Capullo: Court of the Owls - Wise Investment?

[lordrycon]

Originally Posted by aric

Has anything happened or have u read anything to make u second guess?

My biggest concern has been that there doesn't seem to be a big market at the current price levels. Apart from others who loved the story, it doesn't seem like collectors are seeing the pages as appropriate value. Both Capullo and Glapion have many pages that just don't seem to be moving.

I'll be honest, this would be the biggest Comic art purchase I've made, and it isn't one that I can "easily afford" but I do have the ability to afford.

[carlito1978]

If you go into capullo batman art you go into it with the understanding that you are overpaying for art. Nothing in the modern comic art market is priced anywhere near it.

Imo court of owls is the only arc considering overpaying given the strength of that story and art and how it has some traction in the bat world.

But in general if you are looking to make money... investing in overpriced capullo pages is not the route I would go.

[carlito1978]

So here's a live example of the capullo bats market. Suprisingly strong auction results for a modern page but a meaningful page in that story arc. Also has batman in most panels. Spencer / Miki/ capullo would probably have this priced at 6 to 8k. So out of the box you are down 2k. With this being an outlier imo given the lack of open market supply in these pages and the quality of this page.

http://www.comiclink.com/auctions/item.asp?id=1164203

Go into these knowing you are spending money that you may never fully recoup.

[aric]

Originally Posted by lordrycon

My biggest concern has been that there doesn't seem to be a big market at the current price levels. Apart from others who loved the story, it doesn't seem like collectors are seeing the pages as appropriate value. Both Capullo and Glapion have many pages that just don't seem to be moving.

I'll be honest, this would be the biggest Comic art purchase I've made, and it isn't one that I can "easily afford" but I do have the ability to afford.

At the price point, I am not surprised the pages aren't selling like hotcakes....but I don't think they were expected to either. Since the artist and inker are on the same page about price point, they can pretty much ask whatever they want for the pages, and folks will either take the plunge or not. The fear for many collectors is that one day either the artist or the inker needs a quick infusion of cash and sells the page at numbers that are more in line with what others are charging....then those who purchased before will never be able to recoup their investment. I agree with what others have said. If you desperately want a page from this run, then pull the trigger, but do so realizing that the pages are currently priced above what most are willing to pay, and that if you are ever forced to sell, you may have to do so at a loss

[joefixit2]

I think he is a bit way overpriced, I am not sure yet if his work and value will last long term. Buy the pay if you like it and you are comfortable paying that amount. As an investment, you can't count on it.

[aric]

Let me also add that if you collect long enough you are bound to overpay for something, sometimes by a lot, that you really want. Every once in a while you see a page or commission that you know isn't priced the way it should be, but it speaks to you so strongly that you spend a little more than the market value for it. As long as you do so knowing that again if you ever have to sell it, you'll take a loss, I see no reason why you shouldn't pull the trigger. This is really your call. Most folks seem to agree that as an investment, it's not a great idea, but it's about what YOU want and what YOU are wiling to pay

[JadeGiant]

I totally agree that you should buy what you like if you are comfortable with the price being asked. I think that adding “investment” into the equation is often akin to rationalizing the purchase beyond the point of where you are comfortable. Once you do this you may find yourself looking at the art with a different lens. Has it appreciated? Will I take a bath if I try to sell? You don’t want to look at your art that way – it takes away from the enjoyment IMO. I want to look at every piece in my collection and love it for its artistic and nostalgic merits, not immediately think that I way overpaid.

For me, I establish a threshold that I am comfortable spending and try to stay within these boundaries. I have paid more than FMV on some art in my collection but not so much that it makes me uncomfortable. Everyone has to know the limit for themselves. There was a page about a year ago that I REALLY wanted and was at the very top of my target list of the type of art I collect. The ask on the page was 300% of FMV on a page that wasn’t cheap to start so I passed. I struggled for quite a while and found myself rationalizing out reasons to buy it but felt it was just too much and that I may have been targeting (read exhorted) which ultimately made the pass easier. I would love to have the page but don’t regret at all passing.

As for Court of Owls specifically, Capullo has priced this stuff at multiples of what it would have sold in an open market/auction environment IMO. He has essentially admitted as much when he said he doesn’t really want to sell but will put a high price that he would let the pages go for if anyone wanted them. The art never had a chance to appreciate organically so nobody really knows where the market price would be. His prices may be what they are worth in 10 years, who really knows? If his price is within your comfort zone and you have the hobby funds, pull the trigger. Just don’t try and convince yourself that you are making a wise (pun intended) investment.

[Mr. Machismo]

As someone who probably has more Court artwork than anyone outside the artists, here’s some heavily biased feedback lol. Six of my Capullo Bats pages here, five from Court: http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryD...asp?GCat=91867

Firstly, the selection of the first pages priced were pages I inquired about before anything was sold. I dug hard, found the right contacts, and ended up with my first-picks [at the time], which worked out great for me. I paid a LOT, but Court is hands-down my favorite comic story of all time, so investment or not, I'm OK with that.

- I’ve sold one page for 5x cost. I won’t share which one, but it’s obviously not on my CAF.
- I’ve been offered [FAR] above cost on all but one of my pieces. I’ve refused.
- I was at a comic-con in September of last year, and asked a number of very prominent artists what their top three Batman arcs of all time were. I believe all but one had Court of Owls listed. They highly regarded Capullo. (He is influencing artists.)
- Capullo often has, by FAR, the longest artist lines at any convention. He’s a fan-pleaser and people line up hours to see him. He’s this generation’s Jim Lee.
- Court of Owls was the first issue of The New 52 launch. It brought in MANY new readers, and many young readers closely follow Capullo and his work. There's an absurd amount of people who treat Court as their entry point or return to comics, and I speculate there will be mega-nostalgia surrounding that. Many of them just can't afford it at this time as they're younger.
- He has a cult-following and people get a bit silly about him. There's a "Capullo Army" for goodness' sake.
- Court of Owls is widely-considered a modern-day classic, adding deep mythos to Gotham and is one of the few successful attempts at creating new villainy, both in Talon and the Court.
- Court of Owls is repeatedly in “Top Batman Stories” lists.

Some observations and things I’ve asked Capullo directly:
- He doesn’t like selling his art. I’ve offered $30K for the #1 cover and was flat-out ignored. Up to $20K on some of the other covers. He wants to take most of it to the grave, as he feels he’s losing a piece of himself when he sells something.
- Issues #1 and #5 are being sold complete only. I LATER INQUIRED ABOUT BUYING THE #1 COVER FOR $50K AND WAS IGNORED. They have it listed at this, but won’t actually sell it. I’ve dropped a tremendous amount of coin on his artwork and have been ignored about purchasing #5 complete as well. He just does not want to sell.
- Capullo has no intention to sell any Court covers. I’ve inquired an absurd amount of times, and have received numerous “No” answers.
- He intentionally priced high, initially. They sold too quickly; he priced even higher. According to him, he prices not to sell, and hates when people flip his work.
- This is speculation on my part: given his proximity to McFarlane, I’m betting he sees what happened to him and Spidey and is acting accordingly.
- The same pieces that drag online unsold tend to sell at cons. This is odd, I don’t understand it.

My advice to you: The best pages are gone (Issue 6) or are no longer being sold (Issues 1, 5.) Their pricing tends to be pretty random, at times. A page with nothing going on might be priced at $6K where a much better one with Bats could be $4K. Make sure you know the story and aren't dropping 9K on an arbitrary page.

The CLink page that just sold for over $4K was from Endgame (one of their "lesser" arcs), had no significance IMO, and was just a number of silhouettes of Batman. To me, that was overpriced, but also an indication that the market isn't ignoring Capullo.

Anyhow, my two cents lol.

[lordrycon]

Originally Posted by Mr. Machismo

As someone who probably has more Court artwork than anyone outside the artists, here’s some heavily biased feedback lol. Six of my Capullo Bats pages here, five from Court: http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryD...asp?GCat=91867

Firstly, the selection of the first pages priced were pages I inquired about before anything was sold. I dug hard, found the right contacts, and ended up with my first-picks [at the time], which worked out great for me. I paid a LOT, but Court is hands-down my favorite comic story of all time, so investment or not, I'm OK with that.

- I’ve sold one page for 5x cost. I won’t share which one, but it’s obviously not on my CAF.
- I’ve been offered [FAR] above cost on all but one of my pieces. I’ve refused.
- I was at a comic-con in September of last year, and asked a number of very prominent artists what their top three Batman arcs of all time were. I believe all but one had Court of Owls listed. They highly regarded Capullo. (He is influencing artists.)
- Capullo often has, by FAR, the longest artist lines at any convention. He’s a fan-pleaser and people line up hours to see him. He’s this generation’s Jim Lee.
- Court of Owls was the first issue of The New 52 launch. It brought in MANY new readers, and many young readers closely follow Capullo and his work. There's an absurd amount of people who treat Court as their entry point or return to comics, and I speculate there will be mega-nostalgia surrounding that. Many of them just can't afford it at this time as they're younger.
- He has a cult-following and people get a bit silly about him. There's a "Capullo Army" for goodness' sake.
- Court of Owls is widely-considered a modern-day classic, adding deep mythos to Gotham and is one of the few successful attempts at creating new villainy, both in Talon and the Court.
- Court of Owls is repeatedly in “Top Batman Stories” lists.

Some observations and things I’ve asked Capullo directly:
- He doesn’t like selling his art. I’ve offered $30K for the #1 cover and was flat-out ignored. Up to $20K on some of the other covers. He wants to take most of it to the grave, as he feels he’s losing a piece of himself when he sells something.
- Issues #1 and #5 are being sold complete only. I LATER INQUIRED ABOUT BUYING THE #1 COVER FOR $50K AND WAS IGNORED. They have it listed at this, but won’t actually sell it. I’ve dropped a tremendous amount of coin on his artwork and have been ignored about purchasing #5 complete as well. He just does not want to sell.
- Capullo has no intention to sell any Court covers. I’ve inquired an absurd amount of times, and have received numerous “No” answers.
- He intentionally priced high, initially. They sold too quickly; he priced even higher. According to him, he prices not to sell, and hates when people flip his work.
- This is speculation on my part: given his proximity to McFarlane, I’m betting he sees what happened to him and Spidey and is acting accordingly.
- The same pieces that drag online unsold tend to sell at cons. This is odd, I don’t understand it.

My advice to you: The best pages are gone (Issue 6) or are no longer being sold (Issues 1, 5.) Their pricing tends to be pretty random, at times. A page with nothing going on might be priced at $6K where a much better one with Bats could be $4K. Make sure you know the story and aren't dropping 9K on an arbitrary page.

The CLink page that just sold for over $4K was from Endgame (one of their "lesser" arcs), had no significance IMO, and was just a number of silhouettes of Batman. To me, that was overpriced, but also an indication that the market isn't ignoring Capullo.

Anyhow, my two cents lol.

Is it ok for me to PM you later with some questions?

[Mr. Machismo]

Originally Posted by lordrycon

Is it ok for me to PM you later with some questions?

Sure. I'm not going to answer cost stuff, though lol.