Well, yesterday I told you about a FB post from one Jimmy Palmotti
(that blog is here http://arseniclullabies.com/wordpress/?p=1606)
Here is the post in question
Why Amanda can no longer do free sketches at cons. Happens every single con. ps: do not ever pay this much for this. Ever.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-OF-ONLY-2-HAND-DRAWN-SDCC-2014-DC-COMICS-HARLEY-QUINN-EXCLUSIVE-AMANDA-CONNER-/131257642706?pt=US_Comic_Books&hash=item1e8f90aed2
I gave my input on it…I have since done something we rarely seen in the comic book reporting world, or the reporting world in general these days…I got the other side of the story. On jimmy’s page and even on mine after posting the story, where tales of how Jimmy was justified in being a child and how it was a gift, even tales of how the buyer claimed it was for a sick child and on and on…that’s the internet for you, it’s a snowball rolling down hill getting bigger and bigger. In a few days I have no doubt it would have become “the guy brought an actual sick child with him and then took the artwork away after Jimmy was out of eyes view”. I contacted the seller and asked for his recount of the transaction
I am a newbie when it comes to comics (but not to collecting & trading). Before SDCC 2014, I looked up and found a local comic book store. The gentleman sold me a number of items to get signed at the convention. He sold me 2 Blank Cover Page “Harley Quinn invades San Diego” comics and explained how some artists charge a fee, some are free and some won’t sign at all.
I trudged off to the Con and got in line (s). On Thursday I got my 4 regular issues of “Harley Invades” signed by both Amanda and Jimmy. I presented the Blank Cover and she very nicely told me she couldn’t do it, but if I came to her booth on Friday, and the line was not to long, she would do it then (but with no promises). I thanked her and arrived mid-day Friday at her booth. She saied that it was too busy, but asked me if I was going to be there for the weekend. I said “yes” and she invited me to try again on Sunday. Mid-day Sunday I arrived again to her booth. She said one other person had left their comic and asked if I wanted to do the same (again with no promises). At the close of the show I returned to the booth. She had completed the sketch. I thanked her and offered to pay her. She said no, but said I could donate to a woman sitting next to her who represented the comic artists. I donated $20.00 and asked if that figure was appropriate. The lady said “Yes” and off I went.
During the show I happily paid for autographs from Jason Frank, Tara Strong and and received free ones from the Walking Dead Cast ( I was one of 50 winners who stood in line for a chance) and Robert Kirkman ( stood in line for a bracelet) and had 2 great conversations with DC sculptor Jonathon Matthews who also signed my Harley statues. All were gracious, including Amanda. None of the signers asked me not to e-bay the items.
– rogerfriend
Well, that certainly sounds more plausible to me. The guy make no qualms about what he was there for and why. And at the end makes an interesting statement…that no one told him not to put it on ebay…no not only are the “pros” who think they have some say in what happens to art after they hand it over…they don’t even bother to say what their wishes are, they just bitch later ( this much I have seen with my own two eyes). This tale also points out what I said yesterday, that you are paying for not just art when you go through a third party, but for the service of having the art acquired. Wading through the mob at CCI is not easy task and very time consuming, any time spent at the largest con in the USA…one that is increasingly difficult to attend is precious. You have only four days…seems like getting a rare illustration from this show, one that took several trips to the same booth with risk of ending up empty handed, should have some value.
SO, if you want a cool and rare, and apparently nigh impossible to get ( as Jimmy has decreed that they won’t be doing free sketches anymore, and will no doubt use this dust up to raise the price on sketches you pay for) I recommend this auction. Note that he has a very high seller rating, which is evidence that he is a straight shooter.