Toy Fair ’16: Choice Collectibles

During Toy Fair, I had the opportunity to meet with Ben Berman of Choice Collectibles, a leader in pop-culture artwork. If you visit their website, you will realize that they have been around for close to 20 years… and based on the beautiful pieces they had on display, it shows that they are on point. Working closely with original art pieces and popular artists, Choice Collectibles brings to life some amazing limited edition runs. In their Toy Fair press release, this is how Choice Collectibles is described:

“Choice Collectibles is one of the more unique retail partners for brands like Marvel, Disney, DC Comics and Star Wars, providing authentic animation, out-of-print and limited edition fine art pieces. The company’s staggering growth story, under executive leadership of CEO Ari Goldman, has coincided with the massive growth of pop culture conventions like New York Comic Con. Ari’s close friendship with mentor Stan Lee drove him to turn his passion for arts and comics into a multi-million dollar business model more than 15 years ago. For 2016, the small NJ-based company has big plans, including expanding distribution into retail giants like GameStop and bridging the gaps between the arts and gaming and fantasy worlds through deals with Ubisoft, the makers of Assassin’s Creed, and 50 Shades of Grey.”

Let’s take a look at some pieces they had on display at their Toy Fair booth.

Name: Epic Avengers
Size: 30” x 60”
Description: This powerful tableau features what, in artist Alex Ross’ opinion, were ”the primal Avengers.” ”Assemble” is a limited edition giclee on fine art paper. The small details are what sets this piece apart, including the veins in the musculature, the subtle reflections on metal, and the raw realistic power of the heroes’ strength. This is a 50 piece limited edition giclee on canvas for the ages, with a suggested retail price of $3,495.

Name: Legends
Size: 47.5” x 16”
Description: Composed the team of Marvel art directors who worked on the movie (Charlie Wen, Andy Park, and Ryan Meinerding), “Legends” is a tour de force in superhero realism. In one of the most detail-packed, realistic, character-diverse entries in Marvel Fine Art history, “Legends” pulls characters as iconic as the entire Avengers cast; including Black Widow, Nick Fury, and Pepper; alongside iconic villains like Loki, Red Skull, Whiplash, and even the majestic king of Asgaard, Odin. Memorable scenes depicted in this triumphant piece include: Pepper’s kiss with Tony Stark, Whiplash on the racetrack, Thor fighting Loki, and countless others. What else would you expect when the piece was created in painstaking detail by the three art directors who worked on the Avengers movies!? Most impressive, though, is the photo-realistic likeness of the characters to the actors that portray them. Signed by art director Andy Park, “Legends” is a smash hit and must-see – just like its box office inspiration. This giclee on paper is a 250 piece limited edition for a suggested retail price of $495.

What drew me to their pieces was the varying price points. Some pieces retailed in the thousands of dollars, which for a casual collector like me would not be possible. However, there were other pieces that retailed for a under a hundred dollars. Still with a high attention to quality and detail, they were pieces that I could see hanging on the wall of my house one day. For example: these lithographs carry a retail price of just $50.

Name: Defenders
Size: 17” x 14”
Description: Created by Marvel staff artists, ”Defenders” is inspired by the famous live action scene where the Avengers battle the villains in the city rubble. The Rubble Rousers crew features the characters: Thor, Hulk, Iron Man, Hawkeye, Captain America, Falcon, Nick Fury and Black Widow.

Name: Iron Man War Machine
Size: 18” x 13”
Description: “Iron Man War Machine” was created by staff artists inside Marvel. It features Tony Stark with his Iron Man arsenal, comprised of a multitude of “Mark” versions of his suit. The iconic bachelor scientist appears on the left side of the piece in civilian clothes, as if to highlight his ability to transition from an impressive man to an even more impressive superhero combo of man and machine. In the background, a dulled shadow of the original Iron Man suit from his first comic appearance emphasizes Iron Man’s technological transformation through the ages.

Marvel isn’t the only brand of collectible that was on display. There was also this beautiful Star Wars Boba Fett piece, done on metal.

Name: A Hunter in the Endless City
Size: 22” x 32”
Description: What’s better than dazzling art of menacing villains? – Dazzling art of menacing villains on METAL! These masterful giclee prints on metal are completely sold out in their original canvas forms and take artist Raymond Swanland’s masterful use of galactic color and detail to create work that feels as realistic as it is fantastic. “A Hunter in the Endless City” by Raymond Swanland is a 20 piece limited, hand-numbered edition that comes framed for a suggested retail price of $1,095.

There was also on hand a few beautiful DC Comics pieces.

Name: Mythology – Batman
Size: 21.5” x 16.5”
Description: In the “Mythology” collection, world-renowned realist comic cover artist and fine artist Alex Ross attempts to capture the essence of his favorite heroes up close. Batman’s serious, stoic nature is on display in staggering detail, as everything from his muscles to facial details seem to conjure up a superhero who very well could be with us in real life. The limited edition giclee on canvas piece has a suggested retail price of $1,695.

Name: Mythology – Catwoman
Size: 21.5” x 16.5”
Description: In the “Mythology” collection, world-renowned realist comic cover artist and fine artist Alex Ross attempts to capture the essence of his favorite heroes up close. Heroes sometimes come in the form of villainesses, so yet another strong female lead in the DC universe, Ross’ “Catwoman” is the perfect mix of sharp brains and shimmering beauty that proves so tantalizing for the character in so many ways. The limited edition giclee on canvas piece has a suggested retail price of $1,695.

Name: To Tease The Bat
Size: 21” x 26”
Description: In “To Tease The Bat,” Mimi Yoon, a noted female artist who has taken interpretive Marvel and DC Comics art to the next level, showcases her signature female-centric take on the sultry tension between Harley Quinn and the stoic Batman. With a subtle homage to realist the Alex Ross artworks “Tango with Evil” and “Mind If I Cut in,” Mimi draws all eyes to the lovable villainess with an exaggerated style that is hard to miss. This limited edition giclee on canvas comes framed for a suggested retail price of $895.

Rounding out the collection on display were a few Disney Animated pieces.

 

 

Name: Double Aperture
Size: 34” x 18”
Description: The Disney Fine Art universe is huge, but this Lion King “Double Aperture” showcases two kinds of animation art that were central to the ascension of Choice Collectibles from animation art dealer to licensed fine art powerhouse. On one side is the original drawing as the animators on the film would have sketched out, while the other is a resulting animation “cel” (short for celluloid, the translucent paper that served as the flipbook style medium upon which old animation burst into lifelike movement), is a veritable history lesson in animation movie production. Plus, it’s got almost every character you’d want to see in stunning artist detail. A great starter piece for the Lion King lovers out there! This treasured sericel is offered for a suggested retail price of $395.

In talking to Ben, I could tell that he represented a company that cared about the collector, and wanted their pieces to get into the hands of people that would appreciate the art. To that end, they offer monthly payment plans and special deals to work with collectors and industry professionals. He did agree with me that price point is a very big thing for them, and some people are simply priced out of the higher end pieces. However, he and his team works as hard as they can to get the best pieces available to an individual into their collections. It was refreshing to hear that, to be honest.

Interested in more from Choice Collectibles? Make sure you visit their website for all of the pieces currently available.