Your Personal Comic Book Timeline 0

[jimjum12]

Wow, I've never heard of odd-rods. Where was I?

 

 

You had to spend a fair amount of time skulking around seedy neighborhood convenience stores during school hours...although this, too, would result in the occassional spanking.GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a fiend of jesus) (thumbs u

 

Seedy neighborhood convenience stores, right up my alley. What years did this take place?

 

For me it was the late 60's.....GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

[rjpb]

Wow, I've never heard of odd-rods. Where was I?

 

 

You had to spend a fair amount of time skulking around seedy neighborhood convenience stores during school hours...although this, too, would result in the occassional spanking.GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a fiend of jesus) (thumbs u

 

Seedy neighborhood convenience stores, right up my alley. What years did this take place?

 

For me it was the late 60's.....GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

 

Odd Rods - How could I have forgotten - I remember trying to draw my own - the monsters were easier than the cars.

[jimjum12]

Wow, I've never heard of odd-rods. Where was I?

 

 

You had to spend a fair amount of time skulking around seedy neighborhood convenience stores during school hours...although this, too, would result in the occassional spanking.GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a fiend of jesus) (thumbs u

 

Seedy neighborhood convenience stores, right up my alley. What years did this take place?

 

For me it was the late 60's.....GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

 

Odd Rods - How could I have forgotten - I remember trying to draw my own - the monsters were easier than the cars.

 

I had all but forgotten and my memory was jarred by forumites discussing Whacky Packages.GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

[Darth Corgi]

For me it was wacky packages & creature Features monster cards. Star wars too of course...

 

Me too!

I've got one of those poster size sheets of the Wacky Cards before they were cut, hanging in a frame in my studio....across form the SW figs of course!

[Scrooge]

Thanks to everybody's reminiscences and time to think while shoveling the driveway this morning , I remembered the added line below (thumbs u

 

 

1979 - 1982: read more classic comics: Tintin, Asterix, Lucky Luke, ...

 

Summer 1982: bored at the beach, I buy ALL Marvel super-hero comics I can lay my hands on: Strange, Special Strange, Spidey, Titans, Ombrax Saga, ... and expand into Yoko Tsuno, Blake & Mortimer, Alix, ...

 

Fall 1983: Emergency appedenctomy. Short stay at the hospital is rewarded by a major influx of new comic albums by my parents. I am bored to death in the bed and couldn't care less for TV. The books accumulate quickly into a couple of feet tall stack on my tray table. In comes my English teacher for a visit. The look in her eyes when she sees the stack and realize that those are all NEW comics is an eye-opener. Yes, my parents are okay and encourage my comics reading and yes, my parents are the most caring there is, willing to spend the $$$ (or that should be FF for French Francs ) for me. <3 the 'rents!

 

1984: Discover Role Playing Games and spend $$$ on books and figures / miniatures. Keep on reading Marvel books especially ALL things Conan

[Senormac]

Thanks to everybody's reminiscences and time to think while shoveling the driveway this morning , I remembered the added line below (thumbs u

 

 

1979 - 1982: read more classic comics: Tintin, Asterix, Lucky Luke, ...

 

Summer 1982: bored at the beach, I buy ALL Marvel super-hero comics I can lay my hands on: Strange, Special Strange, Spidey, Titans, Ombrax Saga, ... and expand into Yoko Tsuno, Blake & Mortimer, Alix, ...

 

Fall 1983: Emergency appedenctomy. Short stay at the hospital is rewarded by a major influx of new comic albums by my parents. I am bored to death in the bed and couldn't care less for TV. The books accumulate quickly into a couple of feet tall stack on my tray table. In comes my English teacher for a visit. The look in her eyes when she sees the stack and realize that those are all NEW comics is an eye-opener. Yes, my parents are okay and encourage my comics reading and yes, my parents are the most caring there is, willing to spend the $$$ (or that should be FF for French Francs ) for me. <3 the 'rents!

 

1984: Discover Role Playing Games and spend $$$ on books and figures / miniatures. Keep on reading Marvel books especially ALL things Conan

 

OUCH !! Going to the hospital is a tuff way to build your collection scrooge

[Senormac]

Spent the last 16 years slowly upgrading and adding to my collection. Ebay allowed me to find comics I had never seen before. Now that the mortgage is gone I can spend a little more $$ for comics and I'm really enjoying the hobby and this board.

 

No more mortgage payment?? !!! Oh, how I envy you !

[Shadow]

Great thread!

 

Here's my synopsis:

 

1966 - Born in Toledo, OH

 

Early 70's - remember plenty of Donald Duck, Super Goof, Hot Stuff, etc.

 

Mid 70's - I buy DC Superstars #7 at the grocery store in Adrian, MI while visiting my grandparents. It has Aquaman on it and I still own it to this day. This was my first "superhero" book I remember buying.

 

1978 - 6th Grade. One of my best friend's talks about collecting comics. That's all it took. We went out and bought Justice League #157 (I think, it's called "The Fiend With 5 Faces". ) Loved the idea of getting so many superheroes in one book. (Value I tell ya, value... ) Discover the X-Men through a friend. He has issue #107 and I'm intrigued by Wolverine. But, for some reason, I don't start collecting X-Men until #138. But, chalk me up as an earlier Wolverine fan. Sadly, Marvel burned me out on him later.

 

Late 70's - Have my first encounter with a comic shop (originally called "The Comic Shop" in Toledo.) I was in heaven. I remember buying JLA #36, 61 & 76 among other books. I thought these books were so "old". Look what youthful perspective does. Today, these books would be as far removed as something from the mid-90's. Yikes!

 

Early 80's - Full bore on collecting. Whatever I could scrounge and save, I'd take to the Comic Shop or shows. Granted, we had to be driven by parent's until 1982 when we were 16. Those early shows at the Ramada Inn in Toledo were so exciting as a kid. All I could think of was "if I only had more money.... ". Funny thing is, I always thought that I would someday get many of these. It just took decades to complete my JLA run is all.

 

1984 - graduate high school, start college. Most of my childhood friends move away for college and stop collecting. I end up stopping by 1985 as the passion wanes and I find other demands on my finances during college. I do still keep a curiousity towards the hobby. Stop collecting with about 1300 comics.

 

1986 - Start selling parts of my collection to raise money to go to concerts. Can't say I regret it as it's what I wanted at the time. But I find I'm trying to replace them now. Out of the curiousity, I stop at a comic store and see X-Factor #1 and buy it. Wow, I can't believe the original X-Men is back, though I am still a New X-Men fan more so. But, that was it, I wasn't hooked back in. I wouldn't buy another new comic for almost 8 years.

 

1988 - graduate college and start my career. My collection is whittled down to around 800 books.

 

1990 - Get married. Still no comics revival as they sit in 4 long boxes in the closet.

 

1991 - Buy an Overstreet Guide again. Start recording values again, etc. A small flame is rekindled.

 

Early 90's - Buy a Wizard occasionally. Check out comics at Waldenbooks, etc.

 

1994 - A friend convinces me to go to the Motor City Comic Show. I step into the comic river and am re-baptized. I buy JLA #3 and #30 on a whim because I could afford to. I must be an adult now because I can afford to drop $50 without blinking. I buy the DC "Zero Hour" mini series and am back on the new comic wagon. My seat was still there. On a more important side note, our first daughter is born.

 

1996 - Kingdom Come enthralls me. I hadn't enjoyed a new comic so much since the early 80's X-Men "Days Of Future Past" storyline.

 

1997 - The new JLA series starts me back down the path of collecting a number of monthly titles. I'm going to each Motor City Show and buying up books I dreamed of as a child. I start off thinking I'm bringing a lot of money if I take $200. Every year, that ante seems to rise.

 

1998 - Our 2nd daughter is born.

 

2005 - buy one of my grails in Justice League Of America #1. It would take until 2007 to complete the JLA quest with #2 and the complete run.

 

2008 - Due to space and time constrictions, I find myself fighting my completionist disease and scaling back some of my Modern purchases. You know you've got the disease if you're buying books you never read on enjoy for months on end. (It will get better I tell ya... ) My current collection stands at almost 3500 books. I embark on my Masters at the age of 42. Besides more career possibilities, there is a comic related appeal also. I figure if I can make more money, I can spend a bit more on my collection. How about that logic.

 

 

[Senormac]

2005 - buy one of my grails in Justice League Of America #1. It would take until 2007 to complete the JLA quest with #2 and the complete run.

 

2008 - Due to space and time constrictions, I find myself fighting my completionist disease and scaling back some of my Modern purchases. You know you've got the disease if you're buying books you never read on enjoy for months on end. (It will get better I tell ya... )

 

Congrats on the JLA run

 

My opinion of new issues is that trying to compete with the entire multi million $$ industry is ridiculous. They are bigger faster and stronger.....and I just cant keep up. They publish too much to fast. Hell, I can't even keep up with Hollywood and all the movies that come out. So I just don't even try.

 

Imagine a Comic Shop being named......The Comic Shop

[Shadow]

2005 - buy one of my grails in Justice League Of America #1. It would take until 2007 to complete the JLA quest with #2 and the complete run.

 

2008 - Due to space and time constrictions, I find myself fighting my completionist disease and scaling back some of my Modern purchases. You know you've got the disease if you're buying books you never read on enjoy for months on end. (It will get better I tell ya... )

 

Congrats on the JLA run

 

My opinion of new issues is that trying to compete with the entire multi million $$ industry is ridiculous. They are bigger faster and stronger.....and I just cant keep up. They publish too much to fast. Hell, I can't even keep up with Hollywood and all the movies that come out. So I just don't even try.

 

Imagine a Comic Shop being named......The Comic Shop

 

It could've been called "Polly's Princess House" and I wouldn't have cared knowing what treasures lay within.

[TheShadowKnows]

Oldtymer here, born in '54.

 

Read comics in the early sixties, but saved none.

 

The moment the comic bug really hit: early 1972

 

The event: Senior in high school, got tight with a friend who had been reading and saving comics since age 10. Convinced me they were now mature and cool, so I bought a month's worth of Marvels: Avengers 100, Thor 200, FF 123, ASM 110, Hulk 153, Marvel Premiere 3, Conan 16. Good month! Started reading them regularly, hooked essentially ever since. So nut-crazy for new comics, we used to drive to far-away 7-11s on the rumor that there might be a store one week ahead of our local ones in the distribution chain.

 

1972-76, the college years: bought and saved all things Marvel and some things DC, from a news agency on Penn's campus on 38th (no longer there); discovered undergrounds, starting with Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers #2; bought undergrounds and vintage rock concert posters on a pilgrimage to San Francisco.

 

1974-75: attended first comic cons, the Phil Seuling NY show; met Kirby, Adams, Steranko, Wrightson, Windsor-Smith, Thomas. Those were awesome shows. Started subscribing to The Buyer's Guide for Comic Fandom, and purchased first mail-order back issues.

 

1976-81, graduate school (the Chicago years): too busy and distracted for comics; got PhD, made lifelong friendships, fell in love, got married.

 

1981-85, the postdoctoral years in the land of milk and honey (California): bought and saved (the local Circle K), reinvigorated by the new creators like Miller, Perez, Simonson, Byrne, Cockrum, and such.

 

1985: stopped buying new comics

 

1992: making a decent living, I began buying high grade SA, which I've been doing ever since! Rediscovered the comic con with the '93 Philly show. Been doing those ever since, too!

At least someone is older than me

[TheShadowKnows]

Boy did this turn into a book. Hope nobody minds my reflecting. Starting out with the date thing brought back so many memories. Its been quite a road.

 

 

1959 - Born Eugene Oregon

 

1964 - Move to sleepy beach town in So. Cal called Redondo

 

1965 - 69 - Discover TV shows like Combat, Man From Uncle and Addams Family. Begin making my way through grade school. Some school kids have Batman cards. They are cool. Dad begins buying me a comic or two when he goes to get beer and cigs. Turok, Donald Duck, Aliens, Tarzan.....all Gold Key titles. Comics are 12 cents. One day brings Jules Feiffers The Great Comic Book Heroes home from library for me. Batman story is awesome. Joker is evil but cool. All stories are great but I love Plastic Man most and realize comics are old......AND COOL ! The seed is planted.

 

1970 - 72 - Begin going to liquor store with my friend Jack to get our own comics. We have a 3 store circuit cuz there are no "Comic Book Stores" yet....and no store has all the issues. We split our money between comics, pop, and paks of Odd Rod stickers that have pink slab of petrified gum inside. Love DC. Love war comics. Love seeing ads for other DC comics in my issues. Buy 50 cent 100 page DC book #6 World Greatest Super Heroes. See notes that say "Originally appeared in....." on first page of stories and learn about something called reprints. See the listings for First appearances of all DC Heroes. The seed just got doused with Miracle Grow. I want them. Marvel does not exist.

 

1973 - The BIG year. Discover some back issue stores like Rudy's Books and Comic Vendor. Discover Marvel. Buy my first Overstreet Price Guide. Order a Marvel Value Stamp Book and try to fill it. Score an ASM #1 for $20. Score an AF #15 with a ripped cover for around $3. Begin buying everything I can get my hands on. Buy Marvel Mystery's # 51 , #58 and #64 for around $12 each.

 

1974 -77 - Continue building collection by trading away nice books to get other nice books. What was I thinking? Teenagers idea of "nice" is so subjective. Play sports meet girl. Sell collection get first car, a '72 Monte Carlo. Sweet. Graduate high school. Go to my first San Diego Comic Con after seeing ad in The Buyers Guide. Lets hear a cheer for Shel Dorf !!! Have comic fever to the max. Stay at El Cortez Hotel for four days with Jack and Steve. Drive home to Redondo and back, to get my $64 check so I can buy more comics.....oh, and eat.

 

1978 - 79 - Break up with girl friend. Discover smoking reefer. Think its the greatest thing since sliced bread. It is. Build beautiful GA collection. Form garage band. Name band after panel in Mickey Mouse Four Color #268. Story is of jungle native who visits Mickey. Band name is "Budem Gly" We rock. Have connections. Record in studio. Who needs sliced bread anyways?

 

1980 - Love my rebuilt comic collection. Its almost all golden age books. I stare at it alot. I love Mylar. Love smokin reefer. Love jammin in the garage with drummer and guitar player. Love everything.....except myself. I'm really quite unhappy. Don't know why. I hear the voice of Jesus speak to me. Its not the reefer. He is very kind towards me. I need what He has. Tells me to follow Him.

I quit the band. Six months later I take my entire GA comic collection to Hi De Ho comics in Santa Monica and ask if they want to buy. Guys eyes pop out. Takes me in back room. Writes me out a check for $900. I feel extremely light and happy on way to bank.

 

1981-1984 - Buy a Four Color #159 VF off a friend. Its my only comic. Go to San Diego again in '79 , '81 and '83. At the 1983 con I trade my Ghost of the Grotto + $50 for a Barks litho. Its called an Embarrassment of Riches. Its beautiful. I still have it to this day. Probably cuz its not a comic. Get married in '84

 

1985- 1988 - Get a driving job with a comic book distributor. Job is to put new comics in stores and take out old comics. Its great to work with comics. Start once again building a comic collection. Working in a comic warehouse makes it easy to score hot new issue books. Start buying up silver age DC. Marriage breaks up late '88.

 

1988 - I'm broke and divorced. I take whatever I can fit in my car and drive to Oregon. Comic collection gets prime spot on back seat. I sell comics along the way to get $$ for food and gas. Yea, it was probably my lowest point. Pull into Eugene a few days later. Take rebuilt comic collection to comic store and sell all. Get enough $$$ to help me get settled and get a job.

 

1989 - Let roots grow.

 

1990 - Meet woman. She likes comics and Tolkien and Jesus and me. Get married......again.

 

1990 - '99 - Slowly build yet another collection. Nice bunch of DC war (Sgt. Rock, SSWS Dinosaur issues and assorted silver ) Meet man about my age at comic shop. He is from Houston. Have same taste in comics. He knows our very own Mr. Bedrock. We become friends. He has collection of 600 books many of which he bought new off the racks. High grade silver. He inspires me. His story is so different than mine. I raise 4 kids. I discover ebay. I sell collection once again and buy house.

 

2000- 2006 - Go to San Diego Con a couple times with wife and even the kids one year. Finish raising kids.

 

2007 - Kids gone. Job secure. Wife and I going on 18. Future looks bright. Have some close friends. Some good friends. Began brewing my own beer. Started collecting comics once again. I think, if God is willing, this last and best collection is the one that I will leave to my children. I'm not driven. I have peace. Jesus has been good to me. I think Plastic Man is a fitting choice and goal for this time in my life. A Police comics run is my foundation. I know there will be many other books I will see and want, but there is no hurry. Its a hobby. Havn't smoked reefer in.......well, along time. But you never know.....

 

2008- Discovered Collectors Society forums. Am making some new friends. I like it here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you remember Greg Weeds comics?I discovered it in 1970.

[TheShadowKnows]

Wow, I've never heard of odd-rods. Where was I?

 

 

You had to spend a fair amount of time skulking around seedy neighborhood convenience stores during school hours...although this, too, would result in the occassional spanking.GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a fiend of jesus) (thumbs u

 

Seedy neighborhood convenience stores, right up my alley. What years did this take place?

 

For me it was the late 60's.....GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

 

Odd Rods - How could I have forgotten - I remember trying to draw my own - the monsters were easier than the cars.

And wacky packages

[Senormac]

Do you remember Greg Weeds comics? I discovered it in 1970.

 

Nope.....I missed that one

[Senormac]

This is a 12 year OLD thread, but I enjoyed reading peoples stories (even my own  ) after that much time.  

With so many stuck at home, maybe this thread can get a few more stories posted in it.  

I haven't seen Nate in a loooong time.  I hope he is doing well 

[ADAMANTIUM]

7 minutes ago, Senormac said:

This is a 12 year OLD thread, but I enjoyed reading peoples stories (even my own  ) after that much time.  

With so many stuck at home, maybe this thread can get a few more stories posted in it.  

I haven't seen Nate in a loooong time.  I hope he is doing well 

This is back when making "quotes" was easy   I haven't read it, but cool thread idea, I'll read and contribute if my story is worthwhile! 

[ADAMANTIUM]

 

Spoiler

 

Born in 1981- year after John Lennon died, in July. 1981 happened to be the hottest summer on record in Texas up to that point I think haha

1985-87 Start Private school, where friends are all further up the economical status than I. Watch cartoons, Play with action figures, learn Baseball Cards and Coins from my cousins that all live in the country. Play with bb guns and bows and arrows, under supervision.

1987- my brother is born, finally someone to learn life with! Watch Cartoons, discover video games and comics. Discover friends reading comics at church groups

1988-Pocket a few comics: supermans death of etc, awake early to watch TV on school days to watch shows on gaming with cheat codes etc, get heavy into gaming with my mom, Zelda, Mario, and a few others like TMNT

1990- Hop on a bicycle like I've been riding it my whole life and cruise with my non-private-school friends in the Barrio...... find head shops with "pamphlets" and Cigarette vending machines, but end up getting a subscription to some comics: ASM CLassics eventually wolverines etc.

1993 get kicked out of private school  but end up moving to a different house and going to public school with all my "real" friends .....in High School. put off comics and get laid.

1997 move out, don't make it, very poor. 

2004- Move in with friends get on my feet, make it for a long time

2011- Move back in with folks to go to Community College

2014- Graduate with an Associates in Accounting from the Community College and head to University and find friends into comics who tell me about CGC after a google search. attend my first comic con to meet Claremont 

2015- find the Registry and join...... later that year the boards.... make a few slab purchases

2016- lurk..... later that year join the boards, quit the University and go back to Community College...buy my keys IH 180 &181 plus FF #49 and ASM #129 have those 4 signed and signature series by Stan Lee.  I also bout FF #48 and #50 along with the #49, but don't get #48 and #50 signed cause ran out of $$

2017-- Graduate with Associates in Business.... and really start buying comics  more for the nostalgia.

2018- win boardie forumite plaque, quite unexpectedly and try to honor that by keeping upbeat  

 

 

Not too much to my story, but I lived it  and I'm happy!   

I really should have made that comic book oriented  but I'm afraid there wouldn't be too many "dates" or "events" if I did  guess I stink at this  

Edited April 16, 2020 by ADAMANTIUM

[batman_fan]

Born 1964

1969 to 1975 Had comics but my older brother was the collector.  He mostly had funny animals and gold keys.  My 1st exposure to super hero books was at my Grandmas.  She was a janitor at a grade school and at the end of the year she would take the confiscated comics out of the teachers trash and bring them home.  My cousin had dibs on all of them but the two books I remember the most was Silver Surfer 4 an Fantastic Four Annual 6.

1975/76 my oldest brothers friend showed up with a box of superhero comics.  First book I pulled out was Daredevil 33.  Box had mostly Marvels, some cover less ones.   This was the point I was hooked.  Went to Osgood Indiana drug store to pick up comics.  Most memorable book was Jungle Action 23.

1976 - Found a used book store in Madison Indiana that had comics, tons!  Cost was 2 for 1 trade or 0.20 per book.  I would go in with $5 to $10 and come home with a big stack.

1976 - First order to Robert Bell.  Never got the comics I ordered I think a neighborhood kid stole them out of my mailbox.  Should have kept my mouth shut.

1976 - Moved to Wyoming, my dad made me pick between my comics and my Aurora model kits.  I agonized for quite a while but decided on the comics.  All the models were given away.  As soon as I got to Wyoming, found a news stand with a great comics selection.

1977 -  Had a religious experience while watching a movie called “Star Wars”.  First trip to Mile High Comics in Fort Collins, CO.  Had $50 from reshingling a roof.  Bought a ton of Silver Age Spiderman’s

1978 (I think) - went to Mile High for second trip but it was closed ...  I had a ton of money in my pocket.  Started buying from Robert Bell more.  The way I ordered was to look through the catalog and buy the oldest book I could that was $1.50 or less.

1979-1982 - picked up a little old stuff but mostly newsstand stuff.

1983 - off to college where I planned my schedule to ensure I could be at Books-A-Go-Go right as the they put the new comics out.  I also buy older stuff from a used bookstore in Cheyenne, WY and purchased collections from ads I placed.  Most memorable collection I looked at was an old lady called me who had a bunch of old comics she wanted to sell.  I drained my bank account and went to her house.  She had a few new comics that were trashed.  I was so disappointed.

1984-1988 - started buying GA books.  First GA Batman was issue 31.  Pick up a GA collection, mixture of SciFi and Super Hero.  Set up at my 1st comic book show where I traded a bunch of stuff to a bigger dealer for a Batman 15 which had undisclosed restoration, my first experience with restoration.  Picked up my first Original Art from a comic book store in Fort Collins

1988 - 1990 Moved to New Mexico where I start hitting multiple comic book stores every week and keep adding to my collection.  Also start setting up at shows to sell some of what I snag for other stuff.  Picked up several SA and GA collections.  Missed out on a low grade OO Batman 1 ...

1990 to 1999 - live in AZ where I spend my weekends picking up stuff from multiple comic book stores and buy numerous collections.  All About Books and Comics becomes my favorite store.  Pick up a ton of stuff from them.  Buy my Batman 1 from ComicLink.  Passed on the D ick Sprang Batman 1.  Go to my first San Diego comic con where I walk out with a bunch of GA Batman’s. Strike up a relationship with a dealer who funnels GA Batman’s to me.

2000-2010 - move to CA and mostly buy through auction Houses.  Bought my 1st cover art (Jungle Action 23).  Finish my Batman run.

2010 move to Colorado - pick up misc book here and there but slowed down some.  Start obsessing about Charles Schulz Peanuts artwork but have none until a strip is offered to me which I loved.  That starts my new passion, Peanuts strip art.  Let’s see if I hit my goal of 20 pieces.

 

 

[ADAMANTIUM]

14 minutes ago, batman_fan said:

Born 1964

Spoiler

 

1969 to 1975 Had comics but my older brother was the collector.  He mostly had funny animals and gold keys.  My 1st exposure to super hero books was at my Grandmas.  She was a janitor at a grade school and at the end of the year she would take the confiscated comics out of the teachers trash and bring them home.  My cousin had dibs on all of them but the two books I remember the most was Silver Surfer 4 an Fantastic Four Annual 6.

1975/76 my oldest brothers friend showed up with a box of superhero comics.  First book I pulled out was Daredevil 33.  Box had mostly Marvels, some cover less ones.   This was the point I was hooked.  Went to Osgood Indiana drug store to pick up comics.  Most memorable book was Jungle Action 23.

1976 - Found a used book store in Madison Indiana that had comics, tons!  Cost was 2 for 1 trade or 0.20 per book.  I would go in with $5 to $10 and come home with a big stack.

1976 - First order to Robert Bell.  Never got the comics I ordered I think a neighborhood kid stole them out of my mailbox.  Should have kept my mouth shut.

1976 - Moved to Wyoming, my dad made me pick between my comics and my Aurora model kits.  I agonized for quite a while but decided on the comics.  All the models were given away.  As soon as I got to Wyoming, found a news stand with a great comics selection.

1977 -  Had a religious experience while watching a movie called “Star Wars”.  First trip to Mile High Comics in Fort Collins, CO.  Had $50 from reshingling a roof.  Bought a ton of Silver Age Spiderman’s

1978 (I think) - went to Mile High for second trip but it was closed ...  I had a ton of money in my pocket.  Started buying from Robert Bell more.  The way I ordered was to look through the catalog and buy the oldest book I could that was $1.50 or less.

1979-1982 - picked up a little old stuff but mostly newsstand stuff.

1983 - off to college where I planned my schedule to ensure I could be at Books-A-Go-Go right as the they put the new comics out.  I also buy older stuff from a used bookstore in Cheyenne, WY and purchased collections from ads I placed.  Most memorable collection I looked at was an old lady called me who had a bunch of old comics she wanted to sell.  I drained my bank account and went to her house.  She had a few new comics that were trashed.  I was so disappointed.

1984-1988 - started buying GA books.  First GA Batman was issue 31.  Pick up a GA collection, mixture of SciFi and Super Hero.  Set up at my 1st comic book show where I traded a bunch of stuff to a bigger dealer for a Batman 15 which had undisclosed restoration, my first experience with restoration.  Picked up my first Original Art from a comic book store in Fort Collins

1988 - 1990 Moved to New Mexico where I start hitting multiple comic book stores every week and keep adding to my collection.  Also start setting up at shows to sell some of what I snag for other stuff.  Picked up several SA and GA collections.  Missed out on a low grade OO Batman 1 ...

1990 to 1999 - live in AZ where I spend my weekends picking up stuff from multiple comic book stores and buy numerous collections.  All About Books and Comics becomes my favorite store.  Pick up a ton of stuff from them.  Buy my Batman 1 from ComicLink.  Passed on the D ick Sprang Batman 1.  Go to my first San Diego comic con where I walk out with a bunch of GA Batman’s. Strike up a relationship with a dealer who funnels GA Batman’s to me.

2000-2010 - move to CA and mostly buy through auction Houses.  Bought my 1st cover art (Jungle Action 23).  Finish my Batman run.

2010 move to Colorado - pick up misc book here and there but slowed down some.  Start obsessing about Charles Schulz Peanuts artwork but have none until a strip is offered to me which I loved.  That starts my new passion, Peanuts strip art.  Let’s see if I hit my goal of 20 pieces.

 

 

 

That's how it's DONE  Rich History  !!

[oldbsturgeon]

I was born in April 1981 so I have you beat by a few months Adamantium!

while not traditional comics, my first comic exposure where the mini books that came with the masters of the universe figures. I recall being not quite 3 and getting my first MOTU figure, whiplash, and it of course came with a mini comic. while I didn't read then, I kept them all together. I eventually learned to read them, but it was going to be a while before I got my first actual comic book.

TMNT was on fox and so I saw a comic available in a store, it was TMNT 26, which came out in 1989. I discovered very quickly this was not like the show, I mean it had profanity and was violent. I kept that from my parents who would not have liked to hear about that. 

the next comic I bought was a few months later and it was at a long gone local grocery store called AtoZ here in WV. the issue was wolverine 23. the cover looked awesome and I read that thing over and over.

It would be a little while before I would get a more comics, and I went big. I was in 7th grade and a classmate had wolverine issues 1-20 and wanted to sell them. they were $20. I was able to get them and kept them maybe 6 months, where I flipped them to get other stuff. I was starting early  

This is also around the time that superman 75 had come out and so I had to get that and there were other early 90s books that I was buying then too like the spiderman 1 mcfarlane book, that Kirby book he did for topps

By the time I was out of middle school, I was getting into MTG and there was a local comic store here in Hurricane that sold cards. I was all about the cards, but going there all the time, got me into buying comics too. I started wanting to get all the knightfall storyline. It was tough as at the store didnt have everything so I was left without the whole arc. I was getting some image books too like spawn and gen 13 as well. When the store closed in 1997, I sort of got out of comics and mtg for a bit too. It was going to be a while before I bought anything again.

I was in college, graduate school actually, and saw something about the civil war story arc and decided to get on that. It had already started coming out, so got all the back issues, and began my path to get every book in the arc. around that time, I started working on a wolverine run, buying the original series and everything up to the current series as well.

I got to the final issue of civil war when it came out, read the ending, and pretty much started to sell the series, it was soooo lame of an ending. I ended up working on ultimate spiderman, and got that run complete, only to sell it. I sold the wolverine books too. I had at that point the 4 issue mini series, vol 1, vol 2 and vol 3 complete but sold it when the storyline wolverine in hell came out. it was too over the top.

not long afterwards a new comic store opened, right near my house too, like 5 min away. I was actually their first customer and was there nearly every day. I started buying the blackest night story arc. I like big arcs I guess. during that time, the store got in a book, I had always wanted, a hulk 181. Only issue is it sold right away, but they still had it on hand as the buyer was making payments. well turns out he flaked out and I got a chance to get it. It was probably a 4. I had it. well around this time, I also started to drum again(played in high school and college) but began drum set. I wanted a new snare, man was it nice.  yamaha vintage maple series, vintage brown finish, so I sold the hulk (still have the snare, still love it)

that comic store eventually closed too. Around this time I learned about new 52 and how great batman was. I started buying them. they were great, then I sold them, don't really remember why. I jump around hobbies a bunch so that was probably it.

I bought them again though, as well as started to read on this forum as well. my first graded book ended up being a new mutants 98 9.4. that started a dangerous road. I would buy and sell more stuff culminating in 2016 when I bowed out.

It was earlier this year, I jumped back on the wagon, with detective comics 880 as my first regraded book. I have 9 now plus more raw books that I hope to grade. I should mention, when  I do send them off, it will be my first submission