Collecting Comic Art: An interview with Stacey Gillespie (Canada)

At The Green Room we believe a collection reveals as much about the people who choose it as about the works themselves. We enjoy giving a voice to those who make collecting honest, human, and approachable.

Today we’re delighted to introduce Stacey Gillespie, whose love of comics began in the punk scene and has since been shaped by curiosity and a deep respect for artists. We want to celebrate his approach to collecting—simple, fair, and profoundly personal.

We invite you to read the interview and enjoy Stacey’s perspective.

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How did you get into art collecting? What’s the first piece you bought?

I got into comics from seeing people reading them during the punk music scene. The first art I ever bought was from the now defunct Chaos Comics series Chastity, and then later I bought art by Dave Acosta who worked on the Chastity relaunch for Dynamite Comics. Dave was great and new to selling his originals. I think we both learned a lot from buying and selling to each other.

 

Was there a specific artist, story, or moment that sparked your passion for comic art?

The first modern artist who ever really impressed me was Álvaro Martínez when he drew Zatanna and the Bat Family for Detective Comics and later in his run on Justice League Dark with James Tynion IV writing. I think this run of JLD is the best modern comic to ever depict magic. Alvaro drew so many heroes, fantasy scenes, and horrific villains. It felt otherworldly and dreamlike, yet his pencils always looked real. You could feel the emotion and wonder in his work.

 

What’s your favorite piece of comic art you own? – Is there a piece in your collection that has a special story behind it?

My favorite piece is probably a very, very well-priced commission of Zatanna that Alvaro Martinez did for me. It shows Zatanna holding a pigeon in her hands. This was a thank you piece from Alvaro and his wife Iciar after I bought my tenth piece of art from Alvaro.

I also own the inks by Raul Fernandez over Alvaro’s pencils from Justice League Dark issue 17, page 13 where Zatanna casts a spell to conjure lightning from her hands. One day I hope to own the pencils of this page! It’s my favorite page ever drawn in comics!

 

What role do galleries play in shaping your collection?

I would say galleries, dealers, reps, and other marketplaces can make me more or less likely to buy original art depending on how they interact with me. It’s often more fun and affordable to deal directly with an artist, but if a rep or dealer is fair, punctual, and genuinely kind then it can be more organized and make everything easier.

But I’m way more patient with an artist versus a dealer because the artist is working with deadlines, and if the dealer isn’t making things easier for me then why am I paying for their service? Sometimes, a dealer makes me feel like they only care about money: they will charge ridiculous fees, lose my emails, etc.

The Green Room is not like that. Iciar and everyone I have dealt with seem to really care about both the artists and the fans, and understand that comic fans are very loyal and will keep buying art from you as long as you treat them fairly. The Green Room communicates really well. I can tell that it was started by an artist’s wife and has grown to include their friends and colleagues. It’s a business, but it feels like a community. Everyone communicates and is fair. I’ve bought more art from the Green Room than anywhere else because of that!

 

What leads you to select some pieces and not others? What do you look for first when considering a new piece: the artist, the story, or the visual impact?

I like art that I perceive as balanced: fun, but not too cartoonish. Realistic, but not boring. And of course if it features a character I like or is from an issue I love then I am more likely to buy it. I also don’t like art that appears too sexual. Comic characters are all good looking and sexy. That’s fine. Sexy is fun! But it can go too far. I like characters to feel real and respectable!

 

Has your taste changed over time? If so, how?

My taste in stories and characters has changed more than my taste in art, but I am always expanding my appreciation for different styles.

Lately I’ve been enjoying an Italian master called Vittorio Giardino who wrote and drew a humorous erotic story called Little Ego for Heavy Metal magazine.

 

What’s your favorite piece from our gallery? Tell us what makes it so special for you!

Well, it’s that incredible piece Álvaro did for me of Zatanna holding her pigeon. He has also done a Detective Comics page featuring Batgirl that I enjoy, and many others. I own at least ten pages from Justice League Dark.

And I enjoy art from non-Green Room artists too, like Bruno Redondo’s work drawing Nightwing and Oracle for DC!

 

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start collecting art?

Instead of worrying about money just buy what you love. Buy pieces that depict your favorite moments from comics that you’ve actually read and enjoyed. This gives a special meaning to a piece when you look at it on your wall.

If you’re like me and you aren’t rich, and can’t buy everything then just remember: Never underpay an artist, and never overpay an art dealer! Just try to be fair and kind to everyone, and you will end up with a lot of great art!