The Biggest Collecting Goal You Have Achieved (and How Long Did It Take)? 1 1

[Varanis]

I really like Cosmic Ghost Rider. Took 3 years, but I likely have one of the most comprehensive single character collections in the hobby. Highlight for me is having the 1st appearance page, 1st cover appearance, and 1st self-titled issue cover. I also have 14 out of 16 of all published self-titled covers along with a slew of other excellent pieces including a complete issue. It's a weird niche, but it makes me happy.

My CAF gallery - https://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryDetail.asp?GCat=135928

[thethedew]

On 8/16/2022 at 8:10 AM, kbmcvay said:

What is the biggest long-term goal you have achieved in your collection? Also how long did it take you to realize it?

 

Hmmm.  According to my financial records:
I purchased the interiors of Marvel's Micronauts #11 on April 10, 2008
I located and purchased the Cover for same on June 25, 2016, completing the book.

So, a touch over 8 years?

Since the interiors were still all together, not as mighty an accomplishment as pulling it together from the four corners of the earth; but, still a goal achieved.

Edited August 19, 2022 by thethedew

[thethedew]

On 8/18/2022 at 10:25 PM, Varanis said:

I really like Cosmic Ghost Rider.

Success stories from Focused Collectors always make me smile.

[Michael Browning]

Back when I started getting really serious about collecting, I acquired my “grails” pretty quickly.

I found and acquired the cover to Flash #323 on my first visit to CAF.

I worked a deal with Steve Donnelly to get another goal piece - the Tom Yeates cover to Saga of the Swamp Thing #3.

I wanted a Frank Miller Daredevil page, a Miller Wolverine page and a Dark Knight piece. Got ‘em.

I wanted a Steranko cover and got a Captain America commission from him. When Marvel announced they were doing a big push for Cap’s 75th birthday, I reached out to Tom Brevoort and offered him the Cap commission - because if all these other artists were doing variant covers, they needed a Steranko. Tom said Steranko and Marvel weren’t communicating, but if I could bridge that gap, then he would love to use my commission as a cover. Steranko is a longtime friend, so I got him and Marvel together and talking and my commission and nine others were used as variant covers throughout that year, so now I have a published Steranko cover.

I saw the Crystar #1 cover painting by Bob Larkin about 23 years ago on a dealer’s site and then it disappeared and no one could telL me where it went. About three years ago, it popped up for sale and I sold every key issue in my comic collection to get it.

I had always wanted to own SOMEthing by Frazetta and now I own six pieces by him, including an oil painting and a watercolor.

I recently set a goal of getting a Bob Layton Hercules page and got two from a non-collector who had owned them since 1983.

I am very blessed and I thank God every day for all that I’ve been able to acquire and own.

 

Edited August 19, 2022 by Michael Browning

[vodou]

The occasional moments Yeates does negative space…joy!

[fsumavila]

When I first started collecting, I set my goals based on images related to comics that held great nostalgic value to me. 

Two covers I was really interested in -- Dazzler #1 and Marvel Team-Up #78 -- were fairly easy to find. The same collector had both and worked out deals to buy them.

My most fulfilling OA quest was tracking down the cover to Dazzler #3. This was the first issue of the series I ever bought, fresh off the spinner rack at a Miami U-Totem back in '81. I asked around the various BSD and no one had ever seen it. Then it struck me to actually email the penciler, Brent Anderson, and ask him what happened to it.

Turned out he had it in his collection. It was the only time he ever had Joe Sinnott ink his pencils, so he understandably was hesitant to part with it. I hate being pushy, so I just mentioned that if you ever decide to sell it, I'll gladly meet his asking price. He emailed me a few months later to ask if I was still interested, and I simply told him, "what PayPal address do I send the money to?"

The cover arrived and happy to still have it hanging in the guest room. 

 

Now if only I could find the cover to issue #2....

 

[Unstoppablejayd]

On 8/19/2022 at 7:00 AM, Michael Browning said:

Back when I started getting really serious about collecting, I acquired my “grails” pretty quickly.

I found and acquired the cover to Flash #323 on my first visit to CAF.

I worked a deal with Steve Donnelly to get another goal piece - the Tom Yeates cover to Saga of the Swamp Thing #3.

I wanted a Frank Miller Daredevil page, a Miller Wolverine page and a Dark Knight piece. Got ‘em.

I wanted a Steranko cover and got a Captain America commission from him. When Marvel announced they were doing a big push for Cap’s 75th birthday, I reached out to Tom Brevoort and offered him the Cap commission - because if all these other artists were doing variant covers, they needed a Steranko. Tom said Steranko and Marvel weren’t communicating, but if I could bridge that gap, then he would love to use my commission as a cover. Steranko is a longtime friend, so I got him and Marvel together and talking and my commission and nine others were used as variant covers throughout that year, so now I have a published Steranko cover.

I saw the Crystar #1 cover painting by Bob Larkin about 23 years ago on a dealer’s site and then it disappeared and no one could telL me where it went. About three years ago, it popped up for sale and I sold every key issue in my comic collection to get it.

I had always wanted to own SOMEthing by Frazetta and now I own six pieces by him, including an oil painting and a watercolor.

I recently set a goal of getting a Bob Layton Hercules page and got two from a non-collector who had owned them since 1983.

I am very blessed and I thank God every day for all that I’ve been able to acquire and own.

 

Since Paul Smith wasn’t on your list you need to sell to me   great stories!

[delekkerste]

I agonized for many years

Kept getting outbid on everything. I'd go to ridiculous lengths on some and there would always be someone even crazier bidding it higher

I thought I was cursed, I couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, and by early this year I looked like a shell of the man I used to be

But, at last, in 2022 my ship finally came in

And I got a Jim Davis Garfield Sunday  

[batman_fan]

On 8/19/2022 at 9:47 AM, delekkerste said:

I agonized for many years

Kept getting outbid on everything. I'd go to ridiculous lengths on some and there would always be someone even crazier bidding it higher

I thought I was cursed, I couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, and by early this year I looked like a shell of the man I used to be

But, at last, in 2022 my ship finally came in

And I got a Jim Davis Garfield Sunday  

  You almost never see Garfield strips offered for sell

[Ares]

I am a Green Lantern Fan and I always wanted a Green Lantern cover. 

I reached my Goal twice

Back in 2006 I was at a local Toronto con and I came across the table  of a Toronto Artist who was doing the covers to the ION limited Series. I bought the cover to issue 2 and after a while I negotiated to buy all other covers as he created them. The his work can be see here  https://www.comicartfans.com/gallerydetailsearch.asp?artist=Kalman+Andrasofszky&GCat=5755

But he did not do the cover to issue one. Still wanted a #1

Fast forward to 2011 add I was perusing the forums. It was at the Launch of DC's new 52 initiative and the cover to Green Lantern New Guardians #1 by Tyler Kirkham was being sold here. I bought it and I finally had my #1

 

[Michael Browning]

On 8/19/2022 at 3:07 PM, Ares said:

I am a Green Lantern Fan and I always wanted a Green Lantern cover. 

I reached my Goal twice

Back in 2006 I was at a local Toronto con and I came across the table  of a Toronto Artist who was doing the covers to the ION limited Series. I bought the cover to issue 2 and after a while I negotiated to buy all other covers as he created them. The his work can be see here  https://www.comicartfans.com/gallerydetailsearch.asp?artist=Kalman+Andrasofszky&GCat=5755

But he did not do the cover to issue one. Still wanted a #1

Fast forward to 2011 add I was perusing the forums. It was at the Launch of DC's new 52 initiative and the cover to Green Lantern New Guardians #1 by Tyler Kirkham was being sold here. I bought it and I finally had my #1

 

I was blessed to get my Green Lantern grail a few years ago.

 

[Xatari]

Oh.  My.  

[Rick2you2]

On 8/20/2022 at 6:18 PM, Michael Browning said:

I was blessed to get my Green Lantern grail a few years ago.

 

It looks like the penciller was channeling Gil Kane (but not Romeo).

[grapeape]

On 8/18/2022 at 5:22 PM, RBerman said:

Mine are modest within the scope of the hobby. Goals achieved: 

Art Adams: Asgard page

Neal Adams: Green Arrow illustration

Chris Bachalo illustration

Jeremy Bastian: Cursed Pirate Girl page

Sal Buscema: ROM page

John Byrne: Fantastic Four page

John Cassaday: Astonishing X-Men page

Alan Davis page

Jim Davis: early Garfield

Will Eisner page

Michael Golden: Micronaut illustration

Mike Grell: Legionnaire illustration

Jack Kirby: Fourth World page

George Perez: New Teen Titans page

David Peterson: Mouse Guard illustration

Bill Sienkiewicz: New Mutants page

Paul Smith: Ninja Kitty Pryde illustration

Bruce Timm color illustration

 

Achievable goals still extant:

Jay Anacleto cover

Darwyn Cooke page or illustration

Dick Dillin JLA page

Keith Giffen early LSH page

Gene Ha Top 10 page

Frank Quitely page

Alex Ross page

 

 

I remember when you first started. I am very impressed with the quality of artwork you’ve obtained. It hasn’t always been easy I know. But collecting OA certainly has its almost indescribable personal rewards.

Well done my friend!!!!!

🍇 🦍 

[mtlevy1]

To date it was ponying up for the Sub-Mariner 57 Cover in 2006 - which wasn't easy as it was really expensive and my employer at the time was in a delicate situation

That said, help me complete a tougher challenge and help me find an Astonishing Tales 6 Ka-Zar page or a 1970s Nova 11 page!

 

 

 

 

 

[DeadpoolJr.]

I've been lucky to get some my my goals done early on especially ones at the top when I first started. the Issue is I keep making new goals and pieces I would like to have whenever I read both back issues and new releases!

Completed
Grail- ROM Space knight #1 Title Splash (Along with a lot of pages from it that I wanted too.)
Deadpool covers from the first series- Was able to get both a McGuinness and a McDaniel cover from issues 3 and 18
Deadpool cover by Jason Pearson
Bill Sinkevich Moon Knight page*- Sold to fund the ROM purchase.
One of the Marvel Fanfare Pinups I had on my wantlist. 
Manley Darkhawk page
Ditko piece
Star Wars: Crimson Empire page
A few other pieces which I saw in books and thought that I would love to have. Not just for the images but the dialogue and layout which I thought was done very well.

 

Spoiler

 

Edited August 21, 2022 by DeadpoolJr.

[Jeremyamoto]

One of my early goals when I got into video game art collecting was getting video game works by Julie Bell and Boris Vallejo. Fairly early on, I snagged a cover to an unreleased SNES game by Julie (Arcus Odyssey) and later acquired the Boris (Onslaught) a year later from a fellow collector.