16 year wait finally over

[Johnbamberuk]

I've been an avid fan of Alan's work (just like everyone else on this forum) for a LONG time. In the early Nineties I began collecting original comic art although it was only a couple of small pieces in the less than 100 pound bracket. In 1994 I attended the London UKCAC convention and trundled along to the charity art auction. It was an auction to remember the brilliance that was Jack Kirby who had just passed away. The centre-piece to the auction was a magnificent (and huge) piece by Alan and Mark Farmer. It featured some 20 plus characters that were created by Jack. The original X-Men, the FF, Avengers, Thor, Galactus, Silver Surfer and then the DC characters like Big Barda and Mister Miracle.

Having only been working a couple of years I couldn't afford to bid on the piece but to this day it had always been one of my all time favourite pieces of art. A few months ago the piece surfaced and was actually owned by a friend - Jon Haward. I couldn't believe my luck and forwarded an email to Jon and the piece is now mine.

The story could end there but only 2 weeks earlier I had managed to acquire the cover to the Uncanny X-Men Annual 11 by Alan and Paul Neary.

I thought (hoped) that I was on a roll and the Gods were with me so I wrote another email in the vain hope that I would finally acquire my favourite Excalibur cover by Alan and Paul. Issue 3 with Captain Britain and Juggernaut. One week later it was mine and the month of October 2010 will now be forever known to me as the month of Alan

Alan, Thanks for the great art to these pieces, you can't believe how happy I am after all this time to have three of my four favourite pieces drawn by you. I know where the other one is but I can't get it yet unfortunately. Hopefully it won't take me another 16 years

This is the link to all three pieces (sorry, I'm a techno idiot and can't figure out how to add an image).

http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryPiec ... GSub=97996
http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryPiec ... GSub=97996
http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryPiec ... GSub=97996

Cheers

John

[joshesplace]

i remember being at that ukcac and seeing the original kirby tribute page in one of the auditoriums i think Mark was signing it it looked fantastic and on recyled paper if i remember rightly, i myself am very lucky to have the Justice League group pencils on dispaly in alan's site and it is my pride and joy

[Matt Platis]

I am very jealous of both of you.

[Gordon Somers]

Jealous of you both as well. My original Alan Davis work consists of one piece (a page from Outsiders)inked by Paul Neary. I was actually lucky enough to get a sort-of original from Paul - a colour page from the Bloodlust graphic novel - basically it is a blue line copy of the page, painted by the wondrous Bernie Jaye and then black line acetate overlay. Not pure original, but very nice.

I kick myself sometimes when I think of the original page I got for my brother in law for his Christmas one year - splash page to Excalibur 16. A real beauty. Still I get to see it fairly regularly.

[joshesplace]

Have about 5 head and shoulder sketches of the Justice League as well from the various cons, have them framed as well especially a Batman one which looks great

[joshesplace]

The last Bristol con in May this year a trader had an original Outsiders page selling for six hundred never found out if he sold it

[bignige]

I remember the auction at UK CAC too. I think I still have the brochure somewhere showing all the art you could bid on (The Alan Davis piece taking up the centre spread).
I also remember Nostalgia and Comics in Birmingham having a job lot of Outsiders artwork for sale. Anywhere between £10 - £30 would get you a piece. Being a poor student I managed to buy myself one sheet.
They had Uncanny X-men pages too, the splash page from Old Soldiers was always on display http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryPiec ... Sub=100130.
I would get the train from Coventry to Birmingham every Monday afternoon just to go look at Alans original artwork and the massive Captain Britain poster they had pasted onto the back wall (The image I refer to was reprinted in the hardcover omnibus, CB is pointing/gesticulating and is about 2 pages in). This image of Captain Britain has always been my favourite, it's just amazing. Ahhh fond memories!