Original Comic Art

Original art is unique - for any given page of any given comic book, there is only one page that the artist drew. The phrase “original art” may encompass any of the following:

  • Bristol board containing the artist’s pencil and inks. The pencils are typically done in non-reproducing blue with black ink over. Often, corrections (such as with White-out) can be seen, as well as production directives in the margins. This work is now now done electronically by most shops and more recent original art pieces have only the artwork.
  • Proofs used in production. These are often paste-ups of photocopies, titles, etc. used in the final camera-ready copy. There is often little or no actual drawing on these pages. These are considerably less valuable than the actual original art, but can still command high prices for desirable pieces. For example, in May 2007, the production proof for X-Men #4, feature Jack Kirby art, listed for $1,500.
  • Color proofs. These are production proofs used by the colorist to correct colors.
  • Sketches and commissions. For example, comic book artists often appear at conventions and do sketches for fans, or accept commissions to produce pinups or other artwork. These are not directly related to the production of finished comic books, but are often referred to as “original art” regardless.

Original art is unsigned by the artist at the time of use in production, but may be later signed by the artist when selling it. Autographs and signed comics are not generally considered original art.

Originally, comic book companies did not return original art to the artists. The dispute between Marvel Comics and Jack Kirby led eventually to artists’ right to have their artwork returned and it is now common to see artists selling their pages.

original comic book art

japan-the-late-tokugawa-period-to-th-lu-david-j-ne Japan: The Late Tokugawa Period to th - Lu, David J. Ne
US $46.18
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:03:27 PDT
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rememberance-of-dogs-past-poncelet-thi-new-book Rememberance of Dogs Past - Poncelet, Thi New Book
US $21.68
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:03:23 PDT
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catching-light-anker-new-book Catching Light - Anker New Book
US $24.99
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:03:22 PDT
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excel-carlberg-con-new-book Excel - Carlberg, Con New Book
US $27.35
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:03:20 PDT
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the-untold-story-of-the-new-testament-viola-frank-ne The Untold Story of the New Testament - Viola, Frank Ne
US $20.30
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:03:13 PDT
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dream-police-cooper-denni-new-book Dream Police - Cooper, Denni New Book
US $16.62
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:03:11 PDT
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war-stories-of-the-green-berets-halberstadt-new-boo War Stories of the Green Berets - Halberstadt, New Boo
US $32.71
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:03:07 PDT
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the-original-sudoku-page-a-day-calend-publishing-w-n The Original Sudoku Page-a-Day Calend - Publishing, W N
US $21.78
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:03:02 PDT
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allotments-shire-library-shire-lib-way-twigs-new Allotments (Shire Library) (Shire Lib - Way, Twigs New
US $14.30
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:03:01 PDT
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contemporary-tibet-politics-develop-dreyer-june-n Contemporary Tibet: Politics, Develop - Dreyer, June N
US $54.88
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:03:00 PDT
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rand-s-atlas-shrugged-cliffs-notes-bernstein-an-n Rand's Atlas Shrugged (Cliffs Notes - Bernstein, An N
US $13.03
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:03:00 PDT
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hemingway-s-short-stories-cliffs-not-roberts-jame-n Hemingway's Short Stories (Cliffs Not - Roberts, Jame N
US $11.98
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:58 PDT
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the-virgin-book-of-british-hit-single-roach-martin-n The Virgin Book of British Hit Single - Roach, Martin N
US $38.93
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:57 PDT
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vegan-soul-kitchen-fresh-healthy-a-terry-bryant-n Vegan Soul Kitchen: Fresh, Healthy, a - Terry, Bryant N
US $21.48
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:56 PDT
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trouble-loves-company-daniels-angi-new-book Trouble Loves Company - Daniels, Angi New Book
US $18.70
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:56 PDT
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europe-in-the-global-age-giddens-anth-new-book Europe in the Global Age - Giddens, Anth New Book
US $32.03
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:56 PDT
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london-walks-london-stories-tucker-david-new-book London Walks - London Stories - Tucker, David New Book
US $19.04
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:55 PDT
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will-you-miss-me-when-i-m-gone-the-c-zwonitzer-ma-n Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone: The C - Zwonitzer, Ma N
US $20.45
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:53 PDT
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marketing-plans-for-service-businesse-mcdonald-mal-n Marketing Plans for Service Businesse - McDonald, Mal N
US $64.47
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:52 PDT
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usborne-sticker-atlas-seas-and-ocean-clarke-phili-n Usborne Sticker Atlas: Seas and Ocean - Clarke, Phili N
US $16.25
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:50 PDT
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love-guisewite-ca-new-book Love - Guisewite, Ca New Book
US $17.93
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:49 PDT
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modernism-themes-in-the-twentieth-ce-armstrong-ti-n Modernism (Themes in the Twentieth Ce - Armstrong, Ti N
US $36.47
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:48 PDT
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setting-the-agenda-the-mass-media-an-mccombs-maxw-n Setting the Agenda: The Mass Media an - McCombs, Maxw N
US $34.98
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:47 PDT
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global-covenant-the-social-democrati-held-david-new Global Covenant: The Social Democrati - Held, David New
US $33.91
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:47 PDT
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the-world-encyclopedia-of-fossils-and-parker-steve-n The World Encyclopedia of Fossils and - Parker, Steve N
US $36.67
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:46 PDT
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wicca-for-beginners-fundamentals-of-sabin-thea-new Wicca for Beginners: Fundamentals of - Sabin, Thea New
US $19.89
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:45 PDT
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with-love-papa-[illustrated]-grylls-bear-new-book With Love, Papa [Illustrated] - Grylls, Bear New Book
US $13.54
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:44 PDT
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war-and-genocide-organized-killing-i-shaw-martin-ne War and Genocide: Organized Killing i - Shaw, Martin Ne
US $39.11
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:43 PDT
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conceptual-blockbusting-a-guide-to-b-adams-james-n Conceptual Blockbusting: A Guide to B - Adams, James N
US $22.25
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:43 PDT
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uriel-communicating-with-the-archang-webster-rich-n Uriel: Communicating with the Archang - Webster, Rich N
US $18.45
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:42 PDT
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political-film-the-dialectics-of-thi-wayne-mike-new Political Film: The Dialectics of Thi - Wayne, Mike New
US $45.07
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:42 PDT
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written-in-blood-tom-mariner-crime-3-collett-chri-n Written in Blood (Tom Mariner Crime 3 - Collett, Chri N
US $15.34
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:42 PDT
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the-jew-of-malta-revels-student-edit-marlowe-chri-n The Jew of Malta (Revels Student Edit - Marlowe, Chri N
US $15.59
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:41 PDT
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the-new-anchor-book-of-pulled-thread-wilkins-c-new The New Anchor Book of Pulled Thread - Wilkins, C. New
US $17.44
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:41 PDT
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interview-with-the-vampire-vampire-c-rice-anne-new Interview with the Vampire (Vampire C - Rice, Anne New
US $17.81
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:41 PDT
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world-of-warcraft-atlas-brady-games-bradygames-new World of Warcraft Atlas (Brady Games - BradyGAMES New
US $38.14
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:40 PDT
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honour-and-violence-blok-anton-new-book Honour and Violence - Blok, Anton New Book
US $47.57
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:38 PDT
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so-you-want-to-be-a-medium?-a-down-t-eynden-rose-n So You Want to Be a Medium?: A Down-t - Eynden, Rose N
US $22.73
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:37 PDT
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the-battle-for-china-s-past-mao-and-gao-mobo-c-f-n The Battle for China's Past: Mao and - Gao, Mobo C.F N
US $29.76
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:36 PDT
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jonathan-swift-s-gulliver-jenkins-mart-new-book Jonathan Swift's Gulliver - Jenkins, Mart New Book
US $30.71
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:36 PDT
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gainsborough-phaidon-colour-library-kalinsky-nic-n Gainsborough (Phaidon Colour Library) - Kalinsky, Nic N
US $17.68
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:35 PDT
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falconry-and-hawking-glasier-phil-new-book Falconry and Hawking - Glasier, Phil New Book
US $56.18
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:35 PDT
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helen-m-stevens-embroidered-butterf-stevens-hele-n Helen M. Stevens' Embroidered Butterf - Stevens, Hele N
US $22.42
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:35 PDT
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silk-painting-techniques-and-ideas-kennedy-jill-new Silk Painting: Techniques and Ideas - Kennedy, Jill New
US $26.80
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:33 PDT
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captain-s-glory-star-trek-the-origi-shatner-will-n Captain's Glory (Star Trek: The Origi - Shatner, Will N
US $14.90
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:32 PDT
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eileen-gray-constant-car-new-book Eileen Gray - Constant, Car New Book
US $36.22
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:32 PDT
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the-malleus-maleficarum-maxwell-stuar-new-book The Malleus Maleficarum - Maxwell-Stuar New Book
US $22.60
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:31 PDT
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dorchester-days-richards-eug-new-book Dorchester Days - Richards, Eug New Book
US $45.40
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:30 PDT
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secret-protocols-peter-owen-modern-c-vansittart-p-n Secret Protocols (Peter Owen Modern C - Vansittart, P N
US $34.96
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:30 PDT
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magick-of-reiki-focused-energy-for-h-penczak-chri-n Magick of Reiki: Focused Energy for H - Penczak, Chri N
US $26.20
End Date: Sunday Aug-29-2010 6:02:29 PDT
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