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New to OA Collecting, Advice, tips?
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1,154 posts in this topic

If its not on comicartfans.com then you may be out of luck.

 

I know it's been a while since we've discussed the "old school" hard core collector mentality vs the newer crop of collectors but this statement highlights one of the main differences. You can find anything if you really want to. CAF and eBay and Heritage have made being a lazy collector easy. I'm lazy too and use these tools a lot. That's just what they are to me though, tools. If you really want something you have to be determined and creative in your search. Example:

 

I never really had what I consider a "grail". I love too many things and no one piece stood out. Still, I made it a point to try to figure out what one piece stood out in my memory the most as a kid and go after that. That was DC Comics Presents #24 (Superman/Deadman). I decided I wanted the cover. I never had comics as a kid and I remember my dad getting me this one to read on an airplane. After reading this I started reading other DC titles and got on the Perez New Teen Titans bandwagon and it was all downhill from there for my allowance.

 

So, I started my search and amazingly enough I couldn't find a single person that had ever seen it much less had an inkling where it might be. I spoke to the artists, the artists reps at the time, people at DC, every 70s and 80s collector I could find as well as every forum I knew of. Nothing. It took over 13 years but I finally saw a picture of the bottom right corner of the cover in the background of a picture from a German comic book convention with a Superman theme. I tracked down the show promoter, worked with him to figure out the dealer based on the position of the different tables and found the owner was a comic book dealer in Austria. Wrangled a phone number (and interpreter) and spoke to the owner. In the end he was happy with the cover and wouldn't sell it. He would however TRADE it for only ONE cover. An Ernie Chan Batman cover that once again, no one has seen since it was created. Maybe in another 13 years I'll find that and finish my trade.

 

Needless to say if I adopted the "If its not on comicartfans.com then you may be out of luck" mentality I never would have found it. Also, I would have never uncovered a lot of the art I currently have (including most recently my KK Sunday) and I'd pay way more than I normally do. I know many other collectors that feel the same way.

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If its not on comicartfans.com then you may be out of luck.

 

I know it's been a while since we've discussed the "old school" hard core collector mentality vs the newer crop of collectors but this statement highlights one of the main differences. You can find anything if you really want to. CAF and eBay and Heritage have made being a lazy collector easy. I'm lazy too and use these tools a lot. That's just what they are to me though, tools. If you really want something you have to be determined and creative in your search. Example:

 

I never really had what I consider a "grail". I love too many things and no one piece stood out. Still, I made it a point to try to figure out what one piece stood out in my memory the most as a kid and go after that. That was DC Comics Presents #24 (Superman/Deadman). I decided I wanted the cover. I never had comics as a kid and I remember my dad getting me this one to read on an airplane. After reading this I started reading other DC titles and got on the Perez New Teen Titans bandwagon and it was all downhill from there for my allowance.

 

So, I started my search and amazingly enough I couldn't find a single person that had ever seen it much less had an inkling where it might be. I spoke to the artists, the artists reps at the time, people at DC, every 70s and 80s collector I could find as well as every forum I knew of. Nothing. It took over 13 years but I finally saw a picture of the bottom right corner of the cover in the background of a picture from a German comic book convention with a Superman theme. I tracked down the show promoter, worked with him to figure out the dealer based on the position of the different tables and found the owner was a comic book dealer in Austria. Wrangled a phone number (and interpreter) and spoke to the owner. In the end he was happy with the cover and wouldn't sell it. He would however TRADE it for only ONE cover. An Ernie Chan Batman cover that once again, no one has seen since it was created. Maybe in another 13 years I'll find that and finish my trade.

 

Needless to say if I adopted the "If its not on comicartfans.com then you may be out of luck" mentality I never would have found it. Also, I would have never uncovered a lot of the art I currently have (including most recently my KK Sunday) and I'd pay way more than I normally do. I know many other collectors that feel the same way.

 

great story

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If its not on comicartfans.com then you may be out of luck.

 

I know it's been a while since we've discussed the "old school" hard core collector mentality vs the newer crop of collectors but this statement highlights one of the main differences. You can find anything if you really want to. CAF and eBay and Heritage have made being a lazy collector easy. I'm lazy too and use these tools a lot. That's just what they are to me though, tools. If you really want something you have to be determined and creative in your search. Example:

 

I never really had what I consider a "grail". I love too many things and no one piece stood out. Still, I made it a point to try to figure out what one piece stood out in my memory the most as a kid and go after that. That was DC Comics Presents #24 (Superman/Deadman). I decided I wanted the cover. I never had comics as a kid and I remember my dad getting me this one to read on an airplane. After reading this I started reading other DC titles and got on the Perez New Teen Titans bandwagon and it was all downhill from there for my allowance.

 

So, I started my search and amazingly enough I couldn't find a single person that had ever seen it much less had an inkling where it might be. I spoke to the artists, the artists reps at the time, people at DC, every 70s and 80s collector I could find as well as every forum I knew of. Nothing. It took over 13 years but I finally saw a picture of the bottom right corner of the cover in the background of a picture from a German comic book convention with a Superman theme. I tracked down the show promoter, worked with him to figure out the dealer based on the position of the different tables and found the owner was a comic book dealer in Austria. Wrangled a phone number (and interpreter) and spoke to the owner. In the end he was happy with the cover and wouldn't sell it. He would however TRADE it for only ONE cover. An Ernie Chan Batman cover that once again, no one has seen since it was created. Maybe in another 13 years I'll find that and finish my trade.

 

Needless to say if I adopted the "If its not on comicartfans.com then you may be out of luck" mentality I never would have found it. Also, I would have never uncovered a lot of the art I currently have (including most recently my KK Sunday) and I'd pay way more than I normally do. I know many other collectors that feel the same way.

 

I would be dropping that dealer an email or phone call every 8 months or so....It's all about the "timing"....Jut catching him at a point where he needs/wants to sell it...

 

On a side note....they have comic dealers in Austria ?! .. :o

 

 

:jokealert:

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If its not on comicartfans.com then you may be out of luck.

 

I know it's been a while since we've discussed the "old school" hard core collector mentality vs the newer crop of collectors but this statement highlights one of the main differences. You can find anything if you really want to. CAF and eBay and Heritage have made being a lazy collector easy. I'm lazy too and use these tools a lot. That's just what they are to me though, tools. If you really want something you have to be determined and creative in your search. Example:

 

I never really had what I consider a "grail". I love too many things and no one piece stood out. Still, I made it a point to try to figure out what one piece stood out in my memory the most as a kid and go after that. That was DC Comics Presents #24 (Superman/Deadman). I decided I wanted the cover. I never had comics as a kid and I remember my dad getting me this one to read on an airplane. After reading this I started reading other DC titles and got on the Perez New Teen Titans bandwagon and it was all downhill from there for my allowance.

 

So, I started my search and amazingly enough I couldn't find a single person that had ever seen it much less had an inkling where it might be. I spoke to the artists, the artists reps at the time, people at DC, every 70s and 80s collector I could find as well as every forum I knew of. Nothing. It took over 13 years but I finally saw a picture of the bottom right corner of the cover in the background of a picture from a German comic book convention with a Superman theme. I tracked down the show promoter, worked with him to figure out the dealer based on the position of the different tables and found the owner was a comic book dealer in Austria. Wrangled a phone number (and interpreter) and spoke to the owner. In the end he was happy with the cover and wouldn't sell it. He would however TRADE it for only ONE cover. An Ernie Chan Batman cover that once again, no one has seen since it was created. Maybe in another 13 years I'll find that and finish my trade.

 

Needless to say if I adopted the "If its not on comicartfans.com then you may be out of luck" mentality I never would have found it. Also, I would have never uncovered a lot of the art I currently have (including most recently my KK Sunday) and I'd pay way more than I normally do. I know many other collectors that feel the same way.

 

all good points CF, and I agree that for newer art some legwork can produce some good results, likewise if you are looking for "key" pieces (covers, important issues, key splashes/reveals) you can certainly jog peoples memories far more easily than me asking people about interior pages from GL #159 a pretty forgettable issue to everyone but a certain 12 year old in florida...

 

I do take your point to heart CAF is just the starting point, its the best starting point, but it is far from the only resource out there...

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With regards to dealers - on the one hand I was hoping to find a "rankings" as it were of dealers, the same as comes out every year in comics general.

 

I always thought it was a bit ballsy to make such a list and have someone you may/probably need to work with and then you put them dead last or so on a public forum. (but I guess there are comic dealers I won't buy from not matter what)

 

But maybe such a list is irrelevant with OA since you can always find another copy of that comic (unless say its a pedigree that you much have) but with OA that's the piece and that deler has it, so it's not like you have choice of who to work with.

 

I have purchased pieces or the main dealers but then was faced with a piece I wanted that is on another dealers site but who also lists them on eBay.

 

As we are emailing about a larger Group purchase I ask what the Direct payment / bank wire cost woud be for a piece. He says cost is Y but for direct payment for you it would be X. I point out that X is the price he has it listed on ebay for as a BIN and he has make an offer, which presumably you would not do if you would not take a bit less. And if someone hits theBIN you are going to loose 3% no matter what. So why not say the price for ou is X -3% at the very least.

 

Makes me wary of working with them when I see such nonsense. But.....they have the piece.

 

Also, being pretty new to this, I see it already has 4 offers which makes me think it's over priced. But....they have the piece, and when it goes that's really annoying.

 

I don't know if this is a general rant or there are tips one can offer in such situations.

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DJ,

I am new too, and have had similar thoughts.

 

For some reason, I feel like in this hobby people are more worried about what it sells for some times, than the $$ they get in their pocket.

 

If something is listed at 3k on ebay, after fees, even if you're a power seller you're going to be charged 11% if you're not a power seller(~9% if they are), plus another 3% of the total for paypal. which winds up being about $420, but in my experience, if you offered $2600 from the website they'll think you're crazy. And they get pinged on shipping charges on ebay too now (which is the biggest scam ever)

 

/rant off

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Is it ok to store my OA in the Itoya portfolios or do I need to get mylars/boards from Bags Unlimited?

 

 

I use both. Anything that cost me more than $100 deserves its own 4 mil mylar and acid free board.

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DJ,

I am new too, and have had similar thoughts.

 

For some reason, I feel like in this hobby people are more worried about what it sells for some times, than the $$ they get in their pocket.

 

If something is listed at 3k on ebay, after fees, even if you're a power seller you're going to be charged 11% if you're not a power seller(~9% if they are), plus another 3% of the total for paypal. which winds up being about $420, but in my experience, if you offered $2600 from the website they'll think you're crazy. And they get pinged on shipping charges on ebay too now (which is the biggest scam ever)

 

/rant off

 

 

Ebay final value fees on auctions are capped at $100, and on fixed price listings it is a graduated scale. For your $3k example, the final value fees on a BIN would be $102.50.

 

Paypal is another $90.

 

So they are getting hit for less than $200 in your example, not $420. That's probably where the crazy look is coming from.

 

The 11% only applies to the first $50 of the sale.

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You're right.

 

Sorry, I forgot they tier their stuff. But BIN's and Stores in general (which I forgot to say I was thinking of) are not capped are they?

 

so in my senario (through the handy dandy fee calculator that ebay has) for 3k with $12 shipping with a store, and no discounts

 

Type of fee Cost

Insertion fee $0.20

Final value fee (on sale price) $102.50

Final value fee (on shipping cost)

$0.24

Discount** on final value fee (on sale price) $-0.00

Total estimated fees $102.94

 

http://pages.ebay.com/sellerinformation/news/Feecalculator.html#

 

 

Thanks, at least now I know I'm the crazy one =)

Edited by Pete Marino
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If its not on comicartfans.com then you may be out of luck.

 

I know it's been a while since we've discussed the "old school" hard core collector mentality vs the newer crop of collectors but this statement highlights one of the main differences. You can find anything if you really want to. CAF and eBay and Heritage have made being a lazy collector easy. I'm lazy too and use these tools a lot. That's just what they are to me though, tools. If you really want something you have to be determined and creative in your search. Example:

 

I never really had what I consider a "grail". I love too many things and no one piece stood out. Still, I made it a point to try to figure out what one piece stood out in my memory the most as a kid and go after that. That was DC Comics Presents #24 (Superman/Deadman). I decided I wanted the cover. I never had comics as a kid and I remember my dad getting me this one to read on an airplane. After reading this I started reading other DC titles and got on the Perez New Teen Titans bandwagon and it was all downhill from there for my allowance.

 

So, I started my search and amazingly enough I couldn't find a single person that had ever seen it much less had an inkling where it might be. I spoke to the artists, the artists reps at the time, people at DC, every 70s and 80s collector I could find as well as every forum I knew of. Nothing. It took over 13 years but I finally saw a picture of the bottom right corner of the cover in the background of a picture from a German comic book convention with a Superman theme. I tracked down the show promoter, worked with him to figure out the dealer based on the position of the different tables and found the owner was a comic book dealer in Austria. Wrangled a phone number (and interpreter) and spoke to the owner. In the end he was happy with the cover and wouldn't sell it. He would however TRADE it for only ONE cover. An Ernie Chan Batman cover that once again, no one has seen since it was created. Maybe in another 13 years I'll find that and finish my trade.

 

Needless to say if I adopted the "If its not on comicartfans.com then you may be out of luck" mentality I never would have found it. Also, I would have never uncovered a lot of the art I currently have (including most recently my KK Sunday) and I'd pay way more than I normally do. I know many other collectors that feel the same way.

 

Awesome story!

 

I'm new to comic art and completely agree! Although I'm new to comic art I have had similar situations with other things. People have to be willing to put in the leg work needed to track down items.

 

Thanks for posting,

 

 

 

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I'm looking for some suggestions on how to store my artwork.

 

I was looking into toploaders, but am having trouble finding sizes.

 

I currently have them all in an itoya art portfolio.

 

The problem is, some of my art measures 11 by 18, and finding 13 by 19 toploaders for them to fit in, is very difficult, only hotlips has them, and they aren't cheap.

 

BCW doesn't sell them.

 

So two questions.

 

1. Does anyone know anywhere else that may carry toploaders?

3. Or can I just buy over-sized toploders for them? Is there any risk in this?

2. Any other suggestions on a way to store the artwork entirely?

Edited by wolf_2099
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I have a double page piece of comic art that has been taped together ( with what I am sure is regular brown marking tape). The piece was done about 6 or 7 years ago.

 

I was wondering

 

A) How harmful is regular Masking Tape?

 

B) Is it worth Removing?

 

C! Any good methods for removal?

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I have a double page piece of comic art that has been taped together ( with what I am sure is regular brown marking tape). The piece was done about 6 or 7 years ago.

 

I was wondering

 

A) How harmful is regular Masking Tape?

 

B) Is it worth Removing?

 

C! Any good methods for removal?

 

My vague and general answers won't help you, but here goes

 

A. It depends, I have some really old pieces with masking tape that look fine, and others that look very yellowed. Maybe one was regular and one was acid free, or maybe "regular" masking tape have different ranges of harmfullness (which might also depend on the paper too)

 

B. It depends again. If you really really like the piece, why take a chance? As for me, I don't want to sound callous, but I use to care more when I had only a few pieces, but since I have a lot more pieces, I don't worry about those things as much.

 

C. A conservator could do it, but when I use to clean up stains and stuff on my pages, I was directed to use rubber cement thinner. It's not magic though, you don't use it and the tape comes up, you have to apply a little at a time and slowly remove.

 

Malvin

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1. Does anyone know anywhere else that may carry toploaders?

3. Or can I just buy over-sized toploders for them? Is there any risk in this?

2. Any other suggestions on a way to store the artwork entirely?

 

Well, the main manufacturer of toploaders nowdays is UltraPro:

 

http://www.ultrapro.com/index.php/cPath/64_67_99

 

But you may need to be a retailer to buy from them.

 

I always purchased my toploaders from TwoBuds:

 

http://www.the2buds.com/surspct.htm

 

...and in general, toploaders are good to have around for when you might ship art or blank pages around, but they're ultimately bulky and perhaps best if your collection is very small. If you have any volume at all (or are planning on expanding your collection) I'd go with Itoya portfolios.

 

Andrew

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I generally think atwork looks best on the wall. It's a shame for so many wonderful pieces to be sitting in a binder in one's closet. My partner is a published artist and she kinda cringes at the idea of her artwork collecting dust in someone's basement or stockroom. She'd rather keep it. Of course, that's not to say her viewpoint is shared by everyone.

 

 

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