Sporadic Service

Verizon Wireless called today and left a message on my voice mail. The claim that the reason I am having sporadic service is due to faulty equipment....again.  In fact It sometimes takes me a half an hour just to post a simple three paragraph blog. It takes five minutes to load my e-mail page. This makes me wish for the days of Dial up because even that wasn't this slow. I have a set of books growing that I wish to sell on e-Bay, something I can't do because to get a picture to load would be...well a lot more than you can imagine.

I don't know what it is with me and electronics these days. I purchased a Blue ray copy of Star Wars and the sound is messed up on Episode 4, you know the original. I need to return that but I also need some sleep. There are things in my life that are spiraling out of my control and others that are coming back into it. I need to juggle better because some of the eggs are beginning to fall. We will keep this blog at two paragraphs maybe then I will only be at my computer another twenty minutes.

Thanks fr Reading

Catching up on Sleep

My toe is feeling better so I decided to catch upon my chores. This didn't work so well since I was also helping a friend of mine with one of his. This was an important chore for him since he was moving the last thing out of his old house and into his new house. It was in the middle of my night. I guess it was like waking up at three in the morning and moving for two hours and then back to be for a little bit. I did get to clean things around my place but just not enough.

I cleaned until I felt tired and then slept, or tried to. My mind is racing with everything I want to do, including brush up on the Holocaust. The comic books I have bought in the past few months are piling up; both my new books and my CGC graded books. In fact I still have to pay off three of my books I bought in one of the latest auctions. Sleep apparently isn’t the only thing I have to catch up on. I have other chores too since one of my friends has to be admitted to assisted living and it looks like I am the best candidate to get this done.

At times I feel that there is so much to do that instead of making a list and methodically checking completed item off one after the other I just want to sleep, but I also have to make sure to sleep since I am fighting off a cold and I hate getting tired at work. I look around my place at things I should be doing other than writing this but I enjoy writing. It is an escape for me and I am about to start my day. As a younger man I hated sleep, I wanted to give up on it but as someone who is getting older I sometimes crave those little escapes.

Thanks for Reading

Winning in an Auction

I don’t know why I did it. I just did. They weren't necessarily a book I wanted to collect but I won on three books on one of the latest comic book auctions. The books were three different issues from Kazar. Each of those issues was from the run he had in the eighties. I never collected them when they came out since I just started collecting comic books and really didn't know about him. I was too busy immersing myself into the world of super heroes to be worried about Tarzan reject.

My curiosity about the character started years and years later, most likely with Vol #1 issue #12 of Daredevil.   I still never searched for any of his books until recently, but still didn’t pick any up. I was too enthralled in completing my New Mutants collection. Now that collection is almost complete I also decided to collect Locke & Key but I wanted to collect something else. Something older and Kazar wound up being that title but only because they were so cheap….and I felt like winning an auction. My losses were piling up.

I won the books and am now trying to think maybe I should have bid on the others because when I checked eBay out for other issues, none of them were that cheap. I think this series will take me a long time to complete because I really do not want to spend that much on them. I also have to decide if I want to collect the other Volumes too because the title character also had small runs in 71 and 74. I think these will go nicely with my copy of X-men #10 (Stan Lee’s Signature Series) which is out in CGC Limbo of verified but on a side not at least the books I had g to San Diego are know in the Waiting to be Graded status. 

Thanks for Reading

Another New Mutants #98

I once thought I would win a signature series New Mutants #98 in a 9.9 for a $1000. I was wrong. The fact of the matter is two hours after the opening bell, the first bid was a $1000.00 Even after thinking of bidding a little more, the end result wouldn't have mattered because there is no way I could of topped the actually selling bid at $6,601. If I did my research i probably wouldn't have bid at all since the first universal grade of New Mutants #98 in a 9.9sold for $12,500 (if I am not mistaken).

Pedigree's September auction had a 3rd copy of New Mutants #98 in a 9.9, this was also a universal grade and not a signature series. I decided to place a losing bid ($300) just to get an e-mail on it. I think I was the winning bidder all for about two hours. I do have a 9.6 copy (this is my original copy) and a 9.8 SS copy I bought from Comics To Astonish. I also tend to look to upgrade any book on the New Mutants set if I can. Hence why many of them are signature series. Issue #98 might just be the only issue i didn't buy a universal grade first and then upgraded.

Even though issue #98 has a slew of first appearances(3) and the more popular character is appearing all over the Marvel map I do not believe that book is worth that much. Maybe I should possibly ay it isn't worth that much tome but since the average price for New Mutants #98 in a 9.9 is over $6000 I could be slightly wrong. If a fourth one comes up I will bid on it again but not an amount that it would be more wisely spent to purchase another book, let's say #168 in a 9.8

Thanks for Reading

Tnerb 

I hate the USPS

I have always told my son not to hate but never have I ever been more frustrated with anything in my life then I have with the USPS. They suck. I am trying to ship a package and I can't. I tend to forget every password I use so I have to rite it down. I don't write everything down about it but enough to make me realize what password is for what site. Trying to sign into the USPS website is crazy. At first I type in my user name and then my password. My password is invalid.

I try again, maybe I missed a key, a number, or letter. Once again it is invalid. I hit the "gorgot password link" and it asks me what is my favorite holiday. I answer. Apparently I answered wrong. Multiple times. How many favorite holidays do I have? I get so frustrated I decide to type in another name and just start over. The name I use is USPSSUCKS. It flags me for profanity. SO I try again with IhatetheUSPS..... this time it was taken. Apparently I am not the only person that hates this organization. I am almost happy to hear that Saturday delivery will be cancelled. Maybe if they did their job properly they wouldn't be having these hardships.

Why do I hate them, because they like to steal packages and then say the neighbor did it. Let me guess he also forged my signature, you know the one that they caught the employee for. Yup, the employee was caught forging my signature...admitted it and all. I did get that package back and when I called back the following week to find out the resolution of this problem....the manager, the one that seemed very amicable...well, she didn't exist. That's right I was told there was no one there by that name. So now after posting this rand...because that is exactly what it is.... I am going to a UPS store to ship my comic books down to Florida. At least then I know they will get there.

Getting Ready to Ship

Getting ready to Ship.

I have the paper work all filled out. I have my ten books ready to be packaged up and after my trip to the comic books hops I have a good strong box to ship them in. The only thing I was afraid of was the graphic novel not fitting. It fits, barely. I will be going to sleep first and I will box it up tonight. I tend to budget close to the wire at times and it hasn’t been this close in a while. Fortunately I get paid tomorrow so I hope that printing out a shipping label after 6 tonight should have the payment clear out of my account by Friday giving me an extra day for my cash deposit to verify.

I am excited and nervous at the same time about sending my books in. The first fear is what if they disappear. Sure I plan on insuring them and will claim the money for them but this isn’t about the money. One of my most valuable books will be in this grouping. Sure it is only a 4.5 copy of New Mutants #15 but I bought this from a 7-11 rack all the way back in 1984. If this disappears, there is no getting this back. It is also the only 4.5 on the registry; I know I say that like it was a gem 10.

The excitement part is because they will be a signature series soon and I have really been trying to get those. At the moment I think My New Mutants Collection is compiled about %20 with signatures. I personally feel that it is pretty cool. The thing is I was never one for standing in line for signatures so it is even better that someone else is doing it. I also am not so much into the points as some other people are but let’s be honest I would not have been able to claim first place in the New Mutants set without them.  But how did I start collecting the Signature series, what made then more special to me than the universal grade and why am I willing to risk a book that is already a 9.8?

Thanks for Reading

Passing on Books

I was recently at a small convention called Philadelphia Comic–Con. There were two CGC graded comic books I was interested in. The first one I saw was a copy of Eternals #1 Sketch Variant in a Gem Mint. They wanted a $100. The second book (at another booth) was a copy of ASM #119 that was graded a 9.2 which made me lose hope that my ungraded copy of ASM #127 would ever attain such a grade. In fact, my book looked awful in comparison.

I brought my ASM #127 to drop off to Keegan from Comic to Astonish, who I originally met at a previous Philadelphia Comic-Con. I met him some two years ago and have purchased comic books from him ever since. I also purchase from an acquaintance of his (I met them separately, old cliché…small world) and asked if they could bring them to the show. I have had multiple problems with the USPS and this seems to be a satisfactory way for me to get my books. This month, the five I was due to get, never made it due to an unforeseen issue.  

I went to the show anyway so I could drop off a check and a comic book to Comics to Astonish. The check was for two previous signature and grading fees. CGC still has these. This time I wanted John Romita’s signature. The first book I had in mind was my CGC 9.4 SS copy of ASM #129. The problem is once the book was un-slabbed for the process there would be no guarantee that it was Stan Lee who originally signed it, the #127 I have was my next best choice, condition wise anyway. The #86 would have been lucky to get an 8.

That ASM #119 had a $160 price tag to it and I was thinking I would buy that and send that along in addition to the raw #127 I just handed over. I wanted too, I really did but with the NYCC arriving next month I needed to hold off. I already purchased a ticked for Sunday and currently have ten books I want to bring with me to get them signed for the signature series. However, planning ahead I knew the one day would not be enough so I called and e-mailed CGC hoping I can send the books to them in Sarasota, FL. They said yes.

Seven of the books are already graded, six of those have a 9.8 grading. Three are raw. My Marvel Graphic Novel #4 is only a 9.4 but how great would it be to have both Bob Mcleod and Chris Claremont sign those.  Eight of them will be re-administered into my collection while two others I am hoping to be able to sell. The only reason I am even thinking about selling the others is because it would help me reclaim what I am selling. I don’t want to make a living (yet) out of buying comic books just pay off what I am spending.

I was thinking about sending my 9.8 copy of New Mutants #15 but the longer I started at it the more I wondered if it was a true 9.8 or a beautiful 9.6 so I decided to send in my original 4.5 copy instead, a book I hope to have signed by everyone involved. I still have books at CGC, which many of you reading this still do. One set if from the San Diego Comic Con and the other set from The Baltimore convention. Most Likely I will have this next set handed over to CGC before I even get the first set back and I realize if I keep collecting this way I might start to have more yellow Labels than blue ones but only if I keep passing on Books

Thanks for Reading

Tnerb

Taking a Day Off

I didn’t mean to, in fact I didn’t want to but after forcing myself to stay up and drive to a comic book convention in Essington PA I came home and fell asleep after a dose of Nyquil. I have been working a lot and I can feel a cold coming on and wished to stop it before it started. I was supposed to pick up five new CGC books for me but somehow that was not to be the case. I am patient so I am OK with that. I still went to drop off a check and a comic book to get John Romita’s Signature. I am hoping for a grade of a 9.2, this grade it out of a ten being the highest.

I did pick up some really cheap books and a few others to read but didn’t spend the big bucks. I almost bought an ASM #119 in a 9.2 as well as an Eternals #1 sketch Variant in a gem ten. I passed o both since it was more than the amount of money I was willing to spend. I had the cash in pocket and am utterly grateful I had the willpower to pass on those books. At least now for next month I have something to save up for. If I didn’t owe out the money I currently do I would have had no problem picking up both of them.

And maybe since I skipped a day I will write another when I wake up. Once again it will be a Nyquil induced sleep. I hate to take the things but I have been working between 65 to 80 hours a week and while you are trying to figure that out, the diner that I work at is open 24 hours. I have been faling behind in a few things, like my chores, but my toe is healing so after a good day’s sleep I plan on catching up on y chores and then updating my collection.

Thanks for Reading

Running Late

I tend to be very punctual; actually I cannot even remember the last time I was late. In the past forty eight hours my sleep has been minimal. This morning instead of writing I opted to sleep for a few hours before helping my friend move some things. It became “a waste of time” as he puts it. I guess I was a bit more optimistic about it because I just chalked it up as time with my best friend. The situation changed and I came back home for a nap. I woke up, not to the phone ringing “The Devil came down to Georgia”, which is the tune I opted to choose when ring tones first came available but I woke from a dream that I was late for work and rushing to get there.

Although I wasn’t late for work I realized I didn’t get a phone call to come back over to his house to help him out. I went to my phone thinking that I slept through his call when I realized he didn’t call at all. He opted to let me sleep knowing my schedule….well sucks. I should be back in bed now, which I will do after I write this but I checked my e-mail and found out someone else was late. I don’t hold this against him, but tomorrow is a Philadelphia Comic-Con. It is a small one day event that lasts for about six hours. I had planned for someone to drop off some books to someone else who would be there. This is because of my distrust of the USPS.

   

I was looking forward to getting those on Sunday and even though I am upset that I have not, I am not worrying about it. They are mine and they aren’t lost so that is a positive. And I wonder, how do I stay so positive in spite of things going wrong? Is it because I work in a negatively charged environment, is it because I have a supportive father, friends, and cat? I do want these books and even though I cannot get them tomorrow I do want them soon, I guess I will have them shipped to my father’s and have the invoice sent to me at my house this way I don’t hear my Father; “How much did you pay?”

Thanks for reading.

How Much do I spend?

How much do I spend?

Lately I have lost track of what I have been spending. I was doing pretty well up to June of this year but have since lost track. I have all the receipts around but it is a matter of finding them and placing them in my log. I have been keeping track of all new books, CGC books and related comic supplies. October is fast approaching and I am getting ready to send some books in. I want to send them under a prescreen lot but afraid I might not know exactly what to look for.

I have sent books in without caring what they were graded and had them be graded at a 9.8, then there were others that I was immensely wrong. I need money for this and last night not only did I work an extra shift, I had no relief this morning. I waited an extra hour and a half before I finally had a message from someone telling me to go home. I been blogging so well though that I didn’t want to miss a day so instead of going straight to sleep I figured I would write about what was on my mind, my budget, and my budget for comic books.

If I continue working like this I should be where I want to b by the end of October…not including getting my books back from CGC. I hope to look back on this journal and be happy where I am bother with my collection and financial status. Either way, as always….

Thanks for reading

Getting Confirmation

Yesterday I picked up a copy of The New Ultimate Spider-Man and I heard that they were bagged because inside was a random chance of a signed variant by none other than Stan “The Man” Lee himself. I would like to tell you that after cutting the bag open carefully with scissors I discovered, that’s right, you read it here first I discovered an unsigned copy of the book. It wasn't like any other book either it was good, signed or not signed. This is the way a number one should start off, not mentioning any other comic book companies…cough cough.

After some people read my entry through comicbooked.com word came back after a day that they received a signed copy. If my internet wasn’t working so sporadically I would add the link to the picture on twitter. Congratulations to that guy. I can’t say that I am upset about not getting a signed copy especially since that is not the reason I got the book in the first place. Nope, I got it because I hope it would be a good read and I wasn’t let down. I really cannot wait till issue #2.

I don’t want to spoil anything but the ending was a classic ending of why I like comic books. I want to know what happens next. I might have to wait a month but I for one plan on rereading it just like my Locke & Key issues. Comics are becoming fun again. I have a few more to read including Fear Itself and Daredevil before going to bed this Thursday morning, late morning anyway. But I wonder with one more bagged number one coming out soon, will I be lucky enough to look in awe one of those coveted golden tickets, oops…sorry Willy Wonka just popped in my head.

Thanks for reading

Rumor Has it!

Rumor has it

I can’t remember the first pre bagged book I ever picked up and I am not talking about back issues either. I remember X-Force bagged with Variant Cards, I remember Spider-Man bagged as well. Both those bags were clear. The Death of Superman was the first bagged book I remember that was not see through. The black background accented the Red S. I bought more X-force books than I ever should have and I learned to curtail my spending for the Superman bagged issue. I only bought two.

So many people thought that would be the next best book, the book that would send their kids through school. I wanted one to read, and one to keep bagged. My readable copy is gone. I still have the bagged copy in between a thick plastic holder much like they use for baseball cards. Variant covers were another gimmick but at least now you have a choice to purchase a “rare” cover, much like a fellow collector on the registry was looking for the 1 in 200 copy of JLA.

When I spent money quicker than I was earning it I would buy comic related cards as well and felt like I won the lottery when I found a hologram card in one of the two packs I purchased. If I remember correctly it is a card of Spider-Man and Venom. I still have the card. I just don’t know where it is. There is something magical about being surprised by the unexpected, much like Christmas Morning. I feel that DC is pulling off a huge gimmick with their whole line starting over at #1 that a lot of people are overlooking the Ultimate line bagging their number one books.

So why are they doing this? It can’t be to stop the readers from gazing through the book. All the new #1’s that the ultimate line is doing are bagged but the variants are easily accessible. Most shops have them bagged and boarded with a price hike. I would have no problem unbagging one and looking through the book to see if I wanted to buy it, much like I did with the September 7^th DC books. I can understand why they did it with the last issue of the Ultimate Spider-Man. Does he die or doesn’t he. I’ll admit I was wrong. I thought Peter would live. So why bag the other number ones?

At my comic shop today, a day I wasn’t going to go, I picked up a fair amount of books including a single DC #1. My LCS was busier today so I was able to talk to the manager and he asked me a question. He asked me if I knew why Marvel was bagging all the #1’s. Admittedly I said no.  I chat with many people about Comic books now that I am writing for Comicbooked.com and even started my own blog with AshotofComics.Blogspot.com but no one mentioned what he mentioned to me and I am curious enough to post this article/journal entry/ blog entry on all three avenues of communication just to find out if it is true.

I have a copy of Ultimate Comics All-New Spider-Man which I had the option of buying a variant but decided since I was already buying another variant I would have to pass. I only wanted the book to read anyway, not collect, maybe a CGC copy down the line, which was the reason why I bought the other variant. Anyway, what I was told that the reason for the bagged copies was inside were random variants which were signed by Stan Lee? Is this true? I don’t know but I would like to find out whether a reader could tell me, or who knows maybe I will be lucky enough to find out right now…….

Thanks for Reading

Tnerb

What about the Doctor?

What about the Doctor

On Wednesdays I buy comic book and on Saturday’s I miss the Doctor.  Every Saturday night Doctor who plays on the BBC. I was introduced to this sci-fi show when I was just a kid. My sister’s best friend told me about t Doctor and I was introduced to him first by the show, then by books, my first Doctor? Tom Baker. I followed him on the NJN which didn’t always have good reception and if I was really lucky I would find him on PBS but one of my most memorable moments of a memory I don’t fully remember was when my Father found me in the library and I lost track of time. Apparently even reading about the Doctor and the TARDIS I was transported through a full day at the library without realizing anything but pages were moving from one side of the book to the other.

I work overnights which is only one of the reasons why I miss the show on Saturdays, the other is I really don’t feel like paying for cable when I would only watch a couple of shows. These shows I would download of I-Tunes to own anyway. Case in point, I am downloading the latest Doctor Who show, I started this Sunday afternoon and my internet is just getting worse. I called my provider and I am still waiting for some resolve. Then a decision might have to be made. I mainly picked the wireless aspect because I wanted to use it on my lap top, but now I have a touch screen desk top, what do I need that for.

As much as I enjoy the television show and have only read the books in the past I don’t see why I don’t pick up a current novelization or even a comic book by IDW, after all I do enjoy Locke & Key as well as the Cape. I never realized how dependant I have become on technology whether it is through my computer or smart phone. The thing is, without these two items I would not be collecting the way I have been collecting nor have the best set of my favorite series with only a few more to complete them. I guess since I have an hour left to download this show, a download that should have taken no more than five minutes I will take a nap when it is finished, or maybe take a nap while it finishes and maybe six hours from now it will be done. As I mentioned I only had an hour left on the timer but this is the third day. 

Once Again with the Internet

I would hate that if my only source of comic books was downloading them through the internet. This isn't a slight against going digital because I am looking forward to it. This is different, this is me trying to download some i-tunes and not being able to. I am working with Verizon Wireless to remedy the situation but I love how they want to insinuate it might have something to do with the walls of the building I am in. Not that it matters that I have had this service for over a year and only started to have a problem last month.

I am thinking of going with another provider just to make sure I can get access even if I have to pay the extra amount to cancel my service. I can try to wait the year but I just feel awkward paying for a service that I am not using, because I can’t use it. After being on the phone with them I like ow they credited me a few dollars because that helped make up for the amount of money I didn’t make over the past week. Thank god for the small things that helps out.

I am still onboard with my budget. If all goes well by the end of next month I will have fifty books sent out to CGC and will hopefully have them back in a month,. In fact after I finish this little bit of writing I plan on looking through the books I have aside. I have had some of my own books graded a 9.8 before but never the ones I wanted. I hope that this works, this idea because if it does I might be able to afford that one special item I really want, after I get a new internet service provider.

Thanks for Reading

To be Delivered....or Lost

Recently I have had to use my father’s address to get my CGC graded comic books. I mostly purchase these through eBay, Heritage auctions, World Wide comics, and a few others; more times than not these places will ship through the USPS. For some reason I have been having a bit too much difficulty in getting what I ordered through no fault of those I ordered from. Of course the post office blames others instead of themselves. It is frustrating to think my seventy four year old neighbor would decide he wanted a comic book for some light reading.

I fought, I argued, I reported over and over with representatives and the person who was my mail carrier. I was more than amused at the insanity behind their thinking. One of the carriers even went so far as to say she had me sign for my package and went so far as come upstairs for my signature. I live in the basement. Unfortunately this has never been resolved and now I try to have the packages be delivered to my parent’s residence.

When the first time happened I was told that it was most likely someone I my building. They said this the second time too. When the fourth time happened I was so pissed off because now they were trying to cover up for someone who worked there who forged my signature. I talked to a manager and when I called back to follow up, no such manager existed. Somehow I wonder why the USPS is having such difficulty. I prefer now to order from those who use different means but if I need to use the USPS I ask for a signature and if need me….insurance. At the very least I want my money back.

Thanks for Reading.

Working with a Broken Toe

It has been a little over a week since I have broken my toe.  Today was also the first day that I made some half decent money. Of course it won’t mean anything if I do not make the rest of what I need tomorrow. My budget isn’t strict but it is the best guideline I have for my bills. If I pretend my bills are $1200 ad month and I pretend I bring in $1200 a month (my father used to say when I asked how much money did you make he simply told me he wasn’t making any money he was only bringing it in.) then I am even. However, if I bring in $1400 a month and my bills are actually $1000 a month then I have a four hundred dollar surplus I can spend on comic books.

Could I spend the money on other things, of course, but at the moment I am content in getting these four color books. Eventually I will budget I a new car but at the moment the one I have is doing what it needs to do.  I hope my toe heels a bit quicker than the allotted time so I can really work some extra hours, especially with the holiday’s coming up. I am going to try to keep plugging away with my current plan, for that to happen though I need to make sure not to break anything else.

I do have some things planned for next year including a cross country trip to San Diego, a cruise or Two, and of course Wizard World Philadelphia 2012. I will need money for all these things so once again I will have to be more diligent in saving, maybe stop getting so many books, or maybe, just maybe I might decide to win the lottery.

Thanks for Reading

An Ever Vicious Cycle

With only the rest of September left to pay off an amount before October I wonder if I will be able to serve the tables as I have done with a broken toe. I am walking better than I was last week but that has not stopped my toe from throbbing or having a supply of Advil while I work. The doctor offered a script for pain pills which I passed on, I joke at work about how pain is good. These days coming up will be a true test, not just how good I am at serving, or how efficient I am at budgeting but also how to see if I can follow through on my promise to myself.

I have books sets aside to send into CGC to get graded. I need to narrow that down to fifty books. I probably have close to a hundred. Some are for me and some are to sell to get more money for more books for me. There is one book in particular that I want; it would be a few hundred the next time it comes around. I would feel really good if I had that money set aside for myself to purchase that book in a CGC 9.8. Not to mention times are tight. I have a small cushion if things get worse but I would hate for that cushion to expire.

Writing and collecting comic books are two of the things that relax me. I write this at about seven thirty in the morning because I have been writing a blog everyday and do not wish to skip this one. I have to be up in six hours to start my day again. If I am lucky after working another twelve hours I will have earned the money I need to put towards my allotted amount. I am already missing a day and I really do not wish to fall behind in my responsibilities because if I fall behind in those then I will fall behind in what I plan to do for my collection. Why do I feel I am living an ever vicious cycle?

Thanks for Reading

Today is the Day….After Pt 2

I can’t believe I am contemplating getting rid of more comic books. These are titles I never should have collected, like FF (not short for Fantastic Four). The Fantastic Four is one of those titles I collected here and there throughout the years. I think my first issue was around #277, or at least around that era. Sue Storm was taken over by Malice, Kristoff repeated sending the Baxter Building up into space while he was Doctor Doom. And the She-Hulk replaced The Thing as the team’s power house.

My latest attempt in collecting the Fantastic Four started with issue #536. Thor’s Hammer was trying to be picked up by a gloved hand was something I knew I had to have. The following storylines kept me on board, even after the title changed from the Fantastic Four to FF with the disappearance of Johnny Storm. I never should have collected it from this point on. After #5, I quit the title.

I look forward to the legacy numbering returning with issue #600 but I do wish the major two would stop playing with their numbers. I was going to start a few titles with DC’s new 52 but decided against it after having some time to skim through some of their titles. I realized I can’t go back to the way I was collecting which was to collect just to collect. Now I have to scour my collection over, again and place some comics aside to sell and use that money to buy back issues of things I really want. I might wait till the trades come out but I could always splurge on an i-Pad and collect them digitally but then I wonder, how will CGC grade those.

Thanks for Reading

Today is the Day Pt 2

Anytime there was a holiday on a Monday in the past comic book shops always had the new comics for the week go on sale Thursday instead of Wednesday. There were many times I forgot and still made my way to the shop to buy my new books. I never felt like an idiot when this happened, just disappointed in myself that I didn’t remember. This year, for some odd reason, the holidays did not seem to effect comic book release dates.

I made my trek into center city to buy my comic books. Since it was a holiday week, it just took longer for the store employees to place them on the shelf. I am patient so I decided to look at the back issues before finally making my way to the new issues. Today was the day I was going to pick up two DC books. Some of them seemed to be up first so I scanned through them. I looked at Swamp Thing since I fondly remember a bit of that series from my youth, written by Alan Moore if I remember correctly. I always thought the un-men were cool.

Of course I also checked out Detective comic books and Action Comics along with Hawk and Dove, and OMAC. This gave me time to think. Which one should I buy? Action should have been a no brainer, that and Detective comic books. Swamp Thing did look good but did I want to spend my hard earned money. I wondered and saw that the only books Marvel had for me this week was New Avengers Annual #1 and X-Men #17. I bought those, two bags and boards and nothing else.

I do like a good impulse buy every now and then, and even looked at Action Comics #508 that I should have picked up but I have to say Sorry DC, this week I think I will pass. It is not that I don’t want to give you a chance but I think I would rather go buy a few Fables trades or maybe just maybe see if Batman and Robin, or Green lantern might hold more of an interest for me when they arrive at my LCS next week.

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This for That

I joined the CGC registry over two years ago. My points recently have stagnated. The only way I can go up in the ranking is to add all my CGC comic books, including the ones I wish to sell, or buy more comic books. I started looking at one of my Favorite websites for that hoping maybe I can get a good deal. I want to do this, I truly do, but then my budget is shot. I won’t have the money to send in fifty books to CGC next month. This is where I take a deep breath.

I have to remind myself to be patient, to wait. What I should be doing is diligently place items on eBay that I don’t want anymore. My issues of FF for instance. I wouldn’t mind selling all five for a nominal price just to get rid of them. If I can start off just selling a few issues and not spend the money the second it arrives in PayPal I might be able to save up for that one particular item I want. This will take time.

I look around my abode and see two of my collections displayed predominantly. They are my comic books and my shot glasses. The other portion of this collection is my Star Wars items. Some are displayed but not all, like my action figures. They are placed in safely in totes and stored in my closet, dry and dark, two of the best things for a collection to be placed in. I should start selling them. Part of me is crying out no, the other part is thinking that they will only be a sacrifice if I buy what I truly want.

It always seems that when I am hurt I try to do more. Waiting tables with a broken toe is no exception. I did this for a couple hours with horrendous results. If I succeeded I would finally be where I was hoping to be with paying off what I owe my Father. All in all I will at least be able to pay off half of it. I was hoping to get the whole lump sum completed so this way I could borrow yet more money to get some books graded, about fifty of them.

September 18^th is the next comic convention in Philadelphia. It is a small con which happens about ten times a year but I get to find some good deals. I will also buy some bags there so I can bag and board the books I plan to send into get graded. If I am lucky I will be able to sell off what I don’t want and keep the ones I do. The funds from this mini venture should pay off what I borrowed from my father and give me an amount to use for a second grouping of fifty. Not to mention being able to add to my Daredevil collection starting with issue #180.

I don’t want to make a living off this but I do want to be able to purchase larger ticketed items, like a Daredevil #168 in a 9.8, this book averages around $700. I won’t pay above five. But the other numbers surrounding that will cost an average of $100 a piece. I can’t afford that at $2.83 an hour no matter how many extra hours I work, of course I just have to make sure I have no more broken toes.

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Craving My Addiction

At times when I was younger I needed a comic book much like a smoker needs a cigarette. I am feeling that way now. Unfortunately it is not any comic book I want but the ones I am patiently waiting for so I can add them to my collection. Of course I am talking about CGC graded comic books. I have four that I will not be able to get before the 18^th of September, another which is in transit somewhere, and a few more at CGC itself. All in all I have at least ten more waiting to come to me. I can wait till Wednesday when new books arrive; I don’t yet feel like I need a comic book to read. I still have enough here.

I want to add to my registry. I want to show that I am an avid collector not just by my words but by my collection. This is a nagging hunger, one I have to squelch or I fear it will encompass me and dwindle my funds. This past week was a glorious opportunity for me to jump ahead of the game with extra hours. A broken toe destroyed this hope. Over this next month I will have to budget tighter because next month in October I plan to send in more books to get graded, twenty for my collection and thirty to hopefully sell.

Of course what am I going to do with that thirty??? I am going to sell them to put towards more books. My addiction doesn’t have to control me. With proper thought and planning instead of craving my addiction I can feed it.

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Benefit of the Doubt

I have collected DC comics in the past but my passion was with Marvel and has so remained with them. I picked up Flashpoint #1 because then ending of the book gripped me much like a novel by my favorite author’s Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Book two became a letdown, but that’s ok because you need to drop after such a climatic first issue and build from there. The series was written like a short story with the highs and lows. The unfortunate circumstance is although you can read the five issue limited as a while story, you don’t get the full effect unless you read the side stores. Something I am not going to do.

Books I collected in the past from this company were JLA, Action, Batman, Detective, JLA Europe (am I remembering that title correctly), Captain Atom, Hawk and Dove, Teen Titans, New Teen Titans (I loved Brother Blood), Captain Carrot, Green Lantern, well I can go on. I was disappointed in the end of Flashpoint that Batman knew The Flash but in JLA he didn’t know anyone. I’ll have to see if they resolve this or if they started off with a mistake. So for the month of September I pledge to give DC a try, after all I will need wrapping paper in December.

I will pick up at least one book for each week of September. These books will be Action Comics, and Detective comics for September 7^th. I will get Batman and Robin along with Green Lantern for Week Two. Legion of Super Heroes and SuperGirl for September 21^st and the last week I will try Teen Titans and The Flash. I only picked the Flash over the Dark Knight because I want to see if they tie up the loose end I so desperately want them to tie up. If they are good, if DC winds me over, then I will stop collecting the individual books and just wait for the trades unless DC can really Wow me in September, they won’t have my business in October.

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I am normally off every Thursday. It is my one day off out of the week. This week however, my day off….well it doesn't exist. I don’t mind either because it was an easy day at work. They wanted me to manage and it was so dead managing was easy. The difficult part was watching my fellow coworkers struggle for tables. There weren't any. The other struggle was when a table finally came in I had to hobble them to a seat on a broken toe.

I knew my toe was broken but the adult in me said go to the doctor’s. I did, it cost $15. They didn't want to tell me my toe was broken so they sent me to get an x-ray, it cost $25. I went home after the wait and tried to get some sleep before working my extra night shift. I missed the call from the Doctor and was able to call them back and talk to them right before they closed. Their final verdict was…. It is broken. I spent $40 to find that out. I just bought a copy of X-Men #199 for $36 in a CGC 9.8 with white pages and the shipping was included. Please, you tell me the better deal.

I know I spend a lot of money on comic books. I do. My healthcare increased over a span of six months and I didn't even use it. I know my healthcare will go up again so this time I am trying to get my money’s worth, but another $40 on top of my $200 plus a month just to have the card. Blue Cross Blue shield my ass, it’s more like Blue Anchor, Blue rock.

I was ahead of my budget for the month and now I am set back, I am not blaming the breaking of my toe for taking my extra funds. A lot of that extra money disappearing is due to buying comic books too. I mean I did by the JLA #1 from DC without originally meaning too. I know it was only $4, hold the line at $2.99??? So even though I hobbled and winced with each step I did put in an extra shift, an extra shift which will add to my extra funds which in turn will add to even more comic books. Unless I decide to accidently break the other toe.

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Today is the Day....After

After getting two CGC graded comic books in the mail and a broken toe which was not in the mail but from getting the mail I went to my LCS to pick up my comic books. The whole way there I denied myself the right to purchase the new JLA. I was getting Flashpoint but there was no singe way I was going to start with the new 52. I said this. I thought this, but I knew I would be buying the New JLA. On the way home I read Flash Point and JLA.

I wanted to see where they were going and unless they can explain something better I am already upset at how this is going. After one book and I already see a flaw, a major one. This is a blog and I plan to rant freely but if you haven’t read the aforementioned books read no further. This is your warning. At the end of Flashpoint Bruce Wayne knew who the Flash was. You could tell they were friends. An ominous entity explained to the Flash as everything was changing that although there were three there is now one (Future story line here for “their” impending arrival). I can deal with that, it is a comic book. I can even deal with the note the Flash took with him from Thomas Wayne to Bruce Wayne. In fact I like that, I like that a lot. It was nice to see an emotional side to Bruce.

What I don’t understand in the next book I read drawn by the Amazing Jim Lee (I never realized how much I missed his artwork). Green Lantern and Batman meet for the first time. Two major JLA’ers coming together fresh and by the end of the issue the third major player is introduced, Superman Not to skip Vic who was also shown amongst the pages as an amazing basketball star but the major three didn’t seem to know each other, and if that is the case how come Bruce Wayne was so knowledgeable about Barry Allen. How can they start over new, not have Green lantern and Batman know each other but still have The Flash know Batman. Unless The Flash knows everyone and everyone knows the Flash I for one am going to be very upset at this re-launch because all they did was start off with a huge mistake. Give it a year and they will explain it away with some kind of Crisis of Infinite Earths.

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