7 Questions with Artist Len Danovich, Cover Artist on Popeye Classics #65 Variant


Len Danovich’s art recently got a lot of attention with the release of Popeye Classics #65. The cover featured a zombie Popeye and Olive Oyl. The book has sold for $300 and a copy at auction curently has bids over $450. The cover was an instant hit with fans, but was no where to be found. I had a chance to chat with Len and he was gracious enough to answer a few questions for me.
Anthony – Len, Popeye Classics #65 was your first comic cover. What was your first published work?
Len – Ever? When I was 16 in the old Wizard Magazine #13 fan art page. I did an Alien with a Wizard hat, other then that I would say Haunted Horror.

A – I am a fan of Haunted Horror, I have been collecting it since issue #1, how did you get hooked up with Craig Yoe?
L – A few years back I met Craig at a Horror Con in NJ we starting to talk and be became friendly, and how I get holiday cards! He and his wife Clizia are fantastic people, talented people! They really care about what the do and books they put out! They truly care about the fans of Yoe Books and the talented artists they know.
Plus I told him not to cut his hair!

A – Len, your are a horror guy, like myself, what are your favorite characters?
L – All of them… Universal Monsters, 80’s, 70’s… The Creature is all time best. Love zombies.
A – What comics do you read?
L – British stuff 2000 AD type, horror stuff, everything Yoe books, independent stuff!
A – So what do you do when you are not drawing gory stuff?
L – I do design work, it is kind of  hard to explain , and we (Len and his wife) run a part time online business.
A – What are your current artistic goals?
L – I would love to, like all artists,  get more work out there and published. It is a long game.
A – Where can people check out your work?
L – Check out my instagram @lendanovich or my website, Danovichdesigns.com
I showed off the piece I had Len Danovich do for me in my Weekly Comic Haul video as well as the copy of Popeye Classics #65 I picked up.

41 thoughts on “7 Questions with Artist Len Danovich, Cover Artist on Popeye Classics #65 Variant”

      1. Yes…. Don’t lie to him Anthony…. Jealousy leads to anger… Anger leads to hate, hate leads to the dark side….

      1. I just received a commission from him today similar to yours,but not quite as detailed….super guy and top notch work on these..I wanted to post a pic of commission,but did not see how to upload in comments.

      3. Once there’s already been multiple fake sales, of course someone will fall in the trap set. That’s the whole point of shill bidding and fake buy it nows on scarce books. Real easy to do both. If you think a Popeye 1:10 is worth money like that then by all means buy it, but if your paying that for a book released a week ago I would check my collecting. Not saying it’s not a good cover but I’ll hold out for the Robin Williams Popeye hanging himself with a mound of cocaine in front of him zombie Variant.

      4. You know I’ve played the scarcity game bought all the All Flash 1st Thinkers that were available for anywhere form $50-$130. Once there was none left available on line I was catching people for $400-$1000 a pop.

      5. A book that has now been confirmed to have 50-75 copies in existence (confirmed by the creator/publisher(s)), I wouldn’t jump on the shill bidding bandwagon because people with money are willing to pay for what they want.
        I also don’t think it’s fair to tell people to check their collecting because they’re willing to spend their money on something that you personally wouldn’t buy for that amount.
        Can you provide any proof of shill bidding? Concrete proof? Or are you assuming it’s shill bidding because you are unable to believe people are willing to spend a large amount of money on something that is very, very scarce?
        I know of 3 different sales at or above $300 that are 100% legit. So where exactly is the shill bidding and can you please provide proof?
        Thanks

      6. The copy you speak of at $300 was sold and listed twice. With the buyer then becoming the seller with bids from the previous seller on the same copy. Why do you think these sales have now disappeared from ebays sold history all the original sales that got people to that high price point are no longer there in ebays history. Now that those no longer exist in the eBay history you can see this weird price jump from $89 to $600. So if you believe these sales were real how about you tell me where the sales in the $200-$300 range went on ebays history? The $300 was viewable today now it’s not, so I’d call it scamming.

      7. You might want to check ebay sold listings again… all of them are there. A person is unable to remove their sale from the sold listings. And be sure to go to watchcount so that you can see the exact amount the buy it now/obo books sold for.
        And I wasn’t speaking of one particular sale of 300 like you’re assuming. I know of 3 sales, that are final and not ongoing auctions, that are absolutely real/legit.
        I was hoping you were able to provide concrete evidence of shill bidding. I’ll be around, so if you’re able to show proof, many would love to see.
        Thanks, Alana.

      8. It’s the dark web of comic collecting. Be a great movie or comic. Then a movie. Then you’d want the first issue on eBay. Then it’s full circle

    2. I know of 3 sales that were 100% legit (all at 300 or more).
      I can’t speak on the 2 auctions currently running as of 7:05pm est on 1/27.

    3. Talking about the ones that were sold below those prices that were viewable on eBay history as late as of early today were viewable. Also the three you have pictured that $750 buy it now is sold from an account with 16 feedback that has never sold a comicbook until that Popeye now all the sudden they are presaleing store variants that go on sale tomorrow it’s an obvious second account so I wouldn’t trust that sale either. You can do a buy it now pay with your other account and refund yourself later not paying any fees if you think this doesn’t happen in comics I have news for you.

      1. The other sales below the 3 Anthony listed are still on the sold listings as well.
        So you’re just assuming someone sold/bought their own book because the book is selling for more than you agree with?
        There is no news for me (and I assume Anthony as well) since I’ve been involved in the hobby for well over 23 years. I understand very well how someone can create fake sales on ebay.
        But I’m asking you if you can provide PROOF that any of the sales are fake/shilled/bought by the seller, etc? All I continue to see are assumptions.
        The worst part about it is I know for an absolute fact that 3 of the sales at/or above 300 are absolutely real.
        So, I’m asking for the 3rd or 4th time, can you please provide proof of shill bidding/buying?
        Thanks, Alana.

      2. I would say the three copies (that are not copies you keep mentioning) the ones at $300, $300, and $2something that are no longer viewable and have been removed from ebays sales history is proof enough. Without those sales in the history you want me to believe the 4 previous sales at $20, $20, bestoffer below $100, and $89 then the next copy sells for $600 there were multiple fake sales in the $300 range before the $600 best offer that got the book there. And no I have no envy for Popeye books, or variants that don’t contain a first appearance. You every think the printrun on Popeye is so low for a reason.

      3. Once again, there are no missing sales. You cannot remove your sold items from the ebay sold listings.
        The sales that were below 300 was before word got out that there were only 50-75 copies in existence. So yes, once the couple cheap copies were gone, it’s not crazy to see high sales on a book that has plenty of demand exceeding the available copies out there.
        I don’t “want you to believe” anything. I personally know buyers and/or sellers on 3 of the sales at/or above 300.
        And once again, you continue to say “multiple fake sales” but are unable to show one shred of concrete evidence.
        You’re better off saying you have ZERO evidence and you’re simply assuming sales are fake based on your own beliefs; not facts.
        If/when you can provide concrete evidence, maybe the round and round can end.

      4. I’m sorry I don’t work at eBay I can’t get you photos of the cancelled incomplete sales that were removed. I’m sorry you love this book so much and never tracked the sales history until today, but if there wasn’t copies sold at the $300 mark then why is CBSI writing about a $300 sale in their top ten. In order just like I said in the article $20, $20, $100best offer, $89, $300. Obviously I’m not the only one that saw this $300 sale or people wouldnt be posting articles stating there was a $300 sale.

      5. The 300 sale they’re talking about was a 300 sale on a best offer for one of the sold listings ABOVE 300.
        That’s why I told you to visit the website watchcount so that you can see what each and every book (the ones with best offers) sold for.
        You don’t have to work at ebay to know that you are unable to remove your sold items from the ebay sold listings. There are no missing books. You’re confusing the best offer buy it nows with missing sales.
        And me loving this book so much? I don’t even own a copy, nor have I bought/sold any. But I do follow all modern books around the clock, 7 days a week, and he e been following this book since day 1 like many others.
        So I’ll ask for a 5th time… do you have concrete evidence to show ANY of the sales were fake/shilled/bought and sold to/by the same person, etc?

      7. Do you know of the website watchcount? If so, have you used it yet so that you can stop saying there are sales taken off the sold listings list?
        Are you also aware that if a sold/completed item were to be removed from the list BY ebay, that sold/completed listing would still be visible on watchcount?
        And finally, do you have any concrete evidence that any sales were shilled/fake/violated ebay terms/bought and sold by/to the same person, etc?

        1. I had the NYCC We Can Never Go Home set from a couple of years ago. I passed on $300 and $350 offers…. Ended up selling for $225. Passing up those offers hoping for more bit me in the ass big time

      10. I’ve passed on offers thinking I could get more to then accept an offer hours/day later for less than the original (higher) offers.
        Sometimes being greedy backfires.
        So I’m going to bow out now since you are unable to provide ANY concrete evidence. I do find it funny now that you’re aware of watchcount, your talk of sold listings being removed will no longer be brought up.
        Have a good night.

      11. Oh, and since I saw you respond about another best offer that was declined (650) but then sold for 599 later… that’s because that listing was at 799.99, originally, when that offer of 650 first was sent. The seller declined it.
        The seller then wound up lowering his listing price to 599 and it eventually sold. Anyone that had the listing under “watch” was notified of the price drop to 599.
        Have a good night.

    4. Alana, how do you determine which sales are ‘real’ and what ones are shill? Im curious.

      2. It’s a good question! First you can check bid history and feedback history. If someone hasn’t ever bid on a comic and only bids on one or a couples auctions then good chance it’s a second account of the seller. If you look at ones feedback history and they have never received feedback for buying or selling or given feedback for a comic then all the sudden they buy or sell a $700 brand new comic, should draw immediate flags. Cancelled bids can also be used to shill an auction to see what the current bidder is at. I know people that set bidding apps to jack prices at end of auctions people that do this usually immediately relist items that they outbid actual buyers on. Once a fake auction or fake buy it now is complete the fake buyer account sends a request to cancel the purchase or refund the purchase the seller then cancels his order from the buyer account all fees are wiped and the eBay community is left viewing the fake sale. This happens daily in comics and Magic cards on eBay. With this particular case you have the last two sold copies sold for accepted offers that were far less than other offers declined in the same 24hrs. Some would lead you to believe this is common but in this case an estimated print run of 50-75 with only 5 copies sold on eBay the last two sold both have this passing up higher offers for lower offers the odds of that being coincidental on a book that has only sold 5 scarce copies is astronomical. I no longer sell on eBay I’ve moved to Mercari, no auctions less people swiping the deals and things at a good price like the hot reg cover of the week will move faster with far less competition. Mercari gives out $5 coupons like every week so buyers have the coupon to say cut down the hot comic back to cover for the purchase on Mercari. This moves things in the $15-$30 range faster than it usually would sell on eBay.

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