Hollywood1892

I grew up in a small town in South Western Ontario, my friends and I used to do all sorts of activities from tunnel ratting through drainage pipes to good old fashioned street hockey, but what we really liked to do was collect.
    We started collecting sports cards  around the summer of 1987 and comics a few years later.
   If I recollect correctly, the first comic book I had was Batman Annual 14 with TwoFace on the cover.
   Sadly, over the years My friends and I drifted apart, though I continued collecting.
    Mostly my collection was focused on raws, that as a kid I thought would be quite valuable.
     Around the age of 14 things in my life began getting quite chaotic. I found myself getting into fights at school and eventually put into group homes until I was 18. Subsequently, my collecting took a hiatus.
    Once I was 18 I was removed from the group home and thrust into the streets to fend for myself. Without much of an education or direction in life, I turned to substance abuse, which in turn I got in quite a few fights.
    Eventually, I found myself at an alcohol rehabilitation clinic called "Brentwood". This is in the city of Windsor, where during my free time from programs I was able to resume my collecting activities.
   I began to accumulate a rather large collection of books that interested in, but didn't really hold alot of value, Spawn run, Maximum Carnage run, Knightfall run and stuff like that.
   Eventually I returned to Alcoholism and as the years rolled by, collecting drifted off into a distant memory.
   It wasn't until the late winter of 2018 that I resumed my hobby.
    I live in Toronto Ontario now, and the first shop I ventured into was "The Beguiling" on College St. This particular stores primary interest is providing the comic community with affordable raws at reasonable prices.
   The first books I purchased were Wolverine 1 (ongoing series) X-Factor 6 (first appearance of Apocalypse) and Punisher 1 (ongoing series).
 I hadn't even heard much about slabbed comics until a couple months later when I joined the forums and attended my first comic show in February.
  I'm a big fan of the dexterity of Supervillains, especially Carnage who I find is a conflicted soul, much like myself (lol).
    The first slabbed comic I bought was an Amazing Spider-Man 361 in 9.4 grade. I have no doubt in terms of fair market value that I overpaid considerably, but I was happy.
    Over the past year and a half I have accumulated a pretty decent collection and being a member of these boards I have had an opportunity to meet and interact with some pretty awesome people.
   I know we are all going through some tough times right now with the Covid19 Pandemic, but I can see that it has strengthened this community in ways I don't think any of us could have imagined.
  As I continue to collect, I've amassed a list of books I have really wanted and have eventually acquired, including New Mutants 98 and Amazing Spider-Man 300 (my two personal favorites). I have also fluctuated between collecting first appearances of key supervillains in both the DC and Marvel Universe such as Darkseid and of course Carnage. 
     In the past year and a half, my interests have shifted from modern to bronze and even silver age books.
  I have mostly directed my attention and finances to slabbed comic books, as I am not a professional grader and have really failed in alot of my submissions.
   In regards to slabs, I like to garner my finances into accumulating 9.8s, which I have amassed quite a few since I really began taking comic collecting seriously.
   My greatest purchase in my opinion, and despite my friend's protests has been Amazing Spider-Man 300 9.8.
  Now I know people will say "Why did you buy such an expensive book that is common as dirt?"
    Well, that is the mystery of that book, isn't it? How can one of the most graded books in the registry maintain such longevity and value? Too me I find it fascinating and in terms of strength of character (not monetary) it is one of the most valuable books available, and I imagine would be far more expensive if only 2000 copies were graded, and not 20,000.
   Thanks for listening....and happy hunting!
 

I grew up in a small town in South Western Ontario, my friends and I used to do all sorts of activities from tunnel ratting through drainage pipes to good old fashioned street hockey, but what we really liked to do was collect.
    We started collecting sports cards  around the summer of 1987 and comics a few years later.
   If I recollect correctly, the first comic book I had was Batman Annual 14 with TwoFace on the cover.
   Sadly, over the years My friends and I drifted apart, though I continued collecting.
    Mostly my collection was focused on raws, that as a kid I thought would be quite valuable.
     Around the age of 14 things in my life began getting quite chaotic. I found myself getting into fights at school and eventually put into group homes until I was 18. Subsequently, my collecting took a hiatus.
    Once I was 18 I was removed from the group home and thrust into the streets to fend for myself. Without much of an education or direction in life, I turned to substance abuse, which in turn I got in quite a few fights.
    Eventually, I found myself at an alcohol rehabilitation clinic called "Brentwood". This is in the city of Windsor, where during my free time from programs I was able to resume my collecting activities.
   I began to accumulate a rather large collection of books that interested in, but didn't really hold alot of value, Spawn run, Maximum Carnage run, Knightfall run and stuff like that.
   Eventually I returned to Alcoholism and as the years rolled by, collecting drifted off into a distant memory.
   It wasn't until the late winter of 2018 that I resumed my hobby.
    I live in Toronto Ontario now, and the first shop I ventured into was "The Beguiling" on College St. This particular stores primary interest is providing the comic community with affordable raws at reasonable prices.
   The first books I purchased were Wolverine 1 (ongoing series) X-Factor 6 (first appearance of Apocalypse) and Punisher 1 (ongoing series).
 I hadn't even heard much about slabbed comics until a couple months later when I joined the forums and attended my first comic show in February.
  I'm a big fan of the dexterity of Supervillains, especially Carnage who I find is a conflicted soul, much like myself (lol).
    The first slabbed comic I bought was an Amazing Spider-Man 361 in 9.4 grade. I have no doubt in terms of fair market value that I overpaid considerably, but I was happy.
    Over the past year and a half I have accumulated a pretty decent collection and being a member of these boards I have had an opportunity to meet and interact with some pretty awesome people.
   I know we are all going through some tough times right now with the Covid19 Pandemic, but I can see that it has strengthened this community in ways I don't think any of us could have imagined.
  As I continue to collect, I've amassed a list of books I have really wanted and have eventually acquired, including New Mutants 98 and Amazing Spider-Man 300 (my two personal favorites). I have also fluctuated between collecting first appearances of key supervillains in both the DC and Marvel Universe such as Darkseid and of course Carnage. 
     In the past year and a half, my interests have shifted from modern to bronze and even silver age books.
  I have mostly directed my attention and finances to slabbed comic books, as I am not a professional grader and have really failed in alot of my submissions.
   In regards to slabs, I like to garner my finances into accumulating 9.8s, which I have amassed quite a few since I really began taking comic collecting seriously.
   My greatest purchase in my opinion, and despite my friend's protests has been Amazing Spider-Man 300 9.8.
  Now I know people will say "Why did you buy such an expensive book that is common as dirt?"
    Well, that is the mystery of that book, isn't it? How can one of the most graded books in the registry maintain such longevity and value? Too me I find it fascinating and in terms of strength of character (not monetary) it is one of the most valuable books available, and I imagine would be far more expensive if only 2000 copies were graded, and not 20,000.
   Thanks for listening....and happy hunting!
 

I grew up in a small town in South Western Ontario, my friends and I used to do all sorts of activities from tunnel ratting through drainage pipes to good old fashioned street hockey, but what we really liked to do was collect.
    We started collecting sports cards  around the summer of 1987 and comics a few years later.
   If I recollect correctly, the first comic book I had was Batman Annual 14 with TwoFace on the cover.
   Sadly, over the years My friends and I drifted apart, though I continued collecting.
    Mostly my collection was focused on raws, that as a kid I thought would be quite valuable.
     Around the age of 14 things in my life began getting quite chaotic. I found myself getting into fights at school and eventually put into group homes until I was 18. Subsequently, my collecting took a hiatus.
    Once I was 18 I was removed from the group home and thrust into the streets to fend for myself. Without much of an education or direction in life, I turned to substance abuse, which in turn I got in quite a few fights.
    Eventually, I found myself at an alcohol rehabilitation clinic called "Brentwood". This is in the city of Windsor, where during my free time from programs I was able to resume my collecting activities.
   I began to accumulate a rather large collection of books that interested in, but didn't really hold alot of value, Spawn run, Maximum Carnage run, Knightfall run and stuff like that.
   Eventually I returned to Alcoholism and as the years rolled by, collecting drifted off into a distant memory.
   It wasn't until the late winter of 2018 that I resumed my hobby.
    I live in Toronto Ontario now, and the first shop I ventured into was "The Beguiling" on College St. This particular stores primary interest is providing the comic community with affordable raws at reasonable prices.
   The first books I purchased were Wolverine 1 (ongoing series) X-Factor 6 (first appearance of Apocalypse) and Punisher 1 (ongoing series).
 I hadn't even heard much about slabbed comics until a couple months later when I joined the forums and attended my first comic show in February.
  I'm a big fan of the dexterity of Supervillains, especially Carnage who I find is a conflicted soul, much like myself (lol).
    The first slabbed comic I bought was an Amazing Spider-Man 361 in 9.4 grade. I have no doubt in terms of fair market value that I overpaid considerably, but I was happy.
    Over the past year and a half I have accumulated a pretty decent collection and being a member of these boards I have had an opportunity to meet and interact with some pretty awesome people.
   I know we are all going through some tough times right now with the Covid19 Pandemic, but I can see that it has strengthened this community in ways I don't think any of us could have imagined.
  As I continue to collect, I've amassed a list of books I have really wanted and have eventually acquired, including New Mutants 98 and Amazing Spider-Man 300 (my two personal favorites). I have also fluctuated between collecting first appearances of key supervillains in both the DC and Marvel Universe such as Darkseid and of course Carnage. 
     In the past year and a half, my interests have shifted from modern to bronze and even silver age books.
  I have mostly directed my attention and finances to slabbed comic books, as I am not a professional grader and have really failed in alot of my submissions.
   In regards to slabs, I like to garner my finances into accumulating 9.8s, which I have amassed quite a few since I really began taking comic collecting seriously.
   My greatest purchase in my opinion, and despite my friend's protests has been Amazing Spider-Man 300 9.8.
  Now I know people will say "Why did you buy such an expensive book that is common as dirt?"
    Well, that is the mystery of that book, isn't it? How can one of the most graded books in the registry maintain such longevity and value? Too me I find it fascinating and in terms of strength of character (not monetary) it is one of the most valuable books available, and I imagine would be far more expensive if only 2000 copies were graded, and not 20,000.
   Thanks for listening....and happy hunting!
 

I grew up in a small town in South Western Ontario, my friends and I used to do all sorts of activities from tunnel ratting through drainage pipes to good old fashioned street hockey, but what we really liked to do was collect.
    We started collecting sports cards  around the summer of 1987 and comics a few years later.
   If I recollect correctly, the first comic book I had was Batman Annual 14 with TwoFace on the cover.
   Sadly, over the years My friends and I drifted apart, though I continued collecting.
    Mostly my collection was focused on raws, that as a kid I thought would be quite valuable.
     Around the age of 14 things in my life began getting quite chaotic. I found myself getting into fights at school and eventually put into group homes until I was 18. Subsequently, my collecting took a hiatus.
    Once I was 18 I was removed from the group home and thrust into the streets to fend for myself. Without much of an education or direction in life, I turned to substance abuse, which in turn I got in quite a few fights.
    Eventually, I found myself at an alcohol rehabilitation clinic called "Brentwood". This is in the city of Windsor, where during my free time from programs I was able to resume my collecting activities.
   I began to accumulate a rather large collection of books that interested in, but didn't really hold alot of value, Spawn run, Maximum Carnage run, Knightfall run and stuff like that.
   Eventually I returned to Alcoholism and as the years rolled by, collecting drifted off into a distant memory.
   It wasn't until the late winter of 2018 that I resumed my hobby.
    I live in Toronto Ontario now, and the first shop I ventured into was "The Beguiling" on College St. This particular stores primary interest is providing the comic community with affordable raws at reasonable prices.
   The first books I purchased were Wolverine 1 (ongoing series) X-Factor 6 (first appearance of Apocalypse) and Punisher 1 (ongoing series).
 I hadn't even heard much about slabbed comics until a couple months later when I joined the forums and attended my first comic show in February.
  I'm a big fan of the dexterity of Supervillains, especially Carnage who I find is a conflicted soul, much like myself (lol).
    The first slabbed comic I bought was an Amazing Spider-Man 361 in 9.4 grade. I have no doubt in terms of fair market value that I overpaid considerably, but I was happy.
    Over the past year and a half I have accumulated a pretty decent collection and being a member of these boards I have had an opportunity to meet and interact with some pretty awesome people.
   I know we are all going through some tough times right now with the Covid19 Pandemic, but I can see that it has strengthened this community in ways I don't think any of us could have imagined.
  As I continue to collect, I've amassed a list of books I have really wanted and have eventually acquired, including New Mutants 98 and Amazing Spider-Man 300 (my two personal favorites). I have also fluctuated between collecting first appearances of key supervillains in both the DC and Marvel Universe such as Darkseid and of course Carnage. 
     In the past year and a half, my interests have shifted from modern to bronze and even silver age books.
  I have mostly directed my attention and finances to slabbed comic books, as I am not a professional grader and have really failed in alot of my submissions.
   In regards to slabs, I like to garner my finances into accumulating 9.8s, which I have amassed quite a few since I really began taking comic collecting seriously.
   My greatest purchase in my opinion, and despite my friend's protests has been Amazing Spider-Man 300 9.8.
  Now I know people will say "Why did you buy such an expensive book that is common as dirt?"
    Well, that is the mystery of that book, isn't it? How can one of the most graded books in the registry maintain such longevity and value? Too me I find it fascinating and in terms of strength of character (not monetary) it is one of the most valuable books available, and I imagine would be far more expensive if only 2000 copies were graded, and not 20,000.
   Thanks for listening....and happy hunting!
 

I grew up in a small town in South Western Ontario, my friends and I used to do all sorts of activities from tunnel ratting through drainage pipes to good old fashioned street hockey, but what we really liked to do was collect.
    We started collecting sports cards  around the summer of 1987 and comics a few years later.
   If I recollect correctly, the first comic book I had was Batman Annual 14 with TwoFace on the cover.
   Sadly, over the years My friends and I drifted apart, though I continued collecting.
    Mostly my collection was focused on raws, that as a kid I thought would be quite valuable.
     Around the age of 14 things in my life began getting quite chaotic. I found myself getting into fights at school and eventually put into group homes until I was 18. Subsequently, my collecting took a hiatus.
    Once I was 18 I was removed from the group home and thrust into the streets to fend for myself. Without much of an education or direction in life, I turned to substance abuse, which in turn I got in quite a few fights.
    Eventually, I found myself at an alcohol rehabilitation clinic called "Brentwood". This is in the city of Windsor, where during my free time from programs I was able to resume my collecting activities.
   I began to accumulate a rather large collection of books that interested in, but didn't really hold alot of value, Spawn run, Maximum Carnage run, Knightfall run and stuff like that.
   Eventually I returned to Alcoholism and as the years rolled by, collecting drifted off into a distant memory.
   It wasn't until the late winter of 2018 that I resumed my hobby.
    I live in Toronto Ontario now, and the first shop I ventured into was "The Beguiling" on College St. This particular stores primary interest is providing the comic community with affordable raws at reasonable prices.
   The first books I purchased were Wolverine 1 (ongoing series) X-Factor 6 (first appearance of Apocalypse) and Punisher 1 (ongoing series).
 I hadn't even heard much about slabbed comics until a couple months later when I joined the forums and attended my first comic show in February.
  I'm a big fan of the dexterity of Supervillains, especially Carnage who I find is a conflicted soul, much like myself (lol).
    The first slabbed comic I bought was an Amazing Spider-Man 361 in 9.4 grade. I have no doubt in terms of fair market value that I overpaid considerably, but I was happy.
    Over the past year and a half I have accumulated a pretty decent collection and being a member of these boards I have had an opportunity to meet and interact with some pretty awesome people.
   I know we are all going through some tough times right now with the Covid19 Pandemic, but I can see that it has strengthened this community in ways I don't think any of us could have imagined.
  As I continue to collect, I've amassed a list of books I have really wanted and have eventually acquired, including New Mutants 98 and Amazing Spider-Man 300 (my two personal favorites). I have also fluctuated between collecting first appearances of key supervillains in both the DC and Marvel Universe such as Darkseid and of course Carnage. 
     In the past year and a half, my interests have shifted from modern to bronze and even silver age books.
  I have mostly directed my attention and finances to slabbed comic books, as I am not a professional grader and have really failed in alot of my submissions.
   In regards to slabs, I like to garner my finances into accumulating 9.8s, which I have amassed quite a few since I really began taking comic collecting seriously.
   My greatest purchase in my opinion, and despite my friend's protests has been Amazing Spider-Man 300 9.8.
  Now I know people will say "Why did you buy such an expensive book that is common as dirt?"
    Well, that is the mystery of that book, isn't it? How can one of the most graded books in the registry maintain such longevity and value? Too me I find it fascinating and in terms of strength of character (not monetary) it is one of the most valuable books available, and I imagine would be far more expensive if only 2000 copies were graded, and not 20,000.
   Thanks for listening....and happy hunting!
 

My journey into this wonderful hobby began in early 1994, when I found The Death of Superman graphic novel at Kroger, I was 11 years old then. The graphic novel collected the seven issue storyline "Doomsday!", the comic book colors inside hooked me. I had heard of this “event” but I was so late to the party that it was over. The Death and Return of Superman story arc was a trilogy of storylines; "Doomsday!", "Funeral for a Friend" and "Reign of the Supermen!", all ancient history by '94. After I got The Death of Superman graphic novel I searched out issues for  "Funeral for a Friend" and "Reign of the Superman!," not an easy task for a kid with no job (or allowance 'cause I never did chores), who's only transportation were his parents or the school bus. I was able to catch up thanks to few Toys-R-Us trips, where late comers like myself were able to pick up various two packs and packaged sets of comics, with a lot of Superman books. I found most of the issues I needed for "Funeral for a Friend" this way. As I got more into collecting I decided I wanted to have the individual "Doomsday!" issues, even thou I had them nicely collected in TPB form, after another Toy R Us trip, I got all those issues from a box set. 
As I started accumulating price guides, poly bags and backing boards a monster began to gestate, who became concerned about condition and value. I then discovered there were actually multiple printings for many of these issues, and the first printings were more valuable! Each printing after the first edition was notated by a roman numeral, next to the issue number and price on the top left corner of each cover. The cover art remained the same with each subsequent printing but the title logo color scheme changed for each issue’s printing. After realizing this the 2nd, 3rd and so on printings I had were tarnished in my eye. All of my "Doomsday!" issues were later printings, and not worth the paper they were printed on, and most of my 'Funeral' issues were the same. As the years went on, and the prices went down, I replaced many of my later printings with first prints, recycling the paper rags I had before.
Then CGC came along....
Around 2007 I decided to start CGC Registry set for this storyline, all 9.8, first prints only, yet by the early 2010's I re-discovered the later printings, becoming enticed by the thrill and challenge of trying to find these books in high grade. I love how unexpected all of this was, I know I never thought the later printings would ever be collectible, and I think it's safe to say I wasn't the only one. 
Here are my CGC examples thus far, keeping the thrill of the hunt alive. 



Updated 11/01/2019
Some of my childhood books also survived, thankfully. 

I grew up in a small town in South Western Ontario, my friends and I used to do all sorts of activities from tunnel ratting through drainage pipes to good old fashioned street hockey, but what we really liked to do was collect.
    We started collecting sports cards  around the summer of 1987 and comics a few years later.
   If I recollect correctly, the first comic book I had was Batman Annual 14 with TwoFace on the cover.
   Sadly, over the years My friends and I drifted apart, though I continued collecting.
    Mostly my collection was focused on raws, that as a kid I thought would be quite valuable.
     Around the age of 14 things in my life began getting quite chaotic. I found myself getting into fights at school and eventually put into group homes until I was 18. Subsequently, my collecting took a hiatus.
    Once I was 18 I was removed from the group home and thrust into the streets to fend for myself. Without much of an education or direction in life, I turned to substance abuse, which in turn I got in quite a few fights.
    Eventually, I found myself at an alcohol rehabilitation clinic called "Brentwood". This is in the city of Windsor, where during my free time from programs I was able to resume my collecting activities.
   I began to accumulate a rather large collection of books that interested in, but didn't really hold alot of value, Spawn run, Maximum Carnage run, Knightfall run and stuff like that.
   Eventually I returned to Alcoholism and as the years rolled by, collecting drifted off into a distant memory.
   It wasn't until the late winter of 2018 that I resumed my hobby.
    I live in Toronto Ontario now, and the first shop I ventured into was "The Beguiling" on College St. This particular stores primary interest is providing the comic community with affordable raws at reasonable prices.
   The first books I purchased were Wolverine 1 (ongoing series) X-Factor 6 (first appearance of Apocalypse) and Punisher 1 (ongoing series).
 I hadn't even heard much about slabbed comics until a couple months later when I joined the forums and attended my first comic show in February.
  I'm a big fan of the dexterity of Supervillains, especially Carnage who I find is a conflicted soul, much like myself (lol).
    The first slabbed comic I bought was an Amazing Spider-Man 361 in 9.4 grade. I have no doubt in terms of fair market value that I overpaid considerably, but I was happy.
    Over the past year and a half I have accumulated a pretty decent collection and being a member of these boards I have had an opportunity to meet and interact with some pretty awesome people.
   I know we are all going through some tough times right now with the Covid19 Pandemic, but I can see that it has strengthened this community in ways I don't think any of us could have imagined.
  As I continue to collect, I've amassed a list of books I have really wanted and have eventually acquired, including New Mutants 98 and Amazing Spider-Man 300 (my two personal favorites). I have also fluctuated between collecting first appearances of key supervillains in both the DC and Marvel Universe such as Darkseid and of course Carnage. 
     In the past year and a half, my interests have shifted from modern to bronze and even silver age books.
  I have mostly directed my attention and finances to slabbed comic books, as I am not a professional grader and have really failed in alot of my submissions.
   In regards to slabs, I like to garner my finances into accumulating 9.8s, which I have amassed quite a few since I really began taking comic collecting seriously.
   My greatest purchase in my opinion, and despite my friend's protests has been Amazing Spider-Man 300 9.8.
  Now I know people will say "Why did you buy such an expensive book that is common as dirt?"
    Well, that is the mystery of that book, isn't it? How can one of the most graded books in the registry maintain such longevity and value? Too me I find it fascinating and in terms of strength of character (not monetary) it is one of the most valuable books available, and I imagine would be far more expensive if only 2000 copies were graded, and not 20,000.
   Thanks for listening....and happy hunting!
 

I grew up in a small town in South Western Ontario, my friends and I used to do all sorts of activities from tunnel ratting through drainage pipes to good old fashioned street hockey, but what we really liked to do was collect.
    We started collecting sports cards  around the summer of 1987 and comics a few years later.
   If I recollect correctly, the first comic book I had was Batman Annual 14 with TwoFace on the cover.
   Sadly, over the years My friends and I drifted apart, though I continued collecting.
    Mostly my collection was focused on raws, that as a kid I thought would be quite valuable.
     Around the age of 14 things in my life began getting quite chaotic. I found myself getting into fights at school and eventually put into group homes until I was 18. Subsequently, my collecting took a hiatus.
    Once I was 18 I was removed from the group home and thrust into the streets to fend for myself. Without much of an education or direction in life, I turned to substance abuse, which in turn I got in quite a few fights.
    Eventually, I found myself at an alcohol rehabilitation clinic called "Brentwood". This is in the city of Windsor, where during my free time from programs I was able to resume my collecting activities.
   I began to accumulate a rather large collection of books that interested in, but didn't really hold alot of value, Spawn run, Maximum Carnage run, Knightfall run and stuff like that.
   Eventually I returned to Alcoholism and as the years rolled by, collecting drifted off into a distant memory.
   It wasn't until the late winter of 2018 that I resumed my hobby.
    I live in Toronto Ontario now, and the first shop I ventured into was "The Beguiling" on College St. This particular stores primary interest is providing the comic community with affordable raws at reasonable prices.
   The first books I purchased were Wolverine 1 (ongoing series) X-Factor 6 (first appearance of Apocalypse) and Punisher 1 (ongoing series).
 I hadn't even heard much about slabbed comics until a couple months later when I joined the forums and attended my first comic show in February.
  I'm a big fan of the dexterity of Supervillains, especially Carnage who I find is a conflicted soul, much like myself (lol).
    The first slabbed comic I bought was an Amazing Spider-Man 361 in 9.4 grade. I have no doubt in terms of fair market value that I overpaid considerably, but I was happy.
    Over the past year and a half I have accumulated a pretty decent collection and being a member of these boards I have had an opportunity to meet and interact with some pretty awesome people.
   I know we are all going through some tough times right now with the Covid19 Pandemic, but I can see that it has strengthened this community in ways I don't think any of us could have imagined.
  As I continue to collect, I've amassed a list of books I have really wanted and have eventually acquired, including New Mutants 98 and Amazing Spider-Man 300 (my two personal favorites). I have also fluctuated between collecting first appearances of key supervillains in both the DC and Marvel Universe such as Darkseid and of course Carnage. 
     In the past year and a half, my interests have shifted from modern to bronze and even silver age books.
  I have mostly directed my attention and finances to slabbed comic books, as I am not a professional grader and have really failed in alot of my submissions.
   In regards to slabs, I like to garner my finances into accumulating 9.8s, which I have amassed quite a few since I really began taking comic collecting seriously.
   My greatest purchase in my opinion, and despite my friend's protests has been Amazing Spider-Man 300 9.8.
  Now I know people will say "Why did you buy such an expensive book that is common as dirt?"
    Well, that is the mystery of that book, isn't it? How can one of the most graded books in the registry maintain such longevity and value? Too me I find it fascinating and in terms of strength of character (not monetary) it is one of the most valuable books available, and I imagine would be far more expensive if only 2000 copies were graded, and not 20,000.
   Thanks for listening....and happy hunting!
 

I grew up in a small town in South Western Ontario, my friends and I used to do all sorts of activities from tunnel ratting through drainage pipes to good old fashioned street hockey, but what we really liked to do was collect.
    We started collecting sports cards  around the summer of 1987 and comics a few years later.
   If I recollect correctly, the first comic book I had was Batman Annual 14 with TwoFace on the cover.
   Sadly, over the years My friends and I drifted apart, though I continued collecting.
    Mostly my collection was focused on raws, that as a kid I thought would be quite valuable.
     Around the age of 14 things in my life began getting quite chaotic. I found myself getting into fights at school and eventually put into group homes until I was 18. Subsequently, my collecting took a hiatus.
    Once I was 18 I was removed from the group home and thrust into the streets to fend for myself. Without much of an education or direction in life, I turned to substance abuse, which in turn I got in quite a few fights.
    Eventually, I found myself at an alcohol rehabilitation clinic called "Brentwood". This is in the city of Windsor, where during my free time from programs I was able to resume my collecting activities.
   I began to accumulate a rather large collection of books that interested in, but didn't really hold alot of value, Spawn run, Maximum Carnage run, Knightfall run and stuff like that.
   Eventually I returned to Alcoholism and as the years rolled by, collecting drifted off into a distant memory.
   It wasn't until the late winter of 2018 that I resumed my hobby.
    I live in Toronto Ontario now, and the first shop I ventured into was "The Beguiling" on College St. This particular stores primary interest is providing the comic community with affordable raws at reasonable prices.
   The first books I purchased were Wolverine 1 (ongoing series) X-Factor 6 (first appearance of Apocalypse) and Punisher 1 (ongoing series).
 I hadn't even heard much about slabbed comics until a couple months later when I joined the forums and attended my first comic show in February.
  I'm a big fan of the dexterity of Supervillains, especially Carnage who I find is a conflicted soul, much like myself (lol).
    The first slabbed comic I bought was an Amazing Spider-Man 361 in 9.4 grade. I have no doubt in terms of fair market value that I overpaid considerably, but I was happy.
    Over the past year and a half I have accumulated a pretty decent collection and being a member of these boards I have had an opportunity to meet and interact with some pretty awesome people.
   I know we are all going through some tough times right now with the Covid19 Pandemic, but I can see that it has strengthened this community in ways I don't think any of us could have imagined.
  As I continue to collect, I've amassed a list of books I have really wanted and have eventually acquired, including New Mutants 98 and Amazing Spider-Man 300 (my two personal favorites). I have also fluctuated between collecting first appearances of key supervillains in both the DC and Marvel Universe such as Darkseid and of course Carnage. 
     In the past year and a half, my interests have shifted from modern to bronze and even silver age books.
  I have mostly directed my attention and finances to slabbed comic books, as I am not a professional grader and have really failed in alot of my submissions.
   In regards to slabs, I like to garner my finances into accumulating 9.8s, which I have amassed quite a few since I really began taking comic collecting seriously.
   My greatest purchase in my opinion, and despite my friend's protests has been Amazing Spider-Man 300 9.8.
  Now I know people will say "Why did you buy such an expensive book that is common as dirt?"
    Well, that is the mystery of that book, isn't it? How can one of the most graded books in the registry maintain such longevity and value? Too me I find it fascinating and in terms of strength of character (not monetary) it is one of the most valuable books available, and I imagine would be far more expensive if only 2000 copies were graded, and not 20,000.
   Thanks for listening....and happy hunting!
 

I grew up in a small town in South Western Ontario, my friends and I used to do all sorts of activities from tunnel ratting through drainage pipes to good old fashioned street hockey, but what we really liked to do was collect.
    We started collecting sports cards  around the summer of 1987 and comics a few years later.
   If I recollect correctly, the first comic book I had was Batman Annual 14 with TwoFace on the cover.
   Sadly, over the years My friends and I drifted apart, though I continued collecting.
    Mostly my collection was focused on raws, that as a kid I thought would be quite valuable.
     Around the age of 14 things in my life began getting quite chaotic. I found myself getting into fights at school and eventually put into group homes until I was 18. Subsequently, my collecting took a hiatus.
    Once I was 18 I was removed from the group home and thrust into the streets to fend for myself. Without much of an education or direction in life, I turned to substance abuse, which in turn I got in quite a few fights.
    Eventually, I found myself at an alcohol rehabilitation clinic called "Brentwood". This is in the city of Windsor, where during my free time from programs I was able to resume my collecting activities.
   I began to accumulate a rather large collection of books that interested in, but didn't really hold alot of value, Spawn run, Maximum Carnage run, Knightfall run and stuff like that.
   Eventually I returned to Alcoholism and as the years rolled by, collecting drifted off into a distant memory.
   It wasn't until the late winter of 2018 that I resumed my hobby.
    I live in Toronto Ontario now, and the first shop I ventured into was "The Beguiling" on College St. This particular stores primary interest is providing the comic community with affordable raws at reasonable prices.
   The first books I purchased were Wolverine 1 (ongoing series) X-Factor 6 (first appearance of Apocalypse) and Punisher 1 (ongoing series).
 I hadn't even heard much about slabbed comics until a couple months later when I joined the forums and attended my first comic show in February.
  I'm a big fan of the dexterity of Supervillains, especially Carnage who I find is a conflicted soul, much like myself (lol).
    The first slabbed comic I bought was an Amazing Spider-Man 361 in 9.4 grade. I have no doubt in terms of fair market value that I overpaid considerably, but I was happy.
    Over the past year and a half I have accumulated a pretty decent collection and being a member of these boards I have had an opportunity to meet and interact with some pretty awesome people.
   I know we are all going through some tough times right now with the Covid19 Pandemic, but I can see that it has strengthened this community in ways I don't think any of us could have imagined.
  As I continue to collect, I've amassed a list of books I have really wanted and have eventually acquired, including New Mutants 98 and Amazing Spider-Man 300 (my two personal favorites). I have also fluctuated between collecting first appearances of key supervillains in both the DC and Marvel Universe such as Darkseid and of course Carnage. 
     In the past year and a half, my interests have shifted from modern to bronze and even silver age books.
  I have mostly directed my attention and finances to slabbed comic books, as I am not a professional grader and have really failed in alot of my submissions.
   In regards to slabs, I like to garner my finances into accumulating 9.8s, which I have amassed quite a few since I really began taking comic collecting seriously.
   My greatest purchase in my opinion, and despite my friend's protests has been Amazing Spider-Man 300 9.8.
  Now I know people will say "Why did you buy such an expensive book that is common as dirt?"
    Well, that is the mystery of that book, isn't it? How can one of the most graded books in the registry maintain such longevity and value? Too me I find it fascinating and in terms of strength of character (not monetary) it is one of the most valuable books available, and I imagine would be far more expensive if only 2000 copies were graded, and not 20,000.
   Thanks for listening....and happy hunting!
 

I grew up in a small town in South Western Ontario, my friends and I used to do all sorts of activities from tunnel ratting through drainage pipes to good old fashioned street hockey, but what we really liked to do was collect.
    We started collecting sports cards  around the summer of 1987 and comics a few years later.
   If I recollect correctly, the first comic book I had was Batman Annual 14 with TwoFace on the cover.
   Sadly, over the years My friends and I drifted apart, though I continued collecting.
    Mostly my collection was focused on raws, that as a kid I thought would be quite valuable.
     Around the age of 14 things in my life began getting quite chaotic. I found myself getting into fights at school and eventually put into group homes until I was 18. Subsequently, my collecting took a hiatus.
    Once I was 18 I was removed from the group home and thrust into the streets to fend for myself. Without much of an education or direction in life, I turned to substance abuse, which in turn I got in quite a few fights.
    Eventually, I found myself at an alcohol rehabilitation clinic called "Brentwood". This is in the city of Windsor, where during my free time from programs I was able to resume my collecting activities.
   I began to accumulate a rather large collection of books that interested in, but didn't really hold alot of value, Spawn run, Maximum Carnage run, Knightfall run and stuff like that.
   Eventually I returned to Alcoholism and as the years rolled by, collecting drifted off into a distant memory.
   It wasn't until the late winter of 2018 that I resumed my hobby.
    I live in Toronto Ontario now, and the first shop I ventured into was "The Beguiling" on College St. This particular stores primary interest is providing the comic community with affordable raws at reasonable prices.
   The first books I purchased were Wolverine 1 (ongoing series) X-Factor 6 (first appearance of Apocalypse) and Punisher 1 (ongoing series).
 I hadn't even heard much about slabbed comics until a couple months later when I joined the forums and attended my first comic show in February.
  I'm a big fan of the dexterity of Supervillains, especially Carnage who I find is a conflicted soul, much like myself (lol).
    The first slabbed comic I bought was an Amazing Spider-Man 361 in 9.4 grade. I have no doubt in terms of fair market value that I overpaid considerably, but I was happy.
    Over the past year and a half I have accumulated a pretty decent collection and being a member of these boards I have had an opportunity to meet and interact with some pretty awesome people.
   I know we are all going through some tough times right now with the Covid19 Pandemic, but I can see that it has strengthened this community in ways I don't think any of us could have imagined.
  As I continue to collect, I've amassed a list of books I have really wanted and have eventually acquired, including New Mutants 98 and Amazing Spider-Man 300 (my two personal favorites). I have also fluctuated between collecting first appearances of key supervillains in both the DC and Marvel Universe such as Darkseid and of course Carnage. 
     In the past year and a half, my interests have shifted from modern to bronze and even silver age books.
  I have mostly directed my attention and finances to slabbed comic books, as I am not a professional grader and have really failed in alot of my submissions.
   In regards to slabs, I like to garner my finances into accumulating 9.8s, which I have amassed quite a few since I really began taking comic collecting seriously.
   My greatest purchase in my opinion, and despite my friend's protests has been Amazing Spider-Man 300 9.8.
  Now I know people will say "Why did you buy such an expensive book that is common as dirt?"
    Well, that is the mystery of that book, isn't it? How can one of the most graded books in the registry maintain such longevity and value? Too me I find it fascinating and in terms of strength of character (not monetary) it is one of the most valuable books available, and I imagine would be far more expensive if only 2000 copies were graded, and not 20,000.
   Thanks for listening....and happy hunting!
 

I grew up in a small town in South Western Ontario, my friends and I used to do all sorts of activities from tunnel ratting through drainage pipes to good old fashioned street hockey, but what we really liked to do was collect.
    We started collecting sports cards  around the summer of 1987 and comics a few years later.
   If I recollect correctly, the first comic book I had was Batman Annual 14 with TwoFace on the cover.
   Sadly, over the years My friends and I drifted apart, though I continued collecting.
    Mostly my collection was focused on raws, that as a kid I thought would be quite valuable.
     Around the age of 14 things in my life began getting quite chaotic. I found myself getting into fights at school and eventually put into group homes until I was 18. Subsequently, my collecting took a hiatus.
    Once I was 18 I was removed from the group home and thrust into the streets to fend for myself. Without much of an education or direction in life, I turned to substance abuse, which in turn I got in quite a few fights.
    Eventually, I found myself at an alcohol rehabilitation clinic called "Brentwood". This is in the city of Windsor, where during my free time from programs I was able to resume my collecting activities.
   I began to accumulate a rather large collection of books that interested in, but didn't really hold alot of value, Spawn run, Maximum Carnage run, Knightfall run and stuff like that.
   Eventually I returned to Alcoholism and as the years rolled by, collecting drifted off into a distant memory.
   It wasn't until the late winter of 2018 that I resumed my hobby.
    I live in Toronto Ontario now, and the first shop I ventured into was "The Beguiling" on College St. This particular stores primary interest is providing the comic community with affordable raws at reasonable prices.
   The first books I purchased were Wolverine 1 (ongoing series) X-Factor 6 (first appearance of Apocalypse) and Punisher 1 (ongoing series).
 I hadn't even heard much about slabbed comics until a couple months later when I joined the forums and attended my first comic show in February.
  I'm a big fan of the dexterity of Supervillains, especially Carnage who I find is a conflicted soul, much like myself (lol).
    The first slabbed comic I bought was an Amazing Spider-Man 361 in 9.4 grade. I have no doubt in terms of fair market value that I overpaid considerably, but I was happy.
    Over the past year and a half I have accumulated a pretty decent collection and being a member of these boards I have had an opportunity to meet and interact with some pretty awesome people.
   I know we are all going through some tough times right now with the Covid19 Pandemic, but I can see that it has strengthened this community in ways I don't think any of us could have imagined.
  As I continue to collect, I've amassed a list of books I have really wanted and have eventually acquired, including New Mutants 98 and Amazing Spider-Man 300 (my two personal favorites). I have also fluctuated between collecting first appearances of key supervillains in both the DC and Marvel Universe such as Darkseid and of course Carnage. 
     In the past year and a half, my interests have shifted from modern to bronze and even silver age books.
  I have mostly directed my attention and finances to slabbed comic books, as I am not a professional grader and have really failed in alot of my submissions.
   In regards to slabs, I like to garner my finances into accumulating 9.8s, which I have amassed quite a few since I really began taking comic collecting seriously.
   My greatest purchase in my opinion, and despite my friend's protests has been Amazing Spider-Man 300 9.8.
  Now I know people will say "Why did you buy such an expensive book that is common as dirt?"
    Well, that is the mystery of that book, isn't it? How can one of the most graded books in the registry maintain such longevity and value? Too me I find it fascinating and in terms of strength of character (not monetary) it is one of the most valuable books available, and I imagine would be far more expensive if only 2000 copies were graded, and not 20,000.
   Thanks for listening....and happy hunting!
 

I grew up in a small town in South Western Ontario, my friends and I used to do all sorts of activities from tunnel ratting through drainage pipes to good old fashioned street hockey, but what we really liked to do was collect.
    We started collecting sports cards  around the summer of 1987 and comics a few years later.
   If I recollect correctly, the first comic book I had was Batman Annual 14 with TwoFace on the cover.
   Sadly, over the years My friends and I drifted apart, though I continued collecting.
    Mostly my collection was focused on raws, that as a kid I thought would be quite valuable.
     Around the age of 14 things in my life began getting quite chaotic. I found myself getting into fights at school and eventually put into group homes until I was 18. Subsequently, my collecting took a hiatus.
    Once I was 18 I was removed from the group home and thrust into the streets to fend for myself. Without much of an education or direction in life, I turned to substance abuse, which in turn I got in quite a few fights.
    Eventually, I found myself at an alcohol rehabilitation clinic called "Brentwood". This is in the city of Windsor, where during my free time from programs I was able to resume my collecting activities.
   I began to accumulate a rather large collection of books that interested in, but didn't really hold alot of value, Spawn run, Maximum Carnage run, Knightfall run and stuff like that.
   Eventually I returned to Alcoholism and as the years rolled by, collecting drifted off into a distant memory.
   It wasn't until the late winter of 2018 that I resumed my hobby.
    I live in Toronto Ontario now, and the first shop I ventured into was "The Beguiling" on College St. This particular stores primary interest is providing the comic community with affordable raws at reasonable prices.
   The first books I purchased were Wolverine 1 (ongoing series) X-Factor 6 (first appearance of Apocalypse) and Punisher 1 (ongoing series).
 I hadn't even heard much about slabbed comics until a couple months later when I joined the forums and attended my first comic show in February.
  I'm a big fan of the dexterity of Supervillains, especially Carnage who I find is a conflicted soul, much like myself (lol).
    The first slabbed comic I bought was an Amazing Spider-Man 361 in 9.4 grade. I have no doubt in terms of fair market value that I overpaid considerably, but I was happy.
    Over the past year and a half I have accumulated a pretty decent collection and being a member of these boards I have had an opportunity to meet and interact with some pretty awesome people.
   I know we are all going through some tough times right now with the Covid19 Pandemic, but I can see that it has strengthened this community in ways I don't think any of us could have imagined.
  As I continue to collect, I've amassed a list of books I have really wanted and have eventually acquired, including New Mutants 98 and Amazing Spider-Man 300 (my two personal favorites). I have also fluctuated between collecting first appearances of key supervillains in both the DC and Marvel Universe such as Darkseid and of course Carnage. 
     In the past year and a half, my interests have shifted from modern to bronze and even silver age books.
  I have mostly directed my attention and finances to slabbed comic books, as I am not a professional grader and have really failed in alot of my submissions.
   In regards to slabs, I like to garner my finances into accumulating 9.8s, which I have amassed quite a few since I really began taking comic collecting seriously.
   My greatest purchase in my opinion, and despite my friend's protests has been Amazing Spider-Man 300 9.8.
  Now I know people will say "Why did you buy such an expensive book that is common as dirt?"
    Well, that is the mystery of that book, isn't it? How can one of the most graded books in the registry maintain such longevity and value? Too me I find it fascinating and in terms of strength of character (not monetary) it is one of the most valuable books available, and I imagine would be far more expensive if only 2000 copies were graded, and not 20,000.
   Thanks for listening....and happy hunting!
 

I grew up in a small town in South Western Ontario, my friends and I used to do all sorts of activities from tunnel ratting through drainage pipes to good old fashioned street hockey, but what we really liked to do was collect.
    We started collecting sports cards  around the summer of 1987 and comics a few years later.
   If I recollect correctly, the first comic book I had was Batman Annual 14 with TwoFace on the cover.
   Sadly, over the years My friends and I drifted apart, though I continued collecting.
    Mostly my collection was focused on raws, that as a kid I thought would be quite valuable.
     Around the age of 14 things in my life began getting quite chaotic. I found myself getting into fights at school and eventually put into group homes until I was 18. Subsequently, my collecting took a hiatus.
    Once I was 18 I was removed from the group home and thrust into the streets to fend for myself. Without much of an education or direction in life, I turned to substance abuse, which in turn I got in quite a few fights.
    Eventually, I found myself at an alcohol rehabilitation clinic called "Brentwood". This is in the city of Windsor, where during my free time from programs I was able to resume my collecting activities.
   I began to accumulate a rather large collection of books that interested in, but didn't really hold alot of value, Spawn run, Maximum Carnage run, Knightfall run and stuff like that.
   Eventually I returned to Alcoholism and as the years rolled by, collecting drifted off into a distant memory.
   It wasn't until the late winter of 2018 that I resumed my hobby.
    I live in Toronto Ontario now, and the first shop I ventured into was "The Beguiling" on College St. This particular stores primary interest is providing the comic community with affordable raws at reasonable prices.
   The first books I purchased were Wolverine 1 (ongoing series) X-Factor 6 (first appearance of Apocalypse) and Punisher 1 (ongoing series).
 I hadn't even heard much about slabbed comics until a couple months later when I joined the forums and attended my first comic show in February.
  I'm a big fan of the dexterity of Supervillains, especially Carnage who I find is a conflicted soul, much like myself (lol).
    The first slabbed comic I bought was an Amazing Spider-Man 361 in 9.4 grade. I have no doubt in terms of fair market value that I overpaid considerably, but I was happy.
    Over the past year and a half I have accumulated a pretty decent collection and being a member of these boards I have had an opportunity to meet and interact with some pretty awesome people.
   I know we are all going through some tough times right now with the Covid19 Pandemic, but I can see that it has strengthened this community in ways I don't think any of us could have imagined.
  As I continue to collect, I've amassed a list of books I have really wanted and have eventually acquired, including New Mutants 98 and Amazing Spider-Man 300 (my two personal favorites). I have also fluctuated between collecting first appearances of key supervillains in both the DC and Marvel Universe such as Darkseid and of course Carnage. 
     In the past year and a half, my interests have shifted from modern to bronze and even silver age books.
  I have mostly directed my attention and finances to slabbed comic books, as I am not a professional grader and have really failed in alot of my submissions.
   In regards to slabs, I like to garner my finances into accumulating 9.8s, which I have amassed quite a few since I really began taking comic collecting seriously.
   My greatest purchase in my opinion, and despite my friend's protests has been Amazing Spider-Man 300 9.8.
  Now I know people will say "Why did you buy such an expensive book that is common as dirt?"
    Well, that is the mystery of that book, isn't it? How can one of the most graded books in the registry maintain such longevity and value? Too me I find it fascinating and in terms of strength of character (not monetary) it is one of the most valuable books available, and I imagine would be far more expensive if only 2000 copies were graded, and not 20,000.
   Thanks for listening....and happy hunting!
 

I grew up in a small town in South Western Ontario, my friends and I used to do all sorts of activities from tunnel ratting through drainage pipes to good old fashioned street hockey, but what we really liked to do was collect.
    We started collecting sports cards  around the summer of 1987 and comics a few years later.
   If I recollect correctly, the first comic book I had was Batman Annual 14 with TwoFace on the cover.
   Sadly, over the years My friends and I drifted apart, though I continued collecting.
    Mostly my collection was focused on raws, that as a kid I thought would be quite valuable.
     Around the age of 14 things in my life began getting quite chaotic. I found myself getting into fights at school and eventually put into group homes until I was 18. Subsequently, my collecting took a hiatus.
    Once I was 18 I was removed from the group home and thrust into the streets to fend for myself. Without much of an education or direction in life, I turned to substance abuse, which in turn I got in quite a few fights.
    Eventually, I found myself at an alcohol rehabilitation clinic called "Brentwood". This is in the city of Windsor, where during my free time from programs I was able to resume my collecting activities.
   I began to accumulate a rather large collection of books that interested in, but didn't really hold alot of value, Spawn run, Maximum Carnage run, Knightfall run and stuff like that.
   Eventually I returned to Alcoholism and as the years rolled by, collecting drifted off into a distant memory.
   It wasn't until the late winter of 2018 that I resumed my hobby.
    I live in Toronto Ontario now, and the first shop I ventured into was "The Beguiling" on College St. This particular stores primary interest is providing the comic community with affordable raws at reasonable prices.
   The first books I purchased were Wolverine 1 (ongoing series) X-Factor 6 (first appearance of Apocalypse) and Punisher 1 (ongoing series).
 I hadn't even heard much about slabbed comics until a couple months later when I joined the forums and attended my first comic show in February.
  I'm a big fan of the dexterity of Supervillains, especially Carnage who I find is a conflicted soul, much like myself (lol).
    The first slabbed comic I bought was an Amazing Spider-Man 361 in 9.4 grade. I have no doubt in terms of fair market value that I overpaid considerably, but I was happy.
    Over the past year and a half I have accumulated a pretty decent collection and being a member of these boards I have had an opportunity to meet and interact with some pretty awesome people.
   I know we are all going through some tough times right now with the Covid19 Pandemic, but I can see that it has strengthened this community in ways I don't think any of us could have imagined.
  As I continue to collect, I've amassed a list of books I have really wanted and have eventually acquired, including New Mutants 98 and Amazing Spider-Man 300 (my two personal favorites). I have also fluctuated between collecting first appearances of key supervillains in both the DC and Marvel Universe such as Darkseid and of course Carnage. 
     In the past year and a half, my interests have shifted from modern to bronze and even silver age books.
  I have mostly directed my attention and finances to slabbed comic books, as I am not a professional grader and have really failed in alot of my submissions.
   In regards to slabs, I like to garner my finances into accumulating 9.8s, which I have amassed quite a few since I really began taking comic collecting seriously.
   My greatest purchase in my opinion, and despite my friend's protests has been Amazing Spider-Man 300 9.8.
  Now I know people will say "Why did you buy such an expensive book that is common as dirt?"
    Well, that is the mystery of that book, isn't it? How can one of the most graded books in the registry maintain such longevity and value? Too me I find it fascinating and in terms of strength of character (not monetary) it is one of the most valuable books available, and I imagine would be far more expensive if only 2000 copies were graded, and not 20,000.
   Thanks for listening....and happy hunting!
 

I grew up in a small town in South Western Ontario, my friends and I used to do all sorts of activities from tunnel ratting through drainage pipes to good old fashioned street hockey, but what we really liked to do was collect.
    We started collecting sports cards  around the summer of 1987 and comics a few years later.
   If I recollect correctly, the first comic book I had was Batman Annual 14 with TwoFace on the cover.
   Sadly, over the years My friends and I drifted apart, though I continued collecting.
    Mostly my collection was focused on raws, that as a kid I thought would be quite valuable.
     Around the age of 14 things in my life began getting quite chaotic. I found myself getting into fights at school and eventually put into group homes until I was 18. Subsequently, my collecting took a hiatus.
    Once I was 18 I was removed from the group home and thrust into the streets to fend for myself. Without much of an education or direction in life, I turned to substance abuse, which in turn I got in quite a few fights.
    Eventually, I found myself at an alcohol rehabilitation clinic called "Brentwood". This is in the city of Windsor, where during my free time from programs I was able to resume my collecting activities.
   I began to accumulate a rather large collection of books that interested in, but didn't really hold alot of value, Spawn run, Maximum Carnage run, Knightfall run and stuff like that.
   Eventually I returned to Alcoholism and as the years rolled by, collecting drifted off into a distant memory.
   It wasn't until the late winter of 2018 that I resumed my hobby.
    I live in Toronto Ontario now, and the first shop I ventured into was "The Beguiling" on College St. This particular stores primary interest is providing the comic community with affordable raws at reasonable prices.
   The first books I purchased were Wolverine 1 (ongoing series) X-Factor 6 (first appearance of Apocalypse) and Punisher 1 (ongoing series).
 I hadn't even heard much about slabbed comics until a couple months later when I joined the forums and attended my first comic show in February.
  I'm a big fan of the dexterity of Supervillains, especially Carnage who I find is a conflicted soul, much like myself (lol).
    The first slabbed comic I bought was an Amazing Spider-Man 361 in 9.4 grade. I have no doubt in terms of fair market value that I overpaid considerably, but I was happy.
    Over the past year and a half I have accumulated a pretty decent collection and being a member of these boards I have had an opportunity to meet and interact with some pretty awesome people.
   I know we are all going through some tough times right now with the Covid19 Pandemic, but I can see that it has strengthened this community in ways I don't think any of us could have imagined.
  As I continue to collect, I've amassed a list of books I have really wanted and have eventually acquired, including New Mutants 98 and Amazing Spider-Man 300 (my two personal favorites). I have also fluctuated between collecting first appearances of key supervillains in both the DC and Marvel Universe such as Darkseid and of course Carnage. 
     In the past year and a half, my interests have shifted from modern to bronze and even silver age books.
  I have mostly directed my attention and finances to slabbed comic books, as I am not a professional grader and have really failed in alot of my submissions.
   In regards to slabs, I like to garner my finances into accumulating 9.8s, which I have amassed quite a few since I really began taking comic collecting seriously.
   My greatest purchase in my opinion, and despite my friend's protests has been Amazing Spider-Man 300 9.8.
  Now I know people will say "Why did you buy such an expensive book that is common as dirt?"
    Well, that is the mystery of that book, isn't it? How can one of the most graded books in the registry maintain such longevity and value? Too me I find it fascinating and in terms of strength of character (not monetary) it is one of the most valuable books available, and I imagine would be far more expensive if only 2000 copies were graded, and not 20,000.
   Thanks for listening....and happy hunting!
 

This has been a set that has long been a dream of mine. Batman is my favorite single character in comics; the X-Men are my favorite team. I don't know how much of that is due to the fact that, when I first got into comics, X-Men, especially from the Bronze Age, were "out of reach" expensive. GS #1? X-Men #94? Yeah, ok. Not going to happen.
But, as I slowly filled out my collection, I tended to buy more and more copies of X-Men...starting with the "cheap" #150-ish to #260. I think my first Byrne X-Men was #141 that I paid $7 for from the Land of Nevawuz in 1990, I believe. Sadly, X-Men got really hot again in 1991, and stores jacked up their prices accordingly. I wish I had known then what I know now...the $3-$4 or so I spent for copies of #183, 178, 194, etc, still aren't worth that. Sigh.
In any event, I started to buy earlier and earlier, and by the time of eBay in the late 90s, I could finally afford "the big ones." And, by that time, the entire market took a dump, so it was a great time to be buying. I don't remember the first #94 I ever bought...I know I TRIED to buy one in a Scott's Valley comic store in 1995-1996, but that guy would not budge off of his mid-grade copy at $150 (more than OPG, for those wondering.)
But, somewhere in the early 2000s, I completed this run, and kept buying and buying and buying, focusing more on the Byrne and earlier run, and stopping buying the vastly overprinted #150-up....except, of course, the keys, which I can never get enough of. I probably have a long box just of Mutant Massacre (#210-213.)
In any event...in the last couple of years, I've wanted to translate that into a 9.8 set, signed, at least by Claremont, since Byrne won't sign, and Cockrum is no longer with us. Here, then, are the results of the last couple of years of effort:





So, I have a #127, #130, and #140 on their way back from CGC as we speak...so that makes 30 of the 50 different books.
#94 is going to be expensive, but not too difficult when I can gather the $$. Of course, I'm missing most of the big guns...#96-#101 especially. They are tough, tough books in 9.8, especially #97-#99. 
And, of course, some of the more expensive, like #104, 107, 109, 120, 129 are also missing. I have a #141 that should have graded 9.8, but a grader saw something that wasn't there, and graded it 9.4. It will go back for review at some point.
But, hey...60% there. Of course, I also have a ton of 9.4s and 9.6s as a result, but hey..at least they're not worthless! And...I do have some of the most difficult books, like #114 and #116, which are a BEAR in 9.8. Just hideously difficult. They have some of the lowest 9.8 counts of the entire run, so...yay!
When I get the others, I'll post them.