A few notes to those unfamiliar with comic book art:

• --What is original art?

     Original artwork is created specifically for the publication of (in this case) comic books, graphic novels, posters, and trading cards. It could also include all sorts of other publications (novels, magazines, CDs, games, etc).
     --Most pages created for comic books are created like this:
 
    First, the script (the story) is written, then one artist creates pencil drawings to illustrate that story. A second artist, usually known as an inker (though sometimes one artist will do both) then completes the story with dark inks over the penciled artwork.
    The text ("word bubbles") is added by the inker, or later by the editorial staff. Some companies are doing this with a computer, but the traditional process involves hand-lettering (by a person called a "letterer"). The text can be written directly on the art, printed and then pasted onto the art, or pasted onto a separate clear overlay.
     This original piece of black-and-white art is then used as a sort of "master copy."  It is photographed to be used in the printing process. Colors (if used) are added to the books during the color separation and printing process.
    Most original art will have the text ("word bubbles") still on it after the printing process, but sometimes these are not left as part of the artwork.
    The original is not altered in the printing process, but you may sometimes find an editor's comments in blue pencil, or whited-out "corrections" on a piece of original comic book art. Corrections may also include a "re-do" of a small area, or one or more panels on the page. Again, this is usually because of an editorial decision wherein a change must be made to the art. This "change" most often will mean that new art will be pasted on top of the existing artwork.
(We will always inform you when a page we sell contains any pasted-on bits.)
 
 
    --Some (usually more expensive) comic books are created from hand-painted color artwork, using the same techniques and materials as traditional fine artists. The artist is more in control of how the colors will turn out, the process is usually much longer, and more depth and textural effects are possible.
    Tom Taggart, for example, uses found objects and even life-size sculpture to create visually compelling covers and cards.
    Many covers as well as trading cards, in fact, are created from painted originals.
    As with black-and-white originals, painted art is not harmed in the creation of a comic book; all work is done from a high-quality photograph of the original.
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• How is the value of original art determined?

     There is no one answer to that question. The original art market is still somewhat limited; collectors are most often comic-book fans. Thus, a favorite comic book will generate more interest in its art, as will pages with favorite or significant characters on them.
    Some specific artists have a following simply based on their talents, regardless of the story they are illustrating. Yet other people will look just for a certain style or layout of artwork, or something that will look good on a wall.
    Like fine wine, good art usually increases in value as it ages. This is not due to any physical properties, but rather to the increasing rarity of the artist's work, the growing number of people who may be familiar with the book or series, the number of times a piece has changed hands, or simple inflation.
    As with any fine artwork, personal taste is the ultimate arbiter. And demand will fuel prices, as will any particular artist's valuation of his own creations.
    With so many comic books being produced, it's sometimes not difficult to find miscellaneous pages selling for as little as $10 or $20. But work by favorite artists can fetch upwards of $2000.
     There is no price guide for original art, and condition, unless awful, is not usually a consideration, since each piece is unique and cannot rank in value against others exactly like it.
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• How do I know this stuff is real?

     We usually find this question a little amusing. We personally know all the artists whose work we sell. That's our guarantee it's for real. Furthermore, we always say that if someone is good enough to fake a piece of original comic book art, they'd certainly be better off working legitimately for a publisher...and making more money at it, as well! Also, if original art was getting Van Gogh-like prices, this would be more of an issue.

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