Got some new comic art today!
 

As some of you may recall, I'm a huge Guardians of the Galaxy fan- and to that end, I have ben getting pieces of Brad walker's awesome arteork the past couple of years.
For the past two years I've seen Brad at the Florida Supercon show each July 4th (my birthday!) and buy a new piece of art-

First I bought the incredible Thanos Imperative: Ignition page #19, which later became the cover o the second printng of that book.
That's now framed on my wall.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/64975955/GotG.jpg

Last year I went with something different- I had Brad draw Stalord, Rocket Raccoon and Nova together drinking beers (as drinkng was a key team building excersize Starlord used every few issues).
The idea is to have the entire team in installments of three characters, sharing a drink together...it'll take some doing as the team is huge.
http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL221.../397673743.jpg

Well, after the show, I comissioned Brad to do the next installment- him being extremely busy, and I being extremely gracious, it took untill this week to get...but it was soooooo worth the wait!
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/64975955/Guardians%202.jpg

Because Brad's a great guy (and maybe because it took a while) He added another character to my collection as a gift...
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/64975955/Groot.jpg

So, I'm pretty thrilled and thought I'd share these with you Arkers before I frame them and hang them on display!

Sorry the images are on the stupid size- hopefully the auto-scale down feature will kick in...

a-freakin'-mazing stuff! the groot one is especially awesome. =D

Oooooooh man....those two new ones are the best yet!!!!

Those look AWESOME! I fantasize about getting some Avengers art. I would like to get some like you and treasure them as I am sure you do.

Awesome! You gotta show us the full display some day!

These are awesome, and you chose a cool theme for your collection. How big are the actual drawings?

Each inked sketch is 11x14"- pretty damn bin in other words!
I promise to show off the whole run when it's completed- by year's end, I hope!
I'll get another sketch in July at Supercon- two if I can swing it and go both days!

Kaewi, you'd be shocked at how little original art can be had for- My Thanos Imperative piece was about $350- which a lot of us spend on a Sideshow fig or what have you.
And that became a cover!
After the comics are produced, the artist gets his stuff back- and they often sell them- if you go to Comicsartfans.com you'll be shocked at people's collections! I know I always am!


I've got other art framed up too- an incredible Tony Harris Starman inked piece (a pinup from an annual) that I scored for $160- it's kinda odd sized and the framing cost more than the art did!

I met (Hellboy artist) Duncan Fregredo last year- we go to laughing and that's where I got the notion for characters drinking- he was swamped when I met him so throught the day I kept coming back and he kepts saying he was still working on it- which was cool with me. He was SO COOL- he had his wife take pics of us together- both for him and one with my phone for me.
I said, "instead of holding an axe or skull or whatever, lets have Hellboy smoking..no drnking!" His wife asked which I wanted and I said "Both!" which made Duncal laugh- he agreed that HB deserved some vices- his life was hard!
Anyway, at the end of the day he had my "sketch" ready- He freakin painted it with inkwashes.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/64975955/Use%20This%20pic.jpg

That's up on the wall, of course!

My roomate has all sorts of amazing stuff- a golden age Flash by Shelly Moldoff- inked and colored by the man that made the character! He's also got three marker-drawn sketches by Dick Giordano on comic boards- Batman, Catwoman and Joker! I think those were like $40 a pop and we were limited to one each- so me and my pal gave ours to Rob ('cause we just roll that way).
Of course, Rob (best friend/roomate) also has a 11x17" Gene Colan Doctor Strange piece that blows most of my stuff away!
And the entire Nick Fury and his Howling Commandos team- inked and colored by Dick Ayers....(that bastard! LOL!)


When you go to a show, get in early and dont be afraid to ask for a sketch- I have an incredible Iron Man/Tony Stark sketch by John Romita Sr and JrJr that's always going to me my favorite anything. They gave me that for free and had me sit at the table with them as everyone lse got their stuff signed- two super cool guys!

But always ask- the comics artists are there to meet fans and give autographs- but also to make money!
Even legends like George Perez will do sketches (my roomate got Hawkeye!).
And they almost all take commisions- check Facebook for your favorite artist- you're sure to find they're real people and will do stuff between their comics assignments.

I also think giving the artist some directin that's fun gets them involved- like when JrSr almost drew a nose on my Iron Man piece!

Nice collection Jason. Do you have a CAF page? Here's mine: Comic Art Gallery of Michael Molinario at ComicArtFans.com
It's nice to see more Arkers showing off there original art.

Sweet! Love your gallery!
I need o set one of those up!

Admit it mam- you robbed Ron Williams' house.

Thanks man. I recently found out about CAF threw a fellow collector. It is a great way to keep track and organize my art.

Ha! I organize my art by looking at my walls- it's all framed.
Did I show you guys my Tony Harris Starman piece from Starman Annual 2?
http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL221.../398267163.jpg


Or my Duncan Fegredo Hellboy?
http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL221.../397673742.jpg
Duncan is freakin the coolest!


Pencils to The Iron Age Omega by Arial Olevetti:
http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL221.../397673740.jpg

Hey guys! I have yet another amazing piece of comic book artwork to share with yous mugs!

In the 90's, artist Kevin Hopgood and writer Len Kamuinski took Iron Man from awesom to "I just crapped my pants awesome". Hopgood designed both the first Hulkbuster, the telepresence "mouthless" armor, Hammer Drones (though waaay cooler and a hell of a lot tougher than the movie's versions!) and a suit known as...War Machine!

I've been going back through my old IM issues and re-reading them and I had to contact Kevin about doing a sketch. Suprisingly, he does not really do commission stuff outside his professional illustrator work, and s he lives in the UK, is not available for the Con circut, so this is an even more crazy rare thing.
He's also super cool- I plan on bugging him for a Hulkbuster or Telepresence suit soon!

http://db.tt/8Ak3DE85

This is a whopping 11x14" and will get framed and put up tomorrow!

(Does Happy Dance)

that is a really sweet piece but hey isn't the other armor picture the telepresence? and I'm going to need to know how you managed to get that: Story please!

The Telepresence armor does look linda like that but there are modular attachment hardpoints on forearms and legs- basicly the version from the old 90's cartoon (and ML face-Off figure) but with more details.
And of course, Kevin Hopgood designed the first Hulkbuster which the Marvel Legends figure is an almost exact representation of.

The story is very straightforward- I was sorting old Iron Man comics into new boxes and, as happens when I do that, I got to reading them instead of putting them back away. I said to myself, "This art is great!" (or a least amazing and fluid in movements and action) and decided to track Kevin down online- which took a minute on Google and so I e-mailed him.

So many comics creators are available at their own websites or on Facebook (which I may finally join to contact some). A lot of artists currently working for Dc and Marvel do "the Con Circut" wherein they are making public Con appearances and are too busy making sketches for people at shows to do additional commision work, but if you're patient and cool with them 9like anyone else, i guess) they'll work with you.

And you'll be suprised at how affordable an original sketch by these talented artists can be! You can get an amazing (often inked) sketch for under $100.
That may seem a big expense, but consider that it's art you can frame (like I do) and display forever.
It's also worth explaining that you're a fan and maybe even having the artist personalize the piece to you- like anything else, there are weaseals that re-sell art at a huge profit and that can turn off an artist from doing sketches if they see their sketch for a "fan" pop right up on ebay.

Here's that JrJr Tony Stark- with a Iron Man by his dad- legend Jr Sr!
There a long and funny story about this piece too, but for another time!
[IMG]http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL221.../398275471.jpg[/IMG]

Found me an AMAZING Gne Ha piece online from a great seller!


http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/...552101copy.jpg

Adam Warlock and Captain Marvel by Jim Starlin!
http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/...tarlinaArt.jpg

Very nice jason! That Irom Man piece is awesome. The Glen or Gene Ha pic does not show up for me. I have about 23 pages hung up on my walls but I also have three portfolios full of OG art so I can't enjoy all of it with out sitting down and flipping threw it. It's great that you frame and hang up all of your art. It sounds like your friends have some nice pieces as well. I don't have anyone close who collects art. The only reason any of my friends would have any is if they got it from me. I hope to see you on CAF some day.