May 23, 2000
MASTERPIECE THEATER
George Pérez JLA/Avengers Art Hits the eBay Big Time

By Christopher Lawrence

George Pérez will take an ocean voyage to Scandinavia this summer...paid for by his maiden voyage into the world of online auctions.

The "ultimate George Pérez fan collector piece," a spread depicting a battle between the Justice League of America and the Mighty Avengers, sold on the eBay auction site [www.ebay.com] in May for a whopping $6,302.

"I was stunned," Pérez said of the results. "I’m quite pleased."

The online battle for the art, which appeared in the "Last Man Standing" feature in Wizard #105, was just as heated as the epic conflict depicted in Pérez’s pencils.

Twelve bidders went head to head over the piece during the week-long auction, tossing out a total of 35 bids. Eventual champion Scott Isaacson delivered the winning bid just nine minutes prior to the auction’s close.

So what possessed him to fork over six grand for a piece of artwork?

"I’m crazy," he laughed. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance... It’s just so unique."

Isaacson, who was the first person to bid on the art, paid close attention to the auction’s status--even more so than Pérez. The artist admitted he checked on the auction’s status from time to time, but said such efforts were basically unnecessary: "I had so many people calling me and updating me on it...Most people were quite astounded."

Sure, $6,302 is more than the average Pérez groupie can afford, but the piece is definitely worth it. In addition to its obvious value as a George Pérez original, the artwork may just mark the last time fans get to see the JLA face off against the Avengers.

"I can’t imagine they’ll ever get that book together," Pérez said. "They’ve had ample opportunity...if they didn’t try to seriously act upon it during the time when JLA and Avengers are at their hottest, I can’t see any other time they’re going to do it."

Artist Joe Jusko hopes to duplicate Pérez’s eBay success. Working in conjunction with Wizard, the renowned artist will auction the Sabretooth, Mystique and Professor X covers he painted for Wizard: The Comics Magazine.

The three pieces will go up for auction sequentially, with the first one beginning Monday, June 26.