Attempted Bloggery: "...and then we'll get him!"

Showing posts with label "...and then we'll get him!". Show all posts

Wednesday, October 26, 2022

Sight Unseen: Gahan Wilson's "...And Then We'll Get Him!"

The Hermitage Bookshop of Denver listed a book by Gahan Wilson (1930-2019) that caught my attention. A second printing of the collection "...And then we'll get him!" (1978) was signed and inscribed with an original drawing of a bat. I've posted several such Wilson souvenir drawings in the past, but I've never actually owned one. This seemed a good opportunity to pick one up at a reasonable price, $75, with the hope of sharing it with my readers, sight unseen.

Gahan Wilson
AbeBooks listing accessed October 18, 2022

https://www.abebooks.com/signed/Get-Wilson-Gahan-Richard-Marek/31327651001/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&cm_ite=viewbook

The order, placed late on October 18th, was canceled the following day. This is the second time in two months this has happened to me. It's certainly possible someone picked it up in the store before I placed my order. But I sometimes wonder whether my orders occasionally trigger a realization among booksellers that they have something really interesting they should perhaps hold on to. My suspicion is probably unfounded; few book dealers make their living by canceling sales and sending out refunds.

Note: Once upon a time, I did manage to post a large assortment of Gahan Wilson's bats. That was back in 2012 with updates as recent as 2015. See them here. Clearly, I'm now ready to post more if anyone would care to submit some additional images.

Disappointment abounds. My September 1 post about a Sight Unseen copy of Edward Koren's book What About Me? came to the same unsatisfactory conclusion. See it here.

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Wednesday, May 4, 2022

Gahan Wilson: On the Steps of the Reptile House

Cartoonist Gahan Wilson is known for his macabre sense of humor. Nevertheless, his drawings can have some charm as well. An original drawing from his collection "...and then we'll get him!" (1978) was sold last year on eBay for $275. It is set on the steps of a city zoo's reptile house and features a guard encountering an old friend.

"So that's where you got to!"
Gahan Wilson
Original cartoon art
"...and then we'll get him!" (1978)

Detail

Gahan Wilson's signature

"So that's where you got to!"
Gahan Wilson
Original cartoon art
"...and then we'll get him!" (1978)

Gahan Wilson
eBay listing ended September 3, 2021

https://www.ebay.com/itm/255119426195?hash=item3b664d8293%3Ag%3A8R0AAOSwsLlhMS1m&nma=true&si=64J6TuENCQvl%252FEQuIbsoMEcDQlw%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Gahan Wilson
eBay item description

Note: As this gag was reportedly published several times, including in "...and then we'll get him!" (1978), it would be remiss of me not to put out a call for any and all known publication information. Once something's on the blog, I need to know everything. Images of other original cartoon art by Gahan Wilson would be welcome as well.

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Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Gahan Wilson: The Count

A fine copy of Gahan Wilson's "...and then we'll get him!" is currently listed on eBay. It features the artist's original drawing of a certain well-known Count. The drawing is described as covering two pages, but only one is shown. The book is available with But It Now for $395.

Gaian Wilson, "...and then we'll get him!" with an original drawing

eBay Listing Copied October 19, 2015

http://www.ebay.com/itm/and-Then-Well-Get-Him-Gahan-Wilson-SIGNED-1st-edition-with-dust-jacket-/301442580482?hash=item462f60c002:g:TAQAAOSw~FNUZMPK

eBay Item Description

Note: Well, by now I'm sure you'd like to see more more work here by Gahan Wilson , cartoonist of the macabre.

Check out other signed books featuring original drawings. It's a surefire crowd-pleaser.

The archives even contain a few posts about Count Dracula himself. Sorry if there's nothing here about Count Chocula.

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Monday, October 22, 2012

Gahan Wilson Souvenir Vampire Bats

Right now on eBay three drawings of vampire bats by Gahan Wilson are available for purchase. As you might already know, it's not unusual for Wilson to present fans with souvenir drawings of vampire bats. The ones shown here I have gathered from various online sources, eBay included, and are each quite different. While some were done fairly quickly, others are more elaborate and took at least a good few minutes.

I admire the fact that, based on these several examples, Wilson makes many variations on his bats for his admirers. While I'm sure there must be very similar drawings to some of these out there, they are clearly not done by rote. All but one of these drawings are personalized.

I'm often concerned in creating posts like this that I'm doing a disservice to the artist by collecting these variations in a single place, even though they are already out there individually in cyberspace. I'm sure fans are delighted to receive drawings from Mr. Wilson, but some inevitably receive nicer drawings than others, and I might be creating evidence of a hierarchy which disappoints some who otherwise would have been delighted. That's certainly not my intention.

I'm likewise concerned that by posting these, I'm in some way making it more difficult for the artist to carry on doing this for fans in the future. I first felt I might be going overboard in my post on James Gurney. He had gone out of his way to draw a fabulous Apatosaurus for me in his book Dinotopia, and I ran home to post it here, making comparisons with other online examples. (One of the drawings I found for comparison was on eBay, and I bought it myself.) Artists (and celebrities) have long had to contend with those who come from conventions or book-signings and go to sell their treasures on eBay or in other venues almost before the ink is dry. But what I was doing was showing off an artist's generosity toward me, and in so doing possibly limiting the use by the artist of that particular idea at future public events. Artists like Wilson and Gurney seem to be exceptionally generous in what they'll create for fans. The question is, am I punishing them for their generosity by publicizing it here? Or do they understand in advance that this is bound to happen sooner or later and welcome the publicity?

Ladies and gentlemen, presenting souvenir drawings of vampire bats by Gahan Wilson:

No longer available as of March 17, 2014
http://www.ebay.com/itm/280992867912?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Here's another, more elegant drawing on a full page:

No longer available as of March 17, 2014

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gahan-Wilson-Playboy-Magazine-Super-Hand-Drawn-Signed-Original-Bat-Sketch-/221123749420?pt=Art_Drawings&hash=item337c00a62c

One more, the most expensive currently on eBay:

February 26, 2013 Update: Sold for $149.99.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gahan-Wilson-The-New-Yorker-Playboy-Artist-Cartoonist-Signed-Autograph-Sketch-/320871625854?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ab570747e

RR Auction, Item 535 - Gahan Wilson Catalog 388 (Jun 2012) Sold for $132

http://www.icollector.com/Gahan-Wilson_i1284661

Gahan Wilson. A Bat Drawn Just for Clementine,

flickr photostream of earinc, Fantagraphics, February 12, 2010

http://www.flickr.com/photos/earinc/4368297252/


Gahan Wilson. Inscribed "To John with my Best Wishes--" in a copy of "...And Then We'll Get Him!" Posted by owner John Platt in July 2006 on the Comic Art Fans Page http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=183996&GSub=29229

Gahan Wilson. Inscribed "For Chris," in a copy of Little Lit: "It was a Dark and Silly Night..." (2003)

October 29, 2012 Update: Reader Stew Patton has sent this stunning image from his personal collection, an awesome, illustrated thank-you note from Gahan Wilson himself.