The Comic Art Cycle of Life! 0

[Bronty]

21 minutes ago, Drewsky said:

Great Backglass Art Bronty! I have 3 Pinball machines at home, all EM, all 1970s. 

Thanks!    EMs are great and I think you’d enjoy seeing some of the Bally Williams backglass art if you ever get a chance to see some.   They really took their time on them.    I think all the EM art was black and white and is destroyed so far as I know.

Edited December 16, 2019 by Bronty

[vodou]

2 hours ago, Drewsky said:

all EM, all 1970s.

Whatcha got? My present single pin is one of the last gasp EMs - Neptune

[Drewsky]

1972 Williams Superstar, 1972 Bally El Toro, 1975 Gottlieb Top Score. Top Score is my favorite. I have a list of others I want to get someday. 

[The Cimmerians Purse]

you guys should stop being so mean to Anal Eyes... a very misunderstood character! 

[The Cimmerians Purse]

I think a piece like this suffers from the old: "I'm starting to get truly expensive, so my current owner might be thinking about using me to flip into a real 'show piece' kind of art."

I do like Buscema, but for my money... 

from his art: I'd much rather have a great Conan cover. That would be THE keeper for me. 

from FF: I cant afford a Kirby Cover, and so If i were trying to spend big, but not out of reach huge, money on a FF four piece.. I'd go with a nice Kirby panel page over a Buscema cover. 

anyway just my two cents... not trying to over analize this one and leave a bad smell in the room 

[stinkininkin]

On 12/14/2019 at 11:23 AM, delekkerste said:

So, I saw that the Fantastic Four #118 cover is for sale at Romitaman.com (Mike Burkey).  It is a very nice cover that I used to own.  I mentioned this to some friends and, it turns out, between the 3 of us, we were able to piece together much of the cover's provenance over the past 16 years.  

Early 2006 - the piece is owned by Collector "M", who I believe is now in his 50s and flips a lot of art on eBay

August 2006 - the piece is traded to dealer Albert Moy (also now in his 50s)  

somewhere between 2006-08 - the piece is sold on eBay for $10K (buyer unknown)

2008 - Piece resells on Heritage for $10,755 to Collector "S" (I'm guessing he's in his late 40s, but, in any case, has been inactive for many years)

At some point by 2011 it ends up with dealer Saul Zimmerman (I think he's still in his 50s but not sure)

At some point between 2012 and 2014 it ends up with Collector "J" (whose identity wasn't revealed to me)

In 2014, it ends up with dealer Mike Burkey (who is in his 50s) and sells to me (late 40s)

In 2016, I decide it doesn't fit in my collection and I sell it to Collector "P" (who is in his 50s)

Not sure if it bounces around in-between, but, in 2019, it's back with Mike Burkey

And there you have it...the comic art circle of life, as seen through the lens of a John Buscema FF cover.   

It's interesting not only to see the piece changing hands this many times (not sure why, I think it's really nice), but, also that it doesn't appear to be destined to land in the hands of a younger collector anytime soon.  It seems to keep bouncing around between people who were born in the 1960s and read comics in the '70s (aside from a couple of short-term holds by myself and another '80s-era collector).  

Just thought it was interesting that we were able to piece together so much of the piece's recent ownership...people can draw their own conclusions from the fact pattern. 

Meaning no disrespect to current of former owner, but the FF 118 doesn't do a thing for me.  Zero interest, and this is the period I started reading FF where the nostalgia is strong for me.  Now, if the cover to FF 116, just two issues earlier, ever became available (doubtful) it would be a completely different story and the price would reflect that.  Sometimes art moves around because it's just not very good and is a placeholder, regardless of it's era.