don't think.  

I used to feel the same way about their site but once I figured it out it was pretty easy . To search for original art by artist  just hit "Art/Memorabilia on the left ,then when that screen pops up ,hit "refine search" ,then choose the artist from the scroll ,hit "search" and you will find all they have to offer in art from that artist.

I think the "Berk Collection"auction firmly established them as that third option and I will be keeping a closer eye on their upcoming auctions in the future.

Edited July 13, 2017 by rrichards

[cstojano]

I wonder how often the art inventory is checked. The Frazetta DD5 prelim has been listed for some time, just sold at auction at CLink, but is still listed on the CC site. I don't know what that means.

[Catwoman_Fan]

10 hours ago, Flambit said:

I find Comic Connect so unbelievably difficult to navigate for original art that I don't even consider them a serious alternative to Heritage or Comic Link.  They seem to be totally geared towards comics sales and OA is sort of a distant after thought that their database seems totally ill equipped to handle.  There was a thread not too long ago about this.  

I understand the recent Berk auction did well, and more power to them, but I think that was more based on the incredible firepower of the material at hand rather than the reputation of the auction house itself.  

It's a shame, because I'd love to see a third really strong auction house step up, and I thought once maybe Comic Connect might be that one.  But not in their current form, I don't think.  

I am in complete agreement, and heard the same from friends who frequent Heritage and Comiclink.  Their site design is such a turnoff, I don't bother browsing their auctions.  I also feel like they post a lot of production materials, that is not of interest to me. 

 

[vodou]

I'm in the camp of don't even bother to look. If I miss a grail (ha) so be it, I'll buy from the flipper later. I actually did -once- look and find something, a color guide for something very obscure but important to me, and proceeded to be big up to a ridiculous amount for it. (Final hammer remains a head-scratcher.) But whatever, I won it and knew lightning wouldn't strike twice.

[JadeGiant]

14 hours ago, Flambit said:

I find Comic Connect so unbelievably difficult to navigate for original art that I don't even consider them a serious alternative to Heritage or Comic Link.  

This. And then I later found out that a piece I would have bid much higher than it closed at .... and I was disappointed that I didn't wade through the muck to look for hidden gems. 

[Flambit]

13 hours ago, rrichards said:

I used to feel the same way about their site but once I figured it out it was pretty easy . To search for original art by artist  just hit "Art/Memorabilia on the left ,then when that screen pops up ,hit "refine search" ,then choose the artist from the scroll ,hit "search" and you will find all they have to offer in art from that artist.

Okay, that actually does help a little; that's probably farther than I've gotten on my own.

But this is what I find so totally frustrating about the site. When you pull up "Art/Memorablilia," it brings up the same search criteria you'd expect when looking for comics: min grade, max grade, third party grade.  If you want to only search for covers only, it's shoehorned into the very bottom of the "max grade" search function, and I'm not even sure that will bring up original art covers only anyway: my recent search found nothing (granted, there may be no OA covers listed now).  But that's pretty confusing.  

Not to mention, if you only want splash pages?  No search function available.  Interiors, nope.  And - you have to search individually by each artist.  I can't figure out a way to bring up all the interior pages for all upcoming auctions, or all the splashes. 

I'm not trying to beat up on CC here -- I'm just saying, if they are starting to get some heat from the Berk auction, then why not put a few bucks into reprogramming that aspect of their database?   Why a confusing "Art/Memorabilia" selection and not just a dedicated "Art" choice?  I mean, what exactly is "Memorabilia" and what does it have to do with OA, anyway?  And when you pull up "Art," how about a unique search function window: covers, interiors, splashes.  I don't personally need a function to tell me the min or max grade of my original art.  And allow a search by ALL available, not one artist at a time.  It's just cluttered and confusing and it seems like it could be fixed SOOO easily!  

And this doesn't even start to address the want list function that the original post was about!
 

Edited July 13, 2017 by Flambit
missed a word, added last line

[Twanj]

14 minutes ago, Flambit said:

Okay, that actually does help a little; that's probably farther than I've gotten on my own.

But this is what I find so totally frustrating about the site. When you pull up "Art/Memorablilia," it brings up the same search criteria you'd expect when looking for comics: min grade, max grade, third party grade.  If you want to only search for covers only, it's shoehorned into the very bottom of the "max grade" search function, and I'm not even sure that will bring up original art covers only anyway: my recent search found nothing (granted, there may be no OA covers listed now).  But that's pretty confusing.  

Not to mention, if you only want splash pages?  No search function available.  Interiors, nope.  And - you have to search individually by each artist.  I can't figure out a way to bring up all the interior pages for all upcoming auctions, or all the splashes. 

I'm not trying to beat up on CC here -- I'm just saying, if they are starting to get some heat from the Berk auction, then why not put a few bucks into reprogramming that aspect of their database?   Why a confusing "Art/Memorabilia" selection and not just a dedicated "Art" choice?  I mean, what exactly is "Memorabilia" and what does it have to do with OA, anyway?  And when you pull up "Art," how about a unique search function window: covers, interiors, splashes.  I don't personally need a function to tell me the min or max grade of my original art.  And allow a search by ALL available, not one artist at a time.  It's just cluttered and confusing and it seems like it could be fixed SOOO easily!  

And this doesn't even start to address the want list function that the original post was about!
 

I agree! Art needs to be split out into it's own category.

You can do a search for all the Art/Memorabilia & you'll see what junk's in there..

[Squeezy McSphincter]

I'm another one that doesn't even look.  I'm sure I'm leaving money or some art I'd love on the table, but I don't have it in me to burn my time like that any more.  20 years ago, I'd have appreciated that it chased off buy side competition.  I would imagine that they're investing in some better software, but that's just a guess.

Does anyone know why Jon Berk put his stuff there?  I'm guessing they must have guaranteed a minimum dollar figure, as I can't see them matching CL or HA head on.

[rrichards]

5 hours ago, Bubb Rubb said:

I'm another one that doesn't even look.  I'm sure I'm leaving money or some art I'd love on the table, but I don't have it in me to burn my time like that any more.  20 years ago, I'd have appreciated that it chased off buy side competition.  I would imagine that they're investing in some better software, but that's just a guess.

Does anyone know why Jon Berk put his stuff there?  I'm guessing they must have guaranteed a minimum dollar figure, as I can't see them matching CL or HA head on.

They have all of the tools to be a major player .They have the website (as confusing as it is ),they advertise and  have an impressive midtown office here in Manhattan.They publish decent catalogs and seem to have a presence at most conventions . I also know that they received a lot of publicity ,print and television ,in connection with the Berk Collection in the NY area. I agree that most of the buzz surrounded the comics auctioned but if they can keep the momentum  going they can and should become major players .Perhaps the Berk Estate recognized that fact and it seems to have worked out for them. 

They have another major auction coming up in August/September ,so let's see what happens.

 

Edited July 14, 2017 by rrichards

[vodou]

1 hour ago, rrichards said:

They publish decent catalogs and seem to have a presence at most conventions .

Catalogs? What catalogs? I'm on every mailing list in the hobby and a hundred or more outside (fine art), I get more than one 'sumpthin' in the mail every day. But nothing from CC. Ever. Maybe it's because I'm not a Metropolis collector? It's a shame, but maybe I don't need another catalog...save the money printing those for a season or two and instead ripoff the site design of HA, Sotheby's or Christie's...then I'll bother to dig and find to things to bid on.

Conventions? Who goes to those anymore to actually buy things?

Clearly a grouchy old man rant here. So just fade me...

[Siege Perilous]

While I certainly agree that ComicConnect is not user friendly for the finding OA as it does seem to be geared towards buying high grade comics. My question still stands, is there a way to create want lists for the OA to avoid having to go in and check the site regularly?

[rrichards]

It looks like they have a decent selection of Kirby art in their upcoming event auction which includes some pages that I've offered them . Hey,let's see what happens . I'll let you guys know how it turns out !

http://www.comicconnect.com/bookSearch.php?pageNum=0&pageSize=&adv_search_pos=&order=&sort=asc&display=list&set=&front_image=&price=&mod_date=&style=&searchType=advanced&title=&issue=&comments=&stock_type=-1&publisher=&genre=&creator=5&pedigree=&grade_min=0&grade_max=0&listing_type=&runSearch=Search