Just another X-Men Full Run Dream

In this journal, I'll be talking about my quest to finally finish a full run of X-Men volume 1, from #1 to 544.  I can't tell if many boardies read the new journals or not, and I like the old format way better, but at least this will be a place to help keep myself focused and on track if nothing else.

I've been a fan of the X-Men since the late 80s when I first really started reading comics in earnest. I've dreamed about having a full run since my early 20s, but made the huge mistake of not focusing on the silver and bronze runs first. So like all full run noobs everywhere, I eventually completed a run from about #141 to 544 by picking up a book here or there at shows, looking for sales online or on Ebay, the usual. 

So here we are, its 2018 and NOW I'm going to get serious about finally finishing the run? Ok, great! I clearly have no sense. But I still love the X-Men. 

I have a plan, sort of. First and foremost is to start shedding excess fat from my roughly 1000 book collection. This is going ok so far. I've sold some things on eBay, through craigslist, and even here on the boards so far.  I don't pick up many monthly new books, but I'm going to look at that list and probably at least cut out a few books and put that money towards the run instead. I'm also selling off the last of my Transformers collection. This should net a decent pile of dough to also put straight into the run. I've already sold about a third of it in a week, so this is going pretty well so far.

And finally, I need to stay disciplined. I get easily distracted by shiny books, runs of other titles (I recently picked up a huge run of Amazing Spider-man for example and I'ma sucker for Iron Man), and other interests. So instead, I want to work on resisting all of that temptation and focus as much on the X-Men run as possible. I don't want this to be my only focus, I don't want to burn out on it, but it needs to be priority #1 or I'll never finish this.

I am missing ALOT of books. Nearly the entire Silver Age run, and most of the Bronze Age run minus a handful of the keys. So it will be a marathon, not a sprint. I just hope it is as rewarding at the end as I hope it will be.

One big decision I have to make (big for me, small potatoes for some reading this I'm sure) is whether or not to sell things like my raw NYX complete run in very high grade. I'd like to have a few issues from the run graded, but not unless I'm sure about the minimum grade. Selling the set would translate into a decently big chunk of the X-Men run. I love having this set, but we'll see.

Later today I'll post a list of the missing issues and any other thoughts I have.

Thanks for reading, whomever drops by, and please comment with your own thoughts.  Call me nuts. Call me names for waiting so long. I'm good with it, just talk with me.