Your collecting sounds like most collectors...

One starts out with a character or title they love most. For me, it was Spider-Man. So I started with PPTSS, ASM and Marvel Team-Up. Then it slowly branched into his appearances in other titles and then the occasional other Marvel title from the Bronze Age. But still just Marvel, no DC for me.

Then, a movie happens that gets you excited about DC (for me, Dark Knight Returns). And you get into Batman and start buying key Batman moments and covers and stories. And then you start buying any and all great covers and stories. To a point where you are just accumulating. Eventually, you get to a point where you re-refine your focus, usually back where you began. I could likely have ASM issues $1-50 and 129 (key chunks I am missing) by now had I stuck to the plan. I don't. I am close. But I do have a wealth of other great stuff...some Golden Age books, some runs, some high grade first appearances, some epic stories that all collectors should read. I could part with it but then I wouldn't have it. I also know that to get the books I could have had, it is gonna cost more now than 10 years ago.

So in the end, I am back hunting ASM books. It is slow as I like a deal and deals require patience and maybe only purchasing a small handful of books a year. If you are happy with this, this seems the road you may be about to embark on with your own collecting

11 hours ago, comicginger1789 said:

Your collecting sounds like most collectors...

One starts out with a character or title they love most. For me, it was Spider-Man. So I started with PPTSS, ASM and Marvel Team-Up. Then it slowly branched into his appearances in other titles and then the occasional other Marvel title from the Bronze Age. But still just Marvel, no DC for me.

Then, a movie happens that gets you excited about DC (for me, Dark Knight Returns). And you get into Batman and start buying key Batman moments and covers and stories. And then you start buying any and all great covers and stories. To a point where you are just accumulating. Eventually, you get to a point where you re-refine your focus, usually back where you began. I could likely have ASM issues $1-50 and 129 (key chunks I am missing) by now had I stuck to the plan. I don't. I am close. But I do have a wealth of other great stuff...some Golden Age books, some runs, some high grade first appearances, some epic stories that all collectors should read. I could part with it but then I wouldn't have it. I also know that to get the books I could have had, it is gonna cost more now than 10 years ago.

So in the end, I am back hunting ASM books. It is slow as I like a deal and deals require patience and maybe only purchasing a small handful of books a year. If you are happy with this, this seems the road you may be about to embark on with your own collecting

Loved reading your journey. Thank you! I agree that most collectors begin with that one thing that they love and go on from there. I'm primarily a Marvel guy so I'm not so sure that I will cross over to DC anytime soon. That said, like you, movies got me excited for both Warlock and Dr. Strange. I was reminded of how much I LOVED both of those characters while growing up. I anticipate many hours upon days to weeks worth of enjoyment looking to find those favorite stories/covers for both of these characters. Meanwhile, while I say that I'm trying to stick to a plan, I also ended up making some non-competitive sets for some artists that I really like. With that, though, I need to make sure that I remain picky and not just buy anything. As long as I don't get competitive with the artist sets, I should be OK. 

At times I wonder if it would have been better to have stuck to my goal but then I look at how diverse and interesting my collection is because I branched out and it makes me happy. That’s the key if you love your collection and loved acquiring it all then you are doing it right!