Member Since June 2007
785 Artworks | Watched by 219

Bone Tribute Edition, unpublished cover

Location: Other fun stuff!
Artist: Jeff Smith (All)

Location: Other fun stuff!
Title: Bone Tribute Edition, unpublished cover
Artist: Jeff Smith (All)
Media Type: Pen and Ink
Art Type: Cover
For Sale Status: NFS
Views: 3392
Likes on CAF: 8
Favorited on CAF: 2
Comments: 33
Added to Site: 7/14/2015

I actually picked up one piece of art at SDCC. Have you read “Bone”? Bone was a wonderful story written, illustrated and independently published by Jeff Smith, and told over 55 issues, published from 1991 to 2004. If I thought about it at ll back then (and I’m not sure I did), my perception was that it was a kid’s book. In fact, I remember seeing that it was available for order in the Scholastic brochure sent home with my children from school. It was never anything I thought I would pick up. But, a friend suggested it as a fun read a few years ago; I picked up the Complete Bone, and it was terrific. Others obviously agreed since Bone was awarded 10 Eisners and eleven Harvey awards during it’s run. In fact, Time Magazine described the series "as sweeping as the Lord of the Rings cycle, but much funnier.” A few stories have been reprinted in a IDW Artist’s Edition, but that’s the closest most of us will get to the Original Art. Jeff has loaned/contributed virtually all of his art to Ohio State University.

Jeff was on a panel discussing Will Eisner’s impact on the Graphic Novel industry, and it turns out that Will was one of Jeff’s mentors. It was at that panel that someone mentioned the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund auction.

This went longer than I had intended, but the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund has an annual auction, and one of the items was an unpublished cover to the Bone Tribute Edition. The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the First Amendment rights of the comics medium.

A Bone cover? Proceeds to the CBLDF?

You had me at “Let’s start the bidding!”

About The Owner

Badges:

Member Since: June 2007
Last Login: April 2026
Ebay Id: lihama5
Country: UNITED STATES
On CAF:
Premium Member Q&A
Artworks Commented On
Liked Art
Site Activity

Contact Ron S

Comments on this Artwork

You must be logged in to make comments.

C F Member Since 2007

Posted On 7/14/2015

Gotta love it

Alkis V. Member Since 2004

Posted On 7/14/2015

Awesome!

George H Member Since 2009

Posted On 7/14/2015

Well that's just too cool! Thanks for sharing this one.

P. Portillo Member Since 2006

Posted On 7/14/2015

A Bone cover! That's super cool!

Jason Versaggi Member Since 2005

Posted On 7/14/2015

A very cool piece and a massive yet enjoyable modern classic in Bone. Bravo.

Alex Johnson Member Since 2006
Forum Moderator

Posted On 7/14/2015

Now that is truly awesome. I bought my first Bone with the third issue along with reprints of 1 and 2. I loved it. I have all the floppies, the B&W hardcovers, and the 20th anniversary set that included a Bone painting along with a color all-in-one volume, but this is better. Congrats.

Eric Seffinga Member Since 2005

Posted On 7/14/2015

Fantastic piece from a great artist.

E DLS Member Since 2005

Posted On 7/14/2015

I can't believe I missed this auction and this piece! I've been a fan of Bone from the start and always make sure to stop by their booth every year at SDCC to see what cool new Bone collectible they might have. I stopped just short of buying the plush dolls this year. LOL! Anyway, I thought your Brunner Howard the Duck splash made me jealous. This is even worse! Great, great, piece! If this was the only art I came home with from the show, I'd be ecstatic. Congrats and it was a real pleasure finally getting to meet you face to face!

Jeff Singh Member Since 2004

Posted On 7/14/2015

Great Score! I too am a huge fan. There probably less than a dozen finished Bone pieces anywhere other than with Jeff and the OSU. To get a chance at a piece like this is truly a rare thing. For a time with my kids, Bone was bigger than Disney, bigger than Marvel, bigger than Potter. I don't think we were alone in this experience. There is a whole generation of future collectors who will have very fond memories of Bone from their childhood. This is a keeper! (p.s. my favorite story from Bone universe was Riblet by Stan Sakai and has never been reprinted outside of the Stupid Stupid Rat Tales book)

Eltanin C Member Since 2012

Posted On 7/14/2015

Nice piece. Bone art is hard to come by.

Gene Park Member Since 2004

Posted On 7/14/2015

Great piece for a great cause - congrats!

Chris Stafford Member Since 2012

Posted On 7/14/2015

Congrats Ron. I saw that was one of the auction pieces and I did a double/triple/quadruple take when I saw it. A great piece and a worthy cause helped to secure it as well. Can't ask for better than that!

Chris C Member Since 2004

Posted On 7/14/2015

I knew one day, if we were all patient enough, the stars would align and you would publicly reveal your "Bone" for us all to admire.

Chris K. Member Since 2008

Posted On 7/14/2015

Chris C wrote:

" I knew one day, if we were all patient enough, the stars would align and you would publicly reveal your "Bone" for us all to admire. "

Oh, dear...how am I supposed to compete with comments like this? In all seriousness, this is a great addition to your collection, Ron - about as rare as they get.

Mike (aka Off White) White Member Since 2008

Posted On 7/14/2015

I love Bone! Congrats Ron such a nice pickup!

Felix Lu Member Since 2005

Posted On 7/14/2015

AMERICA!!!

CHRIS OLIVERIA Member Since 2011

Posted On 7/14/2015

Really nice! You've made me want to read the stories!

Mike W Member Since 2007

Posted On 7/14/2015

Rare and special... Nuff Said.

Michael Kenyon Member Since 2008

Posted On 7/14/2015

Although shamefully lacking knowledge about Bone stories I do recognize the art. Looks like Jeff Smith BONE OA for sale is rare so well done acquiring this treasure.Also cool that proceeds benefit a noble cause.

Greg G Member Since 2004

Posted On 7/14/2015

One of the hallmarks of true genius is apparent simplicity. Bone is a masterpiece of storytelling masked by the apparent simplicity of the main character. I got sucked into this series with the release of the second hardcover volume. After completing Volumes 1 and 2, I couldn't wait for each subsequent volume to be released. Big congrats! And now I know why I never see art from this series in the market.

Tom Coker Member Since 2005

Posted On 7/15/2015

In my book, Bone is right at the top of the heep in terms of what our favorite story- telling medium has to offer. Congratulations on acquiring such a rare and wonderful piece of comic art by a true genius.

Kin W Member Since 2007

Posted On 7/15/2015

I knew one of these days there'd be some big gem to come out of the CBLDF art auction. Congratulations on an epic pickup!

Fabio C. Member Since 2005

Posted On 7/15/2015

fantastic piece!

Rabid Ferret Member Since 2005

Posted On 7/15/2015

Wow that's yummy!!

Mark Levy Member Since 2004

Posted On 7/15/2015

Rare as hen's teeth but much prettier - glad I missed the auction so I didn't have to get outbid on this one!

Michael One Minute Later Member Since 2005

Posted On 7/17/2015

Wonderful piece of art - congratulations Ron

Lambo S. Member Since 2003

Posted On 7/22/2015

Terrific! Congrats!

Dave Kopecki Member Since 2008

Posted On 6/28/2017

This is a truly rare and awesome thing! Very nice!

Kristof Spaey Member Since 2006

Posted On 10/8/2020

Incredible!!

D J Member Since 2014

Posted On 8/5/2021

A real gem

Steve C Member Since 2021

Posted On 5/16/2022

You have some great pages but I am partial to Bone and was blown away to see this! What a great piece!

C. G. Member Since 2013

Posted On 4/26/2024

Jeff's inks are fantastic and this is a great example. Thank you for sharing!

Ben Bressel Member Since 2003

Posted On 2/12/2026

Wowowowow

You must be logged in to make comments.

Bone Tribute Edition, unpublished cover

Artwork Details

Share This Artwork

Description

About The Owner

Ron S

Contact Ron S

Comments on this Artwork

Discover

Shows

The deCAF APP