kaholo1256

Can't wait to get my own back.

Hubert's art is amazing and following a little coloring from Sajad...

Curt's doing it with two CAWs in tow

Wow, picked up a total of 79 raw X-Force issues from Barton and honestly was nervous on how they would be received. Never purchased so many raws before in this manner but I have to say this one renewed my hope that a purchase could in fact be flawless. Shipping was phenomenal Getting exactly what I was needing was a simple PM away Condition...let's just say I am willing to turn this entire thing around as a pregrade 9.8 without much fear here. Absolutely amazing transaction. Thank you for everything and simply being awesome.

Dave took my virginity away.... I'll let that hang there for a second....being my first board buyer... An absolute pleasure to do business with and I truly hope that the rest of my transactions are this easy. Amazing Feedback Quick Payment Gentle Remover of first time sales virginity... Thanks for everything.

It was a

And the New Best of the Best Ghost Rider Champ is... Owner: Ultramanking Artist: Gab Dell'otto

Oh, and simple plain taken from work Sharpie works just fine... just don't tell anyone you jacked it from the office.

This is very true, but also figured you would be a little new at this. Big thing it needs to be someone authorized by CGC. For me I do know Joey Post does it and not sure but I think Rich Henn does also... Either way be very careful especially if it is a harder to obtain signature or older book. Some books are brittle as well depending on age and when pressed issues WILL come up if they are. Maybe check out the grader notes on your books before doing it. I do know CCS will inspect first before cracking them open.

Nope... Just bring your own markers and have them as fresh as possible. Those that sign a lot tend to have markers that fade quite a bit.

Yes it is possible to do so but you need to leave it in the case and send it to CCS first prior to having it regraded by CGC. I have never tried pressing an already CGC SS slabbed comic but have broken them free to get sigs on and then pressed them. All of my attempts at pressing have gone well but with everything there is always a risk.

The challenge has been laid out. The Challenger... Owner: Ultramanking Artist: Gab Dell'otto Vs. The Champ... Owner: Worldsbestcomics Artist: Clayton Crain For the Prize of: Best of the Best Ghost Rider

I mean really, how do you let go? So I have told a few people but why not just put it out there. Around April I will be moving up to the Maryland / Virginia area for a new position in life. Later on in the year, June/July my wife and kids should be soon to follow. Me with a position out of Herndon, VA temporarily and then at Quantico, and my wife with a position out of Fort Meade, Maryland. Anyways I bring this up as very soon I'm going to run into a few issues I have been really kidding myself with. 1) Moving my load of comic's without allowing a mover to touch them and 2) the expense of it all. Priorities might be backwards there... So in moving and seeing this daunting task about to come to light I at first am thinking about how in the world do I move it all from point A to point B. Do I really make my wife give me the "Really Kaholo???" face in which she doesn't say it but I know exactly what's going through her mind? Or do I look at trimming my collection down. Do I really take a look at my Registry Sets and say to myself... well, I don't really collect Fantastic Four but...? Or do I look at weeding out art that while cool, can I really afford to put all of it on a wall now that we are looking to move like I hadn't planned until getting this new opportunity. I mean I don't really see a lot of what I collect as overly valuable. If anything I see it as 80's - 90's Modern with a few touches here and there with Bronze and Silver. So "Cashing In" just doesn't seem like the overly wise thing to do unless really all I'm trying to do is drop dead weight. Heck, I don't think I will ever look to slab my collection of Generation X nor do I see any chance of getting more than 20 bucks out of the lot. I figured later on when my son was about 7 -- 10 he could have them and read of the cool heroes I enjoyed within the pages. The point is how do you decide how to lose the treasures you so lovingly hold? I have never collected with the thought of selling, and the whole reason we bought a house in the first place was because we were setting down some permanent roots. But now it just seems like this daunting task of what to do is coming up and forcing me to become a hypocrite... The second part, financially, its... about... to... get... expensive... We are about to go through the dual household thing so financially it's all about to become a burden anyways. We planned and have saved and will be fine, but for a while my collection is about to become stagnant. X-Force is going to stay where it is, Avengers vs X-Men is going to reign supreme at the number 3 slot... and my hugely favorite additions of Blank Cover Art is going to sit idle. Can I really ask myself to hold off on purchasing anything...? I mean of course the answer will undoubtedly become yes by force and not by choice. But if I wanted to gain some new treasures for the collection it would have to be done through a side funding and not earned income. I would officially need to sell some things to make room for others. This then circles back around to the question previously asked, how do you decide how to lose those same treasures you've built up over time? Then again which ones do you decide to let go of? Sucks to say, but it looks like I am about to revisit last year's fun conversation of taking it with me to the grave list. To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

A few from Wizard World Austin with the Batman's Double Sig by Neal Adams and Denny O'Neil and the rest simply by Neal.

Didn't realize this was the top one until pointed out to me.

And Mr. O'Neil... So finally got them back and some good photos of the bunch. Not much to write now but many of these were huge pick-ups for me. I guess I knew I would never get 9.8's for the group but was at least wanting to shoot for 8.5's and above for the Silver Age Neal Adam's. Gotta say I am happy for the group that I have here. Enjoy To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

I'm not much of a Celeb guy but would like to keep these on if possible. I am more of a Modern era guy and each of these names are ones I rely on your list for when I look around at possible facilitators. If not I understand but just my 2 cents I guess. Kalman Andrasofszky Kaare Andrews Daxiong Mike DeBalfo Dale Eaglesham Pasqual Ferry Alé Garza Mike Lilly Rafael Sandoval Christopher Yost Also would it be possible to put Edgar Tadeo on the list? I guess after his opps and everything he has been doing on here it would be amazing for a promoter to see some of us do requests for him. He's just finishing up some work for Marvel with Uncanny X-Force and currently on DC's dime for some upcoming work so I'm sure his name will come up a little more often. Either way thank you for updating the list.

Danced with the Devil in the pale moon light? Sorry, loved that movie though. Anyways, I guess the question I have is have you ever resubmitted a book you knew should have had a higher grade whether straight back to CGC or through CCS and then on to CGC to be regraded? Recently I've been getting a lot of my Wizard World Austin books back but also have a few others that honestly cannot find a single flaw with. No nicks, cuts, blunts. Nothing. Can't find a visible issue on what may or may not have been wrong when it went through and received the grades they did. Then when I look up the slab # in the verify section I simply see none available meaning even if I do request the notes they deemed it so insignificant that there is nothing even worthy of placing there. Is it something wrong with my vain attempt to gain all 9.8's? Why can I not be simply happy with a 9.4 or even a 9.6 that I am willing to look at paying another $28 per slab in addition to the pressing fees in hopes to bump up? I guess what I'm really wanting to know, is anyone guilty of feeling this way? And has anyone ever acted on this by resubmitting them? Or should I wait until I can get a second signature on the slab and then regrade and press? Thanks for any of your input. To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Yep fully believe this as well. Heck Marvel went out and did the photo variants of S.H.I.E.L.D. like a month ago and I think would look amazing with that crew signing away on it.

ooooh ooooh like tonight's gonna be a goodnight... Yeah so anyways, As most know from previous Journals or even by my little bottom banner thingy, I'm a huge fan of X-Force. Something about the team, the concept, and the artists and writers for the series seemed to capture my attention like a hook from the Marvel heavens. I have been and continue to be adding to my Set and at no time have really ever taken a day off from checking the multiple different sites out there for some amazing copies which probably accounts for my wife's permanent scowl. Back in October I mentioned that I would be attending Wizard World Austin as part of my welcome back to the States and with it one of our most gracious members sent me a message and soon after an amazing gift. Within this package was an amazingly flawless copy of X-Force Annual #1 having been graded at 9.8 in addition to some other things and a few of his gems all craving some SS love. So with a little pre-cracking, and hole cutting I was ready with this one in hand to get a little Capullo love. But wait... he's only appearing on Saturday and Sunday... But, but, but its Friday and my wife has plans on Saturday and Sunday. Curse you wife you knew this was going to happen... In steps out of the heavenly light another amazing gentleman, my friendly LCS manager/co-owner Earl. This man kindly smiles and bravely ventured into the Capullo line. After a wait that even he wouldn't talk about it was kindly placed on my invoice along with a few others and off to CGC land where they now did what they do best, look at it??? So today with nothing much going on I decided to take a little gander at the status of my invoices and...Shipped, Shipped, Shipped, Shipped, Graded, Scheduled for Grading, Scheduled for Grading, Scheduled for Grading. So yeah, while i was going to try the waiting game, who am I kidding, click... Hhhhmmmmmm which ones were completed. X-Force yay!!! First time go at this station. 9.8, 9.8, 9.8, 9..... Holy Jesus I have two gentleman who I truly do have to thank. First off to the ever generous and amazingly awesome Ronnylama, Thank you Sir. This by far is the most amazing thing that could have possibly happened to me with this Set and I truly am at a loss for words on any other way to thank you. And to my always amazing friend and all around awesome guy Earl of America's Heroes Comics, thank you. I know you probably won't ever log on to read this but your friendship and kindness do mean so much to me and if anyone should ever be in the Killeen/Fort Hood, Texas area looking for an LCS please tell him as well. So following picking myself up off the floor my results on the signing and slabbing: To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Then blows up the knight's, chokes out the rook's, and scores with the Queen before giving the finger to the King. I was a 90's child when it comes to collecting. During the time of my comic collecting, mostly reading, I pretty much sat on the Mutant side of things with titles such as X-Force, X-Men, Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor, etc. Don't get me wrong, I appreciated characters like Spider-Man, Superman, and Batman, but the mutant side was where I found my calling and later my passion. During this time an amazing artist was hitting his stride with the Uncanny X-Men and right then I became front row to a creation of his debuting on the cover of Uncanny X-Men #282 the man known as Bishop. Created in 1991 Bishop was basically a futurized cop who came back to the past during that time in search of an escaped convict, Trevor Fitzroy. Throughout the years Bishop has evolved from the straight and narrow X-Man, to a true traitor, eventually to a man bent on the death of killing a single child, and now to coming back and becoming once again a member of an X-team. So anyways yeah, I just happened to be sitting around when I get this Facebook PM. "Hey man he finished it up for you." Next thing I know... BOOM goes the dynamite. Sketched by his creator, Whilce Portacio I give you my latest sketch commission. To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Wait what ?!? Anyways, Every year many of us get on here and kinda reaffirm our goals. In a way this provides us a system of checks and balances to see what it is we wanted to accomplish and then a year later look back at that very Journal and say NOPE, didn't come close. When making my goals I usually try to aim high and then hopefully get to at least a high middle ground to claim some sort of minor success. Most have heard the saying "Shoot for the Moon, and if you fail at least you'll end up in the stars..." aahhhhh, to bad they don't also say that eventually while hanging there in weightless nothingness that eventually you'll run out of oxygen and die floating in an area to big to truly be able to file a decent enough search and hopefully at one point float back into orbit to where you burn out on the flight back... but who knows some kid may wish upon you and isn't that a nice story. But yeah a little over a year ago I made up a few shallow goals but nothing concrete. The only two I had on there was to have the top seat in the Avengers vs X-Men Series (Which I don't but am still aiming) and the X-Force Vol. 1 (Which I did but is a weekly struggle to maintain. Aside from those two goals I decided to wait to see where that year took me as I knew that anything I wanted to add to my Sets would be without me physically being there. This year though is different. While this all happened at the tail end of last year I did start to sow the seeds of what will be hopefully a really amazing year. First and foremost X-Force Vol. 1. I have gained the yearly title and now have to prove I am not a one and done. While most throw out there certificates as if it were nothing more than a simple piece of paper with blasé ink scrawled on it I plan to have mine signed by the likes of Rob Liefeld, Greg Capullo, Jim Cheung, Tony Daniel, and Whilce Portacio. These were the gentlemen for the most part with a few others that brought a series together for me as a kid and got me truly hooked on the series. As for the goal itself, I would like to finish this one completely out with a grade in every opening. This is where the seeds have been sown. I already have 10 issues in from Wizard World Austin with an additional pregrade Set I have sent in with not just this series but also a few others for 9.8 or better. The second set I plan to solidify myself in would be the Avengers vs X-Men Set. I was able to jump off a little here and there to purchase some of the Original Art pages but now is the time to buckle down and really pick up a few points in this one. While I am behind in this set I do hope to have it completed fully by years end. All New X-Men and Cable & X-Force, both of these I would like to reign supreme in as well. While I do hold the top slot in C&XF All New XM is going to be a struggle. At the very least this set should be nice to look at with most of the issues having some type of OA as well as my style of a summary. And finally and maybe a little more insanely, I would like to strive to own the number 2 slot for the New Mutants (Liefeld Set).... I'll let that soak in for two individuals.......... Okay, so yeah this one is going to be where the fun happens. Currently I hold the number 3 slot for this Set with the Bash Brothers securely at the number 1 & 2 slot. While I came into this one a little.... Cough cough..... late, I still am looking to jump one. This is the oxygen deprivation goal of jumping to high and getting stuck up there. I have two CGC'ed in the Set with an additional 4 being returned this month and a few more in the shoot for to be handed over to the Set's namesake. This is where in 359 ish days I find out if I land securely on the moon or become some little Pakistani boys wish when he sees a shooting star floating down from space. Good luck to all this year and good luck with all of your short and long term goals. To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

But thanks to you all it was a short one. 2013 was an amazing year and quite honestly was made better because of a community like you. I started 2013 off overseas and somewhat down on the fact that another year will slowly drip by like molasses in the winter. I figured I would pick up an issue here or there, maybe do a little searching for odds and ends, and then eventually read some of the Journals on here. All of this was turned upside down though because of you all. Because of you a collector's spirit was passed onto me to do what I could and however I could do it and jump for goals many times out of reach. Because of you I wrote more than I have since my days taking online college courses, and because of you all I was able to feel the thrill of the hunt, and the joy of finding those little diamonds in the rough. I acquired blank covers of art by amazing artists, back issue treasurers that required signatures galore, and even Original Art that I never could have seen myself jump for in years past. I went from page 26 with little over a measly 600 points in 2012 to page 6 and over 13,000 points in the span of a year without ever having to collect for solely for points and staying with what I loved. I was able to build some amazing Sets in my opinion and most of it with help from this community. I was able to find comfort in competition with a few of my pride and joy Sets: Avengers vs X-Men, X-Force, and Uncanny X-Men (2011), and have begun to enjoy starting up a few new Sets with the All New X-Men and Cable and X-Force. I even took a leap off the deep end and picked up a few Neal Adams issues to gain his signature on. To Tnerb first -- Thank you. Your daily, weekly, journal's both on here and in your blog made my year shorter by simply giving me an outlet to absorb. Your kind words through journals, and in reading your Sets and descriptions throughout the year has truly motivated me to build not only some prized Sets but also to add to them so others can see my enjoyment as they see yours. Your reminder to collect what I enjoy and or love has been a standard that has kept me while at times jumping around... primarily focused on my core goals. To his little brother -- Your competitive side and continuance to strive for better ignited a sense of never resting on my laurels. You and your brother's interactions showed me this was truly a community and not simply a place to vent frustrations. Your Sets have made me continue to look at my own in whether to improve or hold fast and for that I thank you. I cannot wait until the day when I can possibly rival both you and your brother in at least the New Mutant Liefeld Set but until then will continue to stand by and drool. Ronnylama -- As many have stated on here your kindness truly knows no bounds. My Christmas present was quickly scooped up by a three year old and following picking up a raw copy has assisted in passing off of a passion from father to son. While added to my Registry Set it prominently sets on my Sons shelf where it is now shown as if it were a trophy. I cannot wait to attempt to return the favor and hopefully shake your hand in person at ECCC as long as the wife doesn't kill me before then for this past months CGC fees from Austin... short story but for another time. SW3D -- I have to say honestly your journals continue to make me smile throughout the year and your passion for cornering the market knows no bounds and has slightly started to spill over onto me as well. While I never knew much about your preferred character in the beginning I certainly know an amazing amount of her now and every journal you have posted on her has made me want to hear more. Its passion and drive for OAKs such as these that have pressed me into making some OAKs for myself. Surfer99 -- My wife wants to kill you. I just want to put that out there. first My Man Cave, which at one point was fung shuiied out or however you put it is now becoming a shrine to Comic Art galore with the pick-up of Original Art. Had you not turned me on to comicartfans my wife would still have her God Awful looking room along with at the least 20 different pairs of shoes. Once I get everything back from Hobby Lobby and nailed up I'll have to post some photos. But just know, even the mentioning of surfing and the year 99 makes my wife scowl... and I enjoy every minute of it. Senor Shepherd, Shivabali, Meshuggah -- Its been amazing reading each of your journals throughout the year and viewing your personal touches to there Sets. I may even have to jump over from time to time and pick up a few titles I normally may not look for because of each of you and look forward to the chance of meeting each of you. SRoszkowski, Kuddy, Alphaprimeian, Edward3, Blarfingar, and what looks to be my newest competition Oceanavekid - Thank you. Each of you in your own ways have made me continue to want to improve upon my sets on a constant basis and have kept me focused throughout this year. I know I may lose a title to each of you, or may attempt to take one from you, but either way the competition in the Sets have made me go through the gambit of feelings and I look forward to it even more in this coming year. Finally dscott -- You have been amazing for me this year and have attended Con's, facilitated blank sketch opps, and assisted with more things acquired this year than I should have ever had. You were my voice to artists and creators, and had it not been for you, like Surfer99, my wife would have had an even more packed closet of shoes, but I wouldn't have had the unbelievable amounts of art that I have been able to acquire in my absence. Thank you sir. To anyone I missed I do apologize but know that every member that has been on here has helped in some way this year in making a bad situation better and more easily able to be tolerated. Thank you and I cannot wait to see what 2014 brings to us all. Oh and probably my best blank cover of the year, showed it in the Signature Series Forum by Danny Cruz To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Current OAK's on the census. Salvador Larocca - Cable and X-Force #5 & #7 Thanks especially to Torrey Quella

Thank you Nicole and Sister Gotta say Nicole and her sister were AMAZING today. Wizard World Austin: 72 books signed 8 sketch covers with an additional 3 left to be picked up and 5 left needing Capullos amazing signature left with some assistance required all within four hours in a single day. Soooooo tired, but some picks to follow: To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.