about a grail... 1 1

[troydivision1]

I know the term 'grail' is debatable and stirs up contention amongst collectors, so please bear with me.

In collecting my thoughts about my personal collection (link near the bottom) I realized I was going to eventually write about a book that I consider a 'unicorn' grail.
I decided on / used this term because the item in question is one I dreamed / wished about owning for more than 20 years before it happened.

What do I consider a 'unicorn' grail?
Something that you want / dream about / desire more than anything else BUT it may never actually happen.
It doesn't come down to just having the money to buy it, but also 'the stars aligning'.

The main point of the eventual post will be about how acquiring a long desired book affected my relationship with collecting comics / life afterward.
(spoiler alert: it would lead me to become disenchanted with / uninterested in comics and not being able to feel 'joy' in life for quite some time)

So, my question is:
If you have ever acquired a 'unicorn' grail I was wondering if you would share what it is and how it affected your relationship with collecting?

Thank you in advance.

Disclaimers:
This post is not meant to disparage anyone's 'grail' that some may consider 'common'.
This post is not meant to admonish anyone that utilizes the term 'grail' liberally.
Words and meanings, like gender, are fluid.

'Unicorn' grail in question:

Edited March 2, 2022 by Troy Division

[theCapraAegagrus]

What an insane brassiere.

[D84]

I have two unicorn grails, but the stars have only aligned on one. The front cover is married and it's missing the back cover and centerfold, but it's mine.

After getting it, I felt that if I never get my hands on the other one, Detective Comics 29, I'm good.

I take the book out once a day and smile.

[troydivision1]

On 3/3/2022 at 11:53 AM, D84 said:

I have two unicorn grails, but the stars have only aligned on one. The front cover is married and it's missing the back cover and centerfold, but it's mine.

After getting it, I felt that if I never get my hands on the other one, Detective Comics 29, I'm good.

I take the book out once a day and smile.

That is an amazing book!
Thank you so much for sharing it and how it made you feel afterward.

[spidey300]

On 3/3/2022 at 10:53 AM, D84 said:

I have two unicorn grails, but the stars have only aligned on one. The front cover is married and it's missing the back cover and centerfold, but it's mine.

After getting it, I felt that if I never get my hands on the other one, Detective Comics 29, I'm good.

I take the book out once a day and smile.

That's a thing of beauty!

[KirbyJack]

None of my dream items were hard to find, but I can relate. 

In the world of Original Art, I really wanted a Kirby FF page. It took some doing, but once I owned one, my overall interest in original art waned considerably. I still own my Kirby art and love it, but I don’t need any more OA.

Same with pulps: after getting a Howard Conan story, the itch was scratched. 

I am consistent, tho. Fantastic Four #1 was my goal as a kid, it remained so when I had everything Silver. It is now, and will always be, my One True Grail. 

[Domo Arigato]

How do you tell when someone is showing you their unicorn grail and not just some ordinary grail?

When it's displayed on a f***ing tripod, b**ch!!!

 

[troydivision1]

On 3/3/2022 at 8:48 PM, KirbyJack said:

None of my dream items were hard to find, but I can relate. 

In the world of Original Art, I really wanted a Kirby FF page. It took some doing, but once I owned one, my overall interest in original art waned considerably. I still own my Kirby art and love it, but I don’t need any more OA.

Same with pulps: after getting a Howard Conan story, the itch was scratched. 

I am consistent, tho. Fantastic Four #1 was my goal as a kid, it remained so when I had everything Silver. It is now, and will always be, my One True Grail. 

Those pages are...chef's kiss...
Thank you for sharing your grail(s), their connection to you, and how you felt after getting them.

[troydivision1]

On 3/3/2022 at 8:53 PM, Domo Arigato said:

How do you tell when someone is showing you their unicorn grail and not just some ordinary grail?

When it's displayed on a f***ing tripod, b**ch!!!