Amazing Fantasy 15 Original art donated to Library of Congress

[clemso]

I don't know why this isn't bigger news, its been floating around the Original art collecting circle for a couple of days now. This has to be the single most significant comic book related news to have happened in a long time.
Check some pics here :

Library of Congress Blog Library of Congress Acquires Spider-Man's 'Birth Certificate' (Library of Congress)

Clem...

[Adam West]

The funny thing is it will be one of the most popular things at the Library of Congress.

Down at the Smithsonian Museum of American History, there are all kinds of unique objects such as Benjamen Franklin's cane, various things owned or worn by various presidents but I find that people really go gah-gah in the pop culture section. People are more interested in looking at the original Kermit the Frog than they are at looking at a pair of George Washington's false teeth.

[Earth 2 Chris]

What, Ditko wasn't using it as a cutting matte?

That's the comic myth anyway. A comic creator who was actually let into the reclusive Ditko's sanctum saw piles of Silver Age Ditko art boards piled up in a corner, used for cutting boards, ink blotters, etc.

May be a big fat lie, but it wouldn't surprise me based on what we know of Ditko's non-material leanings.

But that donation is really cool. A huge piece of comic and pop culture history for sure.

Chris

[toys2cool]

wow that's awesome man,the guy could've easily banked off that

[Vortigern99]

That story about using the artwork as cutting boards and ink blotters must be false, because artists handed over the artwork to the publisher, who became the owner of the work according to the contract each artist signed when he endorsed his check to cash or deposit it. Silver Age artists simply did not have huge piles of their own artwork lying around their studio because it belonged to the publishing house!

[Earth 2 Chris]

Yeah, that's probably true. I know Kirby had a big battle with Marvel in the 80s trying to get his originals back. The Ditko story does add to his mystique, though.

Marv Wolfman worked as an intern at DC in the late 60s and was paid to INCINERATE Golden and Silver Age artwork that had been in the DC vaults. He managed to save lots of pieces by cutting the pages into thirds and sneaking them out.

Chris

[Adam West]

Where a day come when some of these pop culture illustrations will command the kind of money that some Jackson Pollack or Andy Warhol paintings fetch?

After all, these are one of a kind items and I know I'd much rather have orginal Ditko artwork than an orginal Pollack hanging in my house any day.