In the Dark

A journal by Tnerb

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About this journal

Oblivious to anything new

Entries in this journal

My Mid-Life Crisis on Infinite Earths

Or DC already lost my weekly allowance "In the beginning there was only one... a single black infinitude." These are the first words in issue #1 of Crisis on Infinite Earths or for the rest of this journal, Crisis. I was twelve for the majority of 1984, the year Jim Shooter pulled me into a Secret War. Characters such as Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk, and Captain America of which I've known about helped introduce the X-Men, The Beyonder and Galactus to me. My first comic book was purchase
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Claremont at ECCC

Or Addicted to Signatures One of my favorite story lines as a teen was "Days of Future Past" it was the first story line I collected after reading the Dark Phoenix saga trade. It was a few more years before I completed that story line, but the two issue "Days"story was a lot cheaper to collect, not just by price, but quantity. The story line stayed in my head so predominantly that when Claremont did another story line along those lines in issues #47 and #48 with the New Mutants I was engros
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Thirty Minutes

Or How long it takes to lose a bid. I placed a bid on a Daredevil #1, the bid was one of those low ball bids that I know that would never capture to book I wanted. In fact it was so low it was ludicrous. I would have a better chance if winning a multi-million dollar power ball lottery. It took thirty minutes for me to be out bid. I can only wonder why it took so long. I placed one other bid on another book. This time more reasonable. The holidays are over and the ECCC is coming up and my chi
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Two of a kind

or Where are you Wallace? A small while ago I resigned myself to purchasing the only signature series copy of Marvel Graphic Novel #4. I was Wallaced out of a few copies earlier that same year. It was a Monday when I went into work during Hurricane Sandy that I figured I would save money by staying home. There was no such luck, an impromptu e-mail advise me that the book was available. I was in New York attempting to gain signatures for some of my own books when I met Wallace. He was at the
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My Daredevil #1

Or a Heritage Bid My Daredevil #1 I originally purchased this through Heritage Auctions with an I'm not going to win bid. Suffice to say, I won. The first time I heard about a Stan Lee signing this was one of my "must choose" choices. The problem was I never read it, I've read reprints but never an actual Daredevil #1. Purchasing a graded copy of a book I never read before was a first for me and although I still haven't read this book I have since purchased other books I haven't read yet.
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Me and Justin Bieber

Or We all had Guilty Pleasures I'm getting old enough now that I don't follow pop culture trends. I listen to music I like and tend to stay away from those I don't. Of Course my Step-brother had a good say in what I listened to all those trips from "city to shore" by not allowing me to touch the radio, my sister helped. They made sure I listened to Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and the Beatles. My choice of top 40 was disallowed in his car. I'm afraid I have to admit I once owned a New Kids on
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Last Journal

Or Chicken Soup for the Comic Book Collector's Soul This will be my last journal for 2012. If I'm not mistaken I also wrote first journal of 2012. As for 2013...who knows? The journals have come a long way since I started to participate over three years ago. At that time I pretty much had full reign. Others wrote journals but not on a regular basis. It was the other journals I hungered for. After all it was the only way I would be able to learn about new books. I hope more and more people wi
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My Yearly Total

Or What the Hell is Wrong with Me? In 2011 I tried to add up everything I spent dealing with comics. I lost track in late July. I decided to try again for 2012 and wish I lost track in July. I spent $9,318.98. Yes, I spent almost ten grand on comic books and related merchandise. Part of me is thinking of what I could have done with that money, a down payment on a new car, pay back my parents quicker, or even rent a larger apartment. Next year I plan on keeping track again, this time though I
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Two Days Left

Or Thank God the Mayan's were Wrong I don't know what it is about the beginning of a new year that gets people to start thinking about their lives. After all it's just another day. There are certain dates in my life that were life altering, some I celebrate annually, others I would just like to forget. I was never one to make New Years resolutions and I won't start in 2013. I like to set goals so I feel accomplished but resolutions seem like an excuse to start later. I plan on writing more i
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Taking a CGC Breather

Or Is it an addiction? Every day I check the registry. I check the journals more than anything else, always looking for something new to read, something new to find out about. I also jump on the site to write a journal and have been doing that every day since late October. I didn't mean to go so far into December, after all weren't we supposed to die on the 21st? I don't check my invoices because I know that Lee K's aren't graded yet. Once I see a journal that they are, then I'll know it's t
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Amazing Spider-Man #700

or Talking about Over-Sized I looked at almost every single copy of this book that was on the shelf and none of them looked to be a 9.8. Every single spine corner had corner chips, the same chips that adorn my Secret Wars #12. This book had some surprises for me and I don't mean the story that Dan Slott left in front of us. Not to mention I thought t was hidden from the media pretty well. What I was most impressed about was the first back up story of the book inked by none other than Sal Busce
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Alex Ross

Or Purchasing an Original Alex Ross Or Purchasing an Original Fat Jack's in Center City Philadelphia is my LCS. The week before Christmas had some spectacular copies of Avengers Invaders with artwork rendered by Alex Ross. At $700 a pop they are outside my current budget. The shop doesn't own then outright but are selling them on consignment. I would be tempted even more if I could purchase one and send it in for CGC to grade but the dreaded Qualified label stops me. Of course if I could
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Changing my Mindset

Or Can I sell my Comic Books? OK, when I say sell my comic books I mean, my collection. Yes I did sell a bunch in a purge but could I sell them off piece by piece so I can buy other things I want. Let's pretend space isn't as big as an issue as it really is. I've had a few books up on eBay from time to time and most recently I had someone ask about if I was going to put them back up. I plan too, but after the holidays. One of the books is a prized jewel. But, I hope to use that money to buy a
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Out of Room?

Or If I Just sell the Furniture... I received signed by Alex Ross and Stan Lee. I purchased it so early on in the run I had the choice if any number in the 100 count set, except number one. I chose 7/100 since the seventh happens to be the date of my son's birthday. This happens to be the second piece I own signed by the two of them and I wonder could I afford a third, but considering I am having trouble with finding a spot to hang the second, where would I even hang the third. I have over 5
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Tallying the Total

Or I lost count at 3456 Last year I wanted to figure out how much I spent on comic books. This total includes bags, boards, new books, back issues, CGC graded comics, grading, original art, and art productions. In 2011 I tried to keep track but stopped in July. This year I have kept track of everything I have stated above. I only one more week of new books and I will reveal what I have spent in a future journal in the new year. My father feels I should also have added any expenses including
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Getting the Worst Grade Possible

Or Is it Worth it? I don't know why but I have a fascination with books graded .5. It started with an Amazing Spider-Man, followed by another one, and eventually a copy of Avengers. Most recently, and most likely my last CGC book of the year I bid on and on a copy of Iron Man #55. It was the highest priced poor copy I ever got. I will get more, I guarantee it, but will I send in a book knowing it will get that same grade? I have a copy of Daredevil #5. I purchased it originally because of
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Getting Ready for 2013

Or end of the world my &$$ I'm not one for making New Years resolutions. I would like however to make some goals fir my CGC comics and CGC comics only. I would like to break the 400 mark. I currently retain closer to four hundred than five hundred and I'm happy with that. I know selling some books will raise(lower?) my ranking. However, whatever I do sell I would like to put toward other purchases. Another goal I would like to achieve is to own a minimum if four hundred (magic number)
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Sending in Digital Copies

Or Just Tongue in Cheek. When digital copies first started to come onto the scene I thought it would be great for comic books to have a free digital copy. Since Marvel has been doing what I dreamed of on certain books I took advantage of this offer. I've been using those codes for the books I want to write about. I am also curious as to whether or not they will get a Blue Universal label or a Qualified Green label once the peel away is well, um peeled away. I haven't yet sent any of those book
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Reading Before Selling

Or I have to remember these aren't for me. I found a full run of She-Hulk, The Thing, Team America, and multiple limited series that I want to read. I even found a copy of Batman that I had when I was younger, and the following issue. They are not candidates for grading but I am looking forward to finally reading the second part of the book I read ages ago. There also was some magazines along the lines of Eerie, Conan the Barbarian, and Epic. There was even a copy of National Lampoon. As I'
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Deciding Against it?

Or the Fear begins to grow. My Amazing Spider-Man #129 is one of my top ten books I own. About two years ago Surfer99 wrote a journal about keeping only ten books and what would they be? At the time I only picked five. I think as I close in on 400 books I'll have a journal answering his question in its entirety. I sent a book to CGC for a signature series. It was Wolverine #10. After getting it back I felt the book wasn't even mine. For one thing I sent them a beautiful 9.8 copy that I purch
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Journals Galore

Or sometimes I just ramble, but I also love to read. I love the amount of Journals added today, love the fact more that they are about people's hopes and dreams for the coming year. I have yet to seriously look at my goals for the year, but I think I should see if I accomplished any if my goals for this year. I have yet to decide what my goals are for collecting in 2013. Of course I would like to find the last two New Mutants I need. Not to mention get some books signed and graded but I gues
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My little Gamble

Or JACKPOT-JACKPOT-7 There's always pros and cons of any transactions. The books that I bought are going to be a long time to "flip". It's ok I need the learning curve. There are some books that I've viewed and thought, well they suck. Then of course there are others that I feel I have a chance and yes if takes money to make money. I have read the added commentary on my previous journal and for those offering to help I will get in contact with you. Thus however will be after the new year. No
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Wading Through the Ruins

Or Where am I Putting it all? Trying to get 4500 comics books put away is proving to be no daunting task. I save set myself up with a small business idea to get rid of them starting at ninety nine cents a piece on eBay. The trick of it will be to accurately grade them. The only thing I plan to do in its entirety is put them somewhere. I can grade them ten at a time as I place them on line for bidding. I have also thought, do I get to keep any or have to bid on the ones I want. I am guessing
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there are no words

... I have so much to say but nothing seems poignant enough. I want to take this journal for a moment to remember, a moment to reflect, and a moment of silence... To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
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All Hail the RonnyLama

Or Will the real Slim Shady please stand up I've been lucky with the registry. Not so much for the comic books I have placed in my sets but for the friends I have met. With these friends I have communicated through the journals, chat boards, e-mails, and even Facebook. This journal I have decided to write because it needs to be written. It even preempted my journal about having my books at CGC for forty one days, not that I am keeping count. There is no guessing that this journal is about R
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