Well, it only took 25 years... Minor Grail Set complete 1 1

[Shadow]

Found the last two issues of Marvel Team Up I needed this weekend. Now I have the entire 150 book set plus Annuals. Three weeks ago I finally found #15 with Ghost Rider and this weekend I finished up with #24 and #27. Looking in my Excel I realized I started this journey back in 1998 with #53 because the X-Men were in it. Hit some large issue hauls over time. (Thanks Greggy and his Raffle prize in 2015! He also put me on the path to wrap up Marvel Two-In-One...)

The Completionist Curse is strong in this one... oy. 

So, MTU joins my full sets of Justice League of America (and the 3 B&B's), Conan the Barbarian, original 1970's Swamp Things and other smaller runs. (Not sure X-Men 94 - 300 counts...)

Thanks for letting me share as their aren't many people who "get it" as we do here! Original What If series is in sight along with Invaders, Champions, Batman Family, etc. Unless I win the lottery, series that won't make it are adding all the X-Men Silver Age as #1 is out of my price range, World's Finest, FF... I have a number of runs in each so building on those will have to keep me content. 

[batman_fan]

On 11/21/2023 at 6:32 PM, Shadow said:

Found the last two issues of Marvel Team Up I needed this weekend. Now I have the entire 150 book set plus Annuals. Three weeks ago I finally found #15 with Ghost Rider and this weekend I finished up with #24 and #27. Looking in my Excel I realized I started this journey back in 1998 with #53 because the X-Men were in it. Hit some large issue hauls over time. (Thanks Greggy and his Raffle prize in 2015! He also put me on the path to wrap up Marvel Two-In-One...)

The Completionist Curse is strong in this one... oy. 

So, MTU joins my full sets of Justice League of America (and the 3 B&B's), Conan the Barbarian, original 1970's Swamp Things and other smaller runs. (Not sure X-Men 94 - 300 counts...)

Thanks for letting me share as their aren't many people who "get it" as we do here! Original What If series is in sight along with Invaders, Champions, Batman Family, etc. Unless I win the lottery, series that won't make it are adding all the X-Men Silver Age as #1 is out of my price range, World's Finest, FF... I have a number of runs in each so building on those will have to keep me content. 

Congrats, quite the accomplishment.  So many great covers in the run.

[KCOComics]

Congrats! And xmen 94 - 300 counts in my book! 

[ADAMANTIUM]

That is very awesome! As someone whom is close to completing only a 59 book X-men Saga run myself, it takes a bunch time, patience, and pondering to complete!

Got to be very determined.

Congratulations

 

Edited November 22, 2023 by ADAMANTIUM

[MattTheDuck]

One of the runs I'll complete "some day."  I have #2 - #51 I bought off the rack or had a subscription in the 70s and have another 21 issues I've picked up over the past couple of years.  I loved that book back in the day.

Edited November 22, 2023 by MattTheDuck

[Shadow]

It’s funny how the time goes by. I never thought it was 25 years. As a kid, I loved the Spider-Man treasury that reprinted some of those MTU issues. Loved the Band on the Run homage cover and X-Men in it. And that started the inspiration roots I guess.

[ADAMANTIUM]

On 11/21/2023 at 9:00 PM, Shadow said:

It’s funny how the time goes by. I never thought it was 25 years. As a kid, I loved the Spider-Man treasury that reprinted some of those MTU issues. Loved the Band on the Run homage cover and X-Men in it. And that started the inspiration roots I guess.

I will say as nearing completion comes, it would seem easy (for me) to chicken out and waste away that I was determined to begin with. Almost morbidly I know. Not for lack of passion, but finally doing the tally of cost, and or cost of the last bit needed to complete. Kind of a chickens before they hatch but Lord! So many chickens! 

Glad you kept the passion!

Are they cgc or in the registry at all?

Edited November 22, 2023 by ADAMANTIUM

[Shadow]

On 11/21/2023 at 10:03 PM, ADAMANTIUM said:

I will say as nearing completion comes, it would seem easy (for me) to chicken out and waste away that I was determined to begin with. Almost morbidly I know. Not for lack of passion, but finally doing the tally of cost, and or cost of the last bit needed to complete. Kind of a chickens before they hatch but Lord! So many chickens! 

Glad you kept the passion!

Are they cgc or in the registry at all?

Only a handful are graded. Vast majority are just bagged and boarded. Most are 9.2 or better in my estimation. I culled any less than 9.0 on the journey. (I learned how to grade better in my 19 years here... ) The journey is the best part. May seem frustrating at times but once it's done, you're kind of like "what next?"

Maybe when I get old and it will be time to sell someone may value having the complete sets?

[Readcomix]

On 11/21/2023 at 9:33 PM, KCOComics said:

Congrats! And xmen 94 - 300 counts in my book! 

Absolutely; I’d count 94-143 as a complete set!

I should clarify: I think you can make a legit argument that it’s a “complete” vol. 1 in the sense of it’s the complete first iteration of the new X-Men; the Claremont/Cockrum kickoff and the complete Claremont/Byrne effort.  It’s the foundation (including GSX1 too, of course).

Edited November 22, 2023 by Readcomix

[shadroch]

Congrats, and if you want your X-Men run completed, buy a coverless copy and get a repro cover. 

[marvelmaniac]

Congrats and Enjoy!!!  

Collecting for me was always about reliving my youth in the 60's and completing runs (OCD is Bi**h) so I can relate to the ecstatic feelings you must have right now, ride that wave of happiness and Enjoy Those Books!!!

[davidpg]

With having all the books I really want, I'm toying with the idea of picking an arbitraty run or two to collect out of bins locally and cons, just for fun.  A couple of good ideas here!

 

[universal soldier]

Congrats I'm a proud owner of a full run of this as well and one of the best Spidey series out there.

[Shadow]

On 11/22/2023 at 10:31 AM, Readcomix said:

Absolutely; I’d count 94-143 as a complete set!

I should clarify: I think you can make a legit argument that it’s a “complete” vol. 1 in the sense of it’s the complete first iteration of the new X-Men; the Claremont/Cockrum kickoff and the complete Claremont/Byrne effort.  It’s the foundation (including GSX1 too, of course).

I was fortunate to get a GS X-Men #1 from October before the COVID lift off in prices. Funny I used to think the reprints before #94 wouldn't be worth anything... Haven't put them on my list because they don't really register with me. I have about 15 of the Silver Age (prior to #65) still on my list. Grade is what holds me back.  I remember Bob Storms telling me to only get the ones from the 20's on up in at least 9.2. 

[Shadow]

On 11/22/2023 at 2:00 PM, davidpg said:

With having all the books I really want, I'm toying with the idea of picking an arbitraty run or two to collect out of bins locally and cons, just for fun.  A couple of good ideas here!

 

I've done that at times with small batches. Case in point: DC Superstars, Superteam Family, Champions, etc. Just decided to get the rest. Usually it's Bronze Age for me. 

[jr70]

On 11/22/2023 at 10:31 AM, Readcomix said:

Absolutely; I’d count 94-143 as a complete set!

I should clarify: I think you can make a legit argument that it’s a “complete” vol. 1 in the sense of it’s the complete first iteration of the new X-Men; the Claremont/Cockrum kickoff and the complete Claremont/Byrne effort.  It’s the foundation (including GSX1 too, of course).

I also always enjoyed the storyline up to and including 150 (plus it has a great cover).  I always felt it started to slide a bit after that (brood was boring and drawn out).  MTU is a fun read and not too hard on the wallet. Congrats!

[Readcomix]

On 11/22/2023 at 8:30 PM, jr70 said:

I also always enjoyed the storyline up to and including 150 (plus it has a great cover).  I always felt it started to slide a bit after that (brood was boring and drawn out).  MTU is a fun read and not too hard on the wallet. Congrats!

Completely agree with you; up to 150 felt similar. I just meant one could pick 143 as the shortest stopping point that defines the complete first era of new X-Men. 144-150 isn’t out of place either though, if you lump it in there. They mostly lost my interest after 150 too, but I also recognize we are probably in the minority there.

And MTU (and MTIO) are cheap classic bronze fun, pretty consistently from end to end. (I’m sure we could pick nits and find a clunker or two in there, but what long run doesn’t have a miss here and there?)

[davidpg]

On 11/22/2023 at 8:30 PM, jr70 said:

I also always enjoyed the storyline up to and including 150 (plus it has a great cover).  I always felt it started to slide a bit after that (brood was boring and drawn out).  MTU is a fun read and not too hard on the wallet. Congrats!

Totally disagree here!  The Brood Saga was one of the best storylines overall in the X-Men and in the 80s overall!  Funny as well that in all the X-'en discussion threads over the years, it's been unulateral that UXM jumped the shark with 176...it was never as good after that and most longtine readers say the same thing if asked the question.

[badback83]

Congrats!  Very cool!

[Shadow]

I think I stopped buying X-Men in the 170's when I was younger. When I started collecting again in 1994, X-Men seemed to daunting to collect as they were all over the place with multiple titles, etc. I ended up buying up to the 300's for the heck of it. 

I got hooked on X-Men before the hype started. I think it was issue #107 that a friend of mine had. Followed by the Claremont/Byrne run. (I liked Wolverine before Wolverine was cool.  - sound like the old guy...)