Aspen Print Thread

[OrangeCrush]

Originally Posted by toyzplz

x2!

In my opinion, Aspen led the way in terms raising the bar on quality prints. But others quickly caught up to them as the popularity of them caught on. To me, J. Scott Campbells prints surpass them now. There's a lot of independent artists that do prints for conventions every year that are super high quality prints. Check out prints by Eric Powell for The Goon, and the yearly print that Frank Cho and Brandon Peterson do together for SDCC. BEAUTIFUL stuff for the last 5 or so years. Linsner does tons of Dawn prints and rarely are they every numbered. And they're always $10-20 a piece and great value.

I LOVE the Marvel & DC prints of MT's work. I would work on putting together a complete collection of all of them if either A) they were numbered or B) the prices were realistic for an unnumbered print. I'm sorry but those 2 factors do make me not pull the trigger. And OC, more than once I've thought about mentioning the horrible possibility that they run off extras here and there. I sincerely hope that's not the case for all our sakes. But especially for those of you that plop down serious coin on your collections.

I talked about sketch books in the past, and Aspen hasn't done anything significant there compared to others.

THEN you get to the variant covers lmao. You realize we've only got 3 actual issues of Lady Mechanika but yet there's 25+ total covers? And if you look at the cover listings, it's even multiple covers of 2nd, 3rd & 4th printings? So they're not even all planned ahead of time it's "oh let's do another #1 for this show and it'll be a 3rd printing variant". Of course Aspen is by FAR not the only guilty part of this tactic, Marvel & DC do it too and sometimes even worse on a single book.

There is no doubt that there are a lot of high quality prints out there nowadays. That said, Aspen's prints are still my favorite and not just in regards to subject matter. The combination of that matt paper with the Epson UltraChrome HDR inks...well, it just turns out stunning prints with some pretty unique qualities. Obvioulsly this is a completely subjective subject matter so people are bound to have different opinions. I don't go to a lot of the shows and since my print purchases are usually confined to Aspen, I cant really speak to a lot of the other prints that are being released. I do purchase J.Scott Campbell prints and I still think Aspens are better, especially for this kind of subject matter. Actually, I should say that I think they are aesthetically better, not necessarily better quality wise. I got the Ms Marvel print a few weeks back and its easily one of the most stunning prints I have ever seen. That ink just makes the image jump off the page. I dont get that same feeling with Campbell's prints. Again this is subjective so to each their own. That said, Aspen is still tops in my book in regards to aesthetic print quality.

I actually used to be a big baseball card collector. It was a huge part of my childhood (ah, the baseball card shows...such fond memories). By the time I was 16, I had well over 1.5 million cards. My collection literally took up our entire basement and 1 of the spare bedrooms. It was sheer madness at that point, lol. I wound up selling my entire collection a little over a year before the whole market came crashing down (I think I sold in late 1992). The reason I sold is because I hated what had become of the market. Way too many companies producing WAY too many sets. It was a chore even trying to keep up with all of it, let alone actually being able to collect all of it. Most of the people I know that were in the hobby, were completionists. There were only 3 companies producing cards back in the day (not even that many when I started out) and they really only produced 1 main set per year. So being a completionist was simply part of the hobby. Everyone had at least 1 of each set. Well, that became increasingly more and more difficult as the years went by. It got to the point where you had to spend exorbitant amounts of time just keeping yourself up to date with everything that was available. It just became too much and slowly but surely it ruined the hobby. I have heard estimates that put card production as high as 81 billion cards per year by the time 1990 hit. I thank my lucky stars I got out when I did, although to this day I still feel sorry for the guy that bought my collection. I sold it for $42,000 and roughly 12 months later he would have been lucky to get $3,000 for it.

Anyways, the reason I am bringing this up is I am seeing a LOT of things in the comic market that remind me of the baseball card market right before it crashed. In particular, the whole variant issue market. Variants were a great idea but the companies are now making way too many of them and its flooding the market. Its getting like it was with baseball cards, where you now have to spend an exorbitant amount of time just learning whats out there and you now have to spend a small fortune to buy them all. DC's new 52 is a perfect example. Not only are they producing a ton of variants for each issue but many of them are ridiculously priced. kids today would have a hard time buying even 1 of them. Its basically become an investment game and CGC has only made the investment side ever more prevalent.

The same thing happened with baseball cards. Upper Deck was unleashed on the world and suddenly it became an investment instead of a hobby. The prices drove out the real collectors and brought in the people looking to make money. Of course, the rest is history with the baseball card market. The entire market crashed and crashed HARD. The value of modern cards went to zero overnight. If comic companies continue to abuse the whole variant issue market, I have no doubt that something similar will take place in this market as well. They are just producing way too many and the prices just continue to go up. Aspen with their 90 dollar variants and DC with their sketchbook variants that can cost you well over 150 per issue. And the crazy thing is that DC is releasing these books with each issue and for a number of different series. Its insane.

Basically I see the same exact thing happening all over again. Its one of the reasons I am just focusing on Aspen prints and signed Turner books. Just too many companies, producing way too many variant books and Aspen is definitely one of the guilty parties in this regard. Its pretty hard to believe that only 3 issues of Lady Mechanika have been produced this far. I actually think I am going to start collecting in silver and golden age comics again, for this very reason. The modern markets are just becoming too much for me.

As for the Marvel prints, I honestly don't know what to think. There is so much corruption and greed out there. Millions of people have been duped by what they thought were honest companies. I hate to think that Aspen would do such a thing but their unwillingness to release edition sizes for their DC and Marvel prints is just plain suspicious, any way you look at it. I am still buying them but only if I can get a great deal on them. I have like 10 of them so far, some of the best prints imo, and I have yet to pay more than 90 for any of them. The more I think about the Marvel DC issue, the more upset I get about it. They should freely offer up those numbers, period. Again, maybe of enough people complain about it they will release those numbers. I have already done so twice.

[Bobfrog]

Originally Posted by OrangeCrush

Sorry to hear that! I probably would have done the same exact thing had it not been for the fact that I had already spent exorbitant amounts of money on SDCC and eBay items that week. I just didn't want to spend 150 on another print.

Of course, I agree 100% with what your saying. There needs to be FAR better communication in regards to print information. There are just WAY too many eBay sellers that will take advantage of people not knowing. For example, the 10 Lady Mechanika prints I purchased. I still know next to nothing about them, expect that only a small number of sellers have actually managed to get their hands on any at all. The dealer I use for SDCC items, the one who got me the 5 daily prints, went to the SDCC and he didn't even know about them. I emailed him and asked him if he had any when those first few prints got listed on eBay. He had no clue what I was talking about. So I sent him the link to the auctions and he said he never saw them there and was never told about them.

I also don't like the way that the Marvel & DC prints are being handled. Supposedly they cant number them due to the fact that the characters are DC & Marvel intellectual property but that doesn't mean they cant come out and CLEARLY state what the edition size is for each print. I have sent 2 emails asking this very question and I get very cryptic responses in return. Basically they say that the edition sizes are very low, with some being as low as 50. But in all honesty, that doesn't answer my question. I want to know the edition size of each print and given that this is Aspen were talking about, a company that clearly understands the importance and value of edition size...well, I just don't understand why they are hesitant to give out that information. I find it a bit suspicious. Basically its impossible to gauge a prints value without knowing how many were produced. Of course, without a stated edition size, they can go back and just print more anytime they feel like it.

About the only thing I am happy with in regards to Aspen is the print selection thus far in 2012. It has been outstanding, a substantial improvement over previous years (2009-2011) but as I have already stated, I think selling the newer prints on eBay, with regular styled auctions, is unethical. Its money grabbing at its worst and Aspen is the only company that I know of that is actually using eBay in such a manner. I am not saying anything I haven't already said. Prices, quality, communication in regards to print information, eBay sales, etc... Those are all issues I have with Aspen right now. At this point, I am just sticking with prints and my signed Turner book collection. Everything else I am holding off on buying.

The best advice I can give is to be vocal. Email them and tell them why your unhappy. I have emailed them many times in the past few months. The more people that complain, the better the chance that something will be done about it. And don't buy items on a whim. Be patient and research the items before you buy them. If we had both done this...well, we would both have an extra 100 dollar bill in our pocket right now. I wouldn't have purchased the sketchbooks and you would have waited and purchased the LM print directly from Peter.

Thank mate. Well sounds like you got an awesome deal on the Mechanika prints, nice one.

Everyone makes good points and as a side note on the 'last one' prints and people feeling concerned as to whether they run off other prints, well lets just say that the one I mentioned earlier was unnumbered...
There's a print up on ebay now - the WWTX cover which is supposedly a last one. Bet that goes for crazy money as its probably one of the best ones out there.

One thing I might say in Aspens defence (although it doesn't explain why they held so many prints back all those years) is that if they did go ahead and list the old ones on the store then one or two individuals would probably just pick them all up to make a quick buck. But yeah new prints need to be in the store.

On Orangecrush's point about them being producer and second hand seller, well now you can add another string to that bow what with the muertos prints being produced by the artists and sold independently - adds a whole other dimension to things again. I'll be interested to see what the muertos print goes for on aspens ebay now.

Agreed on the multiple covers - enough already, lol! Please just draw the sequential art!!

[renketsu]

Newsflash!!

Lady Mechanika Dia de los Muertos Print now on AspenStore

http://www.aspenstore.com/Lady-Mecha...losmuertos.htm

4 in stock, so hurry!!

[OrangeCrush]

Originally Posted by Bobfrog

Thank mate. Well sounds like you got an awesome deal on the Mechanika prints, nice one.

Everyone makes good points and as a side note on the 'last one' prints and people feeling concerned as to whether they run off other prints, well lets just say that the one I mentioned earlier was unnumbered...
There's a print up on ebay now - the WWTX cover which is supposedly a last one. Bet that goes for crazy money as its probably one of the best ones out there.

One thing I might say in Aspens defence (although it doesn't explain why they held so many prints back all those years) is that if they did go ahead and list the old ones on the store then one or two individuals would probably just pick them all up to make a quick buck. But yeah new prints need to be in the store.

On Orangecrush's point about them being producer and second hand seller, well now you can add another string to that bow what with the muertos prints being produced by the artists and sold independently - adds a whole other dimension to things again. I'll be interested to see what the muertos print goes for on aspens ebay now.

Agreed on the multiple covers - enough already, lol! Please just draw the sequential art!!

Asbolutly. If Aspen were to release the older prints on the Aspen store, for regular prices, they would disappear in a single day. I have no problem with them selling those older prints on eBay. MT is gone and a lot of those prints are worth considerable amounts of money. They have every right to auction them off on eBay.

My issue is with the newer prints. Everything for the current year should be listed on the Aspen store, period. Its why they have the store up to begin with, to sell their merchandise. If they still have prints left in stock at the end of the calendar year, then they could go the eBay route with the leftover prints. Basically as long as Aspen has new prints left in stock, people should be able to purchase them from the Aspen Store and they should be able to do so at the regular price. The fact that some people were able to buy the Kiani Daily from Aspen for 50 while others had to pay Aspen 375.00 for the same print...well, its nothing short of criminal in my book. A 7 fold increase in price and the print hasn't even made it to the 2nd hand market yet. There is simply no justification for such things.

The more I think about it, the more I think the problem is leadership. I really think it might be time for some fresh blood to come in and run things.

[cpluse2]

You might of seen these prints 100 of times. But just got mine framed. Iphone pictures, will take better one soon. These Aspen are a must see in person.

[dechirico7]

Originally Posted by renketsu

Newsflash!!

Lady Mechanika Dia de los Muertos Print now on AspenStore

http://www.aspenstore.com/Lady-Mecha...losmuertos.htm

4 in stock, so hurry!!

I think I only paid $40 for my two Dia de los Muertos prints through Peter directly. Plus for $10 extra I was able to get a sketch on it.

[Glennfett]

long sold out already.WTF!!

lol

[Adoptedscot]

Originally Posted by cpluse2

You might of seen these prints 100 of times. But just got mine framed. Iphone pictures, will take better one soon. These Aspen are a must see in person.

All your prints look lovely framed cpluse, very nice choice of colours

The LBCC Cover Print (above) is my favourite as it's my favourite cover. I love Lady Mechanika in her Bowler.

I agree Aspen Prints are so much better in person. Yours look great but my pics always look fuzzy as I can't take very good pics, I have the shakes due to medications.
Personally speaking I only collect Aspen prints, although I also have 2 from JSC and 2 from Adam Hughes but for me, Aspen will always be top in terms of quality and beautiful Prints.
That's just me though

x

[cpluse2]

Originally Posted by Adoptedscot

All your prints look lovely framed cpluse, very nice choice of colours

The LBCC Cover Print (above) is my favourite as it's my favourite cover. I love Lady Mechanika in her Bowler.

I agree Aspen Prints are so much better in person. Yours look great but my pics always look fuzzy as I can't take very good pics, I have the shakes due to medications.
Personally speaking I only collect Aspen prints, although I also have 2 from JSC and 2 from Adam Hughes but for me, Aspen will always be top in terms of quality and beautiful Prints.
That's just me though

x

Thanks,

I would have to agree, it's my most $$$ one and the framing I'm starting to learn is not cheap either. But just like you it's the one i like the most.

The other's with the purple just pop. Aspen does amazing work. Sometimes little to well. Pockets are hurting.
Ya, i only have aspen prints now, and i have not found any other that draw me like aspen prints do. I just wish they where not so much $$$. I collect not for the value but for the love of the picture. It's just takes high dollar do get what I love.

[NorthernLadMSP]

Originally Posted by cpluse2

You might of seen these prints 100 of times. But just got mine framed. Iphone pictures, will take better one soon. These Aspen are a must see in person.

Very awesome framed prints!!! I love them all, but especially the second and third prints of Lady M.

Do you have the Wondercon print by chance? The one that has her in green? I just ordered one today from eBay and would love to see some in hand pics.