Post by comickings on Apr 19, 2008 22:14:51 GMT -5
Since the beginning of when I first really got into comic books,I have always enjoyed the artwork.I,like everybody else was into the big named guys of that era...Neal Adams,Barry Windsor Smith,Berni Wrightson,Jim Starlin,John Buscema,Jim Steranko,Jack Kirby (except for his mid-'70's Marvel,man I hated that stuff!)...etc..If it had good art,I was into it...then I left the hobby in the early '80's....and got back into it in 1989-90.One of the first books that I remember getting was Sandman #1.The art was cool and the story went right along with it...so that got the bug back in me to start collecting again and then Valiant took off and the rest is history.....but back to the art...Here's a story of one of the guys I like to check out & wish I had more and could afford to get more art from!.....
When I started selling comics,I got to know a few guys that worked in a store here,and they turned me onto this character "Dawn".So as I got into it more I really started to get into the artwork by the guy that was doing the art for Dawn,Joe Linsner.His cover art for the Cry For Dawn series of books was classic stuff.I started collecting anything that he did.His design,and lettering skills were so cool looking.And he could draw the hell out of the character Dawn and he did some really cool skulls! So a few years go by,and I finally get to meet Joe Linsner in New Jersey at an open house for dealers at the comic company that was putting out Joe's stuff at the time,Sirius Publishing.Joe was very cool,and was stoked to see that I had a huge Dawn vinyl sticker on the back door of the first Comic Kings van,and I had personalized "Linsner" license plates. He signed my van,and we hit it off pretty good. Well it turned out Joe ended up doing a signing at my store the next year and I picked up some original art by him at that time.It was just a pin-up but it was awesome. I had just gotten into collecting original art,and this was a highlight to my collection! Up to that time,there really wasn't a whole lot of Linsner art on the market,except for his late '80's - early '90's convention sketches,and commissioned pieces.Well,nothing changed for the next 10 years either.Joe's original art has been tucked away out of the marketplace for all these years.Some of the stuff he has done for Marvel in the last few years is out there in peoples collections,but the stuff everybody really wants,his original,published,Dawn art is still in his hands.But now,it looks like Joe is finally opening up the vaults and letting some of his prized personal stuff out to the people! A few weeks ago an email went out to some of the people that are members of his webiste...Linsner.com....that he was selling some of his original published artwork. There were 10 or so pieces on the list. There wasn't any Dawn art on the list,but there was some of his stuff from a portfolio that he had out in 1994.This was called "Dame Lucifer". There were 6 different pieces in the portfolio and they only had 4 shown that were for sale.My favorite one was not one of the 4 so I emailed them and asked since 4 of the 6 were up for sale,what about the other 2? I was afraid I was going to get,"sorry they have been sold!"Well,I lucked out. My piece was available,but there was a huge Linsner collector from Europe that was interested in the same piece I wanted. As it turned out,I was able to get the piece. It wasn't the money,because from the way it sounds,the guy in Europe,has got some pretty deep pockets and I'm sure he would've had no problem upping the ante. But like I said before,Joe is very cool,and he knew the piece would be well taken care of,and money isn't everything to him. So I got it in the mail today,and here it is,I hope this doesn't offend anybody,and if it does,I'll tone it down.From the regular users here,It seems we're all guys,but still,if it offends,or Tommy,if you want me to,I'll censor it....
When I started selling comics,I got to know a few guys that worked in a store here,and they turned me onto this character "Dawn".So as I got into it more I really started to get into the artwork by the guy that was doing the art for Dawn,Joe Linsner.His cover art for the Cry For Dawn series of books was classic stuff.I started collecting anything that he did.His design,and lettering skills were so cool looking.And he could draw the hell out of the character Dawn and he did some really cool skulls! So a few years go by,and I finally get to meet Joe Linsner in New Jersey at an open house for dealers at the comic company that was putting out Joe's stuff at the time,Sirius Publishing.Joe was very cool,and was stoked to see that I had a huge Dawn vinyl sticker on the back door of the first Comic Kings van,and I had personalized "Linsner" license plates. He signed my van,and we hit it off pretty good. Well it turned out Joe ended up doing a signing at my store the next year and I picked up some original art by him at that time.It was just a pin-up but it was awesome. I had just gotten into collecting original art,and this was a highlight to my collection! Up to that time,there really wasn't a whole lot of Linsner art on the market,except for his late '80's - early '90's convention sketches,and commissioned pieces.Well,nothing changed for the next 10 years either.Joe's original art has been tucked away out of the marketplace for all these years.Some of the stuff he has done for Marvel in the last few years is out there in peoples collections,but the stuff everybody really wants,his original,published,Dawn art is still in his hands.But now,it looks like Joe is finally opening up the vaults and letting some of his prized personal stuff out to the people! A few weeks ago an email went out to some of the people that are members of his webiste...Linsner.com....that he was selling some of his original published artwork. There were 10 or so pieces on the list. There wasn't any Dawn art on the list,but there was some of his stuff from a portfolio that he had out in 1994.This was called "Dame Lucifer". There were 6 different pieces in the portfolio and they only had 4 shown that were for sale.My favorite one was not one of the 4 so I emailed them and asked since 4 of the 6 were up for sale,what about the other 2? I was afraid I was going to get,"sorry they have been sold!"Well,I lucked out. My piece was available,but there was a huge Linsner collector from Europe that was interested in the same piece I wanted. As it turned out,I was able to get the piece. It wasn't the money,because from the way it sounds,the guy in Europe,has got some pretty deep pockets and I'm sure he would've had no problem upping the ante. But like I said before,Joe is very cool,and he knew the piece would be well taken care of,and money isn't everything to him. So I got it in the mail today,and here it is,I hope this doesn't offend anybody,and if it does,I'll tone it down.From the regular users here,It seems we're all guys,but still,if it offends,or Tommy,if you want me to,I'll censor it....