Q&A with Mark Tomlinson

Which piece in your gallery is your favorite and why?

My favorite piece in my CAF gallery constantly changes. Today it's the Kirby Cap #214 cover. I don't have all of my art displayed on CAF, so a lot of my favorite pieces aren't in my gallery. But this one always remains one of my favorites. It hits me on the nostalgic, artist, and image fronts.

Please tell us a little about yourself.

I'm a lawyer, happily married to a wonderful woman, have an amazing daughter and son-in-law, and live in Pittsburgh. Other than collecting original art, I enjoy golfing and playing guitar - neither of which I'm very good at. And I enjoy spending time with family and friends.

How long have you been collecting comic art and what prompted you to start?

I bought my first piece around 1990 after seeing an ad for Mitch Itkowitz's Graphic Collectibles catalog in The Comics Buyer's Guide. I was drawn to the one of a kind aspect of the art, which you don't get from collecting comics. But it took me until around 1995 before I really got seriously into collecting art.

How do you display/store your collection at home?

Most things are in filing drawers, though I do have a number of pieces framed and displayed throughout our home. I feel a bit guilty for not having more pieces framed and displayed as they should be.

What are your top five most wanted original pages or commissions?

1. Todd McFarlane Spider-man page/cover featuring the classic costumed Spidey. I've owned a few McFarlane Spidey's over the years, but have never quite found the one I'd consider a keeper. 2. John Romita Jr Spider-Man cover from his 90's/2000's era runs. 3. Hostess ad art - I'm always looking for more Hostess ads! 4. Alex Toth DC superhero or Dell Comics Zorro art. 5. Gene Colan Tales of Suspense Twice-up Iron Man page.