What Classic Comics Have You Purchased Lately? Pt. 3

[Scott Harris]

Well, I received my income tax return and that means one thing: Time to treat myself to a bunch of comics!

I was trying to tie up some loose ends and I did pretty well at it. I bought about 125 or so back issues I needed from various titles. Here are some of the runs I completed:

Wonder Woman #177-211! Finally finished the I-Ching era and got the elusive issues between I-Ching and 12 Labors.
Lois Lane #64-137! Issue #71 was annoying due to the 2nd part of the first SA Catwoman story
Action Comics #382-583!
Superman #250-423!
World's Finest #244-322!
DC Comics Presents #11-97!
Invaders #1-41! Finished the full run plus annuals and giant-size

Overall, I'm pretty stoked. I am a bit disappointed that I wasn't able to finish off my Supergirl collection; I did pick up a couple issues, but I am still missing about a dozen between volumes one and two to have the whole solo Supergirl storyline from Adventure #381 through the end of Crisis. but I'm getting pretty close to having the full Superman Family continuity from the 1971 Denny O'Neill reboot up through the end of Crisis. Just need about a dozen Supergirl, a half dozen DC Comics Presents, a dozen Superman and about 30 issues of World's Finest (most of which aren't even really in continuity thanks to Bob Haney and his amazingly dumb "Sons Of" series). Plus some annuals.

I also spent slightly more than I was planning on these, so my plans to buy one big key in addition to these gap fillers will have to wait. I'm thinking I might try and save up a little more money for the Boston Comic Con and maybe buy a key issue there. We'll see.

But I sure have a lot of good reading ahead of me now that I've finished some of these runs and can really start digging in.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

I went a little nuts at my LCS's 50% off sale... My birthday and tax return prompted to spend a clean $300 and you know what? I'm feeling pretty good about it right now! All the following were graded 9.2 and that was off on about 5 of the 50 some odd issues I bought -

Avengers 127, 133, 156-159, 175-181, 185, 189, 192-195, 198 - I only need 160, 163 and 196 to have up to 312

Conan the King 28 and 30 though turns outs I already had 30

Defenders 73, 83 and 86

Fantastic Four 190

Hulk Annuals 6 and 7

Iron Man Annual 4

Kull (Original Series) 3, 8, 11-12... The Severins and Mike Ploog? Gorgeous!

Kull (80's series) 3-5, 9

Power Man and Iron Fist 51, 54, 81... I've picked up about 60 of the 75 issues over the last year for approx. fifty cents each but haven't read it yet.

ROM 75 and ROM Annual 1. I wasn't thrilled about the grading on ROM 75 but it leaves me need just six issues to complete.

Savage Sword of Conan 200, 229 - 235... the real score as the last six issues are scarce, scarce and I was happy to pay just $10 each.

Spectre (Ostrander) 19 I now have the first 21 issues of this series and I'm ready to jump in.

Teen Titans 42 and 44... I grabbed a better copy of the first Nightwing

I basically just plugged some holes. Most expensive Avengers 127 and $20.00 in 9.2 and Kull 3 in 9.2 at $18.00 if one keeps track.

That is a great run of Avengers and always cool to grab a good copy of the 1st appearance of Nightwing.

Well, I received my income tax return and that means one thing: Time to treat myself to a bunch of comics!

I was trying to tie up some loose ends and I did pretty well at it. I bought about 125 or so back issues I needed from various titles. Here are some of the runs I completed:

Wonder Woman #177-211! Finally finished the I-Ching era and got the elusive issues between I-Ching and 12 Labors.
Lois Lane #64-137! Issue #71 was annoying due to the 2nd part of the first SA Catwoman story
Action Comics #382-583!
Superman #250-423!
World's Finest #244-322!
DC Comics Presents #11-97!
Invaders #1-41! Finished the full run plus annuals and giant-size

Overall, I'm pretty stoked. I am a bit disappointed that I wasn't able to finish off my Supergirl collection; I did pick up a couple issues, but I am still missing about a dozen between volumes one and two to have the whole solo Supergirl storyline from Adventure #381 through the end of Crisis. but I'm getting pretty close to having the full Superman Family continuity from the 1971 Denny O'Neill reboot up through the end of Crisis. Just need about a dozen Supergirl, a half dozen DC Comics Presents, a dozen Superman and about 30 issues of World's Finest (most of which aren't even really in continuity thanks to Bob Haney and his amazingly dumb "Sons Of" series). Plus some annuals.

I also spent slightly more than I was planning on these, so my plans to buy one big key in addition to these gap fillers will have to wait. I'm thinking I might try and save up a little more money for the Boston Comic Con and maybe buy a key issue there. We'll see.

But I sure have a lot of good reading ahead of me now that I've finished some of these runs and can really start digging in.

Those are some great runs you finished off there. I am envious of that Worlds Finest and Superman run.

[FanboyStranger]

Picked up a slightly damaged Kamandi Archives, vol. 1 for $15 from my LCS. I pride myself as being more of a sophisticated reader, preferring things like American Flagg!, Grendel, Love and Rockets, and Vertigo style books, but goddamn it if these aren't absolutely brilliant comics. I will cop to being a major New Gods fan, but I'm coming around to the idea that Kamandi actually is Jack's best post-Stan work.

[zryson]

[pmpknface]

Congrats on completing some of those runs Scott. In trying to polish off a few of my own, I grabbed:

Thrilling Crime Cases #45 - It's about a FN copy. There was another up for sale that got about the same $, but I liked this one better. Now I only need a 41 & 48 to have this run


Shocking Mystery Cases #51 - Not the best copy, as the spine is awful, but it'll be a nice filler copy for now for the price I paid ($7.50!!!). I may see what restoration to this would cost when it arrives. Now I only need #'s 57 & 59 to finish off this run!



I've also got 3 more coming in, but I'll wait until the Fed Ex box arrives to spill those beans.

[zryson]

nice comics pmpknface! when it comes to condition I can never buy something like the last one, even if its a really old comic. At the stores I see them sometimes; old Archies and Harvey/DC etc (sometimes Mystery/Horror comics) and I think wow what happened to it? To get a comic so beat up? Like I know kids read them a lot but I sometimes think maybe storage or weather elements played a part too.

[MDG]

Not to pick on zryson--and I'm feeling curmudgeonly today--but is it possible for a cover to be uglier and more poorly designed than that?

[zryson]

hi MDG - you know why I bought it? I really liked the use of pink on the cover. Also the green logo kind of appealed to me. Odd combination I know, but when I'm sitting there or standing and sorting through hundreds/sometimes thousands of comics, the covers all tend to blur together after awhile and I always look for different things that appeal to me like the layout or a different type of font I like. When I first saw the comic I wasnt going to buy it cause I thought the spine had a huge bend (see the left side of the cover) then I realised it was actually somebody holding a sword.

[dan bailey]

Not to pick on zryson--and I'm feeling curmudgeonly today--but is it possible for a cover to be uglier and more poorly designed than that?

Well, to be honest, zryson did say that "when it comes to condition I can never buy something like the last one, even if its a really old comic."

In summary ...

Really worn-out great old comic=no sale.

Obvious piece of utter crap in nice shape=yay!

Strange. Very strange.

IMHO.

[zryson]

hi Dan if I buy something in really bad condition, I know I wont keep it and charity wont take it either - it would just end up being thrown out. So why spend money when you know that will happen? If charity would take them, I would buy comics in really bad condition but they just wont accept them. Things have to be of a good condition (at least) for them to accept it.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Not to pick on zryson--and I'm feeling curmudgeonly today--but is it possible for a cover to be uglier and more poorly designed than that?

Man that looks like utter shit but back in the 1990's being a bit of a Spawn fan I would have picked it up and all. I have a small decent Spawn Collection (1-56 I believe).

Well, to be honest, zryson did say that "when it comes to condition I can never buy something like the last one, even if its a really old comic."

In summary ...

Really worn-out great old comic=no sale.

Obvious piece of utter crap in nice shape=yay!

Strange. Very strange.

IMHO.

hi Dan if I buy something in really bad condition, I know I wont keep it and charity wont take it either - it would just end up being thrown out. So why spend money when you know that will happen? If charity would take them, I would buy comics in really bad condition but they just wont accept them. Things have to be of a good condition (at least) for them to accept it.

I'd rather have a beaten up copy of Worlds Finest , than an issue of Spawn vs Wildcats. Not to pick on that ...but I have some issues that aren't in great shape and I usually later upgrade said issue. I will trade or just keep the issue as a reader copy and keep the better issue put back.

[Polar Bear]

Picked up a slightly damaged Kamandi Archives, vol. 1 for $15 from my LCS. I pride myself as being more of a sophisticated reader, preferring things like American Flagg!, Grendel, Love and Rockets, and Vertigo style books, but goddamn it if these aren't absolutely brilliant comics.

You're a man of rare insight and honesty.

[Scott Harris]

I just made what will likely be my last comic purchase until the Boston Comic Con, as I won a lot of 15 issues of World's Finest on eBay. I actually already own eight of them, but I wanted the other seven, which include among other things the final issue, #323. Also several issues in the 213-243 range, which is what I am missing at the moment.

Total cost was $19 shipped, so for the seven issues I need that's about $2.71 each. Plus, I will probably have some new fodder for trading. It's a little more than I wanted to pay per issue, but I was having trouble finding #323 for under $8 or so, so I figured it was worth the extra payout.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

I just made what will likely be my last comic purchase until the Boston Comic Con, as I won a lot of 15 issues of World's Finest on eBay. I actually already own eight of them, but I wanted the other seven, which include among other things the final issue, #323. Also several issues in the 213-243 range, which is what I am missing at the moment.

Total cost was $19 shipped, so for the seven issues I need that's about $2.71 each. Plus, I will probably have some new fodder for trading. It's a little more than I wanted to pay per issue, but I was having trouble finding #323 for under $8 or so, so I figured it was worth the extra payout.

I have 2 copies of Worlds Finest #323. What made me get irked was the fact it had a spine roll in one copy I had and I traded , and reacquired it in a later trade. I was always looking for a better copy and it took a year and half to find a good cheap copy of it .

[pmpknface]

nice comics pmpknface! when it comes to condition I can never buy something like the last one, even if its a really old comic. At the stores I see them sometimes; old Archies and Harvey/DC etc (sometimes Mystery/Horror comics) and I think wow what happened to it? To get a comic so beat up? Like I know kids read them a lot but I sometimes think maybe storage or weather elements played a part too.

I know, I know... and it's not like me to cave like that either. But for under $10 I'll hang on to it. When I find another one I'll put it up for grabs, but at least I have a chance of completing the run now. There are a few 57 & 59's out there, but not one that I'm willing to settle on.

In the meantime, I'll just treat it like a "before and after" commercial on TV and always look to the right!