• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Best of 2020..... less than a day left
1 1

30 posts in this topic

The "Best Of" competition provides CAF Collector's the opportunity to highlight their 5 most important acquisitions from the prior year. After the submission period ends, CAF's community votes on the artworks that they feel are the most compelling from the seven possible categories and once the voting period closes we tally the results to see which artworks are awarded the Best of 2020. There are no real awards at this time - only the prestige of being recognized by your peers. Maybe one day there will be! 

The annual "Best Of" competition has been hosted on ComicArtFans.com for many years in the Lowry Gallery. For a brief history of the Lowry Gallery please click here. When the Best Of began it was only available to Lowry members, but starting in 2020 the competition is now open to all CAF Members. Those Members who choose to participate will be able to submit up to 5 "Best Of" entries which keeps this in line with the Lowry's original mission of highlighting the best artworks in your collection, and voting for all 10 categories begins on 1/18/2021.

Posting Entries Begins: Jan 9th
Posting Ends: Sunday, Jan 17th at 11:59 PM EST
Voting starts Monday, January 18th
Voting end Sunday, January 31st at 11:59 PM EST


The 10 Categories:

  1. Published/Unpublished Comic Book Covers
  2. Published/Unpublished Comic Book Splashes, Title Pages
  3. Published/Unpublished Interior Panel Pages
  4. Published/Unpublished Comic Book Pin-Ups, Illustrations, Trading Cards 
  5. Published/Unpublished Strip Art
  6. Published/Unpublished Commissions/Recreations
  7. Unpublished Sketch Covers/Convention Sketches
  8. Published/Unpublished Media artwork (Music, TV, Movie)
  9. Published/Unpublished Non-Comic Covers, Pin-ups, Illustrations, Gaming Art 
  10. Published/Unpublished Other


If you are logged into CAF, Click Here to Submit Your Top 5 Pieces from 2020!

You'll be able to Preview the submissions to the Best of 2020 Here!

Edited by Brian Peck
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Done!

 

For the most part, this was a pretty easy decision for me, but as usual I had 6 that I wanted to put up, but only 5 slots. Sigh… (#firstworldproblems :) )

Here are my entries:
 
Young Romance #1 by Alex Johnson and Thom Zahler
Published/Unpublished Comic Book Covers
Yes, I own the original art to the first issue of a comic book cover! Of course, it’s a comic book that I plotted and funded, but what they heck, it was published by Maerkle Press (Thom’s company)!
If you are curious, you can read the full story by clicking on the link in the CAF Description.
image.png.0c45d216825890f6a842066ed90f77e3.png

JL8 266 p. 3 of 3 - Beat down! by Yale Stewart

Published/Unpublished Strip Art
One of my favorite strips of all time is JL8 by Yale Stewart and I bought this climatic strip from his last JL8 story because it is a hoot. Karen and Diana are going to make Lex and his friends have a very bad day. As usual, you can read more about it on the CAF Description.
 
image.png.1131573872ea0ea07fe4a1b667c7e4b6.png

Cruella de Vil by Aaron Lopresti

Published/Unpublished Commissions/Recreations
This one is my wife’s. She loves the Disney bad girls with Cruella, the Evil Queen, and Maleficent at the top of the list. She has an Evil Queen so I guess you can figure out next year’s Christmas present. :) Read more here.
image.png.8b20425839280a9eaa7ddf1f7c266929.png

Sugar and Spike 100 Cover featuring Superman by Dave Aikins

Published/Unpublished Commissions/Recreations
Probably my favorite addition of the year and probably the best faux Sugar and Spike #100 Cover in existence! It’s also no where near the most expensive piece I bought this year. I just love it. You can read more about it and Dave here.
image.png.8f586203934488fd5feabfc6d8ef75ed.png

Hide by Mike Maihack

Published/Unpublished Comic Book Pin-Ups, Illustrations, Gaming Art
This is one of Mike’s Inktober “sketches!” Imagine if he got serious. :) BTW, Mike’s Cleopatra in Space series is in animation on the Peacock Network in it’s third season. Check it out and read more about this piece here.
 
image.png.e1cc5b6c2af6e20a2e317097cb0297c8.png
 
Honorable Mention:
Though I really like all the pieces that I bought this year especially the three (3!) other faux S&S covers, the one that I almost picked for the completion was this depiction of my bride as a vampire by Tom Mandrake. It was a KS perk. You can read the full tale here.
image.png.a128a36c406d1dbaab85c5d99b61b720.png

 
Thanks to Brian Peck and Bill Cox for continuing this tradition of allowing us to share our favorite pieces for the year and see those that we most likely missed from the collections of others.
 
 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Category placement question: I am putting this cartoon from Pia Guerra (of YTLM fame) into the "Published/Unpublished Strip Art" category for Best Of 2020, but debating if it should be in "Other" or "Commission". It is a line-by-line commissioned ink recreation (from EmeraldCon this year) of one of her digitally-created editorial cartoons (published on IG and Twitter), which were then assembled into a printed collection from Image Comics called Me the People.

Any guidance? Is it a strip if its an multi-panel editorial cartoon? If it's a recreation of a published digital-only piece, is it published or just a commission? 

Bob

Pia cartoon.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, Sideshow Bob said:

Category placement question: I am putting this cartoon from Pia Guerra (of YTLM fame) into the "Published/Unpublished Strip Art" category for Best Of 2020, but debating if it should be in "Other" or "Commission". It is a line-by-line commissioned ink recreation (from EmeraldCon this year) of one of her digitally-created editorial cartoons (published on IG and Twitter), which were then assembled into a printed collection from Image Comics called Me the People.

Any guidance? Is it a strip if its an multi-panel editorial cartoon? If it's a recreation of a published digital-only piece, is it published or just a commission? 

Bob

Pia cartoon.jpg

I would put it into the commission and recreation since you mentioned its a physical recreation of digital artwork.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Five Movie Poster original paintings (in date order) posted to the 'Published/Unpublished Media artwork (Music, TV, Movie)' category.

THE PASSIONATE FRIENDS (1949) movie poster painting - artist unknown:

vgKBSsxe_1403201844311gpadd.thumb.jpg.62cd69e41fce99cb510f16584efd8cfa.jpg

 

WORLD IN MY CORNER (1956) - movie poster painting by Reynold Brown:

ESOGMiri_2907201006081sbpi.thumb.jpg.f466d20c2b4b163ba099d202a2f75119.jpg

 

A DAY OF FURY (1956) movie poster painting - artist unknown:

UX7cR6PP_0403201803431gpadd.thumb.jpg.735136a942935a218392379a039b3efb.jpg

 

THE VICTORS (1963) - movie poster painting by Renato Fratini:

C1lbPpi6_0203201345481sbpi.thumb.jpg.090c8021154e6ac402d75dd09997ea43.jpg

 

MANCHE MOGENS PRALL (1981) unused movie poster painting design - artist unknown:

FRK8yveJ_0312201251221gpadd.jpg.1c3a2d2eb3730a8880c8f92398a3afa2.jpg

 

I don't really see the point of adding any also-rans, so I'll leave it at my five submissions.

 

 

Edited by The Voord
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Let's roll and thanks all for reading and voting for me! :-)

 

Sandman - Mark Hempel - The Wake

Not a big fan of his work, but on this page D'Isreali is perfect and covers all Mark's flaws. Hob Gadling is a plus.

 

1075640574_HempelMark-Sandman59.png.2df889d743e3277f8f96266ef82aff2d.png

 

Sandman - Shawn McManus - A Game of You

Got this piece from a black hole collector. A very nice page, featuring Dream receiving the dying world after the Cuckoo has flown away/died (Gaiman loves this run even if it's the less preferred by readers. There is a run on Fables which is almost a perfect copy of this one, when Therese travles to the broken toys land).

 

1683345646_McManusShawn-Sandman36.thumb.jpg.af81dcff5bbce40ae1371df451e838e4.jpg

 

Preacher - Steve Dillon - Proud Americans

Nothing else to say here with Tulip and Jesse. A big shot of Jesse with a cig. Just before kicking some Grail's . Ennis and Dillon at their best.

1185156798_DillonSteve-Preacher20.thumb.jpg.584e6c3427870314c3cd3326018598c3.jpg

 

Darwyn Cooke - The New Frontier

The only other artist who draws better women than Darwyn is Dave Stevens. Wonder Woman is resting when Superman (that tiny spot in the sky in the second panel) arrives, bringing bad news. It's for my wife.

1425712524_CookeDarwyn-TheNewFrontier4pag28.jpg.2eeda8bb0380807071eeea30de72ee9e.jpg

Hellboy Makoma pin up - Mike Mignola

Got this one during the first CAF live. Had to sell one huge Mignola piece, but this one is almost as good as the one I had to let go. The Makoma story is great and wonderfully pencilled by Corben (I wish I had a page...). Hellboy and African animals plus a skeleton.

936259430_MignolaMike-MakomaPinUp.thumb.jpg.999fde8f2e2df8723e9d5086a5d704ba.jpg

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

1) I am a Vertigo guy. Invisibles by Chris Weston. King Mob and Ragged Robin. And Grant Morrison

2132699332_WestonChris-InvisiblesII16.thumb.jpg.da8e259b7f60760a36f4bedce5992067.jpg

 

2) Mike Mignola and Nyberg on Dracula. And the old man is there. Scary.

552912695_MignolaMike-Dracula4.thumb.jpg.63d6a8bafe5edebb94e35dcd0063b747.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Doctor Strange Surgeon Supreme #7 cancelled cover
Artist: Max Fiumara (All)

La6jpJ3I_2904202024221gpadd.jpg

Doctor Strange 6 p. 24 The Mordo Chronicles part 1 (Aug 1989)
Artist: Tom Sutton (All)

vd8ICU9p_2403201642001gpadd.jpg

Fantastic Four 27 p. 28 (June 1964) 1st Dr Strange Cross-over
Artists: Jack Kirby (Penciller) ,  George Roussos (Inker)

DR2qb2pN_1302201515591gpadd.jpg

"Dr Strange Gets Lost on His Way to the Surrealist's Convention" P. Craig Russell (1983)

EmUzqhAC_0201201900531gpadd.jpg

Ultimate Marvel Team-up 13 p. 19 (April 2002)
Artist: Ted McKeever (All)

Cut0IGA1_2810202013161gpadd.jpg

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks again for Bill and Brian for organizing this, as well as all the participants.  Here are my selections and runner ups.  

CAF Link to all here

1. Covers - Frank Quitely All Star Superman Wizard Cover

Even though I'm more of a Batman fan, I thought Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's All Star Superman was the best Superman story since Alan Moore's Supreme so I'm glad to get this cover

Azm4meyi_2309201351101gpadd.jpg

2. Splashes - John Cassaday Captain America Splash

When I first saw Cassday's Captain America covers, it was so striking that it led me to read the storyline.  I had to flip the page upside down but I'm glad to finally get a page image from his run!

VayAFJKu_1510201323361gpadd.jpg

 

3. Panel Pages - Alan Moore and Klaus Janson Green Arrow and Black Canary page

One of the rare Alan Moore big 2 superhero story.  I guess everyone was trying to look like Neal Adams back then.  And of course everyone loves fishnets!

qEdhqXJN_3011201334511gpadd.jpg

4. Recreations - Gerry Talaco Hulk 340 (vs. Wolverine) Cover Recreation

One of my few themes are recreations or reinterpretations of the iconic Hulk 340 cover by artists I associate with Hulk or Wolverine.  This is so striking! The colours just popped out at me

5Q7a8KyC_241220213931lola.jpg

5. Other - Mike Grell Green Arrow Longbow Hunter Omnibus Cover Prelim

I love how this cover encapsulates the Green Arrow Longbow Hunters series!

SNdVxmak_1602201133471gpadd.jpg

And here are runners ups:

1st runner up - Ian Gibson Judge Anderson Page

2nd runner up - JR JR Man without Fear Miniseries Elektra full splash

3rd runner up - Walt Simonson X-Factor page

Thanks for looking

Malvin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have had a great turn out so far a good number of entries. If you haven't entered yet you still have time another four days until the entry window closes.

 

If you are logged into CAF, Click Here to Submit Your Top 5 Pieces from 2020!

You'll be able to Preview the submissions to the Best of 2020 Here!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
1 1