is this a legit (licensed) litho?

[grogtheslayer]

Seller jahreb on eBay tends to offer the European Delcourt prints from Hellboy, but I've noticed lately that they are unnumbered. Anyhow, he has a new listing - item # 390548731172 - for a litho of the variant cover for The Fury #3. Does anyone know if this is a licensed or unlicensed reproduction?

[Ivar_L]

Don't know about *this* print, but -
there are signed and number prints (called ex libris) in France; I have some. Sometimes they are sold with the book, but there are also ones that are not signed or/and numbered. When in Paris, I got one like this from a mainstream bookshop for free. There was another shop in Paris - Fantasmagories - who produced many of them, some were signed, some not, it looks like I was threre and got several signed prints a month before they closed... Super Heros is another shop producing small signed and numbered prints. Also, BDFugue is offering them with some books, list and images here - http://www.bdfugue.com/promo/ex-libris-bandes-dessinees.

What I want to say here is that Delcourt is official publisher of Hellboy/B.P.R.D. in France, so it's only logical they have made several prints. If they are not signed, then they may give them away for free, through shops, festivals or in some other way.

[Kees_L]

I'm thinking they'll be licensed, because like Ivar says Delcourt is the French publisher of Hellboy/BPRD.

BUT! The important thing regarding Delcourt seems to me that any X-Libris stuff I've seen, such as Darkness Calls / Guy Davis BPRD / the Third Wish, as far as I'd know wouldn't be litho's but less expensively photographic produced "mini-posters" or onesided leaflets, comic-sized (A5) more rather than 11x17 (A3). They'd seem inexpensive to me, as coming in stacks at shops or conventions, like give-aways.
However it's common for X-libris prints to come as give-aways, both as signed / remarqued or signed and numbered if available, and those would cost more, or the autograph and numbering scribblings would come at a price.

Unlike for instance the 'Diable Dans la Boite' litho which really is a litho, A3 sized, appearing only as fully signed and numbered by Mignola.

The price of 80 dollars for an unsigned simple print seems way too steep to me, like 8 times too steep. And the regular version both as exclusive version goes for Delcourt hardcovers as well, since I've heard of lush oversized B&W Delcourt books with sketchbook sections, but the regular normal-sized HC's aren't in B&W and they cost a lot less, whereas they'll have similar covers.
So be warned: these photographic/computer prints don't necessarily equate to American typically exclusive both as luxuriously printed Mignola litho's! Those don't cost what they do for nothing since they'd normally be all actual litho's on archival paper in case of Mignola. And the A3-sized ones of those all usually cost $100 or over, for good reason, I'd think.

[Ivar_L]

Unlike for instance the 'Diable Dans la Boite' litho which really is a litho, A3 sized, appearing only as fully signed and numbered by Mignola.

Its 495 x 695 mm, so it's bigger than A2.

And the regular version both as exclusive version goes for Delcourt hardcovers as well, since I've heard of lush oversized B&W Delcourt books with sketchbook sections, but the regular normal-sized HC's aren't in B&W and they cost a lot less, whereas they'll have similar covers.

Yes, normal "American size" hardbacks are just French versions on paperbacks. Sometimes they make bigger black and white limited editions, there's at least one Hellboy book like this, maybe more. Just today I got some new books from France, one of them is "Ekhö" - a new book by Sky Doll artist. It's black and white, 26,5 x 37,5 cm, and has 13-pages color sketchbook section at the end. It was released in Angouleme, the regular edition will be out in March.

[Kees_L]

Its 495 x 695 mm, so it's bigger than A2.


Yes, normal "American size" hardbacks are just French versions on paperbacks. Sometimes they make bigger black and white limited editions, there's at least one Hellboy book like this, maybe more. Just today I got some new books from France, one of them is "Ekhö" - a new book by Sky Doll artist. It's black and white, 26,5 x 37,5 cm, and has 13-pages color sketchbook section at the end. It was released in Angouleme, the regular edition will be out in March.

Wow. That's a big print.

And thanks for the info.
I must say that most of the info I get on Delcourt stuff is through European eBay listings, among which seemingly quite a bit of "hey Americans, look at this "superrare" stuff which I offer you at a heinously overexpensive price!"
Also on stuff being actually not very expensive - but it is hard to tell the difference, since most often you cannot tell sizes or actual printing process or quality through a basic eBay listing.
At the same time will not every eBay seller neededly be any kind of schemer or fraud.
Not even when it appears steep prices are asked.

Because $200 for a scarce litho needn't be fraudulent per se, since in fact it wouldn't be when such is what such would cost comparatively.
Or $30-70 dollars for a long out-of-print B&W limited edition.

So yeah, lots if not most French books or prints both as the festival Angouleme stuff or such would amount to being top notch quality stuff. No reason to think otherwise, I'd think. As also any Delcourt stuff.

I'll need to read up on both Ekhö as Sky Doll I'm afraid, if it would be your recommendation.

[Ivar_L]

Don't know about recommendation, I just like Barbucci's art. :)
But I think all books from Soleil's Métamorphose line are just gorgeous, latest book is this one - http://soleilprod.com/album/2518/s%C...C3%8AT/titre/-

[Kees_L]

Don't know about recommendation, I just like Barbucci's art. :)
But I think all books from Soleil's Métamorphose line are just gorgeous, latest book is this one - http://soleilprod.com/album/2518/s%C...C3%8AT/titre/-

Whoa I see what you mean, this Dans La Forêt visual stunningness invites me to immediately go explore its lush crawly thrivant woodworky wonderment with eagerness.

It seems so inspired it'd be inspiring and also it seems to flaunt or compliment its own medium astutely, in seeming so packed with illustrative imaginativeness as fit for reading.

Somehow I bet Dave Stewart would like this and likely Miyazaki as well.


I believe I'm taking this as being a recommendation, by which I mean I'm gonna seek this book out, so thanks!