Darn those missing issues.

Daredevil recently went back to their original numbering at issue 500. I hated the #1 craze that had major companies scampering to sell comics through this gimmick rather then sell them with story and art. Most retailer's would then resell them as "Collectible" rather then readable. I wonder what would have happened if there was not an X-Men #94 and they just started over.

When New Mutants came out I didn't know about it. It wasn't until issue #15 that I became aware and #16 when I became addicted. I followed them through the years, through good story-lines and bad, including artwork, also good and bad.

When #87 arrived on the comic book shelves I was taken better care of my comics(not great but better) and placed it in a mylar bag directly after reading it (if graded what would it be?). The title was still the New Mutants but they were no longer X-babies, nor were they ever to be X-men. A few issues later I found out about their imminent demise. I was heartbroken. Never have I followed something for so long for it to be gone. ( at this point I didn't realize how long another Star Wars movie would take to be out).

The next thing I knew a new series was to debut:X-Force #1. New book. New team. New direction. As I was collecting I wanted to have a collection where I collected 1-100 and beyond (OK so I started at 15), now it wasn't happening. I didn't get to far with X-force, an impending parenthood and steepening responsibilities along with bills paused my collecting of comics for a long time.

Years (and years...maybe a few months and more years later) have passed and I am collecting the same title I collected in my teens, this time not having to wait month to month. However does that make the wait easier or more difficult because now the 9.8 grade I am looking for is so much harder to find not to mention the higher price tag on such a premium.

At this point in my collection I have 20 with six more on the way. I still have these large gaps in this run that will be easier to find what I am looking for compared to others. In particular I wonder what Bagofleas is going through with only the small amount he needs, and even further thoughts of what will happen when I only need a few here and there, especially with not many being graded.

Only a few months ago did I purchase a book that Bagofleas needed to help complete his collection. It would have brought him closer still, where as for me it only became one of the foundations of my graded collection. I didn't mean to buy if out from under him but yet I find it humorously ironic (and slightly painful) that the next one I was about to buy was purchased by none other than Bagofleas himself. I must say a better man there never was to have such a book.

I am still looking for a lot more and am happy that he has more than I because this gives me the chance to purchase without so much as slighting him because the one I am looking for next he already has and that is New Mutants #15, my first collectible comic (you always do remember your first). It is funny, it is harder for me to find this book then it is to find the Daredevil #7 I crave. The only difference being is the price for that DD#7 is ever so slightly astronomically out of my price range (for now, I did mention I gave up eating and am saving by leaps and bounds).

I filled up my first CGC box and hope by the end of the year 2010 I have filled two more. I try to write these little journals out but as I seem to enter them into the ever growing text box the words flow and the sentences become longer and longer so I hope as you get to this point you are at least entertained and maybe remembering a kind experience you hold close to your heart. Have fun collecting. Thanks for reading.

Tnerb

PS. I also meant to mention I only need 15 more issues to get to have a full Daredevil run and another 500 to go to have a full run fully graded. I'm not expecting much am I?