Posted in: Comics | Tagged: jim lee, x-men

Who Wants To Buy Jim Lee's X-Men #11 Double Page Spread?

Published Thu, 02 Jun 2022 06:58:12 -0500

Last updated Thu, 02 Jun 2022 19:10:20 -0500

Kenneth Parkhurst is a keen comic book art collector as his Comic Art page attests. But he is now selling one of his pride and joys, the X-Men #11 double-page spread by Jim Lee and Scott Williams that has proved so popular and used everywhere over the years, including a cover for Astonishing X-Men. But how did he come to purchase it? And why is he selling it now? Thereby hangs a tale. Kenneth tells Bleeding Cool;

The year was 1993. The place was the Oakland Marriott Hotel, the original home of Wondercon. Wondercon was the kickoff of comic convention season. Comic Conventions had not become the pop culture magnets of huge crowds yet, but I have always been the type of person to show up early. I believe I was in an unofficial line about 4 hours before the floor doors opened. After the doors were finally opened, I entered the convention room floor and I turned right. An easel was set up at the first booth. On this easel was a color test for Jim Lee's X-Men #1.

"Boom" like an exclamation balloon from Batman '66, this booth had my full attention. This was the Homage Studios art table and in their portfolio was a dragon's hoard worth of treasured art. Homage Studio's represented the artists that made me go to midnight sales at my local comic shop for the latest comics. Above all others, Jim Lee's X-Men was iconic and the platinum standard for the entire comic's industry. Slowly, I flipped page after page in the portfolio, marveling over each page. Jim Lee had left MARVEL for image and his legacy on the book was over, but within this portfolio contained what can only be considered a grail, the last two pages as a double page Spread full splash of the entire X-Men Blue Team. I was the first person at the table and even so I asked if the art had sold yet. Upon being told the art was available I wrote a check to put the art on hold. I also put the X-Men #1 color test on hold.

The art was framed and I even had the art personalized to me thinking I would never let this art go. Sadly, I am suffering from chronic tinnitus, a medical condition that causes a constant ringing in my ear. Most days are intense and some days I can barely focus from the constant high pitch whistle. This is the only reason I would consider selling this art to try to improve my living condition. I am being firm on my price as I can only sell the art once.

If you are going to sell, now is probably a better time than any. We are living in what I have called a Post-Mike Zeck comic book economy. Mike Zeck's page from Secret Wars #8 showing Spider-Man putting on the black costume for the first time (chronologically) sold for $3.3 million and changed everything. Sales of original artwork have been through the roof and people have been asking – and getting – outrageous sums.

This is the last shot of the last issue Jim Lee and Scott Williams did on X-Men before leaving Marvel, it features the origin of Shatterstar with the pregnancy reveal by his parents Dazzler and Longshot, it features the iconic 90's costumes (used for the popular cartoon!), which is what so many X-Men fans think of for the characters, and it highlights the character Jim Lee is best known for, Jubilee.

TD Art Sales are accepting offers of over half a million dollars, but a word to the wise, I reckon this is going to go for seven figures. They state that they will end this on the 20th of June, at 9pm ET, but will end the sale early but they get an offer Kenneth is happy with, and won't sell if they don't get one. Offers will be accepted at TDArtSales@gmail.com or through the site, and details of the final sale will not be made public. The final piece will be hand-delivered, worldwide, and included in the price.

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