Thought on Artist/Writers charging for Autographs...

[Blue Meanie]

Been reading a little bit about the Connecticut Comic Con. I see that there are some that charge for autographs. I don't begrudge any of the lesser known Artists/Writers for charging...but it's guys like Neal Adams and Jim Steranko that charge upwards of $25 - $30 a book that really get my goat. These guys made more than enough in and out of the industry. They are probably the only ones besides Stan Lee that get paid up front to do these shows. I have a really hard time with them charging that kind of $$$ for an autograph. What does everyone else think?

[Earth 2 Chris]

I hate to see it come to this, but I guess in a way it's splitting hairs when Z-List celebrities are charging for autographs. Adams and Steranko can write their own tickets, but unfortunately many solid Bronze and Modern Age artists can't seem to find work.

Chris

[Blue Meanie]

I hate to see it come to this, but I guess in a way it's splitting hairs when Z-List celebrities are charging for autographs. Adams and Steranko can write their own tickets, but unfortunately many solid Bronze and Modern Age artists can't seem to find work.

Chris

I don't mind guys like Ordway, Buckler, Simonson and a few other getting a few bucks...but Steranko and Adams just get under my skin when they pull that crap.

[cjefferys]

Unfortunately, I guess that's just how things go these days. Especially with some folks getting stuff signed and then selling them. I'm old school, I remember going to conventions in the 80's and 90's and getting books signed by John Byrne, Frank Miller, Al Williamson, Bernie Wrightson, etc. and it was all free, I just loved getting a chance to meet them and talk to them a little bit. These days, it's just business, pay your thirty bucks and move along.

[monitor_ep]

I have been on both sides of the conventions and I can say this, they do not get paid enough. Most conventions cover there travel and hotel and maby a little more but they do not get paid enough so they charge for autographs. This the person who is doing the conventions fault.

Most stars/artists/writes offer a choice. The convention pays for travel and hotel and maby food. The problem comes to the autographs. The Conventions can pay for one a set amount of autographs so that the fans can get one autograph free or they have to promise a certain amount of autographs and if they do not reach that amount then they have to cover the rest. Most conventions go for the second hopeing they can avoid paying even more.

The person signing autographs is just trying to make money on there trade. You do not have to buy there autographs, that is your call. If the conventions would 'man up' like they used to then everybody could get at least on autograph.

[RickD]

You can also blame the individuals who get the artists /writers autographs and turn around sell the item for double or even triple on sites like eBay.

These artists/writers know this practice happens so they need to cash in just the same.

My personal opinion and I could be wrong

[johnnystorm]

I've never paid for a comic artist to sign with the exception of Neal Adams who was charging $5.00 a pop... And I got one book only signed.
I also don't mind personalization on my books, an indicator I'm not doing this just for resale.

When I'm going to a show for autos, I try to limit it to 4-5 books , sometimes only one or two, out of the bags and ready to go. I hate standing in a long line watching someone pile up a long box of books to be signed, still sealed up, as they remove them one at a time, get them signed, then rebag... Ugh!!!
A lot of artists have a ten book minimum with a fee for any over that.
Is there a different fee for some artists based on the show itself? I've never encountered fees that high before, or maybe just not yet.

[Blue Meanie]

Like I said...I won't pay for an autograph from the likes of Steranko or Adams or even Stan Lee. Some of the other vets I don't have a problem with paying if I have to. I just find that charging upwards of $30 for a signature is being an ABSOLUTE PIG about the whole situation. Also, the convention people that run the show...you've gotta stop the guys that have that luggage carrier with their whole collection on it. MAX 2 - 3 autographs per person. Also, someone mentioned this on Back Issue's facebook page...how about telling some of the artists that they can charge but whatever they charge will be split between the artist and Hero Initiative...or a charity of their choosing.

[Mr.Marion]

Good for guys like Adams, Steranko, Claremont,etc. If there is demend to meet him then he can charge whatever he wants. Someone is making money off him being an attraction, so he should be getting his cut. The ideal that he owes the fans his time for free is absurd.
The show promoters are much worse in my personal opinion. $30 admission for Motor City Comic Con, give me a break. Does SDCC even charge that much?

[ubermanx]

You can also blame the individuals who get the artists /writers autographs and turn around sell the item for double or even triple on sites like eBay.

These artists/writers know this practice happens so they need to cash in just the same.

My personal opinion and I could be wrong

You are not wrong.

I spoke to Neal Adams once while he was doing a doodle for me on one of those blank comic book covers. It used to be he charged the same moderate fee regardless on if it was on a piece of paper or a comic cover. Then he noticed folks selling them at a huge aftermarket profit. The CGC Signature Series is a good example. So Neal figured why shouldn't he get a bigger slice of the pie? Why should some schmo make $200 off his work for doing nothing? So now he charges a lot for those cover sketches.

And the argument that he has enough and doesn't deserve more runs so against the idea of American capitalism that I am surprised anyone even has a problem with this. He is were he is cause he took care of #1. He made sure his contracts were in his favour. He charges what fans are willing to pay. And he is making a living on this. To begrudge someone for being successful is a tad petty. And even with all this he has done a lot for maintaining creator rights. Fighting against the comic companies to be more equitable so those other artists don't get screwed over.

Now, my personal experience with Neal Adams is that as soon as he knows the art is for you, or the signature is for you and you want it personalized cause you love his stuff rather than you hope to profit off the work he becomes much more personable, friendly and usually lops off a chunk of his fee. Especially when he isn't super swamped at his table. More than once his assistant is asking me for X number of dollars and Neal leans over and says "No, no. For him it will only be ..". Just be sure to ask him who created the first African-American comic book character and why that character's name isn't Lincoln Washington and you will be regaled with a tale and get the friendly pricing

- Marty

[Blue Meanie]

The show promoters are much worse in my personal opinion. $30 admission for Motor City Comic Con, give me a break. Does SDCC even charge that much?

San Diego is probably more like 2 and a half times that price to get in. It's why I don't go to big shows like that anymore. There not for older comic fans anymore. It's been that way for the last 20 + years.

[Blue Meanie]

You are not wrong.

I spoke to Neal Adams once while he was doing a doodle for me on one of those blank comic book covers. It used to be he charged the same moderate fee regardless on if it was on a piece of paper or a comic cover. Then he noticed folks selling them at a huge aftermarket profit. The CGC Signature Series is a good example. So Neal figured why shouldn't he get a bigger slice of the pie? Why should some schmo make $200 off his work for doing nothing? So now he charges a lot for those cover sketches.

And the argument that he has enough and doesn't deserve more runs so against the idea of American capitalism that I am surprised anyone even has a problem with this. He is were he is cause he took care of #1. He made sure his contracts were in his favour. He charges what fans are willing to pay. And he is making a living on this. To begrudge someone for being successful is a tad petty. And even with all this he has done a lot for maintaining creator rights. Fighting against the comic companies to be more equitable so those other artists don't get screwed over.

Now, my personal experience with Neal Adams is that as soon as he knows the art is for you, or the signature is for you and you want it personalized cause you love his stuff rather than you hope to profit off the work he becomes much more personable, friendly and usually lops off a chunk of his fee. Especially when he isn't super swamped at his table. More than once his assistant is asking me for X number of dollars and Neal leans over and says "No, no. For him it will only be ..". Just be sure to ask him who created the first African-American comic book character and why that character's name isn't Lincoln Washington and you will be regaled with a tale and get the friendly pricing

- Marty

I respect your opinion on this Marty. If I can find the article on Adams back in the mid 90's that he basically was going around in conventions trying to seize his DC art from dealers at comic cons you might change your view of Adams. His claim was that the art belonged to him and that it was stolen from DC in the early 70's. The art was taken from DC back in the 70's...but Adams was told by Carmine Infintino at the time to take home his art if he wanted it and he never did. He left in DC's office stored in draws...then 20 + years later he claims that the art was his and that he should have the right to seize any art if he saw it at a show. By that time the art had already changed hands multiple times...and legally he had no rights to the art. It was a work for hire and again, he was told to take home his art if he wanted and he decided to leave it at DC offices. The practice at the time was that art usually was destroyed or cut up, after having camera ready shots for the comics, and given away panel by panel to people that wrote into DC. IMHO what he tried to do at shows, by seizing art or trying to seize the art, was ridiculous at flat out wrong. The real reason why he was trying to get his art back was that Ebay was just starting to hit its stride and he saw how much the art was getting on the collectors market. The market had grown to about 10 - 20 times what the pages were selling for in the 70's and 80's. I'm all for capitalism...but that basically was out and out trying to steal art. I personally will never pay for an autograph from Adams or Steranko or Stan Lee. Again, if it wasn't for fans they wouldn't have anything to sign. I have other stories about the type of person Adams is because the comic book store I've been going to for the last 35 + years used to deal with Adams on a personal level before Neal was as big as he is. He's not as good a person as people may think he is...but that's not either here nor there in this discussion.

[Mr.Marion]

San Diego is probably more like 2 and a half times that price to get in. It's why I don't go to big shows like that anymore. There not for older comic fans anymore. It's been that way for the last 20 + years.

I looked it up its about $35-50. That's high but its not outrageous for the spectacle it's became. I like that it's geared to younger fans and girls as well , with cosplay being a big thing. It brings new blood into our hobby.

On the other topic I'm sorry Neal Adams isn't a Good Samaritan that travels from city
to city to go help others like David Banner. But no one can make everyone happy. For the inflated prices of old comics, is it that outlandish to think the value of the artists (who made those books possible) is worth something too?

[WannabeMego]

His claim was that the art belonged to him and that it was stolen from DC in the early 70's. The art was taken from DC back in the 70's...but Adams was told by Carmine Infintino at the time to take home his art if he wanted it and he never did. He left in DC's office stored in draws...

In response to his 'Knee-Jerk' Reaction/Claims to demanding the stolen artwork be returned, Neal Adams wrote a two page response in Comic Book Artists' May 2000 Issue #8 titled "Who Is Neal Adams? The Artist Explains Why He Wants His Art Back"



(In Neal Adam's Own Words)

=======================
On Page 5:

Paragraph 15: "Then Carmine told me confidentially, if I wanted my pages I could just quietly take them, as others did."

Paragraph 16: "I decided against this advice."
=======================

I have no issue with people like Adams & Steranko charging money for their autograph's, it's their prerogative...I choose not to pay them for it.

[Blue Meanie]

^^ See, I knew my bro would know where he had read and seen it before. Didn't you get into a argument/discussion with Mark Evanier or Tony Isabella on one of the old comic book talk sites about this