Attended the Comic Expo Fan Appreciation even in April and picked up some nice items.  Pages have gone through the roof, to the extent that I’m seeing prices 500-1000% higher than five years ago.  This applies across the board for brand new pages and classics.  Shows are becoming the only moderate bargain to pick up comic art as a sketch or piece direct from the artist.

Paul Rivoche was attending and brought some pieces along.  I was immediately drawn to this stunning Mister X piece: I’m a product of the 80′s through and through including indie characters.  Mister X is great and has made some excellent appearances over the years: my favourite was the Black Label poster.

Finally got around to scanning this year’s art additions.  In January (February perhaps, losing track) there was a one day show in Toronto with Kevin Maguire as the only guest.  I arrived early and waited in line so I could at least get something from him.

Once at his table he had a bunch of headshots done the night before at his hotel: he wasn’t doing any sketches that day.  There was quite a selection but it came down to the best facial expression: it was the Hulk below or a Blue Beetle.   I think I made the right choice.

First pieces online from the recent Toronto Fan Expo.  Tim Sale was one of the big names I wanted to get a piece from and he employs a unique system, or rather the two or three associates he had with him employed.  Tim does about ten sketches a day and hands out cards to the first people in his line giving a time that day when he’ll draw your sketch.  This is a great system: you don’t need to waste hours in line waiting for no real reason.  The one caveat is that he only spends 10-15 minutes on each piece, but his style fits the limited time frame.  I was in line the second day and brought a friend to wait with me since he didn’t want a Sale piece and I really wanted two.

For the Doctor Strange I provided reference material.  I really wanted a Dr. Fate but Tim didn’t want to do one: I asked for Hawkman but didn’t have reference material so I went with the Hulk.