From being one of the earliest TMNT fans to assembling a remarkable collection of key comics and original art, his journey is unlike any other.

Interview by Francesco Brisighelli

1. Do you remember when you first became interested in comics? What were you reading as a kid, and what attracted you to them?

I remember having a hard time reading. Comic books and illustrated children’s books, such as those by Richard Scarry, Curious George, and Dr. Seuss, were easier for me to read. The more I read them, the better I became over time. I also watched Saturday-morning cartoons, especially Super Friends. Later, I found a Super Friends comic book on a newsstand and became absorbed in it. That was when I started reading more comic books.

2. When did reading comics turn into collecting them? Was there a particular comic, character, artist, or moment that made you think of yourself as a collector?

My parents collected antiques and loved going to flea markets in search of them. One day, my dad took me to a local flea market, where I noticed a booth “Pete’s Comics” filled with comic books. I immediately went over to it. I was amazed; I had never seen anything like it, comic books covered the walls, filled boxes, and were displayed everywhere. I didn’t even know places like this existed.

It was around the holidays, and a new comic book on the wall caught my eye: The Savage She-Hulk #1. I bought it, and that marked the beginning of my comic-book collection.

3. Do you remember your first comic purchase that felt like the beginning of a collection rather than simply something you wanted to read?

I remember the comic book that made me feel like I had truly become a collector: Giant-Size X-Men #1. Even my best friend said that I had graduated to being a true collector that day.

I was a huge X-Men fan, but at the time, key comics often felt financially out of reach, especially this one. Giant-Size X-Men #1 was a key issue in the series I was reading, and owning it meant a lot to me.

Back then, reprints weren’t available like they are today, so if you wanted to read an issue, you had to borrow a copy or own one yourself. Being able to purchase Giant-Size X-Men #1 wasn’t just about reading an important chapter in the series; it was also about feeling like a true comic book collector.

By the way, that friend, Jason Sklaver, drew the backup pinup for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #4. Giant-Size X-Men #1 is included in this auction.

4. Did comic conventions or other comic-related events play a role in developing your collecting interests? Do you remember some of the first conventions you attended and what that experience was like as a young collector?

There was no internet or eBay when I started collecting. I visited comic-book stores, searched antique shows, and looked everywhere else I could. The next step for me was attending comic-book conventions. I had heard about conventions and discovered that regular ones were held in New York City. Since we lived outside the city, they were easy for me to attend.

For the first several years, the conventions I attended were Creation Cons. It was an amazing experience: comic books were everywhere, and I could meet artists and get their autographs. It was also where I learned how to ask questions and negotiate. These conventions helped me expand my comic-book collection.

Additionally, while I was in high school, I started the Ramapo Senior High School Comic Club and Convention. It was a lot of fun and taught me a great deal about organizing events and dealing with people in a more professional way. It also laid the groundwork for my eventually founding the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art.

5. When did you first become interested in original comic art? What was it about owning the actual artwork that appealed to you?

Initially, I had no idea what original comic art was and wasn’t looking for it. Then I walked into a Creation Con and saw Neal Adams, at the height of his fame, sitting there with all these drawings and sketches on his table.

I said, “Wow, Dad, wouldn’t it be cool to have one of those Neal Adams drawings?”

So we went up to Neal Adams’s table and asked how much the drawings cost. My dad looked at me and said, “For now, that’s probably too much for any future gifts I could possibly get you in the near future.”

We walked around, and diagonally across from his table was another table selling comic art. At the time, I didn’t realize that the person behind it was a comic-book dealer. He had all these portfolios filled with art from different artists, including a Neal Adams portfolio marked “50% off.”

We asked how much it cost, and even with the discount, the art in the portfolio was the same price as the drawings on Neal Adams’s table.

We looked through it, and it was filled with amazing Neal Adams covers. Then we came across the one in the auction: World’s Finest No. 209. I found it to be such a fascinating cover. Looking back, it is pretty amazing to think that my first piece of original art was a Neal Adams cover.

Let me add that my dad was a collector himself, so he understood both how much an Adams original would mean to me and the special value of original art. I think he also saw the value in purchasing a published piece for the same price as a drawing, even though it was expensive by the standards of the time. The fact that I was asking for it as an early birthday present probably helped, too. In the end, I think it was a combination of all these factors that convinced him to make the purchase and give me such a memorable early birthday gift.

Owning an original piece of art from a comic was intriguing, almost like the next step in my collecting. It wasn’t like collecting comics, where there were many copies of each issue. Each piece of original art was one of one. There was something about that uniqueness that made it special and beautiful.

6. Do you remember how you first discovered Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? What was your first impression of the series? and what was it about TMNT that caught your attention at the time?

Remember, this was before the internet, so I got most of my comics information from The Comics Buyer’s Guide. CBG probably had an article about this early black-and-white comic book about the Turtles, and I was really interested in reading it.

I thought, “Oh, this would be a great comic book to have. It looks really cool.”

At the next Creation Con, we went hunting for a copy. It was difficult to find, so we spent a lot of time looking. At one point, my dad and I split up. A little while later, he came over and said, “Look what I got for you.”

I said, “What?” He showed me the comic, and I said, “Oh, you got the second printing. That’s good." He had it in his mind that he wanted a first printing for me.

So we kept looking. Eventually, we found a first printing of No. 1 for $25, which seemed mind-bogglingly expensive at the time for a new, black-and-white comic book. But my parents wanted to encourage my enthusiasm for reading, so we bought it.

In the auction:

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (1984), first printing, CGC/JSA 9.8 NM/Mint, signed by Eastman and Laird, single highest graded
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (June 1984), second printing, CGC/JSA 9.2 NM, authentic autograph

 

When I got home, I read the comic and loved it. I wrote a letter to Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. Part of my effort to become a better reader and writer involved writing letters.

Sure enough, I received a package from Kevin Eastman. His letter, included in the auction, thanked me for writing, included the Raphael sketch, also in the auction, and mentioned that Peter would be sending me another letter with more gifts.

Peter’s letter arrived with a first-printing copy of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles No. 1, signed by both of them, as well as a first-printing copy of No. 2, also signed by both. The letter and #2 are in the auction.

I called Kevin, his phone number was printed on the letterhead, and we had a long conversation. He was incredibly generous. I was just a young, geeky teenager, but that’s how our friendship began. Whenever something new came out, they would send me a package of things. It was wonderful, and I’ve always appreciated it.

7. Your father seems to have played an important role in your early collecting years. I also noticed that the story of searching for the first printing of TMNT #1 appears in both Kevin Eastman's and Peter Laird's letters, and that both creators sent you comics in response.

Was collecting comics something you shared with your father, or was he mainly encouraging your interest and accompanying you on these adventures? And looking back, what do you think it meant to you to have his support in finding that first issue?

My dad read comics as a kid, but like many kids of his generation, his parents eventually threw them out as he got older. Although he moved on from reading comic books as a kid, he went on to collect many other things throughout his life, most notably glass poison bottles, but that’s a story for another time. I inherited my parents’ collecting genes, and my dad encouraged my interest in comics not only to get me reading, but also to have shared experiences together around comic books.

It was a chance for us to have our own father-son adventures, much like the ones he had shared with my grandfather, collecting stamps. At the time, I appreciated how dedicated my dad was to helping me find a copy of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1. After he bought me a second printing, finding a first printing became a fun mission for us to pursue together. Who knew the book itself would eventually have any real monetary value? But looking back, the real value was in the experience of searching for it with my dad and the memories we made along the way. Thanks, Dad!

8. In one of the letters included in the auction, Kevin Eastman refers to you as “Fan #1” Did you, or them, feel at the time that you were among the first TMNT fans to reach out directly to Kevin and Peter?

Yes, they told me personally and confirmed it in print: I was their first fan. My letter was the first fan letter they ever received, and they even published it in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #3. It’s pretty amazing to look back on that now and know I was part of the story from so early on.

9. The auction also includes an original page from TMNT #5. Do you remember how you acquired it?

I remember it well. I was hanging out with Kevin, Peter, and the guys at the San Diego Comic-Con around the time issue #5 came out. I mentioned to Kevin that I would love to own a piece of original art from one of the books. Without hesitation, Kevin handed me a stack of pages and told me to pick one. The moment I saw page 10, I knew it was the one. I had Kevin and Peter autograph it, too.

It’s an incredible page, with the Turtles literally introducing themselves. How cool is that? Getting to choose a page like that is a memory I’ll never forget. It was a perfect reflection of how generous and awesome Kevin was then, and still is today.

10. At what point did you realize that TMNT was becoming something much bigger than the underground comic you had first discovered? Did you ever expect it to grow into a mainstream phenomenon with cartoons, toys and such a large audience, or was that transformation a surprise? And did you continue following and collecting TMNT as it became more commercial and increasingly associated with the children's market?

I came to the Turtles through the comic books, not the animated series, and I really enjoyed the early TMNT comic book stories.

Then the animated show came out. Although I remembered the Turtles as grittier and more violent, the animated series was nothing like that. The Turtles in the cartoon were very different from the characters I knew from the early comics. It was the show’s early success that made me realize the Turtles had become something much bigger.

As TMNT continued to expand into toys, television, and other media, I realized it was going to become much more than a little black-and-white comic book. I wasn’t surprised by the success of the animated series; I was surprised by how much TMNT changed over the years. That evolution only helped it grow.

By the mid-1990s, though, I had essentially stopped collecting comic books.

11. The two original Spider-Man pages by Todd McFarlane are among the standout pieces in the auction. The descriptions mention that you acquired them directly from McFarlane at the San Diego Comic-Con.

Were you already a fan of McFarlane's work at the time? What went through your mind when you had the opportunity to buy two important original pages directly from him?

My dad and I were talking about the upcoming 1988 San Diego Comic-Con we were planning to attend. He asked if there were any particular artists I wanted to meet, and I told him about this great artist who had worked on The Incredible Hulk and was now drawing Spider-Man. That artist was Todd McFarlane.

One day, as my dad and I were walking the floor of the old convention center, we literally bumped into Todd. The three of us started talking, and Todd loved the fact that I was there with my dad. At some point, my dad asked if he would do a drawing for me, and I asked Todd if he had any original pages available. He said he did and that he had a portfolio full of them. He then told us to meet him at the Marvel table in 15 minutes.

We met up with Todd as planned, walked out into the hall, found a table, and he handed me the portfolio to look through. As I started going through the pages, other collectors began coming over to see what was available. Whenever I found a page I liked, I handed it to my dad to hold, then passed the pages I didn't want along to the other collectors to look through.

After going through the portfolio, I ended up selecting five pages: four Spider-Man pages and one Hulk splash page. My dad wasn't a fan of that particular version of the Hulk, as it wasn't the Hulk he had grown up with. He told me he would buy me the four Spider-Man pages as an early Chanukah/birthday gift, but the Hulk splash wasn't part of the deal.

It was a fantastic experience, although, in many ways, not unlike other experiences I had with artists and creators before and after that convention. Todd was incredibly generous and kind, and I've always appreciated the way he took the time to make that experience special for both me and my dad. Those are the kinds of memories that make collecting original comic art about so much more than the artwork itself.

12. The auction includes a wide range of original art from different artists and periods. Are there two or three other pieces that are particularly meaningful to you, and would you tell us what makes them special?

If I had to choose—and that’s an incredibly difficult thing to do—I’d narrow it down to three pieces, aside from the Neal Adams cover, the McFarlane pages, and the TMNT #5 page. In no particular order, here they are:

The first would be the Marshall Rogers and Joe Rubinstein page from Silver Surfer Vol. 3 #1. I’m a huge fan of the Surfer and the creative team behind this issue. So, when I met Joe at SDCC around the time the book came out and saw this page, I knew I had to have it. Seeing the Silver Surfer soaring through the sky and breaking the panels, the way space was depicted, and the inclusion of the Fantastic Four made this page truly special. When I met Marshall Rogers later, I had him autograph it as well, and we had a great discussion about the page. Such great memories!

The second would be the Kurt Schaffenberger and Bob Smith cover to Super Friends #44. I had the opportunity to get to know Kurt, as he was a frequent guest at the Ramapo Senior High School Comic Book Con, which I started. Super Friends was my favorite Saturday morning cartoon, and I remember absolutely loving the comic book long before I ever became a collector. So, when Kurt brought this cover to a Ramapo Con, it all fell into place. I actually purchased two covers from him, the other being Superboy #29, but this one is my favorite of the two.

Finally, there’s the unpublished Justice League Adventures #28. I’m a big fan of Joe Staton, who is also a personal friend, and I’ve always wanted to own the complete original art for an entire comic book. Sometime around 2000, I became really focused on that goal. About ten years later, I was able to acquire this book from Joe himself.

I’ve always loved Joe’s work, particularly his animated style, so this book really hit a sweet spot for me. It also features an interesting combination of Joe’s pencils and Al Milgrom’s inks. Since the book was never published, it never had an official cover. As a special bonus, Joe and Al created a cover specifically for me, and Janice Chiang lettered it.

So, while each of these pieces means something different to me, they all represent what I love most about collecting original comic art: the artwork itself, the people behind it, and the personal stories that make each piece unique.

13. I noticed that the auction includes multiple pieces by certain artists. Were these particular favorites of yours, or were there other reasons you found yourself collecting multiple pieces by the same artists?

To begin with, I mostly collected pieces that caught my eye. I never really set out to collect multiple pieces by the same artist. When I do have several pieces by one artist, it usually comes down to one of two reasons: either we’ve been friends for a long time, as is the case with Joe Staton, Ed Hannigan, Klaus Janson, and others, or I had the opportunity to acquire several pieces at once, like the Mike Allred pages, the McFarlane pieces, and the Chris Warner Batman pages.

I’ve been friends with Joe Staton for a long time, and I’ve been very fortunate to acquire pieces of his work over the years. Joe is one of the nicest people in the industry, and he’s incredibly talented. The same goes for Klaus Janson, whose work I’ve collected through a friendship that spans decades. I began working with Ed Hannigan in the early 2000s, and we developed a friendship from there. These relationships mean the world to me, and I feel honored to have been able to acquire and cherish pieces by these artists. I still have more of their work in my collection, which makes those connections all the more meaningful.

I had known Michael Allred since relatively early in his career, but I hadn’t acquired any of his original art at the time. In 2009, around the time of the MoCCA Mazzucchelli exhibit, I ran into Mike, and he had a bunch of Batman pages with him. I didn’t buy any, but that encounter stuck with me. A few years later, around 2013 or 2014, I learned that Mike had the complete original art for his Batman Black and White #4 story. Although I hadn’t been actively collecting for some time, those pages really spoke to me. I ended up purchasing the entire story from Mike, along with the Madman and Teen Titans covers. It was the last major original art purchase I made.

14. How did your interest in comics and collecting evolve as you got older? Did you continue going to conventions and collecting original art throughout your adult life, and did your interests change or expand over the years?

The Comics market had a big shift in the mid 90s. Conventions also started to change in ways I didn’t like. Collecting wasn’t fun for me anymore. I lost interest and started to focus on other interests, law school, work and life.

It wasn’t until I started the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art in 2001 that I started to have that passion for comics again. I collected very sporadically, but not as intensely. And now that part of my life is coming to an end and I am excited for whatever comes next.

15. Even after you stopped collecting, you held on to much of the material you had accumulated during those earlier years. Did these pieces retain a particular personal significance for you, even during the years when you weren't actively collecting? What made you decide to keep them for so long?

Up until this year, I had probably sold or traded fewer than 10 pieces of original art from my personal collection in my entire life. Collecting comics and original comic art has been a part of who I am for more than 40 years. I’ve always enjoyed owning the art, being able to look at it, display it in exhibits, and talk about it with others. Every piece carries its own memories and experiences, and together, they tell a part of my story.

I never consciously made a decision to hold on to everything; I simply never wanted to part with the art. People would reach out to me regularly about specific pieces, but my answer was almost always some version of, “I’m too sentimental, so I’m not selling.”

16. You mentioned that this part of your life is coming to an end. After so many years, what made you feel that now was the right time to let the collection go?

I’m at a point in my life where I’m semi-retired (by choice), my son has started college, and my daughter will be starting soon. My wife and I want to downsize, not just a little, but quite a bit. We want less stuff so we can be more mobile and spend more time traveling.

As the value of these pieces continues to rise, I’ve also become more conscious of the risks of holding on to them, whether it’s fire, flooding, theft, or something else, especially as we begin to travel more. At the same time, I want to be able to see and touch the art. Storing it away in a vault or somewhere else, where I can’t enjoy it, simply isn’t an option for me.

I also think about people who pass away and leave behind a lifetime of possessions for their families to sort through and deal with. I don’t want to put my family in that position. I want to make those decisions myself, while I can, and find a way to move forward that makes sense for me and for them.

17. Is there anything you'd particularly like collectors who acquire these pieces to know about their history or the years you spent with them?

I cherished these pieces from the moment I acquired them until the moment I let them go. I hope I was a good steward of the art and gave it a home where it was appreciated and enjoyed. Now, the pieces have moved on to new keepers, who will create their own memories and stories with them. And in a way, that’s part of what makes collecting original art so special. The art stays with us for a time, and then it moves on, becoming part of someone else’s story.

18. You've also decided to donate the proceeds from a portion of the auction to charity. What inspired you to include this charitable element, and what made you choose these particular causes?

My parents were very philanthropic, and my wife and I have tried to carry on that tradition. As you know, I’ve been involved with many nonprofit organizations over the years, including providing pro bono and low-cost legal services to comic book creators in need. Giving back has always been in my blood.

There are so many people who need help, whether it’s access to food, housing, healthcare, or other basic necessities. I’ve been fortunate to do well in my life, and I believe that those of us who have the means to help others have a moral obligation to do so. That’s why I wanted to make a statement about the importance of philanthropy by creating a special section of this auction in which 100% of my proceeds from these pieces will go to four nonprofit organizations: The Center for Cartoon Studies, The Hero Initiative, Berkshire Humane Society, and Berkshire Art Association.

In the charity section: View all of the charity items.

I hope this section of the auction will also inspire others to give back in whatever ways they can. I don’t want to preach, but I do believe that philanthropy matters, and those of us with the financial capacity to help should make an effort to do so.

The pieces I’ve selected for this section include a special group of rare, autographed items I’ve collected from the Ramapo Senior High School Comic Book Con and MoCCA. These items are particularly meaningful to me, both as personal souvenirs and because they are directly connected to my work with nonprofit organizations. Bringing these pieces together in support of charitable causes felt like a natural way to combine two things that have been important parts of my life.

There are, of course, many wonderful nonprofit organizations doing important work, so I had to limit the selection to four for this auction. Each has a special meaning to me.

The Center for Cartoon Studies is an outstanding school that I’ve enjoyed watching grow and flourish. During my time at MoCCA, we helped promote the school by allowing them to use our space. It has been rewarding to see all that the Center has accomplished and the contributions it continues to make to the world of cartooning.

The Hero Initiative is an organization I’ve worked with to help raise money for comic book creators we had in common. They do important work supporting creators who have given so much to the industry but have not always received the financial security or benefits their work should have afforded them. I’m proud to support their mission.

Berkshire Humane Society holds a particularly special place in our hearts. Our two cats and our dog all came from there, so this is a cause that is very personal to my wife and me. It is also the only shelter of its kind in the county, making its work especially important to our community.

Berkshire Art Association is another organization close to my heart. I serve on its board, and the BAA has been supporting the arts in our region for more than five decades. Its work includes supporting local artists, championing arts initiatives, and helping schoolchildren explore and develop their visual arts talents. It also provides the home for my Comic and Cartoon Art Presents exhibitions, which I curate on a volunteer basis. The next exhibition opens November 7 and will feature special guests, including Joe Staton. I’m proud to be part of an organization that does so much to nurture and celebrate the arts in our community.

As an aside, Peter Laird was born in Berkshire County, so it all comes full circle.

I want to thank everyone who takes a special interest in and supports this section of the auction. These organizations do meaningful work, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to help them continue it. In addition to the proceeds from these auction pieces, we will be making additional contributions as well.

For me, this is about more than the art or the auction. It’s about using something I love to support causes I believe in and helping make a difference where I can. If this effort encourages even a few others to give back, then it will have accomplished something truly worthwhile.

I’m also incredibly grateful for all the wonderful people I’ve met over the years through my involvement in the comics and art communities. Although these pieces, which serve as tangible connections to so many of those people and experiences, will soon leave my hands, the memories will always remain. Those interactions have enriched my life in countless ways, and I will forever be grateful for the friendships, conversations, and experiences they represent.

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Francesco Brisighelli writes Comic Art Tips, a weekly newsletter on comic art auctions.