Savoyard23

Aquaman 61-63 ASM 238 Detective 403, 428 Squadron Supreme 1-12 I hadn't read the SS limited series in decades, so I pulled them out of the box and it was like binge-watching a great TV show, where one episode ends and you can't not hit the 'Play Next' button. Even better than I remembered. I got a lump in my throat at the end. I wanted to go back and read more about the Squadron, so I pulled out some Avengers - 85-86, and 141-144, 147-149. Then I read the 'prequel' to the LS in Defenders 112-114 (digitally - thanks, WandaVision speculators!) Classic Avengers issues, although the Squadron are mis-billed as the 'Squadron Sinister' on the covers of 85, 141 and 147! I guess if you're trying to sell Avengers comics, it helps if they're fighting someone "sinister". They did it right on 148's cover, though. I guess by then the Englehart / Perez goodness was selling itself. 145 Oh, I forgot about the Squadron Supreme crossover in Captain America 314. I read that one too. 146

Just beautiful. I love that title, and a 1-200 run has always been a dream of mine. (So I understand well what an accomplishment this is, and you'll find your 28 eventually.) Ironically, 12 is the only pre-hero issue I ever did obtain. (Mine is not nearly as nice as yours, though.) Congratulations!

Movie and TV show keys are the bane of my collecting existence, and what's finally going to drive me out of this hobby one day. So ask me any day, I'll probably give you a different answer, depending on which run I'm thinking about at the time, that I thought would be fun and inexpensive. Right now, having an ASM 238 on the way and luckily having owned a 194 for awhile, I'm thinking I have a clear path back to 130 in my run, but 210 and 212 are still kinda stupid money. Madame Web? Hydro-Man? (Far From Home was a lifetime ago, and it wasn't even him in it!?!) Sometimes it's genuinely a cool book that transcends its place in the run. Some of the Batman Adams covers, for instance. But when it's no different from the surrounding issues but for being a shiny First Appearance of a Z-list character the movie flippers got a hold of - that's really frustrating. More than once I've said "that's it, I'm done" before calming down and maybe focusing on another run for awhile. Is it just me who can't wait till Marvel Studios loses its touch, and the superhero movie goes the way of the monster movie and the western?

Awesome books. Congrats! For me, I think the 129 has just sailed to the point where my dreams of a deep ASM run are ash, unless it drifts back to reality or my ship comes in.

I finished my Legion read! 45-63, plus Annual 4 in the Baxter series. I have decided not to continue with 5YL at this time, though I have that run and I may pick it up later. It doesn't feel like 'the Legion' to me, and I need a palate cleanser. Actually the end of the Levitz run felt less and less like 'the Legion', as you can see Giffen's influence growing after he comes back. His art in the early 50s is just gorgeous to me, though. But the run just gets grittier and that colorful optimistic sense of the future lost, in my opinion. The tones are more subdued and Giffen gives the Legionnaires ugly utilitarian costumes, complete with Liefeldian pouches, which makes me work harder than I should have to to tell some of them apart. I recalled as I was reading that I actually dropped away from this title after #56, and now I remember why, although I did catch up and complete the run. In there, I also read Adventure Comics 442-452. Holy Miracleman, folks - Adventure 452 is one DARK comic book. Published in 1977 and headlining one of the Super Friends, this book features the cruel murder of a toddler and that's arguably its second most disturbing development. Damn glad I didn't grab this as a five-year-old. But I continued the story to Aquaman 57-60, so the tally stands at 115 if I count correctly.

Here it is. I've been fortunate to have stayed employed during the pandemic, and to be able to work remotely. So, while I haven't gotten any stimulus, No commute to work means $100/month saved on gas, and less frequent vehicle maintenance. No vacations, no hotel stays. No meals out. ($100 at a decent restaurant for 4 people) No sporting events. No concerts, no Broadway, not even community theater. No museums or other city outings. No taking my kids bowling or skating (one activity a weekend adds up) I've put most of the relief into my rainy day / next car fund and gotten more aggressive with my mortgage. But I've had a little more money for comics, and it could have been a lot more money if I were less of a squirrel or more bullish on comics as an investment. It's also hard, psychologically, to spend $300 for a comic that I saw for $100 a few months ago. It will be interesting to see what happens when the pandemic recedes and other avenues for spare cash re-open. Hopefully that $300 comic falls at least to $150 for the sake of those of us still building our runs.

Since I need a Detective 405 and don't collect Strange Adventures, I endorse this viewpoint wholeheartedly.

Those of us who grew up in the 80s may have an outsized sense of the Hobgoblin's importance, because his storyline consumed the Spider-Man titles for those few years. "Who IS the Hobgoblin?" The market doesn't seem to be taking out Marvel botching the ending on ASM #238 itself. The book has some nostalgic appeal to collectors our age, I believe. I myself have just joined the club, though nowhere near that 9.8 level.

Detective Comics 403 F+ Neal Adams cover $12.00 Detective Comics 428 F+ $10.00

You should definitely read them.

A few years ago, I started building the MoKF run slowly and serenely, having picked the series to collect in part for the peace of no keys to get in the way. My SME 15 was a panic buy when the movie rumor first hit, but I figured that would be it for this off-the-beaten-path title. When the buzz started up on 29 maybe a year ago, I frantically checked my long box, saw I didn't have it yet, and drove to my girlfriend's, darkly thinking maybe I was just done with this hobby and this jacked-up market. When I got there, I calmed down, pulled my phone out of my pocket, found a copy for $10, grimaced, and bought it. Another bullet dodged, maybe.

I have to go back and get my hands on the Epic Illustrated stuff and the graphic novel. I've collected and read the ongoing series up to 30 or 31, whichever one concludes the first storyline. I'm interested in what others think of it.

I rolled with it and finished up Marvel Team-Up while I had the books handy, reading 140-150 since last report. Also, Adventure 441. Up to 80.

Cool story, and if I come across a nice 222 in my wanderings on the Internet, I will surely bring it to your attention. One's collecting focus does tend to wander, but I agree that Neal Adams will always sell. I own so many (often beat-up) Neal Adams covers now because, when I was a kid seeking out back issues, long before I knew who Adams was, those dynamic covers jumped out from the longbox and said 'buy this book'.

Thanks for asking. I'd like to complete the Bronze Age Batman, up to where I dropped off as a kid (around Batman 391 / Detective 556). I say the BA started at Detective 395 / Batman 217. I don't think that would be practical if my younger self hadn't happen to snag the 227, 232, and 251. Thanks, younger Jason. But the 234 and 237 are, I think, the only real keys I still need in the title, though mind you, I also lack Detective 400 and 405. I'm happy with mid-grade (4.0-6.0 range). Some of my older issues are pretty rough, though, like the 251, as I mentioned. I do have a 222, but it's only about a 2.0. I'd probably only upgrade if I got a screaming deal, and how often do you see those on Neal Adams Batman? How about you? Just going for the keys?

Just might bump those up in the queue. Would be really nice to finish the BA Batman run.

Yeah, I was being a little tongue-in-cheek there. It seems like the comic price bubble just can't inflate forever, but it also seems like we've been saying that for the last 15 years. I've lived through one crash so I know it can happen. I came back to collecting after the 90s to find some books that were 'up there' available for a few bucks again. DCCP 26 and NTT 2 come to mind off the top of my head. Of course, they've taken off again. I guess it happened once, it could happen again. But I'm not confident enough to short Neal Adams Batmans.

I got my mid-grade Batman 227 (and 232) from an LCS in the $15-20 range in the early or mid-2000s, and I'm so, so, so glad I did. I love owning these books and I wouldn't pay the prices for them today. Still need a 234, though. :-/ And a 237, which also seems to be climbing up there. I got my 251 at a convention as a kid, and it's really beat to hell, but I'm in the club. I'll upgrade after the big crash happens.

Awesome. My 10 year old is on a 3-week technology 'break', which may be my chance to get some great comics into those idle hands. He loves super heroes and very occasionally will pick up one of my comics laying around if the cover strikes him, but so far the hobby hasn't caught on at all.

Legion (1984) Annual 2. The sharp eyed Legion fans among you will notice that I'd read it out of order with the main series. That's because I realized during my ongoing read that I did not own a copy, so to MyComicShop I went. I also bought and read a bunch of other books: Warlord 2 Weird War Tales 74 New Gods 9 Mystery in Space 112 Wonder Woman 270, 273, 287, 291, 292 Daredevil 179, 185 And Marvel Team-Up 136, 138, 139. We close the books on January at 68 comics. Which feels like a lot of comics, but I am actually off pace for the year! Can I step it up? I think I can.

Poor Clive. He's going to be sorry he made that introduction. Not quite his father's son, is he?

Legion (1984) 41-44 And then I have some random reads that resulted from my significant other needing a wardrobe fitting. I drove with her to the nearby city where the store was, waited in the car, and she returned the favor by coming with me on the way home to an LCS I'd found in that city. So... Daredevil 191 Weird War Tales 29 ASM 105-106, 111-112, 251, 258 The ASMs 111-112 in particular were very nice and great deals! I make that 53.

Legion of Super-Heroes (1984) 40 Fantastic Four 30 - A little before Lee and Kirby really hit the afterburner on this title, but early FF still had to be one of the best titles on the stands back in 1964. Still full of fresh ideas. Daredevil 158-160 - You can understand why Frank Miller was hyped up even in the credits to 158. Death-Stalker looks terrifying in this issue and his battle with DD feels like you're watching a movie. 159-160 feel very 'Miller' even though Roger McKenzie is still the writer. I wonder how much input Frank was getting even then. Marvel Team-Up 133-134 41 and counting. But need to pick up the pace!