Comic book creator Todd McFarlane is a legend in the industry. 34 years ago, he was part of the so-called “X-odus” – when seven major Marvel creators left to found Image Comics, a publisher allowing them to retain control of their own creations. He’s current president of Image Comics, and is also known for running action figure manufacturer McFarlane Toys. Over the last year or so, though, he’s been making waves in a very different way
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McFarlane’s art has always been prized by comic book lovers, and he took to Whatnot to reach them directly. According to collectors, he’s been getting “insane” prices for his art, running livestreams where a sketch reportedly sold for $6,000. Other artists such as Rob Liefeld have headed to Whatnot as well, and all the signs are that McFarlane now views Whatnot as a core part of his business. Now, though, he’s made his biggest announcement yet
Todd McFarlane’s SDCC Plans Are Unlike Any We’ve Seen Before
Artists tend to turn up to events like San Diego Comic-Con with a collection of exclusive artwork. McFarlane is doing something a little different; he’s running a special Whatnot live show on July 9, which “features two highly collectible covers celebrating a rare artistic collaboration between Spawn creator Todd McFarlane and acclaimed artist Artgerm.” The first features Artgerm’s own art, while the second is a special Todd McFarlane inked version blending the two styles. Both books will be signed by McFarlane.
“I had a great time collaborating with Artgerm on these two highly limited books,” said McFarlane. “One with full paints by Artgerm, and the other I tried to turn the painting into a more traditional pen and ink illustration. I think the two books have very different looks even though it is using the same imagery as its beginning. With only 750 sets, these will be hard to acquire in the aftermarket, and I will be signing BOTH editions so you will get two autographs from me in each set
“More importantly, I wanted to give those fans, who do not have the opportunity to attend the San Diego convention, the same chance to get these books as everyone else. We have wonderful fans scattered across the globe and want to make these types of books available to them as well.” You can bookmark the show on Whatnot, where it will run from 1.00pm-3.00pm PT on July 9
It’s a very different approach to SDCC, because it means the books will have sold before the event; collectors will, however, be able to take them to Comic-Con to get Artgerm’s signature as well. Just Collecting and Paul Fraser Collectibles’ weekly emails highlight it as a major moment, going so far as to speculate that it could affect how Comic-Cons work going forward (should the approach prove popular, and be picked up by others). But it seems to me that any changes would likely be for the best.
McFarlane Is Using Whatnot To Change the Game
The McFarlane auctions have clearly been a phenomenal success, but this new approach really is a game-changer for SDCC. Until now, SDCC exclusives tended to primarily be available to people who attended the event; many were picked up by scalpers, purely to be sold for high prices on the aftermarket. McFarlane is skipping that whole process, because the collectors get direct access without the Comic-Con’s involvement. It’s easy to see why he’s taken this approach, and other artists are sure to try it too.
Notice, though, that McFarlane is still throwing Comic-Con a bone. Collectors who purchase this artwork now have the option of going to SDCC, scouting for additional signatures that will increase the value of their purchase. Some won’t do that, which means there will probably be some impact on SDCC as a whole; still, it’s hard to make the argument against collectors having direct access, and scalpers losing an opportunity. I’m quite pleased by the idea of artists being the ones who make the money from their work (and signatures), rather than intermediaries.
Consider this a test-case. McFarlane is an unusual figure in the comic book world, simply because he’s prominent enough to be a trailblazer. If it works out, then I’d expect to see quite a few more artists begin to take the same route, and we’ll see the Comic-Con experience evolve in a very different direction. Once again, one of the founding members of Image Comics is shaking the entire industry – and it certainly feels like it could be for the better
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