Are You a Completionist or a Non-Completionsit?

[bobpfef]

Both. I am going for a complete run of the Stanley Lulus and the Walt Kelly Our Gangs and Pogo, but I skip around a lot on other stuff and just buy what I think is cool and I can afford.

[sfilosa]

Let me say, that I don't think being a completionist actually means trying to owned the whole run.

 

To me being a completionist means setting a certain goal like a run (maybe only the SA period), owning everyprice price variant or only those books with certain artist.

 

 

There are three SA Titles that I plan on completing in the next few years in HG.

 

So I consider myself a completionist, yet like most collectors, there will be books that I buy outside of those titles.

[Reno McCoy]

I lose sleep over my list of books I need to complete a set. The problem isn't the fact that I feel this pressure to find the complete run in NM condition, it's the fact that I have about 50 titles/runs I'm trying to complete.

 

But you want to hear something sick? I think I thrive on having incomplete sets and feeling a need to complete them. There are at least three runs I've been trying to finish for the past few years. All of them only have about 5-10 issues left before completion. But instead of finishing them off, I start collecitng something new. Sad, really. It's as if having a complete set isn't the answer, but having a set to complete is.

[uclapeterg]

uclapeterg... how close are you to finishing, I remember you telling us awhile ago (i thought) that you only needed some of the early books to be finished. Any progress lately?

 

I need 1 .. I sold a CGC 2.0 OWW awhile ago because I needed money. All the other issues on my want list are upgrades.

[skybolt]

Let me say, that I don't think being a completionist actually means trying to owned the whole run.

 

To me being a completionist means setting a certain goal like a run (maybe only the SA period), owning everyprice price variant or only those books with certain artist.

 

 

There are three SA Titles that I plan on completing in the next few years in HG.

 

So I consider myself a completionist, yet like most collectors, there will be books that I buy outside of those titles.

 

I guess here's what I meant with my question. If you are a huge ASM (insert your favorite title) fan, but also love collecting other books, what would you do in this scenario. You were offered a complete VF run (assume you're existing books are only in good condition) that prices around $100K. Would you choose that set, or select books from different titles at your own choosing with the same condition and dollar amount. These books can range from any number of keys or non-keys across the spectrum. Also, the availability of these VF books in the marketplace should be the same as the ASM issues. I don't want New Adventure Comics #26 to be included on this list.

[Zanarkand]

I am sort of a completionist, it's just that so many titles are never complete. Every Spider-, X-, Super-, Bat- etc book just keeps going and going, generating spinoffs, 1-shots, and minis all the while. And then the whole thing gets retconned anyway.

 

I am a completionist with finite titles. These days, 100 Bullets and Lucifer. In the past, Preacher and Sandman. I go after story, so sometimes minis and particular story arcs will catch my attention, if you can check your bags at the gate.

[sfilosa]

I understand what you are saying, but maybe I would only want to buy the SA portion. Would you still say I'm a completionist?

 

I would say yes.

 

Just becaue I don't have any desire to own Modern issues of a title, doesn't mean I'm not a completionist.

 

AND to answer your follow up question, I would much rather buy a run of books already put together then pick and choose. I bought three runs last year. In some cases the runs were missing an issue here and there, but they were 15 or more books with many sequential issues. Plus, these were all CGC'd and HG Silver Age purchases.

[Kermit the frog]

i'm mostly a completionist towards the major (my fav.) titles, specially AMS? Avengers, Uncanny x-men, etc... i'm still missing a few, but a lot less than just a couple years ago...

[asmfan]

Over the years I've wavered back and forth between collecting key-issues and trying to get complete runs. I used to have a whole room full of comics but once I got engaged I had to cut back drastically.

 

Right now I've contained my collection to certain Silver-Age runs which I cut-off at a certain issue. and it all fits into 3 boxes which in turn fit nicely in my closet. ASM 1-50, FF 1-10, Avengers 1-10, ST 101-134, JIM 83-125, TTA 27 35-59, TOS 39-59. Once my budget frees up I will probably have to collect X-Men 1-10 too...

 

ike many other collectors, my interest is always evolving. I am starting to get really into some Golden Age covers right now, particularly All-Select #1 which I think may be my favorite comic-cover of all time. A little pricey though, and is it just me or is it hard to find decent un-restored copies? Not surprising I guess...

[chromium]

But you want to hear something sick? I think I thrive on having incomplete sets and feeling a need to complete them. There are at least three runs I've been trying to finish for the past few years. All of them only have about 5-10 issues left before completion. But instead of finishing them off, I start collecitng something new. Sad, really. It's as if having a complete set isn't the answer, but having a set to complete is.

 

Well, once you do complete them, all life is drained from the books..I know what you mean...

 

You know what's sick....buying a 100-issue complete set of a title for peanuts, except one or two books missing which have no real value and aren't really needed to follow the storylines (most books are standalone)...And then paying 3-4X guide for the missing books, because you just can't find them anywhere and you just HAVE to complete the series

 

Completionists can take a look at my website where I have a small corner devoted to my complete series : Full Series

[Norrin_Radd]

I agree with Steve's definition of "completionist". There are just varying levels of completionism. With Ian's DC collection being the extreme case (every DC).

[the blob]

i'd like to be, but now it's just too expensive to wrap up the big guys like FF, ASM, etc. because of the early issues I'm missing. which is sort of depressing. maybe i'll be able to plug in holes buying a collection from someon who is clueless.

 

I guess I could do it for DD if I work at it given that I have #1.

 

Silver Surfer was a discrete/short project, so I was able to knock that off.

 

And then there's the titles where I don't want to complete because I'm not interested beyond a certain year/issue like Defenders, Power Man, Master of Kung-Fu (although I'm pretty close on Defenders). I have the first 5 or 6 years of these books, but don't care about the rest. Even one of my favorites, conan ... filling in my missing issues in the last 125 or so in the series doesn't excite me terribly.

 

ALSO, for you completionists, do you feel the need to get all the issues in the series or the ones where your character started? For example, Thor, Hulk, Captain America, etc.? (Or, Master of Kung Fu, above?)

[skybolt]

I understand what you are saying, but maybe I would only want to buy the SA portion. Would you still say I'm a completionist?

 

I would say yes.

 

Just becaue I don't have any desire to own Modern issues of a title, doesn't mean I'm not a completionist.

 

AND to answer your follow up question, I would much rather buy a run of books already put together then pick and choose. I bought three runs last year. In some cases the runs were missing an issue here and there, but they were 15 or more books with many sequential issues. Plus, these were all CGC'd and HG Silver Age purchases.

 

I agree that you are a completionist since you'd pick a complete set of Marvel SA's in HG over a smorgess borg of select books.

 

For instance, even though I like variety, I still collect a run of certain issues within a title that feature a certain story, have great covers, or an artist I like. However, if I like Amazing Spider-Man, but still hate all the issues between #150 and #250 (not really true), then I'd much rather spend my money on other books that I enjoy instead of compelting the ASM run. I think that makes me a non-completionist, since I like to pick and choose.

[sfilosa]

I am starting to get really into some Golden Age covers right now, particularly All-Select #1 which I think may be my favorite comic-cover of all time.

 

That's probably my favorite cover of all time also.

 

Some how Captain America looks about 50 years ahead of his time regarding the perfect build.

 

I would absolutely love to own a CGC 8.0 copy of that book (but you are right, it is pricey). I might even drop all the way down to CGC 5.0, if the wear was on the back.

 

[skybolt]

I am starting to get really into some Golden Age covers right now, particularly All-Select #1 which I think may be my favorite comic-cover of all time.

 

That's probably my favorite cover of all time also.

 

Some how Captain America looks about 50 years ahead of his time regarding the perfect build.

 

I would absolutely love to own a CGC 8.0 copy of that book (but you are right, it is pricey). I might even drop all the way down to CGC 5.0, if the wear was on the back.

 

 

I also like this cover. I picked it up a couple of years ago.

 

 

[asmfan]

there was a decent restored copy on Metropolis for a while (can't remember the grade but I don't want restored books), and there's a really crappy copy on ComicLink. also Heritage just auctioned off a restored blue-label copy eBay (blue-label 4.5 with the notation "small amount of glue on cover" - I don't get this whole concept).

 

Nothing close to high grade though. I'm not a HG collector but still haven't managed to find a copy that's acceptable. Have only been looking for the last few months so maybe my luck will turn.

[asmfan]

awesome book!

 

I actually love all of those lively Schomburg (sp?) covers.

[DawgPhan]

I like to think that I am a completionist, but I am probably more of a non-completionist. I like to think that I will finish off some runs one day, but I am always changing focus..I guess one day I will have everything....who knows...i dont like to classify my ways...

[OldGuy]

I think I thrive on having incomplete sets and feeling a need to complete them. There are at least three runs I've been trying to finish for the past few years. All of them only have about 5-10 issues left before completion.

 

I'm in a similar situation. I'm only seven issues away from having every SA appearance of the X-Men, including their own title, and it's been this way for about a year. I don't think I'll ever finish the run until I decide what I'm going to collect when I'm done with it.

[toro]

When I was young, I would say I was a completest, because I bought everything, but hey during the 60s you could do that. But, those books were read over and over like they should be. As I got back into it in the 80's I still loved the stories, but sometimes I would drop a title when a lousy writer took over a book and then pick it back up if the story line or writer changed. As a collector I want every Marvel and DC that I owned when I was young, but that isn't possible. I try to complete as much of a run as possible, I'm not going to be able to afford all the number 1s, but I try like heck!