Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Comics, deviantART, entertainment, frank & son, los angeles, prints

When A Creator Challenged The Print Sellers At Frank & Son Collectibles

A comic book creator who wishes not to be named visited Frank & Son Collectibles, regarding the selling of artwork owned by creators without their knowledge or permission.

He writes,

I am writing regarding an experience artist [REDACTED] and I had with the seller at Frank & Son Collectible Show.

The work being sold by the vendor directly to the left of the main entrance at Frank & Son is at least in part stolen. At least one of the men running that stall is supposed to be a family member of one of the owners of Frank & Son. This information was provided by an on site manager.

[REDACTED] caught this seller – I can't remember his name – carrying one of his illustrations backed on foam core with signature and contact information removed. All of the illustrations we sell are 11×17. All of our images have our website, artist name, and appropriate character credits printed at the bottom. The piece being sold was larger than our prints, so we are certain this was a case of copy, print, sell as opposed to buying from us to sell.

The reason I request that our names be left out of publication is that the man running this booth is incredibly belligerent. [REDACTED] was understandably angry when he caught the art theft and the discussion between the two was somewhat heated. [REDACTED] was later approached by the seller who got in his face about causing a scene in front of his customers. When we went to discuss the theft with the manager on duty, the seller was there immediately as his booth is within easy view of the Frank & Son offices. Bully is the term that comes to mind. When we asked that the art be handed over, he refused saying we could buy it, but he wouldn't give it to us because it had cost him money to make. We said he couldn't sell it. He said he wouldn't. I very much doubt this to be the case. At one point, I believe he claimed to have purchased the art from someone else, so it isn't really possible to say how he came by the work. We do know that he had seen  [REDACTED] 's work at the occasional Frank & Son show! (he claimed as much), but we do not remember that he has ever approached us about using  [REDACTED]'s work.

We have addressed this issue with at least one other artist, Jaime Tyndall, but he says that he gave the guy at Frank & Son permission to use his art. So it is possible that some of what this vendor is selling is legit.

But not it seems, many of the folk featured…

UPDATE: Comic writer Tom Taylor adds,

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