Burnt Offerings: The Acquisition of a Holy Grail, Part Two

[SW3D]

Fair Warning: for those with ADD and/or Journal Fatigue... this is going to be a long one! For anyone else willing to put up with my tedious ...

 

...In this journal, I will "gift" two things: The reveal of the aforementioned Holy Grail, and, because of the personal impact and what this purchase of said "Holy Grail" really means to me, it has given me some time to reflect on some life lessons or hard roads traveled, or what I like to term, "Comic Book Collecting Wisdom", which is my second and most profound gift to you all.

 

So let's start with my, "Comic Book Collecting Wisdom"...

 

...Next month will be my first anniversary posting journals on these boards. Allow me a moment to express a long and overdue "thank you" to all you guys and gals who have read and supported my journal addictions and who have put up with my oft times ridiculous opinions (there's another coming in these very pages, so hang on to your hats and cling tightly to your seats!). And since that time, many of you have read what I love to collect, for rarely do I keep anything a secret. I enjoy sharing my passions with you, simply because, as I texted Tnerb the other night, "We share the same DNA". It's in our blood!

 

Yeah... I think Panelologists, Pannapictagraphists, Comic Book Collectors (or whatever the heck we call ourselves), throughout the world, inherently share the same DNA. We are brothers of a unique fraternal order, a special bond, given a special "Calling" and are awaken and electrified by it. Our needs are paradoxically simple yet equally complicated:

"We are driven to collect the funny books we love to read, but our voracious appetite for them is insatiable, sometimes leading to a point of obsession." Once our latent "Comic Book Collecting DNA" is actuated, it is nearly impossible to pull the plug. Oh, there are moments we take a break or hiatus, but eventually the "calling" becomes too great and we follow our hearts desire... especially when we reach a point in our lives when we enjoy disposable income.

 

And it's at this point in life where things can get further complicated. We suddenly have access to cash and a credit line we never really enjoyed before as children or young adults. And because we enjoy this hobby so much, we can get a little ahead of ourselves, sometimes driven blindly by the desire for material things that disposable income can get us. And a perceived "affordability" is birthed in our minds, which tempts us to satiate our comic book desires, which can lead many (like myself), to target some "Holy Grails" we always marveled as children which we couldn't afford then, and sometimes, can't afford as adults.

 

But just because you have access to cash or a credit line, can you honestly say you could afford such a purchase? Honestly, most of us cannot. Why? Because firstly, one should never borrow money for purchases one cannot already afford, and secondly, any disposable money one does have should, quite frankly, be put towards better use: Paying off All Debt, Emergency Fund, Savings, IRA, liquid Equity, your Education, or a College Education Trust Fund for your Sons and Daughters, etc.

 

And I will admit, I am a victim of my own stupidity, where I have experienced making a purchase that my brain and rationale screamed out loud, "Don't Do It! You Don't Have the Money! You'll Regret It!", yet I did it anyway. Why? Comic Book Collecting DNA! It's in my blood! "I need to have it!"

 

And once we make the determination to buy a "Holy Grail", and get a taste for it, it can lead to a precarious and dangerous financial situation. This is a red flag, and it often marks the beginning of a "Comic Book Buying Addiction". "Comic Book Buying Addiction's" are perilous grounds where one must tread lightly not to step on a land mine, and really put things in perspective before going any further. But how often do we as collectors temper our collecting habits? Probably more often than we think, however, there are certain situations we face when the temptation to get what we want hands-down proves too great and defeats sound logic and reasoning, and we end-up making poor buying decisions with detrimental financial consequences.

 

Throughout most of my comic book collecting life, I bought comic books like most everyone else: from a Newsstand or Local Comic Book Shop. And I bought raw, ungraded comics with the money in my pocket: I didn't carry credit cards nor did I have someone lend me the money. So, in essence, I bought only what I could afford. It wasn't until 2006, when I was 37, married, and directionless (admittedly so; still am to a certain degree), that by chance, while surfing the internet, I discovered the CGC and a Third Party Graded Comic Book. This was to be a pivotal point in my life, the "re-awakening" of a slow and latent yearning that had been churning and building in my soul for some quite some time: "The need for a Holy Grail!"

 

In those early heydays of the CGC, how did one find graded comics? Not at a local comic store, flea market or convention, but on the internet through eBay and other auctions houses. And how does one usually resort to paying for such comics on the internet? Most of us use credit cards. Like anything else, when it comes to buying things, resorting to a credit card can become a very, very, dangerous practice.

 

From 2006 to the middle of 2012, I bought third party graded comics, little-by-little, but I didn't go "balls out obsessed" with it... not just yet at least. Why? Good Question.

 

Flash forward to December 2012, and I was still the same guy, just a little bit older and now divorced, but still admittedly, directionless. But like a moth to the flame, when I discovered the CGC Journals and found this big beautiful thriving community of third party graded comic book collectors, I found a new home. And it has been a great home, and I feel I am here for as long as my residency allows me (or whenever the journal rent is due, and I can no longer pay it, and the eviction notice gets slipped under my door). Throughout the end of 2012 and 2013, a switch was thrown, and I obsessively sought and purchased many CGC graded comics I desired because they were keys featuring my favorite four-color heroes. Others I bought because the collecting bug can make you do stupid things, like buying multiple copies of the same issue thinking this may end up being a windfall. But I bought just about all of those graded comics with credit cards. I eventually racked up a sizable bill, where I had 5 credit card statements nearly at their limits with high APR's. Whoa! Not a good thing for your Credit Rating. And I looked at my Financial House and realized that at any moment, if I made the wrong move, I could be in big trouble. Thankfully I have a job. But I do not have an emergency fund, nor any savings, nor an IRA, nor any equities, or liquid investments I can rely on if the sh*t should hit the proverbial fan.

 

But why did I make such purchases knowing I really couldn't afford them? I believe the syndrome is called, "Keeping Up with the Joneses"... or maybe I should tweak it to read, "Keeping Up with the CGC Joneses".

 

Now I take full responsibilities for my actions. I am not blaming the CGC, the CGC Community, Stan Lee, Comic Book Men, The Walking Dead, or anyone else. No one put a gun to my temple and said "Buy the f@@king comic book or I pull the trigger!" But I will say this, in my opinion, there is a subtle, perhaps "invisible", yet dangerous aspect to hobbies and the communities which spring up from it. I believe, within our "Comic Book Collecting DNA", most of us harbor the secret desire to not only please ourselves with our collections, but we tend to become competitive and want to tout our "trophies" to our fraternal brothers and most anyone willing to listen. We love to boost about our latest acquisition(s) (much like I am doing now), to fan our egos, because it makes us feel so very good and provides a measure of gratification. Now there is nothing inherently wrong with that. But I feel the "rush" or "high" we get from all this may lead some of us to become "hooked" on those acknowledgements and accolades one receives from fellow collectors, and can become its very own addiction... our very own version of, "15 Minutes of Fame". As a consequence of all that, those that become "addicted" to writing on the journals, will sometimes go out of their ways to acquire another graded comic to talk about (that statement you just read and everything in this journal is strictly my opinion and is just an assumption based on my experiences).

 

I came to this realization, that I was "under the magic and spell of the siren song" known as the CGC Journals. The CGC Journals is "My Muse... a Siren that hath called me unto my doom! She'll seduce me with her melodious voice, tricking me into a watery grave with her siren song, like sailors and their ships being led to a rocky death!" But no matter the perdition faced, I can't shrug the love I have for this narcotic!

 

Anyway, I'm no Psychoanalyst, but I do know myself (so I think). It's no secret I've always desired to become a writer... so writing is another passion and addiction of mine, and what I write is, at its heart and soul, is meant for public consumption. It's not meant to be locked and sealed away forever in the vault of my mind... no... it's meant to be shared with the world so I can read and hear, "How brilliant and such a talented genius you are!" And when you guys read my journals and respond, well it stokes my needy and greedy little ego. And like a Wendigo, that spurs my voracious and insatiable appetite for more! Feed Me More! Feed Me More! Can't help it! I'm a Cannibal for Accolades!

 

Maybe I am overstating my boundaries by saying this, but there may be quite a few journalists, like myself, who get a kick out of writing, perhaps having discovered their latent storytelling and writing abilities after having posted some journals and discussing the love of all things comic books. I mean, how can we not get a thrill from writing about comic books? We read comic books voraciously; most of us from when we were children... all that creative content and imagination inevitably has sunk-in and is deeply embedded in our grey matter. We can't help this. And now it wants to bubble-up and rise to the surface. And it has a voice, a very sonorous voice, which comes alive and channels its orations through the journals. Can you hear my voice? Are you listening?

 

I'm sure, we journalists are quick to understand, in order to keep a collective audience and retinue reading day-in and day-out, we must provide nourishing content... content that sparks the imagination, and appeals to the comic book collecting masses and their sensibilities. And sometimes, we journalists, will author content which showcases our latest acquisition: a really cool third party graded comic with either a high price tag or registry points/score, a creator signature(s), a nostalgic and profound connection to our childhood collecting days, a rare grade attribute like a 9.9 or 10.0, a rare vintage or variant, or the holiest of holiest... the undisputable king of collections... a Holy Grail! Typically, the immediate reaction is an overwhelming response of approval. I mean, how can it not? After all, these are high points of collecting. And that sea of approval is a very powerful intoxicating ambrosia. And the impact of that kind of reaction, works on the psyche of the journalist twofold: First, it tells us we did the right thing in acquiring said comic, and secondly, we selfishly get a measure of joy and mirth from the attention it spawns. I've experienced this myself. I know what it is like. Maybe you too have experienced this.

 

Now, I am going to say, as far as my conscious is concerned, my personal choices for my comic book purchases were never predicated or influenced by how much of a theoretical reaction it would garner from the journals... never! I wasn't buying a comic and thinking to myself, "How will the readers react when I share this with them?" I choose to buy comics that I loved as a child (still do as an adult), that I believe have sound investment potential, and to satisfy and please my Comic Book Collecting DNA. However, subtly working in the background, in that foggy place called the unconscious... how can I discount or discredit the possibility, that some of my purchases (not the choices themselves, but the purchases made) were not, in some way, influenced and motivated by my need for gratification from the journal boards as a way to stoke my needy and greedy little ego?

 

Can it be said, that this is a common DNA trait of all collectors? I mean all collectors, not just comic book collectors, but all collectors love to acquire unique material things: that is the root core of our DNA Matrix and Philosophy! And building upon this rationale... all collectors want to showcase and discuss their collections whenever they can. Why? Pride: to stoke our needy and greedy little egos! That's just the truth. Plain and simple! And further to that, this need to "showcase" can sometimes blur our decision-making abilities. It's like art... Art Collectors buy extravagant pieces, put them on display for the entire world to see: in museums, art galleries, and in their lavish homes, and we comic book collectors are no different (well... we might not be on the same level financially, but you get my point). The CGC Journals and the Registry is a convenient and virtual way to do this, without the intrusion of the outside world to physically touch our beloved collection. And the accolades we receive from virtually showcasing our collections is a "drug" that gratifies our "Collector's Psyches" and reassures us, "We did the right thing." And this is why we love the CGC over PGX, since the former allows us this opportunity to virtually display our collections and receive awards and pageantry for them.

 

I don't want you to think I am negative and against comic book collecting, the Journals and the CGC... no, on the contrary, I love everything about this place and the hobby. That is why I am here and sharing my passions and love with you all. But I think it is our shared responsibility to help each other and recognize some of the hidden dangers of collecting. Some of us are doing just fine and have no clue what the heck I am referring to, but others do. The seduction of comic books can sometimes lead collectors astray. Maybe my case is unique, or maybe not. I firmly believe some of you share my "Comic Book Collecting DNA", and perhaps have similar experiences. Please feel free to share if you do (you know I love that!).

 

Anyway... there was something which ultimately saved me from drowning in deep financial black waters: Monthly Credit Card Bills! Seriously... getting five credit card statements every month with whopping high balances gave me one mega-dose of a reality-check! And thankfully, I put a halt before matters got severely out of hand. So I stopped buying all comic books with credit cards, and began to diligently pay back my bills. Currently I have paid back three credit card accounts and have just two to go. So things in my financial house are starting to get back in order... But the last two bills are the biggest, and with a little luck and patience, I will have paid them off by the end of next year (God willing).

 

But going back to May, 2013, I discovered a way to create an additional revenue stream to fuel my collecting needs without the need to rely on credit cards or other lending institutions: selling comics. Many of you already do this, and many might be reading this, gasping for air and having a panic attack as you say out loud, "Dare you say?! Sell my beloved comics?! Are you out of your mind?!"

 

Well, to sell or not to sell, that is up to the individual. I am not going to tell you what to do with your collection or your monies (even though technically, I kinda have), but I will say, "Don't use credit cards to buy comics!" Avoid it at all costs. In fact, never borrow money to buy comic books, period! If you can't afford it, find another way, but don't over-extend yourself financially for comic books... you could fall into a bloody pit of despair!

 

I fell into such a trap. And it meant, for about a year, I had to tip-toe around life, barely spending a dime. My social life was mostly non-existent... staying at home on the weekend to avoid spending. I couldn't travel on vacation because I didn't have the money, so I did a "Staycation" as they are referred to, where I moped around the neighborhood and busied myself with home improvement, health and fitness, and trivial things. I learned to shop for groceries and cook my own food, for dining out had become a luxury I could no longer afford. Because I had put myself in a financial hole, I had to be super careful on expenses, and budget my way through life and make every purchase count, which became a laborious and fatiguing phobia, "How much is this going to set me back?" Take it for me, comic books are not the end-all, be-all to life. You don't want to struggle financially because of comic books. That is no way to live! No way to live!

 

Through the quagmire of my financial burdens, I quickly found out how painful my chosen "Comic Book Lifestyle" had made life so very complicated, that other financial obligations we take for granted, threw a monkey-wrench to my best laid plans: Taxes, Dental and Medical Expenses, Social Events, and Gifts for special occasions like Birthdays, Weddings, Baptisms, Christenings, Anniversaries, Holidays, etc. These things all pile up when you least expect it and will set you back and just make things worse.

 

So this message and words of advice, goes out to anyone, especially the younger collectors: "Don't use credit cards to buy comics. If you don't have the money, it's not worth tying up your credit. Use patience, diligence and sound logic, those are your God Given Friends. Just wait, save, or sell some comics to raise the funds to do so (if that doesn't kill you). Heed my warnings... or if not, look up Professor Pecora's heartfelt journal entry. That one was an eye-opener to many and I myself understood his pains!"

 

Whew!

 

Well, ladies and gentlemen, if you have stuck around with me for this long, I just want to thank you for your dedication and patience... which will soon be rewarded. Without any further delay, the moment has finally arrived to discuss my latest acquisition: The Holy Grail!

 

This one, I am so very proud of for several reasons:

 

1.It represents my favorite comic book character, Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson's mythic creation: The Swamp Thing.

 

2.It is a comic I have been pursuing at this grade level since I bought my first CGC comic back in 2006, coincidentally also a Swamp Thing, Volume 1, Number 1. Can you believe I now own a total of seven Swamp Thing's? My first was a 9.2, my second and third, a 9.4, and my fourth, fifth and sixth, a 9.6. And my seventh... well you waited this long... wait till the end.

 

3.Key Comments: 1st Appearance of Alec Holland, 1st Swamp Thing in his own title, 1st Appearance of Matt Cable and Linda Holland, the Death of Linda Holland, and on the very last panel, the 1st Appearance of Anton Arcane (cameo) and his Un-Men. This one ranks second only to House of Secrets 92 for level of significance in the Swamp Thing collection and mythos.

 

4. But most importantly... drum roll... It is an almighty 9.8! That's right the top spot! There are a grand total of 935 graded copies, and only 11 sit on the mighty throne of 9.8's. Those elite 9.8's account for just a little over 1% of the total CGC Census Population.

 

One thing I am really proud about this Holy Grail acquisition, that is was all paid for by funds generated from comic books sales. That's right... I didn't resort to credit cards or borrowed sources. Instead, I found a way to sell comic books, little by little, and built a small but decent cushion in my PayPal account, padded additionally with the three key books I mentioned in Part 1: The Demon No. 1, Strange Adventures 190, and Thor 165.

 

It hurt selling those books, but one thing I learned, the price of using credit cards with money I didn't have was far more painful than selling away prized books to generate revenue.

 

Whoever you are, young or old, whatever your current financial situation may be, do what you can to put yourself behind the driver's seat of your "financial highway". Educate yourself, research and do further research, and don't allow temptation to cloud judgment. Pay off all your debts. Use sound and logical principals. And if your gut tells you with that sinking feeling "This is wrong", pay attention and listen, because chances are, your brain and intuition will lead you in the right direction.

 

As for me, I will still continue to buy and sell graded comics, but I won't rely on credit cards or lending institutions to do so. I will never, ever, use credit cards to buy comic books. I learned my lesson. And once all my debts are paid off, I will begin to look at ways to make my Financial House ever sounder.

 

Thanks for reading, and as always... Happy Collecting!

 

SW3D

 

See more journals by screenwriter3d

[Hibou]

What a terrific read!

 

Some very good advice and I really liked your mention of the Journals being like a Siren to you. Very interesting imagery!

 

But in terms of your book... WOW!!

 

That is one of my favorite books and so very hard to find a copy so perfectly centered! On this book in particular, that's the very first thing I look for... trying to get as close to two full circles as possible. All I can say is that you certainly have a beautiful copy and most certainly a grail!

 

Congratulations and thanks for sharing this story!

 

[Solsticeguy-migration]

Thank you for you candor SW3D. It is greatly appreciated.

[SW3D]

Glad you enjoyed reading the journal.

 

She is a beauty, and I see what you mean... the circles are nearly there. Funny thing... this happens to be my seventh copy, and I never really observed the circles to see if they were complete. I just assumed everyone's copies have the circles partially missing like a minor printing defect.

 

Thanks for bringing this to my attention. Any future copies I may purchase will now go under this scrutiny as well.

 

SW3D

[SW3D]

You are very welcome!

 

SW3D

[Brandon Shepherd]

I've been waiting (and looking forward) to reading this one. You warned of a long journal but this read smoothly, I appreciate your candidness and ability to compose such a personal and complex subject into a readable, informative and enjoyable journal.

 

The Swamp Thing #1 you now have is a true book of beauty! I knew of Swamp Thing before I got into comics but never really appreciated him. I still have yet to read these works but I am now interested, Bernie Wrightson's covers are spectacular, not only for Swamp Thing but for other characters (Detective Comics #425) and titles (House of Mystery).

 

You're an excellent writer, I appreciate your journals, you have always encouraged and challenged to write more and better, I thank you for that.

 

Brandon

[SW3D]

Your words of praise is sweet music to my ears!

 

And you should know, you've become an excellent writer in your own right! I think we both have come a long way.

 

And I'm thankful to the other journalists and usual suspects who exchange their comic book love and passions on these boards... that we are able to feed and nurture each other with such positive energies! It's a magnanimous feeling!

 

Believe it or not, although it is done virtually, we have all become published writers! And although there's no money in it or copyright protection since these journals are considered public domain, it's nonetheless very cool to see our stuff published on a digital spectrum for all the world to see.

 

SW3D

 

 

 

 

[Megatran217]

Thanks for the personal reflection. To some degree, it's what the protagonist would experience in a movie. The rise, fall, then the comeback.

 

Soon enough, I will get my hands on the hulk 181.

[n2wdw]

Thanks for sharing your story. I always enjoy reading your journals and comments, you always having interesting things to say irrespective of whether it's about a new comic or something else.

 

I went though a somewhat similar financial situation about 10 years ago. It wasn't due to comics (or all comics) but due to over extending myself on other things. I had huge debt, having maxed out a home equity line and with a big mortgage. Like you, I knew I had to fix things. It took a few years, but now I've paid back the HELOC and gotten the mortgage under control, I have a plan to pay for my kids' colleges, I have a retirement plan.

 

Having gone though it, I think the important thing is to identify the problem and then work gradually towards fixing it, and you're certainly doing that!

[newshane]

That is an incredible copy of Swamp Thing! Absolute beauty! I love the cover.

 

In regards to the other message, it's hard to say no when a grail rolls around. I've gotten so much better at just saying no!

 

I've let a few expensive books slip through my fingers and it hurts to see them go to someone else, but they just didn't fit in my collecting budget. I felt as though my collecting dollars were better spent elsewhere, and I didn't want to go into more debt just to snag a few more 9.9s.

 

That's a big step from my "obtain at any cost" days! I think the anticipation of getting married next year...the anticipation of starting a family...these things have forced me to think more responsibly about my spending lately.

 

I'm still spending more than any sane man should, but I'm working hard to finish my registry set. I can see the finish line and it compels me to complete my goal.

 

After I'm done, I'm going to peel my spending WAY back. I might grab 3 or 4 minor keys a year...something along those lines would be very, very doable.

 

You're not alone!

 

I'm glad you're cutting back. Comics are supposed to bring a sense of joy, not a sense of despair.

 

The good thing is that you can usually recover money spent on a grail by turning around and selling it if the SHTF, The key is buying at the right price. Passionate last second bidding at auctions can almost ensure a short to mid-term loss.

 

 

[SW3D]

Wow, I've never been compared to the hero of a movie.

 

A most awesome compliment. I am deeply humbled.

 

SW3D

[SW3D]

Dear n2wdw,

 

I'm happy to know you find my journals interesting. I wish I had the time and money to make it a full time gig.

 

But most importantly, thank you for sharing your experiences with debt and over-extending yourself. It's a scary situation to find oneself facing a mountain of debt, but as you and I both know, a level-headed and disciplined action plan will get us out of such financial nightmares... and that is very important for anyone finding themselves in such a jam... There's always a solution.

 

SW3D

[SW3D]

Its funny how you mention your focus on completing your magnificent Spawn collection and buying keys at the right price.

 

Just recently I got that crazy fever once again. I was desperate to buy a key comic on eBay for a particular set I am building. The seller's price was way over my budget and over the surplus I built in Paypal... But I really wanted that comic. I tried my level-best to haggle down the price... but to no avail. The asking price was set way above market peak due to its association with an upcoming movie... and we all know price evaluations for such "hot" items tend to run up just before the movie is announced and just before it debuts. But are they realistic? Luckily I had the good sense to pass... but amazingly, someone bought it.

 

SW3D