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Why is it harder to collect art from the 90s than it should be?
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Bronty's recent poll struck an epiphany for me. My "golden age" of comic reading was between 1990-1996, half of the decade that most people seem to blow off. I've been collecting OA for over 3 years now, and yet, I virtually having nothing in my collection from that era, at least nothing that I actually read the month it was released. Three years of collecting and I still can't find my focus. Do I want to go 90s nostalgia? All vintage? Very modern? Commissions? You get it. I just realized that it's tough to get quality art from the 90s.

 

My top three artists/books I'd love to get examples of are Mike Allred's Madman, Sam Kieth's The Maxx, and Kelley Jones "Bat" art. Madman pages are out there, but they don't pop up very often. But Kieth and James Sinclair have held on to every issue of the Maxx except for #1/2. Jones doesn't let go of his artwork either. And if you're a Jeff Smith Bone fan, you're out of luck. I don't see pages from Terry Moore's Strangers in Paradise.

 

I have trouble finding Knightfall pages, pages from 90s Punisher and Wolverine (the Marc Silverstri stuff). Can't find JRJR Punisher War Journal pages. Nor early Sleepwalker or Darkhawk (I'm already "slumming" it at this point!). Forget "Death of Superman" pages from the issue. I can go on.

 

Yes, there are 90s pages out there, but not with the "historical" quality. Sure, I haven't looked in every nook and cranny nor have I been aggressive trying to pry art from collectors. And certainly you can say, "You can't find the art you're looking for, welcome to the club, buddy!" I just find it odd that for a decade that everyone scoffs at and reviles, you'd think collectors would treat the art as anathema, liquidate it, then use the funds to buy better stuff.

 

I'm wondering if there are any collectors between the ages of 34-42 who grew up during this reading period are having the same trouble as me, and how you've negotiated your collecting focus?

Edited by Jay Olie Espy
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Bronty's recent poll struck an epiphany for me. My "golden age" of comic reading was between 1990-1996, half of the decade that most people seem to blow off. I've been collecting OA for over 3 years now, and yet, I virtually having nothing in my collection from that era, at least nothing that I actually read the month it was released. Three years of collecting and I still can't find my focus. Do I want to go 90s nostalgia? All vintage? Very modern? Commissions? You get it. I just realized that it's tough to get quality art from the 90s.

 

My top three artists/books I'd love to get examples of are Mike Allred's Madman, Sam Kieth's The Maxx, and Kelley Jones "Bat" art. Madman pages are out there, but they don't pop up very often. But Kieth and James Sinclair have held on to every issue of the Maxx except for #1/2. Jones doesn't let go of his artwork either. And if you're a Jeff Smith Bone fan, you're out of luck. I don't see pages from Terry Moore's Strangers in Paradise.

 

I have trouble finding Knightfall pages, pages from 90s Punisher and Wolverine (the Marc Silverstri stuff). Can't find JRJR Punisher War Journal pages. Nor early Sleepwalker or Darkhawk (I'm already "slumming" it at this point!). Forget "Death of Superman" pages from the issue. I can go on.

 

Yes, there are 90s pages out there, but not with the "historical" quality. Sure, I haven't looked in every nook and cranny nor have I been aggressive trying to pry art from collectors. And certainly you can say, "You can't find the art you're looking for, welcome to the club, buddy!" I just find it odd that for a decade that everyone scoffs at and reviles, you'd think collectors would treat the art as anathema, liquidate it, then use the funds to buy better stuff.

 

I'm wondering if there are any collectors between the ages of 34-42 who grew up during this reading period are having the same trouble as me, and how you've negotiated your collecting focus?

 

 

 

You've got (at least) two intersecting phenomena occurring in regards what you're looking for.

 

1) Artists by this time have become more keenly aware of the value of their artwork and the travails of the generation that preceded them in receiving their art returns. They've seen examples of the potential value of their work, even if it was early on in the artwork value cycle.

 

2) The rule of 25 is alive and well. What you want is what everyone wants from your generation of comics appreciation. Pieces may have been sought out already and are now tightly held, and the ones that do pop up will command far more than anyone would assume.

 

That's not even getting into the potentiality of artwork being acquired by fans in the early 90's in the days before everyone having a web presence and forum participation. Perhaps those pages have been snapped up by modern day internet Luddites and you're going to have to go door to door, American Pickers-style, to find them.

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Bronty's recent poll struck an epiphany for me. My "golden age" of comic reading was between 1990-1996, half of the decade that most people seem to blow off. I've been collecting OA for over 3 years now, and yet, I virtually having nothing in my collection from that era, at least nothing that I actually read the month it was released. Three years of collecting and I still can't find my focus. Do I want to go 90s nostalgia? All vintage? Very modern? Commissions? You get it. I just realized that it's tough to get quality art from the 90s.

 

My top three artists/books I'd love to get examples of are Mike Allred's Madman, Sam Kieth's The Maxx, and Kelley Jones "Bat" art. Madman pages are out there, but they don't pop up very often. But Kieth and James Sinclair have held on to every issue of the Maxx except for #1/2. Jones doesn't let go of his artwork either. And if you're a Jeff Smith Bone fan, you're out of luck. I don't see pages from Terry Moore's Strangers in Paradise.

 

I have trouble finding Knightfall pages, pages from 90s Punisher and Wolverine (the Marc Silverstri stuff). Can't find JRJR Punisher War Journal pages. Nor early Sleepwalker or Darkhawk (I'm already "slumming" it at this point!). Forget "Death of Superman" pages from the issue. I can go on.

 

Yes, there are 90s pages out there, but not with the "historical" quality. Sure, I haven't looked in every nook and cranny nor have I been aggressive trying to pry art from collectors. And certainly you can say, "You can't find the art you're looking for, welcome to the club, buddy!" I just find it odd that for a decade that everyone scoffs at and reviles, you'd think collectors would treat the art as anathema, liquidate it, then use the funds to buy better stuff.

 

I'm wondering if there are any collectors between the ages of 34-42 who grew up during this reading period are having the same trouble as me, and how you've negotiated your collecting focus?

Manley put a few of those pieces up on ebay last year, and does so periodically. I was able to get this DPS from him some months back.

 

 

pG3X0smf_0102161732141.jpg

 

 

 

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I know squat about this era but I'd presume the artists kept more because they could afford to and had the power to get them back as well. I'd also presume dealers scooped up large quantities when they were cheaper also.

 

Lastly, there really aren't that many good books from that era (IMO) so *quality pages from quality books* is already kind of selective.

 

Its not like some of them aren't out there though.. one collector on CAF has a huge selection of preacher covers, for example, and that's some of the best the era has to offer IMO.

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Good point. For the thousands of pages that should be out there, it's extremely hard to find quality pages from quality books. Who has them all?

 

- Artist of the titles

- Collectors who don't publicly show what they have

- People, or family members of them who might of bought a few pages, and the occasional whole book in the 90's, as a collecting faze that might not even remember they have it, or know what it even is.

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I know squat about this era but I'd presume the artists kept more because they could afford to and had the power to get them back as well. I'd also presume dealers scooped up large quantities when they were cheaper also.

 

Lastly, there really aren't that many good books from that era (IMO) so *quality pages from quality books* is already kind of selective.

 

Its not like some of them aren't out there though.. one collector on CAF has a huge selection of PREACHER covers, for example, and that's some of the best the era has to offer IMO.

 

:cloud9:

 

That's just a bit after the timeframe I think. Issue 1 was in 1995

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I love that same time period of the 90's. While I don't agree that there wasn't much of interest or value during that time, I believe Sturgeon's Law ("90% of everything is ") applies to every era of comic OA. In this hobby, however, quality isn't the primary guiding force. If you loved a particular comic when you were ten, you want a page from it today.

 

Just because the old school collectors dismiss that decade, it doesn't mean they're right. There are a growing number of fans who want the same pages you're seeking. When they buy a piece, they often hold onto it. I've bought or seen offered pages from many of the stories you've listed (not Bone, though), but you have to hunt.

 

Here's a lead, if you want to chase it: Antonio DB is offering an SiP page here -- http://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=1326767 -- if you're interested. But, yeah, the pages are hard to find.

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I know squat about this era but I'd presume the artists kept more because they could afford to and had the power to get them back as well. I'd also presume dealers scooped up large quantities when they were cheaper also.

 

Lastly, there really aren't that many good books from that era (IMO) so *quality pages from quality books* is already kind of selective.

 

Its not like some of them aren't out there though.. one collector on CAF has a huge selection of PREACHER covers, for example, and that's some of the best the era has to offer IMO.

 

:cloud9:

 

That's just a bit after the timeframe I think. Issue 1 was in 1995

 

Per OP: "My "golden age" of comic reading was between 1990-1996"

 

Tell me how 1995 comes after 1996? :baiting:;)

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I agree with you & I kinda don't at the same time :)

not much stuff comes up, but it's too bad that you don't have much from your golden age sweet spot!

 

I'd say, yeh you may appreciate it more if you do focus...

 

I collect Ron Lim & Silver Surfer art (10 pages) from slightly earlier ('88 to '92) for about the same amount of time (3 years) - with the exception of a few later pages by him.

 

10 pages over 3 years isn't much. there have been a couple other pages that have been on the market that I passed on, but I got all the ones I wanted.

 

I've seen some of the stuff you're looking for. the only place we overlap is the Silvestri Wolverine, which I've seen a few come up.

 

I know the Rule of 25 came up, but that's only up for 1991. some of the stuff may not be as much in demand or people that have had it for years don't see a point in selling it if it's not worth much yet or they may have forgot they had it.

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I think there's not a whole lot of quality that came out in the 90's in terms of compared to the number of sub-standard dreg, so whatever was great is being retained into personal collections, and the rest are waiting for the event when something like with the McFarlane art, starts to explode in sales precedent to inspire selling.

 

'til then, the type of stuff being pushed make the 90's era look pretty crappy, but in truth, there were some really great stories and art, just too much junk around causing noise pollution to that era, discounting it to a lackluster generation compared to the 60's, 70's and 80's as being part of the downfall of the comic book hobby from catering to fans to marketing to investors/speculators.

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I just find it odd that for a decade that everyone scoffs at and reviles, you'd think collectors would treat the art as anathema, liquidate it, then use the funds to buy better stuff.

 

I'm wondering if there are any collectors between the ages of 34-42 who grew up during this reading period are having the same trouble as me, and how you've negotiated your collecting focus?

 

Not everyone scoffs and reviles. Tons of people think the same as the OP. They love their 90's era pages. That is my nostalgic sweet spot as well. And honestly, why sell if you don't have to? For example, I recently bought this page on a Heritage. I love it and I knew it was going to be something obtainable. It is from the Funeral For A Friend story line and I specifically remember this page from my first reading... Every time I look at it on CAF or in my portfolio, I smile.

 

http://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=1338137

 

Do you know what I would get for the same price from an earlier era? Maybe a Kirby Devil Dinosaur page? Maybe a word balloon from Byrne X-Men page?

 

For the same money you either get a high quality modern piece you a mediocre silver age page.

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I know squat about this era but I'd presume the artists kept more because they could afford to and had the power to get them back as well. I'd also presume dealers scooped up large quantities when they were cheaper also.

 

Lastly, there really aren't that many good books from that era (IMO) so *quality pages from quality books* is already kind of selective.

 

Its not like some of them aren't out there though.. one collector on CAF has a huge selection of PREACHER covers, for example, and that's some of the best the era has to offer IMO.

 

:cloud9:

 

That's just a bit after the timeframe I think. Issue 1 was in 1995

 

Per OP: "My "golden age" of comic reading was between 1990-1996"

 

Tell me how 1995 comes after 1996? :baiting:;)

 

Oh, you meant THAT 1995 :facepalm:

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I can help with the Allred Madman stuff, just let me know what you are looking for. :hi:

 

(worship) I visit your site often and have thought about inquiring pieces you don't have listed, but I'm always afraid that it'll be way over my budget. Soon though now that you've opened the door!

 

Edited by Jay Olie Espy
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One of the biggest problems with finding and buying 1990s art is that MOST dealers disregard art from that decade and won't even sell it. Right now, 1990s comics do get a bad rap for being some of the worst ever published. But, they really aren't.

But, heck, I've seen dealers turn away 1980s art -- if it isn't Frank Miller, John Byrne and Dave Gibbons -- simply because it is "too new".

I know a lot of the older dealers are used to selling 1960s, 1970s and 1980s art, but I think they are really missing out when they turn away great 1990s art that is offered to them.

I buy 1990s art when I find it cheap, because, one of these days, it's going to be for some collectors what silver, bronze and copper age art is to us older collectors.

I do think there is a lot more of the 1990s art out there, but I think most collectors just think it's not worth anything and don't offer it up and dealers don't deal in it much.

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Nostalgia plays a huge part. Growing up reading Jim Lee, McFarlane, Larsen etc doesn't make it easy to buy the art, especially when they have dealers who know the ins and outs of the market. I find that art from the 70's and 80's can actually be more affordable than from the 90's. And there is always modern art which can be expensive, but you can get some amazing pieces for a reasonable amount.

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