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Fantastic Four #1 -- Completing My Original Marvels Collection!
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Started by n2wdw,

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n2wdw

n2wdw

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I posted this in my journal but I'm so excited about it I thought I'd post it here too.  Thanks for reading.  https://www.cgccomics.com/boards/topic/312873-n2wdws-comic-book-room/?page=37

 

Fantastic Four #1 -- Completing My Original Marvels Collection!

This past Sunday was a major milestone in my collecting life.  I finally got a copy of Fantastic Four #1! 

 

To me, this is more than just getting the 1st appearance of the Fab 4.  And it's more than completing my run of Fantastic Four.  FF #1 completes what I call my Original Marvels collection, which is all the Marvel silver age titles I started collecting as a kid:  Amazing Spider-Man, Captain America, Daredevil, Fantastic Four, Incredible Hulk, Iron Man and Thor. 

Here's what my Original Marvels collection includes:

  • Amazing Spider-Man (1963) 1-700   (includes ASM Vol. 2 representing 442-499 (1-58))
  • Avengers 1-402
  • Captain America 100-454
  • Daredevil 1-380
  • Fantastic Four (1961) 1-588  (includes FF Vol. 2 representing 417-429 (1-13) and FF Vol. 3 representing 430-499 (1-70))
  • Incredible Hulk 102-474
  • Iron Man 1-332
  • Thor 126-502

I started collecting ASM when I was in my early teens.  I used to deliver newspapers, and I still remember falling off my bike when Gwen Stacy died in ASM 121 (I still haven't completely recovered from that).  Like everyone I went through things in my teens and sold my Spider-man collection and stopped collecting.  Eventually in college I started collecting again, starting from scratch.  Since then I've never stopped, although there have been ups and downs.  When I was in my early 30s I started collecting in earnest, and that's when I decided to collect full runs of all these SA Marvel titles.  I bought most of my collection at local cons in the DC area, although I've been to a few SDCCs, Chicago, Philly, NYC, even Atlanta once.  I bought all I could from the 50 cent and dollar boxes.  Then as I pursued more pricey issues I went to the $5 and $10 boxes. 

I finished getting all the easy issues about 10 years ago.  My Original Marvels collection slowed down then as the remaining 50 or so issues I still needed were the most expensive ones.  When I went to major cons like SDCC my goal would be to try to get 1 or 2 issues, but I wasn't really committed as I focused and re-focused on other parts of my collection.  Also during this time I was building my career and having 4 kids with my wife.

About 3 years ago, I got re-energized to finish the Original Marvels Collection.  It started with buying ASM #1 at the WW Chicago con and then others I needed started dropping.  I upgraded a few issues along the way, big ones, like Avengers #1 and Hulk 181 (I still need to upgrade ASM 129 but I'm not counting that as a hole). 

I didn't intentionally leave FF #1 for the end, but I guess it's fitting I did.  And like a lot of my experiences in this hobby, I got it by way of serendipity.  I happened to be browsing Heritage's Sunday auction -- which I rarely do because I hate their 20% buyer's commission -- and I saw the FF #1 I wanted.  It was perfect.  The cover presented well, better than the CGC 3.0 grade.  It was restored so it kept the price down (I don't mind restored, although I try to avoid trimmed comics).  And it was signed by Stan.  It wasn't my intention, but it seemed fitting that the last book I needed, and FF #1 to boot, would be signed by The Man.

So here it is, my new FF #1.  Also, below are all the first issues of the titles in my Original Marvels Collection.  Thanks for reading.

58c1a7589da41_FantasticFour1SSRCGC3.0signedbyStanLee3107.thumb.jpg.30f0093c6c9026e4e213e88fc3e1b926.jpg58c1a75b14108_OriginalMarvelsMarch2017.thumb.jpg.232532320947bc8ce83b30dd112b505b.jpg

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cortown71

cortown71

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That's awesome.I completed the FF run up to the last issue this year also.I managed to get 2 #1s sold the under copy and it paid for the upgrade.like you I'm also doing all those sweet SA marvel runs.

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n2wdw

n2wdw

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30 minutes ago, Pontoon said:

Congrats!

What about Tales of Suspense, Tales to Astonish or Journey into Mystery? Just curious since you went for the early issues of the other titles/characters.

I have a scattering of those issues, but I'm not trying to complete the titles. 

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Readcomix

Readcomix

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Congrats! I'm happy for you and truly heart warmed to read a thread that to my mind is what this board is about at its best! And I agree with many of you; with all due respect to Spidey and to hell with current valuations, (the hobby is only about value as long as it's about more than value), FF#1 is the Moby of comics! (thumbsu :sumo:

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