Mark Bagley - Ultimate Spider-man 16 pg. 17

Man, I am SOOOOOO happy to land this. Funny story. Back in 2003 this page, and the other one I have from the same issue, were both on display in a museum exhibition somewhere. Spencer (Mark's art agent) gave me a call and told me he was getting them back, the other was spoken for, but this was available. Did I want it? I immediately responded with YES! I then went and checked out the other piece I was missing out on. (Page 20) DAMN that was a nice one too. But this page was still wonderful and I was happy to have it.

Flashforward I guess a months time (2 weeks for cross border payment to be received, 2 weeks for art to land in my hand) and I get the art, and, it's not this page! I got page 20... I mean, I didnt want to argue. As I did like it more. BUT - This (pg. 17) was still a REALLY nice page. And I figured the other purchaser would want the one he chose so I emailed Spencer right away about the mixup. (That 15 year old sent email is the only record of this conversation I have. The rest is from memory.) He called me back immediately and swore up and down, left and right, that page 20 was the one he offered me and the other purchaser had chose page 17 from the get go. That wasn't how it went in my mind. BUT, again, I did not want to argue. I was happy with that miscommunication.

Never the less! I always wondered what befell ol page 17. The one I technically purchased... And wouldnt you know it, it only took fifteen years for it to find its way (back) to me!

I was kinda bummed I didnt get any new USM art in 2017, but starting out 2018 with this beaut more than makes up for it.