Five weeks ago in Scoop, we began running market reports and observations from contributors to our new book, The Overstreet Guide To Collecting Comic & Animation Art. We started with Comic Art Con founder Joe Veteri. Then we shared thoughts from Metropolis Collectibles and ComicConnect.com Chief Operating Officer Vincent Zurzolo and former Comics Buyer’s Guide editor Maggie Thompson, followed by veteran comic art dealer Anthony Snyder and longtime collector Art Cloos. Two weeks ago we featured collector Nick Katradis, a recent addition to the ranks of the Overstreet Advisors. Last week we turned the spotlight on Peter Bilelis, a veteran collector and Overstreet Advisor who wrote about artist Mac Raboy for The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #43 and Alex Winter and Todd Sheffer of Hake’s Americana & Collectibles.

This time our conversation is with veteran collector, dealer, Overstreet Advisor and historian — and more recently comic book writer — Rob Hughes.

Editor’s note: The Overstreet Guide To Collecting Comic & Animation Art was offered on Pages 321-322 in the August 2013 issue of Previews from Diamond Comic Distributors. Retailers can still place orders for it. It’s due on sale in October.

Overstreet Advisor Questions for
The Overstreet Guide To Collecting Comic & Animation Art – #1

Scoop: What is the first thing that compels you about a piece of comic art?
Rob Hughes (RH): Several factors, actually. First and foremost, do I like the artwork of the page in question? Do I like the artist? Is the hero or villain on the page and in costume? Is it a battle page or is the page reflecting an important scene in the story or in the overall history of the hero (or villain)? Does the page represent the classic style of the particular artist in question? Is there a really great panel on the page? Is the page attractive and has good eye appeal? And, can I afford the page – always an important consideration?

Scoop: How do you define the eye appeal of a page?
RH: Boy, that’s a tough one to explain. I think that eye appeal can be different for different collectors. Eye appeal is a combination of many elements. When dealing with comic books, eye appeal is usually directly associated with the actual grade of the book, especially the cover. Not so though when dealing in art, since each page is unique in and of itself and thus, condition is much less a consideration. It’s not like you can pass on the artwork and move on to the next dealer and buy another “copy” of the same page. With artwork, eye appeal is much more of a sophisticated and sublime attraction. I think that eye appeal would begin with the overall design of the page of art in question. Then, the significance of the scene and the quality of the pencils and ink work. Again, is the hero on the page and in costume as well as the villain? I think perhaps a more subjective factor, but one just as powerful, would be if you happened to recall ever owning and reading that book when you were a child – this can be extremely significant!

Scoop: Is that different than the eye appeal of a cover or is it the same?
RH: For myself, it is different and yet, there is some overlapping similarities as well. Covers and splash pages are usually the pieces that garner most of the attention in the marketplace. When you think about it, the cover is usually the very first image you see before you purchase any comic book, and thus, will be the image that stands out the most vividly in your mind. Likewise, the splash page is usually the first page of the story and will be the first interior piece of art you’ll remember from that issue. They often have much larger and more dramatic images of the characters since they are full pages without any panel breakdowns. They are the “WOW,” attention grabbing images that meant to persuade the potential collector or reader into buying the comic in the first place.

Interior panel pages are different. The main objective here is to tell the story in a clear and precise manner with the proper pacing for the story arc in order to wrap it up in 22 pages (unless it is a multi-issue story). So, the eye appeal usually is much more subtle and is often not detected nor appreciated, but by the more sophisticated collector. However, what most collectors do not understand nor even consider, is that it is in the panel pages that the true skill of the artist is displayed. Here, in the panel pages, is where the boys are separated from the men. A truly great panel-to-panel comic book page is nothing short of artistic poetry.

Scoop: When purchasing a cover from the paste-up era, is it more desirable to have the logo in place or not?
RH: No. To me, the logo is meaningless since they are simply stats. It’s nice to have the original logo, but I do not feel that value or desirability of the artwork is affected in anyway if it is absent. You can always have a logo redone by a professional restorer.

Scoop: Other than eye appeal, what are the ways you evaluate a piece?
RH: Title of the book and character in question. Is the hero in costume or not? Is the main villain in the art? Is it an origin piece or battle page? Do you like the artist who drew the page?

Scoop: What makes a page stand out from other pages of the same issue or same run?
RH: Penciler and inker and how well they complement each other. Again, battle page or origin page. Any cool supporting characters on the page? Is it a significant event in the story arc? Is it the first appearance of someone?

Scoop: Splash pages are often touted. Including the obvious, what gives them their appeal?
RH: Again, the dramatic “wow”, in-your-face factor that splashes and covers present to the reader. They usually have much larger images of the heroes that most collectors look for. These are the “first impression” pieces that most remember and thus, hit you right in your heart. Nostalgia is absolutely key when dealing with collectibles.

Scoop: Given that any page of original art is inherently a one-of-a-kind item, what are the other ways that rarity or scarcity could enter into the equation?
RH: Obviously, Silver Age artwork is going to be much rarer than 1970s and more modern day art. And Golden Age pieces will be even rarer still, since most of that artwork was thrown out as table scrap once the printer was finished printing the comic book. In most cases, it is just the same reality as it is in the vintage comic book market, basically the older the book, the tougher it will be to find.

Scoop: When does a page of comic art transcend being a component of a bigger effort and become a piece of art unto itself?
RH: When you really do not care if you can resale the piece or not. You’re buying it simply for the pure satisfaction and ultimate fulfillment of owning the piece for yourself. You really do not care what anyone else thinks. The piece “speaks” to you on the most fundamental and personally profound level. It’s rare, but it does happen from time to time – like falling in love at first sight.

Scoop: Does action always trump “talking heads” material, and if not, when doesn’t it?
RH: In general, yes. Collectors are always drawn to the action-packed battle pages since they usually represent the climax of the story. They are what the tale has been building up to and what we all have been waiting for. But, not in all cases. There are those scenes when a pivotal plot point is being revealed, an origin is being presented or perhaps a significant flashback wherein the character is reflecting upon an important and life changing event in their past. One ideal example of this would be the page in Batman: Son of the Demon where Talia recalls the death of her beloved mother, Melisande. For me, this was one of the most moving and memorable scenes of the entire book. The close-up shot of Talia as a young girl with such tragic horror reflected in her eyes was especially emotional and so perfectly rendered by artist Jerry Bingham.

Scoop: And in terms of action, particularly in superhero titles, how important is it if the hero is triumphant or winning as opposed to being defeated on the page in question?
RH: In most cases, at least for me, it’s highly important that the hero prevails – that good triumphs over evil. Without that, we would lose all hope. But again, there are exceptions as well. Some extremely emotional, even gut wrenching scenes that come to memory would be the tragic murder of Spider-Man’s beloved Gwen Stacy at the hands of the original Green Goblin in Amazing Spider-Man #121. That event really sucked! I loved Gwen and still think that killing her was a major mistake. Another would be the death of Elektra at the hands of the murderous Bullseye in Daredevil #181. In both cases, evil triumphed (for the moment), but they remain two of the most infamous, yet memorable stories in the history of comics.

Scoop: How does the flow of the story on the page or how a page reads contribute to its desirability?
RH: Very much so. The flow or pacing of the story is often directly linked to the dialogue and narrative written on the page. What is being said and conveyed on the page is paramount to what is happening and the significance of that particular scene in question. The words must complement and flow alongside the artwork. When it is done well and both the script and art are in harmonious complement with one another, the piece is pure poetic precision. And when not, it is nothing but miss mash rubbish.

Scoop: From the paste-up era, what is the impact of missing word balloons or caption boxes?
RH: For myself, not very much. Again, missing word balloons and word captions would just be stats and stats have no real value in my book and can always be replaced by a restorer anyway. I’m definitely not going to pass up on a piece of art just because a stat is missing. That would be rather unwise, in my opinion.

Scoop: How does the significance of the featured character affect the appeal of a piece?
RH: That’s absolutely paramount in most cases. The main character is, and will always be, the single most important factor in the desirability and value of any piece of artwork. Just as it is in any medium of storytelling, rather it be comic books, graphic novels, traditional novels or movies, character is king! More important than story plot or any other element of the creative process. A great and memorable character creates identification with the reader-collector. And identification penetrates down to the central core of human emotion. This is the underlining power of nostalgia and why most begin collecting in the very first place.

Scoop: How important is it that the main character is in all (or many) of the panels?
RH: That’s rare and seldom seen. Nonetheless, if you are fortunate enough to come by a page that does have the hero in all or most panels, it’s an added bonus and the value of the piece will be raised in relation to that. These are premium pages.

Scoop: It seems that the market generally deems art from main or original titles, such as Amazing Spider-Man, more desirable than that of secondary titles, such as Spectacular Spider-Man. Only speaking in general, is that the case or is that reading too much into it?
RH: I think that is the case for several reasons. First, the original title is usually the title that introduced the hero in the first place, and so yes, most collectors would be inherently drawn to it for that reason. Also, many of the villains would be introduced in the original title as well. And, whenever any particular person begins his/her collecting career, many eventually graduate to desiring the older more vintage or original versions of a character. Spider-Man is a perfect example of this as many seasoned collectors seek out examples of Steve Ditko and John Romita Sr. And, you must go to the original Amazing Spider-Man title to acquire these pieces.

Scoop: How do first appearances, crossovers or other notable events affect the desirability of a page?
RH: Immeasurably! These are the most significant key factors that make any piece of comic book artwork desirable and valuable to the collecting market. Think about it for a minute, a first appearance is the actual genesis of that character. It’s the very beginning and thus, the most significant and ultimately valuable piece of history for that character. Nothing can compare to it. Remember, when considering character, we are talking about the single most significant element in storytelling, collecting, or what have you. Character is far beyond comparison on the importance level for they personify identification with the reader/ collector and identification in turn, is directly linked to our most personal human emotions. Nostalgia in its purest form.

In like manner, a crossover by certain characters or an notable event marks an important point in the history of the character. This is inevitably associated with plot and story arc, which is also a key factor in truly superb storytelling. This can affect the main character in either a positive or negative manner.

Scoop: How does the aging of the art board or paper affect your decision making?
RH: Not much at all, since most artwork is drawn on rather thick illustration paper or board and therefore, brittling is usually not common. If the piece in question was actually brittle, then that would present a valid concern.

Scoop: How does restoration or clean-up impact a piece of comic art?
RH: Very little at all unless the piece had been damaged or aged so severely that actual artwork had to be redone by the restorer. In this case, the question would be, “how much of the original artwork is still present and how much had to be redrawn?”

Scoop: How do different penciler/inker teams affect the desirability of a piece (for instance, Jack Kirby inked by Joe Sinnott vs. Jack Kirby inked by Mike Royer)?
RH: Tremendously. Many collectors will only purchase a piece if it is done by a certain pencil/ inker team. Joe Sinnott is an ideal example of this since his inking on Kirby is highly sought-after and pages with the Kirby/ Sinnott pedigree sell at premium prices. It is just a simple and undeniable fact of life that there is a certain special synergy between certain pencilers and inkers. In most cases, I personally prefer the same artist to do their own pencils and inking since they know exactly what look and feel they are trying to achieve. However, there are notable exceptions. One that comes to mind is Don Newton pencils and Dan Adkins inks, especially on Batman. Wow, what a team they were.

Scoop: How much effect does – or should – nostalgia have in such purchases?
RH: More than most people recognize or are willing to admit. Think about it, nostalgia is the business that we are in or the reason we collect in the very first place. It is that unseen silent, yet undeniable reality that causes us to remember back upon a time of past innocence and ultimately joy that we are trying to recapture a piece of. Nostalgia is just a fancy word for love.

I recall an editor who made a most moronic comment to me saying, “Nostalgia does not equate to quality.” I was absolutely besides myself at such an arrogant and colossally stupid statement. Nostalgia is the very business we all are in! Without it, everything we are dealing in has no desirability and no value whatsoever. It’s simply sad that such a person, who is an editor at a major comic company, has such a dumb and disdainful mindset.

Scoop: What – if anything – makes a piece an automatic “yes” for you?
RH: Boy, another tough question. You’re obviously taking about a “no brainer”. Several factors come into play and must all synchronize at the same time. The price of the piece is major, for if you cannot afford the piece in the first place, there really is no need in racking your mind and pursuing it any further. As discussed previously, the overall eye appeal of the art is significant – that being what is happening on the page? Is the hero on the page and in costume? Is it a battle page or origin page. A first appearance? Crossover? Or do you simply just love the rendering of the artwork itself? And then, there is again that most important and yet unseen and silent factor called nostalgia.

Scoop: In addition to such choices as collecting by creator, by series, or splash pages, what are the different ways to collecting comic book art?
RH: You can collect certain characters or certain artists on certain characters. You can collect a particular artist by trying to get a good example of their work for various time periods of their career. I knew one collector who just bought covers and splashes that had underwater scenes – an interesting take. Some only focus on covers and splashes and completely ignore panel pages – their loss in my opinion. Some, like myself, really enjoy ink wash work and sublimely rendered graphite pencil shading. Others prefer color pieces as fully painted covers and stories. You really are only limited by your own imagination and budget.

Scoop: How do you price your pieces?
RH: It starts with what I have to pay for any particular piece as an original art dealer. I usually try to purchase pieces that have some element of personal appeal and allure for myself. That way, if it stays in my inventory for any time period I’m OK with having it. Artwork is unique and so personal that it often takes quite a while to find the right buyer. Like most collectors, I like pages that have the main hero in costume. That’s quite key and a strong selling point. If the superhero is in costume then they are instantly identifiable and thus, the desirability and simultaneously the value is increased. Artist is a major consideration as well in pricing a piece. Also, does the art reflect a quality and classic example of their overall work? Battle pages will be more valuable, as well as origin, first appearances and key story arc pages. I also look for artwork that is affordable to the majority of the market. The higher the price any item is, the less potential buyers you’ll have.

Scoop: Where do you see the market going over the next five years?
RH: Tough to predict since the art market had grown by leaps and bounds during the past five years or so. There does seem to be more and more vintage comic book collectors graduating into the original art market though. Since each piece of original artwork is unique in and of itself, the values could escalate exponentially. We’ll just have to wait and see what the future holds for the vintage comic book and original comic art industry. It should be a lot of fun.

Recent Notable Sales/Acquisitions:
RH: Interestingly enough, I just won an absolutely gorgeous piece by “the Man” himself, Alex Raymond. It was done for the University of Missouri Showme Magazine in 1942, depicting an exquisite lovely image of Raymond’s ideal college campus cutie in ink wash and graphite pencil. I’ve been desiring a piece by Raymond for quite a while and this one hit the bulls eye without having to sell my soul to obtain it. It’s quite rare, but for me, this was love at first sight!

I also came by some really cool pieces at this years SDCC including a really great twice-up early Hulk page from Tales to Astonish #94, with pencils by Marie Severin and inks by Herb Trimpe – two names directly associated with classic Hulk. This page depicts the climatic scene as the Hulk breaks free from his bondage and then slaps silly his captor. Likewise, I came by a really spectacular climatic battle page from Rampaging Hulk #5 in ink wash by Keith Polland (pencils) and Alfredo Alcala (inks). This scene sports the Hulk destroying a tank and features the Sub-Mariner as well.

A piece I actually did a deal on the previous year, but finally picked up is a cool page from Rampaging Hulk #9 featuring Shanna the She-Devil by Tony DeZuniga (pencils and inks). This page features DeZuniga’s skillful display and use of duo-shade.

I acquired my very first John Bolton (pencils and inks) page from Classic X-Men that features five superb images of Lilandra.

A really great page from Shazam #35 (last issue) that features the whole Marvel Family – Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel Jr. and Mary Marvel by Don Newton (pencils) and Kurt Schaffenberger (inks). Again, this as a wonderful find since it is another page that depicts the climatic confrontation between the Marvel Family and King Kull. I remember reading this issue when I was a boy. A lot of nostalgia here.

A beautiful World’s Finest #255 page by Don Newton (pencils) and Kurt Schaffenberger (inks) that has superb images of Mary Marvel and Bulletgirl.

Or, how about a super Galactus splash from Silver Surfer Annual #7 by Scot Eaton (pencils) and Tom Christopher (inks)?

And last, but certainly not least two wonderful covers such as the ink wash masterpiece for the cover of 52 #27 by J.G. Jones, featuring a God-like image of the Spectre (I’m a Spectre nut) looming over the earth and Lady Eclipso (Jean Loring). And, a super ink wash cover for Ultimate Avengers 3 #1 by the talented Greg Land that features a very moody image of Daredevil in his original yellow and red costume – very Batman-like.