Original artwork isn't cheap. Depending on the artist a one-of-a-kind piece can fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions in some cases. That's why when buying an original piece, there's a level of trust that must be involved. As the seller, you have to trust that the buyer isn't going to mass produce your work, and profit off of reproduction prints. As the buyer, you have to trust that the artist is protecting your investment by not turning around and recreating it for someone else.
For those of you who recall, I went to Big Lick NOVA 2026 on May 30, 2026. It was there that I met Mike DeCarlo for the first time. At his table, he was selling original artwork, and among the numerous pieces was a fantastic watercolor showcasing the four covers of the fan favorite Batman story arc, A Death In The Family. The below to be specific.
I showed immediate interest in it, and Mike saw this, telling me that he was sure it would sell fast, and further stated it was one-of-a-kind. He then reinforced this by saying it was something he wouldn't be doing again.
At $400.00, it was a great asking price. For those of you unfamiliar with commission pieces from comic artists, these typically cost between $300 and $600 per character, and sometimes more. Mind you, that's usually for a pencil and ink job. Certainly not full color, and definitely not watercolor. This was poised as a once in a lifetime opportunity, and a major investment. One I couldn't pass up.
When I got home, I even found Mike's original Facebook post, where upon completing it, he listed it for sale. He reaffirmed in writing in this post how, "This is the one and only time I will recreate in full color the 4 part series."
The problem, as it would turn out, is that this statement wasn't true.
Fast forward to October 11, 2026. I don't know what led me to search for "Mike DeCarlo A Death In The Family Watercolor" on Google, but I did. Imagine my surprise when I came across a very familiar looking ebay listing.
How could this be? Was it a fake? Did someone go online, pull the image, alter the signatures on the bottom to include Mike DeCarlo and Jim Starlin's signatures? I read over the seller's description hoping that they'd state the item was merely a print, but alas, no. It was stated as an original recreation of the cover art by Mike DeCarlo.
I reached out to the seller, politely asking if they could tell me when and where they bought this, as I had purchased a similar piece, and that when I did, it was sold to me with the pretense that it was one-of-a-kind. The seller was polite, and prompt with a response.
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| Conversation referenced with the permission of the seller. |
The said they had purchased theirs in June of 2026 at HeroesCon, also for $400.00, and under the same pretense that it was one-of-a-kind. Upon discovering that this was not the case they were unhappy and decided to sell the piece to recoup their money.
In the interim of receiving their response, I also Google searched an email address for Mike DeCarlo, something that turns out was easier to do than I thought possible. I took a screen grab of his Facebook post, and the seller's listing, specifically those included in this post, and forwarded them to him. I was polite, not wanting to show my entire hand right off the bat. I simply asked if the one on ebay was legitimate since it looked similar to one he had posted on his Facebook page.
Mike actually responded rather quickly.
He not only stated that it looked legit but then complained how insulting it was that someone would buy a piece from him only to then list it for an upcharge on ebay. He then stated that he often does two or three of the same work if it is well received. The icing on the cake was him offering to make me my own for $320.00.
I wanted to immediately start typing out a response but was speechless, shocked how Mike could be insulted by someone trying to profit off of his work, but oblivious to how fans of his work would feel buying artwork from him under false pretenses. My investment suddenly felt worthless, and that was incredibly disheartening. Further, it was insulting to me that he diminished its value himself by not only continuing to recreate it but then offering to do so again at a cheaper price than I had previously paid.
Still, I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. I went back to his Facebook page multiple times. Had I simply misread it? No. He truly stated, in writing, that this was a piece he wasn't going to recreate. Yet here it was. A listing from an ebay seller for the exact same thing, and an email directly from Mike going completely against that statement.
Look, I get it. Mike stating that the piece wouldn't be recreated isn't a binding legal agreement between me and him, though perhaps it should be. The title of my article is me being polite. Whether the piece I purchased was or wasn't the only existing original at the time doesn't matter. What matters is that it was advertised as such, and that simply isn't the case. That in and of itself is a lie, scamming fans, unscrupulous business, and wrong.
At the end of the day, many of the veteran artists of the comic industry aren't working on any active books. They get their money from signing books at conventions, selling commission pieces, and original artwork. As such, it's all the more important that they have the trust of the comic book community, AKA, the fans who are essentially paying them. When things like this happen, that trust is gone. Further, it has a ripple effect, wherein I now feel that if Mike DeCarlo has done this, who else out there is doing the same thing?
While I will still continue to purchase commissions in my Peter Parker: Decisions series, I'm done buying other artwork from comic creators. They charge a lot of money, and with that transaction needs to be trust that my investment is being protected by the creator. I'm incredibly insulted that not only has this not been the case with my purchase from Mike, but that he is still actively offering to recreate the piece, and at a cheaper price.
I wish Mr. DeCarlo the best, and I'm still a fan of his work, but that is simply work I will no longer be able to support financially. That trust is gone. However, it's because I'm a fan that I didn't bother responding to his email. What's the point in fighting with him about it? The money is already spent, and the recreated piece(s) already out there. So, what's to be gained? If he finds this post, then so be it, but there's no reason to directly engage with him over this, nor should anyone else harass him about it.
This post is simply for me to tell you, the reader, what happened to me, and if nothing else, recommend you be careful if / when buying artwork. Whether it's a comic creator or local artist, you may want to consider taking steps to protect your investment, such as having written agreements. It seems excessive to have to do so, but if your goal is to not have value diminished, it might be the best course of action.
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