What do ya'll say? I say FAKE.

[Nick W]

I'm fairly confident in calling this (http://cgi.ebay.com/Dessin-Original-HELLBOY-Mignola_W0QQitemZ180252464071QQihZ008QQcategoryZ39 514QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) a fake. It doesn't come up while searching ebay US, but I found it while trolling ebay.fr for Hellboy stuff. The figure itself looks pretty good, but the inks are all wrong & so is the signature. What do ya'll think? CBM, can you confirm?

http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/2647/hellboymignolabe9.jpg

N

[CBM]

I'm fairly confident in calling this (http://cgi.ebay.com/Dessin-Original-HELLBOY-Mignola_W0QQitemZ180252464071QQihZ008QQcategoryZ39 514QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) a fake. It doesn't come up while searching ebay US, but I found it while trolling ebay.fr for Hellboy stuff. The figure itself looks pretty good, but the inks are all wrong & so is the signature. What do ya'll think? CBM, can you confirm?

http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/2647/hellboymignolabe9.jpg

N
Yup it's a fake!!!

[THE REAL kirk]

I am sorry but this really pisses me off. The thought of some Hellboy/Mignola fan bidding on this, paying a pretty penny, being all happy about their acquired treasure, and getting a bloody fake just makes me want to punch things.

[hellboyone]

Okay trace job on the figure but everything else is BAD from the blacks to the signature to the type of paper used. Thanks for sniffing it out, Nick!

[Jake Capps]

So bad it's funny. Why didn't he trace the signature to? Also doesn't Mike always cut is bristol like an idiot, and smear ink everywhere?!

[DannyBoy7783]

It's not bad it's just wrong for Mignola's style.

Everyone should be cautious when buying on eBay and should always assume that everything is a forgery and work from that.

[parrish]

I think I would have believed it was real if I just saw Hellboy's head and body.

[Asa]

I questioned it as soon as I saw the nose, soooo not mignola style at all!
I feel for the person who gets stuck with it.

[Kelly Tindall]

Geez louise, guys, take a little initiative. I have crap like this removed from eBay all the time... Sellers often don't realize they are selling fakes until they are informed.

I thought I would give the seller the benefit of the doubt. Although my French is very bad, I sent him/her this: "Vous rendez-vous compte que cet article est un article truqué ? L'épouse de Mike Mignola a confirmé que c'est un article faux. Enlevez svp immédiatement."

I also reported the file to eBay itself. Hopefully it'll be removed today.

[Nick W]

Geez louise, guys, take a little initiative. I have crap like this removed from eBay all the time... Sellers often don't realize they are selling fakes until they are informed.

I thought I would give the seller the benefit of the doubt. Although my French is very bad, I sent him/her this: "Vous rendez-vous compte que cet article est un article truqué ? L'épouse de Mike Mignola a confirmé que c'est un article faux. Enlevez svp immédiatement."

I also reported the file to eBay itself. Hopefully it'll be removed today.

Dude, I reported it to ebay as soon as CBM confirmed the fakery.

[hellboyone]

I questioned it as soon as I saw the nose, soooo not mignola style at all!


Actually...yesterday, I was doing a study in between fx renders at work of Hellboy from the Darkness Calls cover and his nose looks pretty much like that.

On a side note, I've never tried actually just copying the way Mignola draws (contrary to popular belief) and, fuck, it is HARD.

[hellboyone]

Geez louise, guys, take a little initiative. I have crap like this removed from eBay all the time... Sellers often don't realize they are selling fakes until they are informed.



If a comic art dealer can't tell that this isn't a Mignola, they have no business selling the stuff.

[Kelly Tindall]

If a comic art dealer can't tell that this isn't a Mignola, they have no business selling the stuff.

I agree!

But fakes like this show up on eBay all the time. Many times a seller has protested ignorance of a piece to me and taken it down, (out of prudence or shame, either is fine) which is good because sending something to eBay seems to be a much slower process. (No offense, Nick.)

I hate people who make money off of the hopefully gullible.

[Asa]

Actually...yesterday, I was doing a study in between fx renders at work of Hellboy from the Darkness Calls cover and his nose looks pretty much like that.
.

I see some thing different. I thought mike is left handed, The strokes on his nose go up, the copy also goes up but clearly the artist looks right handed to me.

I am no artist but I, I could just be babbeling, but that is what I see.
If i was looking at it to buy it, that sticks out like soar thumb to me.

[chiaroscuros]

It is definitely a fake!
Mike never cuts his corners, never uses the cheap generic comicart boards, never inks his blacks solid, never wisps out his brushwork, the horns are mushy, the lines in the face are too thick, the lineweights of the signature are too thick, the fluidity of the signature is not there, etc., etc...

But it does look like it is traced because the relation of parts seems right (thin lines to shadows)...

But CBM has already confirmed it, so you don't need my observations...

p.s. Is Mike left handed? He is always seated facing me, but I guess now that I mentally reverse him, he is... learn something new every day :)

[CBM]

p.s. Is Mike left handed?
Nope right handed!

[Asa]

Nope right handed!

Sorry People, wow and I was so sure, Well I will pay more attention to those details in the future.:eek: :smile:

Thank you CBM,

[SpydaWeb]

As I'm not a fan of plain pencil/ink art (I consider it unfinished), I didn't immediately recognize this for a fake. The signature felt wrong to me though which ofcourse isn't saying much.

On a side note. I didn't realize some of you were such geeks about this stuff. Rick I understand, what with his Mignola shrine that he likes to pass off as a home, but do you guys just sit around and stare at brush strokes all day?

[Nick W]

On a side note. I didn't realize some of you were such geeks about this stuff. Rick I understand, what with his Mignola shrine that he likes to pass off as a home, but do you guys just sit around and stare at brush strokes all day?

Spyda, where have you been man? Of course, we are! And I don't stare at them ALL day, but it's close. :biggrin:

N

[The Xenos]

Well, that's disgusting. If it's the seller or not, some asshat created this fake piece of imitation art.

[chiaroscuros]

As I'm not a fan of plain pencil/ink art (I consider it unfinished), I didn't immediately recognize this for a fake.
On a side note. I didn't realize some of you were such geeks about this stuff. Rick I understand, what with his Mignola shrine that he likes to pass off as a home, but do you guys just sit around and stare at brush strokes all day?

If you ever see one of his originals in person, you will be amazed by it. They have a lot more depth, power, and detail than ever come thru the printed page.

Also, when you put his original art next to other people's original art, you will notice a lot of differences. Some artists see the originals as just one step in a production process that leads to the printed comic. They have no problem with coffee stains, inferior paper, covering a page in whiteout, slapping stats or pasteups all over it or skipping words and word bubbles completely.

Mike takes the opposite approach. He choses high quality archival paper, he always places his word bubbles and even goes the extra step and asks that the text be handlettered on the pages (this is a dying art and mike is one of the last artists that is still demanding it, so it is clear that it is important to him), his whiteout is always minimal to non-existant (in fact I wouldn't be suprised if he starts over on a page if it needs too much whiteout), and the only stats I have ever seen on his art is from his early days on Cosmic Oddysee, Gotham by Gaslight, and Dracula (also back when he was being pushed hard by deadlines).

Anyway, these issues are only important to him and the people that collect his art. But they make fakes stand out from a mile away... He treats his pages like fine art and it shows. And as a collector of his art, I am so glad he cares about these things.

[Nick W]

If you ever see one of his originals in person, you will be amazed by it. They have a lot more depth, power, and detail than ever come thru the printed page.

Also, when you put his original art next to other people's original art, you will notice a lot of differences. Some artists see the originals as just one step in a production process that leads to the printed comic. They have no problem with coffee stains, inferior paper, covering a page in whiteout, slapping stats or pasteups all over it or skipping words and word bubbles completely.

Mike takes the opposite approach. He choses high quality archival paper, he always places his word bubbles and even goes the extra step and asks that the text be handlettered on the pages (this is a dying art and mike is one of the last artists that is still demanding it, so it is clear that it is important to him), his whiteout is always minimal to non-existant (in fact I wouldn't be suprised if he starts over on a page if it needs too much whiteout), and the only stats I have ever seen on his art is from his early days on Cosmic Oddysee, Gotham by Gaslight, and Dracula (also back when he was being pushed hard by deadlines).

Anyway, these issues are only important to him and the people that collect his art. But they make fakes stand out from a mile away... He treats his pages like fine art and it shows. And as a collector of his art, I am so glad he cares about these things.

Well said, Michael.

N

[shonokin]

Hasn't been taken down yet.

[Kelly Tindall]

I don't like this guy.

He sent me an email that basically says, "I cannot understand what you mean!" which is bullshit. I sent him another email, in French, clearly stating that it's a fraud, a copy, counterfeit, and fake.

[Kees_L]

I kind of feel I have seen this bogus candy-letter Mignola-'signature' before... I hope this (poor) con-artist hasn't been making a habit of himself. Good going on your efforts on ridding eBay of this, Kelly. I have tried to find the means to contact eBay.fr but couldn't. I'd think they're the ones to take action on this.

[CBM]

I kind of feel I have seen this bogus candy-letter Mignola-'signature' before... I hope this (poor) con-artist hasn't been making a habit of himself. Good going on your efforts on ridding eBay of this, Kelly. I have tried to find the means to contact eBay.fr but couldn't. I'd think they're the ones to take action on this.
There is a link on the bottom of the page...I have contacted them also so if any of you want to go on and report it also that's great...the more people who complain maybe they'll get the message. Thanks to all who have helped with this and thanks to Nick for spotting it. This stuff happens all the time and sometimes unfortunately it's a loosing battle. So buyer beware...
CBM

[Kees_L]

There is a link on the bottom of the page...I have contacted them also so if any of you want to go on and report it also that's great...the more people who complain maybe they'll get the message. Thanks to all who have helped with this and thanks to Nick for spotting it. This stuff happens all the time and sometimes unfortunately it's a loosing battle. So buyer beware...
CBM

Yep, thanks all - effectively Nick W and also you CBM :smile:. I have just now "contacté le Service consommateur eBay" on the item being 'pas dessiné par Mike Mignola' and hence 'faux et frauduleux'. Hope it helps!

[Nick W]

Here's the message I got back from the seller & the wonderful Babelfish translation:

"Il est toujours possible de tomber sur une copie, effectivement. J'ai acheté cet original tel quel. Expliquez moi sur quels éléments vous basés vous pour etres aussi affirmatif?

It is always possible to fall on a copy, indeed. J' bought this original such as it is. Explain me on which elements you based to you for beings also affirmative?"

I explained to him the most glaring signs that it is a forgery and also the fact the Chrisitine verified it as a fake. So let's see what happens...

N

[Nick W]

Yep, thanks all - effectively Nick W and also you CBM :smile:. I have just now "contacté le Service consommateur eBay" on the item being 'pas dessiné par Mike Mignola' and hence 'faux et frauduleux'. Hope it helps!

Good work Kees! But it shouldn't matter what country's ebay you are using or try to contact since the item number is the same for all of them.

N

[Kees_L]

I explained to him the most glaring signs that it is a forgery and also the fact the Chrisitine verified it as a fake. So let's see what happens...N

:biggrin: You didn't simply identify yourself as pope - with babblin' fish at your disposal? Should prove authority enough... :biggrin:

[Nick W]

:biggrin: You didn't simply identify yourself as pope - with babblin' fish at your disposal? Should prove authority enough... :biggrin:

Sadly, my Papal authority is recognized by few. Whereas my geekiness is recognized by all. :tongue:

N

[Kees_L]

Good work Kees! But it shouldn't matter what country's ebay you are using or try to contact since the item number is the same for all of them.

N

Well, in filing complaints to eBay in the past I have been contacted by Ebay Netherlands with statements like 'we have informed the people involved for you - as we ourselves are not really (involved)'. So I have attempted to report this as directly as possible.

Sadly, my Papal authority is recognized by few. Whereas my geekiness is recognized by all.
The solution is simple: hand out more of 'em biscuits and go easy on the water-splashing :D.

[Kelly Tindall]

I got the same response as you, Nick, so I directed him/her here.

[Ivar_L]

This seller has more original art and books with original sketch for sale, they look like orginals. So he probably got this obvious fake Mignola somehow and is in shock now... Should've taken it down from Ebay already, though.

[ZINCo Sales Rep]

I don't speak French, but I sent the seller this (easily traslatable) message:
This item is counterfeit.
You damage your credibility by selling it.

He replied:
pour moi il s'agit bien d'un original. La photo est suffisemment clair pour que chacun se fasse sa propre opinion. Je laisse donc chacun décider.
Which Babelfish translates:
for me it s' d' acts well; an original. The photograph is suffisemment clear so that each one forms its own opinion. I thus let each one decide.

A surprisingly indifferent reply from someone with a 97.2% positive feedback rating.

[Kelly Tindall]

He/she is not going to take it down on his/her own.

From my email this morning, translated as best I can from French to English: "To me, it looks fine; an original. I do not call into question your opinion, but the photograph is clear enough so that each person forms their own opinion."

So, buyer beware.

EDIT: Looks like we got the same stock response. Did I mention I hate this guy?

[Nick W]

That's just a scumbag move. There's not a chance that it's fake, it's confirmed & he still leaves it up. Well, if the auction does reach completion, I'll be sending the winner a message. :evilsmile:

N

[Kees_L]

I received a link from an Ebay.fr-official, to where various problems with sold items are to be adressed. I signalled this item to correspond with: "Violation des règles de mise en vente > Annonces d'objets contrefaisant un copyright ou de contrefaçons > Contrefaçon potentielle de marque commerciale > Contrefaçons de sacs à main" meaning a falsely fabricated piece of handiwork:tongue:. Lets see what happens. (If they call in again I'll direct them here of course)

[CBM]

Unfortunately sometimes these things are impossible to control or get control of...mostly people are very cooperative but sometimes there's nothing you can do...if it's mass production we can proceed legally but for one piece it's not worth it...I've dealt with guys like this before and you are just going to get frustrated and end up with a losing battle...as I have said before "buyer beware" Thanks for all your hard work you guys!!!
CBM

[jnapper]

Hey guys, please feel free to keep reporting fakes. I'm closing this thread because it's been confirmed.