Mark Bagley Art Spotlight by Patrick BainDo you prefer buying art by someone whose fame originated from a marginal character, possibly an avant-garde mini-series?  Or alternatively, do you like artists with a long track record in the industry working on the best characters? For sure, a few artists like Dave Gibbons on Watchmen created transcendent works.  But for the ordinary collector, give me name-brand characters.  Today, I'll spotlight original art by Mark Bagley.  His long productive career includes Spider-Man, Ultimate Spider-Man, Batman, and the Justice League.

Ultimate Spider-Man Team-Up: Bendis-Bagley

Mark Bagley Original Art for Ultimate Spider-Man 84

Here's a great example of what will make Mark Bagley's art relevant years after he puts away his pencil: Ultimate Spider-Man.  Bagley and Brian Michael Bendis teamed up for the first 111 issues of Ultimate Spider-Man.  That's eight consecutive years!  Pretty impressive, considering how frequently creators change titles these days.  Three Ultimate Spider-Man pages show up in the upcoming ComicLink auction.

Similar pages sold in 2021 for $300 to $500 at HA.  Based on current bid, these will probably go somewhat higher.  Both pages featuring Spider-Man get a CAT R4 grade (roughly 2/3 of page features Spider-Man).

Spotlight on Mark Bagley Art

Spotlight on Mark Bagley Art by Patrick Bain

If you like drama, how about this 2/3 splash from Batman #688?  This page would present like a pinup.  Now how would you value a pencil and ink Batman unpublished pinup with this pose compared to this page of published original art?  Direct from the artist commissioned art creates a fantastic way to connect with favorite artists.  For long-term value, I prefer published pages where a collector could pull out their own copy of Batman 688 and see the art they've purchased.

In a similar vein, re-creation art offers a less expensive alternative to published art.  It won't command the same dollars when resold, though.  Take Sal Buscema's Avengers Annual 4 published art compared to his re-creation art as an example.  Both pages sold in 2020 within a month at HA.  The published art sold for forty times more.

Speaking of the Avengers

Mighty Avengers 8

Going back to spotlight more Marvel art, Mark Bagley has some Mighty Avengers pages for sale as well. Team art often features a myriad of heroes.  Mighty Avengers #8 art doesn't disappoint in this case: Iron Man, Ms. Marvel, and a Venomized Giant Woman all show up.

Action or Landscapes--what would you prefer?  Mighty Avengers Bagley art (with hero prominently featured), sold last month for under $300.

Why Mark Bagley Art

Mark Bagley print

Years ago I was at Toys R Us.  They were promoting a MasterCard with Spider-Man's picture on it.  And bonus, it came with a Spider-Man print by Mark Bagley and a collector tin.  Just like my Spider-Man credit card that I enjoyed for years, the same is even more true about original Bagley art.  Price-wise, it is still very accessible.  And, of artists following in the Spidey-style of Todd McFarlane, I think Bagley draws a very nice Spider-Man.

Don't forget to follow my X-Men adventures on Facebook: Comic Reading Library.  I'll soon roll out some articles with the Price is Right theme.  I'll provide some historical data, you guess what a piece of art might sell for.  Closest without going over wins the prize--dubbed Honorable Art Seer!

Keep up with Cat Eyes on Comic Art!

*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoCollect.