Marvel Sketch Cards - Quality vs Artist vs Character Preference

[Ronin]

Was this a good buy? I've seen other sketch cards by this artist sell recently for as low as $99. Why are these same sketches being put up for $300-$700? Is this worth that?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/400377065448...84.m1423.l2649

Quality I admit, which should come before an artists name. Though I don't particularly care for thor. What do you all think?

-Ronin

[aggie4ever]

Melike Acar is a very popular artist, and a lot of her sketches are extremely detailed and sell for $500+ because she normally does a very limited number of sketches.

To be honest with you though, I was looking at her Marvel Bronze Age sketches on ebay, and was a bit disappointed, since to me it looks like they are a notch below her normal amazing work. In fact, I passed on bidding on the Thor sketch this morning at $99, I wanted to bid since I thought it was a steal of a price for one of her sketches, but I couldn't pull the trigger since I wasn't awed by the sketch like I normally would be. Looking at completed listings, it seems that in the past week a few have started to sell for $100-200, so I wonder if others are thinking the same. As for the sketch you bought, I did bid on it, so I thought it was better than the one from this morning.

Based on the number of Marvel Bronze Age sketches on ebay, I am thinking she did at least 50 sketches, and maybe more like 100 for this set. I kinda wonder if the increased number of sketches came at a price (somewhat lower quality)...

[hamoody22]

The reason you got this so cheap has to be because the seller spelled the artists name wrong...It is supposed to be melike acar not melice...I'm sure the other two that the seller has of melike's will not have the same fate now that this thread is up...Nice Buy

[Mystafet]

Originally Posted by hamoody22

The reason you got this so cheap has to be because the seller spelled the artists name wrong...It is supposed to be melike acar not melice...I'm sure the other two that the seller has of melike's will not have the same fate now that this thread is up...Nice Buy

I don't think that played a big part, I generally search last name for sketch artists. I didn't really like this sketch, while I do like some of her work, like aggie said, this sketch didn't look like Melike's top notch work.

[Ronin]

I wholeheartedly agree with you on this matter. Truth is, I did not win this auction, I just wanted to know what people thought of this sketch and if it was indeed worth so much. I certainly didn't think so. Honestly, I have seen other sketches by her with less detail than this which came out better, which is strange, but personal preference comes into effect; character, color, pose..

Originally Posted by aggie4ever

Melike Acar is a very popular artist, and a lot of her sketches are extremely detailed and sell for $500+ because she normally does a very limited number of sketches.

To be honest with you though, I was looking at her Marvel Bronze Age sketches on ebay, and was a bit disappointed, since to me it looks like they are a notch below her normal amazing work. In fact, I passed on bidding on the Thor sketch this morning at $99, I wanted to bid since I thought it was a steal of a price for one of her sketches, but I couldn't pull the trigger since I wasn't awed by the sketch like I normally would be. Looking at completed listings, it seems that in the past week a few have started to sell for $100-200, so I wonder if others are thinking the same. As for the sketch you bought, I did bid on it, so I thought it was better than the one from this morning.

Based on the number of Marvel Bronze Age sketches on ebay, I am thinking she did at least 50 sketches, and maybe more like 100 for this set. I kinda wonder if the increased number of sketches came at a price (somewhat lower quality)...

Actually the other one that sold for $99 this morning was listed correctly as Melike Acar.

There are others up that are indeed mispelled like this one was, I think at least 2. I wouldn't be bidding on them even had I not notified you. Maybe I'm bad at this stuff, but as a collector I want to love what I buy, not buy what others expect me to. Even if I intend to flip, i'm going to try to get a card I think people will really enjoy.

Originally Posted by hamoody22

The reason you got this so cheap has to be because the seller spelled the artists name wrong...It is supposed to be melike acar not melice...I'm sure the other two that the seller has of melike's will not have the same fate now that this thread is up...Nice Buy

[webjon]

I think the prices on her cards are coming down in general as she does more cards . . . plus people were initially blown away by her style, and now they are used to it. . . also her style seems to have lost a bit of its edge somehow. . .

[Ronin]

I guess this could be viewed as a closure thread. I'm just interested in what the community thinks in regards to this topic. Not just with this card in particular, but all sketch cards. What do you look for/prefer? Are you willing to sacrafice quality for an artists name? Is it worth investing in cards of lesser known comic characters just because of the artist and quality?

[hamoody22]

I think that Thor sketch card is beautiful...The detail on the helmet...Yes I have seen better acar's...as other artists....The poor quality scan doesn't help either....To each his own

[Ronin]

Agreed, there is definitely some nice detail on the helm!

Originally Posted by hamoody22

I think that Thor sketch card is beautiful...The detail on the helmet...Yes I have seen better acar's...as other artists....The poor quality scan doesn't help either....To each his own

[sdoug76]

I buy sketch cards just for PC (sure I might sell them someday) of characters and cards I like, I make money reselling other things.

So to me, I could not care less who the artist is, or what set it is from. Some of the prices I see both low and high are surprising to me. Sketches I do not find remotely pleasing going for high, and sketches I enjoy for so cheap.

So In the end I may very well end up buying $5,000 worh of sketches, that I wouldnt be able to sell for $500 due to the artist not being "popular".

But to me, it is nice to have at least 1 hobby I strictly do for my enjoyment, and not think about ROI.

[Spider-Fan]

1) I don't think most of the Acar sketches listed on eBay would sell for the Buy It Now price if they were sent to auction. In fact, I doubt that most of the premier artists' cards would. I watch a lot of auctions and typically cards sell at auction for less than the listed BIN prices. HOWEVER once a card goes up for auction with a low starting bid it is going to sell whereas a card listed with a high BIN can sit until that customer willing to pay that price finds it, which might take longer than the 7-10 day period of an auction. Of course, there are always the diamonds that sell for crazy high prices at auction, much higher than that artist's cards usually sell for - it only takes 2 bidders to drive up an auction.

2) I buy for my personal collection and chose based on the art. I primarily collect Spider-Woman cards and like to have a large variety of artists and styles. I'd love to have an Acar, but I'm a patient man and am happy to wait and see if her cards come down in price to the point where I think they are in my budget. I also like to buy at least one box as a 'lottery ticket' to maybe hit a sketch I would never buy (which I would probably try to trade for a Spider-Woman by the same artist!)

[Spider-Fan]

Oh... according to the RA website Melike Acar was EL (51 - 150 sketches), so yeah more than usual available

[justice41]

I think Mel, has started limiting which company she works for. She didn't do UD's last sets or the upcoming Superman from Crypt. She may just be burnt out on dealing with multiple companies or just too much real work to do. You're better off getting a commission from her.

[BHotz]

Supply is the biggest factor. You can also get bargains on Charles Hall and Anthony Tan sketches where initially neither sold below $200 EVER.

But, quality and the misspelled name are also factors here. Acar and Nar both have some awesome line-work, imo, so they never do "bad" sketches but Acar seems to be following many of the other artists who have been around for 3+ sets by doing more and more "less detailed" work.

[Igman7]

Originally Posted by justice41

I think Mel, has started limiting which company she works for. She didn't do UD's last sets or the upcoming Superman from Crypt. She may just be burnt out on dealing with multiple companies or just too much real work to do. You're better off getting a commission from her.

I personally would not go the commission route with Acar as she has had some issues with delivering, both for customers as well as companies and has recently had a big-time blowout with a very well respected collector that showed a very unprofessional attitude.

[monkeymcgee]

Originally Posted by Igman7

I personally would not go the commission route with Acar as she has had some issues with delivering, both for customers as well as companies and has recently had a big-time blowout with a very well respected collector that showed a very unprofessional attitude.

Yeah, that was a nasty exchange she had with that collector. In fact, it kind of soured me on picking up one of her sketches period.

I like some of her work, but wasn't crazy about her Bronze Age stuff for the most part. Some of her very detailed work is absolutely beautiful, though.

To answer the OP's question, if I like the sketch I will get it for my PC. There are a few sketches I wasn't crazy about that I've picked up because I just thought they were really good deals (latest example: Rittenhouse Marvel Bronze Age Sketch Card She Hulk by Charles Hall | eBay ). I have a lot of Ghost Rider sketches, but I'll pick up anything that appeals to me.

When I first started, I wasn't super picky about the artists, but I've begun focusing more on artists I like now. However, I'm always looking for new (to me) artists as well

[Ronin]

Originally Posted by Spider-Fan

1) I don't think most of the Acar sketches listed on eBay would sell for the Buy It Now price if they were sent to auction. In fact, I doubt that most of the premier artists' cards would. I watch a lot of auctions and typically cards sell at auction for less than the listed BIN prices. HOWEVER once a card goes up for auction with a low starting bid it is going to sell whereas a card listed with a high BIN can sit until that customer willing to pay that price finds it, which might take longer than the 7-10 day period of an auction. Of course, there are always the diamonds that sell for crazy high prices at auction, much higher than that artist's cards usually sell for - it only takes 2 bidders to drive up an auction.

2) I buy for my personal collection and chose based on the art. I primarily collect Spider-Woman cards and like to have a large variety of artists and styles. I'd love to have an Acar, but I'm a patient man and am happy to wait and see if her cards come down in price to the point where I think they are in my budget. I also like to buy at least one box as a 'lottery ticket' to maybe hit a sketch I would never buy (which I would probably try to trade for a Spider-Woman by the same artist!)

Nice, thank you and everyone else for the great feedback. Spider-Woman eh? I will look to see If I have any for trade. I am mainly looking for Black Cat, Gambit or Psylocke. Though I agree Spider-Woman beats Black Cat silly in a fight. Maybe =p

I feel the same way. I like certain characters and so I primarily buy indevidual sketches. Boxes to me are either a big lotto ticket or an investment deal.

Originally Posted by BHotz

Supply is the biggest factor. You can also get bargains on Charles Hall and Anthony Tan sketches where initially neither sold below $200 EVER.

But, quality and the misspelled name are also factors here. Acar and Nar both have some awesome line-work, imo, so they never do "bad" sketches but Acar seems to be following many of the other artists who have been around for 3+ sets by doing more and more "less detailed" work.

For sure. I've seen some good bargains, again I'm on the fence most times. Do I want to bother? If I can get a card for $50 and flip for $150 or more sure, but I would recommend people who flip to be careful when going just by artist, as like you said, less detailed work. It's just a bigger gamble.

I guess even when investing I am a stickler for buying something that I am personally attracted to.

Originally Posted by monkeymcgee

Yeah, that was a nasty exchange she had with that collector. In fact, it kind of soured me on picking up one of her sketches period.

I like some of her work, but wasn't crazy about her Bronze Age stuff for the most part. Some of her very detailed work is absolutely beautiful, though.

To answer the OP's question, if I like the sketch I will get it for my PC. There are a few sketches I wasn't crazy about that I've picked up because I just thought they were really good deals (latest example: Rittenhouse Marvel Bronze Age Sketch Card She Hulk by Charles Hall | eBay ). I have a lot of Ghost Rider sketches, but I'll pick up anything that appeals to me.

When I first started, I wasn't super picky about the artists, but I've begun focusing more on artists I like now. However, I'm always looking for new (to me) artists as well

I'm new to all these forums boards regarding sketches, err cards in general. I have however read about that incident. If mistakes happen that are out of your hands, fine.. but if you have control over something and you are careless, then afterwords act unprofessional and nasty in your defense. Time to re-evaluate things. She does wonderful work. I love it, but.. put aside the quality and scarcity of her work, people need to look up to their favorite artists. Really appreciate their effort.

The art community holds these artists up high. We help put money into their pockets and help boost their clout. This is definitely something to think about for any artist. In this case, I'm not sure if it is too late for her to make things right. Either way, I hope she learns from this. Our collectors need to be treated with the upmost respect as well. Afterall, we do run the game.

[Spider-Fan]

Originally Posted by Ronin

The art community holds these artists up high. We help put money into their pockets and help boost their clout. This is definitely something to think about for any artist. In this case, I'm not sure if it is too late for her to make things right. Either way, I hope she learns from this. Our collectors need to be treated with the upmost respect as well. Afterall, we do run the game.

Funny enough... if I recall correctly that 'water damaged' AP card sold for more on eBay than the collector paid for it. Not to say that makes the situation right... you can't put a price on stress, frustration, and disappointment, but at least the collector got her money back and I'm sure is soured to ever working with Melike again.

[Zerokruel]

Is there a link to this blow up or meltdown with Acar?

[Ronin]

Originally Posted by Spider-Fan

Funny enough... if I recall correctly that 'water damaged' AP card sold for more on eBay than the collector paid for it. Not to say that makes the situation right... you can't put a price on stress, frustration, and disappointment, but at least the collector got her money back and I'm sure is soured to ever working with Melike again.

Yeah, luckily they were able to sell it as is. I certainly wouldn't have wanted it in my collection. It was a superb sketch though. Just, water damage.. no thanks.

[Spider-Fan]

They were pretty clear in the description about the water damage. It was a hell of a sketch, but I'm with you - don't think I would have taken the chance.

[justice41]

Well hopefully a lesson was learned about taking precautions again the weather. I tape shut my Toploaders when I ship my cards out. I usually shrink wrap the toploader in a old comics sleeve. Bought a small shrink wrap machine some years ago at goodwill for 5 bucks, served me well.Have to think beyond what is normal handling of mail to protect against damage. loss is one thing and insurance will cover that.

[Igman7]

Originally Posted by Zerokruel

Is there a link to this blow up or meltdown with Acar?

Here is the Scoundrel thread...

Scoundrel Art Community • View topic - My commission experience with MELIKE ACAR

[jwoods103]

new here, so if this is in the wrong place please re-direct me. Just got back into the hobby and picked up some 2007 marvel masterpiece boxes. I have a really nice grey scale Deadpool sketch card by NAR. can someone direct me to a place to value this - looking to pick up more boxes. or how to put up a photo.

[Rian Fike]

Originally Posted by jwoods103

new here, so if this is in the wrong place please re-direct me. Just got back into the hobby and picked up some 2007 marvel masterpiece boxes. I have a really nice grey scale Deadpool sketch card by NAR. can someone direct me to a place to value this - looking to pick up more boxes. or how to put up a photo.

That card is worth at least $300, you may be able to get more.

eBay is a good way to measure values, and those boxes are not easy to find.

imgur.com is a good place to host images, either scan the card or take a pic with your phone then host it and post it with [img] tags.

Good luck!