Usagi Yojimbo DojoBoard

Incredible...If I had the money I'd be all over it. Strange though...how did Kevin Eastman end up with all the original artwork for TMNT #1? Didn't Peter Laird buy out his part of the TMNT? Why is Kevin listed as the sole owner of the original art? Seems pretty odd. Additionally, when TMNT went through it's last reprint, I heard that the reason why the duo-shade art was not used was because the original art was so old the paper distorted the artwork so badly it was illegible.

Another oddity is that it says "Artwork will be shipped from Northampton, Massachusetts via FedEx." Kevin doesn't live in Mass., but in California. Why would Peter Laird give up the orihgnal art from TMNT #1 so easily? Such things should be on display in a museum or something for all to appreciate...
I've emailed Peter to see what's up...

Inquiring minds want to know....

According to this article Kevin is the sole owner and tried to sell it back in 2003 for a million dollars.

http://www.dexigner.com/graphic/news-g304.html

Stranger things have been known to happen....
As everyone knows, Kevin sold his share/rights to Peter. Maybe he's decided he can part with it, for the right price.
It's possible the actual art is still in Northampton, as Kevin once had the Words and Pics Museum there, and he did have a residence there. That could explain the shipping situation, even though Kevin's main residence is in LA area most of the time, I believe.

Likewise, if I had the money I'd be right in there. Kevin I believe was the originator of the proto storyboard design pieces I bought a few years ago (which I picked up through an auction house... for around $150 each... sounds like a bargain against the price here!), so I guess it isn't surprising that he currently owns all the original artwork as well.

Damn, $65K and reserve not met. Reading that article, looks like it's closer to $1Million than anything else.

When I first met them in San Diego, Kevin and Peter were selling pages for $50 each. I would have bought some, but they were drawn on those duo tone boards which was notorious for yellowing and self-destructing over time. I'm surprised the art for sale on e-bay looks so good. They must have been stored in ideal conditions, unlike the closet I toss my originals in.

That's the part I can't understand. According to what I heard, the reason why the last reprint of TMNT #1 did not have the duo-shade art (line art only) was because the duo-shade stuff self-destructed. The stuff I am seeing online is in seemingly perfect condition.

Hi. I live in the next town next to Northamton. This art work was on display in the words and pictures museum there. Which is recently closed. In northampton.it is the home of all things to do with the turtles. O ky ou guys already wrote that. But with the new TMNT movie comming out it may be a promotional or attention getter either way. Also a good time to sell possibly?

Thanks for the clarification Neswizard. I can't believe it's already up to US $250,099.00...amazing and still with 5 days left. I wonder where the reserve was.

Reserve was met is all it says-- and the final bid was the winning one.

Must be nice to have that kind of money!

I never had that kind of money and probably won't but to me it must be a headache. I mean what would you do all day...shop? Seems kind of meaningless to be filthy rich...what's the motivation if you can have everything? And if you can have everything then isn't the one thing you can't have...no money?



Although cool thing.

That's pretty crazy. Hopefully it went to a good home.

I was so disheartened when I returned home from college and heard that the Word & Picture Museum had shut its doors. That place was awesome.

The owrds and pictures museum was awesome. They even had those scripts on display. Not to mention the graphic novel reading room and all the awesome turtles stuff.

I have an extra closet I would be willing to store some for you haha

Seriously though do you have much of your own art displayed at your home or office? How would a creator like yourself store their original art?

Stan Sakai wrote:When I first met them in San Diego, Kevin and Peter were selling pages for $50 each. I would have bought some, but they were drawn on those duo tone boards which was notorious for yellowing and self-destructing over time. I'm surprised the art for sale on e-bay looks so good. They must have been stored in ideal conditions, unlike the closet I toss my originals in.