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Latest addition, 1st appearance? This is one I?ve wanted for a long time and it?s been really hard to find in high grade. I was searching on ComicLink and saw that one had sold a couple months ago and was bummed because I would?ve paid more than what it sold for, but then I did a search on eBay and found the exact same copy/serial number?which I ended up getting for almost half the price! It features the first appearance of the Silver Samurai (real name: Kenuichio Harada) and sports a great battle cover against Daredevil. Crazy how different he looked then compared to the Modern Age where he?s all decked out in his silver garb. Reminds me of how different Bullseye looked in S.H.I.E.L.D. #15 compared to Daredevil #131 (I realize they?re not the same person, but they did take on the same identity). The Silver Samurai and Wolverine have had some fierce battles over the years and they have a long history together (he is the half-brother of Wolverine?s love, Mariko Yashida). He?s a great character and I?m very happy to be adding this gem to my collection. http://marvel.com/universe/Silver_Samurai http://www.comicvine.com/silver-samurai/29-3174/ Decided to do some searching on the internet for the Silver Samurai and learned that he is purported to be a central character in the new Wolverine movie scheduled for 2013! According to rumors Ken Wantanabe is being considered for the role. That would be pretty cool (and funny since they?re both named ?Ken?)! http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1430132/ 1979 X-men #128 CGC 9.6 I also just picked up a CGC 9.6 copy of X-men 128 for a really good price. I love the cover on this one, and the fact that it stars Proteus?the mutant Wolverine fears because of his reality warping abilities! Makes sense, Wolverine relies on his heightened senses for everything and when he can?t rely on them he completely freaks out. ?A fist of ice closes around Nightcrawler?s heart as ? for the first time since they both joined the X-men ? he hears the sound of fear in Wolverine?s voice.? (Excerpt from X-men #127.) Great story! http://marvel.wikia.com/Kevin_MacTaggert_%28Earth-616%29 Til next time? ***

Better to have loved and lost... Ever get to looking at your books and think, "This comic doesn't really fit in my collection anymore?" It's like, you loved it when you first got it, but then your collection just kind of evolved in a different direction. That's what happened to me and I decided that rather than hold on to these books, I will put them up for auction so someone else can enjoy them for awhile. I can also use the money gained to expand my current collection of Bronze Age X-men appearances (I still love the Silver Surfer though so I'm holding on to those for now). Having said that, these are the books I will be putting up for sale in the next couple weeks (more than likely on eBay). Alpha Flight #33 Universal CGC 9.6, 1st Lady Deathstrike Alpha Flight #34 Universal CGC 9.6, 2nd Lady Deathstrike Amazing Spider-Man #129 Universal CGC 8.0, 1st Punisher Sub-Mariner #34 Universal CGC 8.5, Defenders prelude Wolverine #1 Universal CGC 9.6 Wolverine #2 Universal CGC 9.6 Wolverine #3 Universal CGC 9.6 Wolverine #4 Universal CGC 9.6 Wolverine #5 Universal CGC 9.8 Wolverine #6 Universal CGC 9.6 Wolverine #7 Universal CGC 9.8, Hulk Wolverine #8 Universal CGC 9.4, Hulk Wolverine #9 Universal CGC 9.8 Wolverine #10 Universal CGC 9.6, Sabretooth Wolverine Vol. 3 #20 Universal CGC 9.6 retailer incentive Some of these were hard to come by and the first appearance of the Punisher of course is a key issue, but I feel good about this decision and I know someone else will be thrilled to add them to their collection. Til next time... *** To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Latest addition? You know, I told myself I wasn?t going to buy any comics this year because I?ve been spending too much in my opinion. I love collecting comics, but really there are others things in life I could be spending my money on?painting the house, buying new appliances, paying off credit card debt, putting money in savings (we are crazy to spend like the money will always be there), not to mention going on a mission trip to love and serve those extremely less fortunate in Malawi or Haiti (I want to do this soon). So the realization I came to was rather than do away with comic spending all year like I?d planned, I?ll just limit my expenses. I tried to pick up a copy of Fantastic Four #104 CGC 9.6 on ComicLink recently but I was outbid last minute (OK, which one of you snagged my book!?). I love that issue because of the great cover and it features one of my favorite villains. Alas, it was not meant to be. That?s OK though, I am happy with my consolation prize that is the title of this article- Hulk #161. This book has been on my want list for a long time, it?s part of Marvel Masterworks X-men Vol. 7 which I?m collecting the individual issues of, and the price was right ($60 less than it?s been on eBay). That?s a purchase I feel good about, and it looks great framed and mounted on my wall (Frame-It Again Sam frames work GREAT!) next to my other top 8 books (hey, just thought of that- I should pick up a couple more frames so I?ll have a ?Top 10?). This will move me up a little in the rankings, but not as much as I?d like?I prefer to be in the top 500. For now though I?ll have to be content with moving just past the poor old duck loving man?no really, his member name is ?pooroldman? and he has a nice Donald Duck collection. Til next time? ***

Just added quotes and storylines? I was surfing the net a few weeks ago hoping to learn more tidbits about the comics in my collection?reviews, back story, trivia, etc. (yeah, I know, get a life right) and I ran across this really cool web site, http://marvel.wikia.com/Contents that has all of these things for every Marvel comic ever made, from 1939 to present. Maybe I?m the last person to find this site, but I thought I?d share anyway. I just finished adding a link to every one of my comics so I can check out the details of each book at a glance, and I?ve included a memorable quote from each book as well. I think this one from The Champions #16 might be my favorite- "You can take the hero out of the X-Men, but you can't take the X-Man out of the hero!" -- The Beast (Hank McCoy) This was a fun exercise and it gave me a chance to go back and really look at some of these issues which I hadn?t read in years. Til next time? ***

Latest addition, or I blame Tnerb... You know what? Writing these journals is almost as much fun as collecting the comics themselves?I said ALMOST! So in an attempt to be fiscally responsible this year, I pledged not to buy any CGC books in 2011, period. Well, I couldn?t even make it to March and I blame Tnerb! ?Check out this auction? he tells me. ?You don?t have to place the winning bid, just bid? he tells me. So what do I do? I place the bid and win the book! Just kidding Tnerb, I appreciate the head?s up on this one and I?m actually very happy with my purchase and the price. It didn?t hurt that I had a really nice bonus at work either. This book now becomes my oldest CGC 9.6 to date (January 1971) and it even has White pages. Man that was 40 years ago! How crazy is that? I often wonder how the book stayed in such great shape all these years?bags and boards haven?t been around that long and we all know how easy it is to damage a book (just check out this journal from Lee K http://comics.www.collectors-society.com/JournalDetail.aspx?JournalEntryID=8276). Whoever the original owner was, you know they loved the book and took the necessary steps to keep it safe all these years. Thanks to the great protection provided by the CGC case it?s in now I will continue to look after this gem for years to come! So not only is this my oldest CGC 9.6 but it?s also the first appearance of an X-man (Iceman) since the team?s flagship title was cancelled (March 1970). That alone was enough to put this book at the top of my wish list so I?m really happy to have it safely tucked away in my collection now where it belongs. Now if I could just figure out how to display it?I?ve seen those wooden frames you can buy that let you slide the books in and out, but I?m not sure I?m sold on the idea of a wooden frame. Well now that I have the ASM #92, what?s next on my wish list you ask? I don?t want to say right now because I know Tnerb will find it and then I?ll have to buy it! ! Who knows, maybe I will end up with another CGC book or two this year after all, we?ll see. J Til next time? ***

Always a collector? OK so I said I?d take it easy on buying CGC books in 2011, but I didn?t say I?d stop collecting comics! Just found and bought two Marvel Masterworks hardcover books that collect a lot of my favorite X-men appearances! SO cool!! I have reader copies of all these already, but the collected editions will look great on my bookshelf and provide me with a resource for quick reference and frequent re-reading! Marvel Masterworks Volume 7 features Amazing Adventures #11 on the cover and collects the following?Amazing Adventures #11-17, Amazing Spider-man #92, Marvel Team-up #4 and the Incredible Hulk #150 and #161. My favorite writer of the Bronze Age, Steve Englehart, wrote a cool Introduction in 2008. I won?t give you all the details, but I will share the first paragraph with you? ?Once upon a time, The X-men didn?t sell. Let?s see if I can make that statement comprehensible. In 1963, Marvel introduced two new super-teams, both written by Stan Lee and drawn by Jack Kirby. One was The Avengers, which featured all the popular heroes Marvel had already established. The other was The X-men, which featured five teenagers no one had ever heard of, led by a cripple, who fought villains no one had ever heard of, like Magneto and the Scarlet Witch. Oddly enough, The Avengers sold quite well, and with its sixth issue went from bi-monthly to monthly. The X-men did not sell quite well, and when its ?twin? went monthly and it didn?t, it solidified itself in readers? minds as a second-rate title.? I guess I understand, but isn?t it funny how things turned out? Marvel Masterworks Volume 8 features Avengers #110 on the cover and collects the following?The Avengers #110-111, Captain America #172-175, Incredible Hulk #172, #180-181, Marvel Team-Up #23, #38, The Defenders #15-16 and Giant-Size Fantastic Four #4. Steve wrote the Preface for this one (Roy Thomas wrote the Introduction) in 2009. This just solidifies why Steve is my favorite writer of the Bronze Age?the man kept the X-men alive and in the spotlight when they didn?t have their own title! Take a look at the first couple paragraphs from this one? ?Once upon a time, the X-men had lost their title, but I wanted to resurrect them. The first book I ever did was Amazing Adventures, featuring the Beast on his own, and I made sure to get the other X-ers in there. Then, when the Beast was cancelled, I worked the team into my other books over the next few years. What I didn?t realize, until Masterworks editor Corey Sedlmeier pointed it out, was that I was essentially their ?sole standard-bearer?. That really does come as news to me. I liked them and wanted to keep them in the public eye, but since I was ?featuring? them, I never thought of them the way I thought of the Avengers, the Hulk, or Captain America. Those guys had titles, and I wrote those titles. The X-men beyond the Beast were community property. I assumed the community was using them too, but I guess not like I was. I just liked them, so I used them, to help tell stories about the main characters in my books. I could do this because the Marvel Universe was a coherent entity, so the X-men continued to exist in it even if they had no comic to call their own.? Thank you Steve! Something else I learned from reading this, but should have guessed, is that Steve wrote the plot for Incredible Hulk #172 (even though it was un-credited) to wrap up the Juggernaut portion of the storyline he started in Amazing Adventures #16. I love that he didn?t just leave the story hanging when Amazing Adventures got cancelled. He previously wrapped up the Beast part of that story in Incredible Hulk #161, featured in Marvel Masterworks Volume 7 above. Again, thank you Steve, you are appreciated more than you know! Til next time? ***

Final addition? My final CGC purchase of 2010 is Iron Fist #15 CGC 9.6 with white pages. It?s fitting that my last book of the year is also the last book in this series. I didn?t plan on buying anymore comics this year, but I had to bid on this and was shocked and ecstatic when I won. In this issue, Iron Fist meets the X-men for the first time?and of course misunderstandings become a battle royale! Good times. As an added bonus, this book has the third highest point total in my collection so far (behind Hulk 181 CGC 8.0 and X-men 107 CGC 9.6). A very welcome addition to my Bronze Age collection of X-men appearances! Well, that?s it for this year. Hope everyone has a fantastic Christmas and a blessed New Year in 2011! P.S.- THANK you CGC Registry for updating the point totals on some of our previously undervalued comics! Til next time? ***

It?s been a great year, but? I figure with it being December and all, it?s a good time to reflect on the year from a collecting standpoint. I?ve had some success in adding books that I really really wanted, and I had to let a few go in order to help pay for them, but I have no regrets (other than paying too much in the first place for the books I sold at much less than cost). So let?s take a look and see which CGC books I was able to add to my collection this year? 02/08/2010 Power-man and Iron Fist #57 CGC 9.6 03/08/2010 Hulk #150 CGC 9.6 03/16/2010 Captain America #175 CGC 9.6 03/17/2010 Marvel Team-up #53 CGC 9.6 03/26/2010 Avengers #111 CGC 9.6 04/15/2010 Power-man and Iron Fist #66 CGC 9.6 08/06/2010 Marvel Team-up Annual #1 CGC 9.6 08/30/2010 Marvel Team-up #4 CGC 9.6 11/19/2010 Champions #16 CGC 9.6 12/08/2010 (I?ll let this one be a surprise and post it later) OK, I obviously had no willpower in March, . Darn tax refund, more tempting than Dunkin Doughnuts! It?s hard having all that money in your hand?I should have paid off debt instead, but I nooo, I had to buy comics! Argh! I?m surprised I didn?t add any new X-men books this year. It wasn?t for lack of trying mind you, I just kept getting outbid and wasn?t willing to pay more than I wanted to pay, you know? X-men books are great and I look forward to completing the collection, but there?s no rarity factor there?you can always find high grade X-men books if you can afford them. I?ve had to wait a year or more to obtain some of these books so it?s very satisfying to own them now. It?s funny though, you have all this built up anticipation to find and buy a particular book, and then once you have it, like Tnerb you find yourself asking, ?OK, what?s next?? Why is that? I think its human nature; it?s just the way God designed us. We like the thrill of the chase. For me, I will always collect comics and some I will never part with, but I figure a little self-discipline can?t be a bad thing. And let?s face it, comics don?t grow on trees?ok, I guess technically they came from trees, but that?s not the point. The fact is high grade comics aren?t cheap and I am very happy with my current collection. That being said, I?m going to do my best not to buy any CGC books in 2011 and instead live vicariously through watching my friends build up their collections. If I can?t make it the whole year, I pray I at least make it through March! With this being the holiday season, I hope everyone has a very Merry CHRISTmas (that?s I right, I said Christmas, not the politically correct, ?Seasons Greetings?) and blessed New Year! Lastly, let?s all make a point of being nice to someone this week who doesn?t deserve it. God would love that! Til next time? ***

If you had to go through your collection? ?and choose just 10 comics to keep, getting rid of ALL the others, which would YOU keep? I know, I know, a very difficult decision, but if your house is burning down and you?ve got to grab and go (after caring for your family and pets of course), which 10 books would you choose? I?m not a big fan of the ?What if? series, but it?s kind of cool to think about the concept. For me, this is the list of top 10 books I own that I could NEVER see myself parting with? 1. Amazing Adventures #16 CGC 9.6 Off-White/White Pages Why this book? A. This one is near and dear to me. Check out my 10/07/2008 journal entry for more on this one?Juggernaut rocks. 2. Avengers #110 CGC 9.6 White Pages Why this book? A. This is the one that got away?then I found the same exact book months later and paid even less than I bid previously! Check out my 10/09/2008 journal for the whole story. 3. Avengers #111 CGC 9.6 White Pages Why this book? A. Ties in with issue #110 and has a tough black cover. 4. Captain America #172 CGC 9.6 White Pages Why this book? A. Bronze Age X-men and Banshee crossover appearance. 5. Captain America #173 CGC 9.6 White Pages Why this book? A. Bronze Age X-men and Cap team-up- nice! 6. Giant-Size X-men #1 CGC 8.0 Off-White Pages Why this book? A. This one speaks for itself and I?m a huge fan. 7. Hulk #150 CGC 9.6 Off-White to White Pages Why this book? A. Rare (11/35 copies in this grade or higher) Bronze Age X-men appearance featuring first ever crossover with Havok and Polaris. 8. Hulk #172 CGC 9.6 White Pages Why this book? A. Smashing cover, early crossover appearance of the X-men and an all out slugfest between Juggernaut and Hulk. That?s what I?m talking about! 9. Hulk #181 CGC 8.0 Off-White Pages Why this book? A. Besides the obvious, this is the first CGC book I?ve ever owned?it was a gift from my wife (God bless her!). 10. Marvel Team-up #4 CGC 9.6 White Pages Why this book? A. Newest addition! This is a very cool, rare (21/128 copies in this grade or higher) black cover, featuring an early Bronze Age original X-men crossover appearance while their own title was in re-print mode. Love it! Of course there are many other books I own that I don?t want to part with (my X-men collection in particular), but if push came to shove I?m holding onto the 10 above. Would love to hear about some of your top 10 lists! Til next time? ***

Latest addition?closer to my goal I love this book, and what?s more it gets me one giant step closer to my goal which is to collect an X-men ?set? of my own design. I had to make some hard decisions to pay for it (took a page out of Tnerb?s book and sold some of my other books that weren?t as critical to my collection), but it was well worth it. I?d like to collect all the X-men appearances (featuring two or more team members/villains?not including flashbacks) in CGC 9.6 condition during the time between teams (from X-men #66, Mar 1970 to X-men #94, Aug 1975) when the ?X-men? title was in re-print status: 03/70 ---------- OLD X-MEN ENDS ---------- 04/72 Incredible Hulk #150 (Havok, Polaris) 05/72 Amazing Adventures #12 (Beast, X-men) 07/72 Amazing Adventures #13 (Beast, Blob) 09/72 Marvel Team-up #4 (X-men) 11/72 Amazing Adventures #15 (Beast, X-men) 01/73 Amazing Adventures #16 (Beast, Juggernaut) 03/73 Incredible Hulk #161 (Beast, Mimic) 04/73 Avengers #110 (X-men) 05/73 Avengers #111 (X-men) 02/74 Incredible Hulk #172 (X-men) 04/74 Captain America #172 (X-men) 05/74 Captain America #173 (X-men) 06/74 Captain America #174 (X-men) 07/74 Captain America #175 (X-men) 07/74 Marvel Team-up #23 (Iceman, X-men) 09/74 Defenders #15 (Magneto, Blob, Professor X) 10/74 Defenders #16 (Magneto, Blob, Professor X) 08/75 ---------- NEW X-MEN BEGINS ---------- I have reader copies of all these and just love the stories, art and covers SO much! Currently I only need Amazing Adventures #12, #13, #15, Hulk #161, Marvel Team-up #23 and Defenders #16 to complete my little mini-collection. These are not as difficult to find as my other books, but they?re not cheap. Hopefully I?ll have them before too long, but for now I am REALLY enjoying owning my Marvel Team-up #4! My goal after attaining graded copies of the above is to complete my CGC sets of Amazing Adventures #11-#17 and X-men #94-#143. From there, who knows? One thing I do know though?I will never get tired of collecting! Til next time? ***

Here?s where I stand on this subject? I?m not a big fan of the point system here on the Registry (as noted in one of my journal entries from last year titled ?Registry point system?), but it is what it is I suppose. I understand that a higher point value is ascribed to books that are more desirable to collectors; I just don?t believe that should be the case when there are numerous copies of said book to choose from and their market value is low. Take the example from my last journal for instance, Avengers Annual #10. People want this book because it features the 1st appearance of Rogue, but there are also currently 1280 graded copies?539 of which are graded at 9.6 or above. The book sells for about $50 on average in 9.6 condition?and the point value? 250. In my opinion, the book?s value and rarity just don?t line up with the point value. Despite my complaining though, the Registry does get it right most of the time, and even when they don?t, I guess it all sort of evens out in the end?for every book like Hulk #150 (X-men appearance) that has an undervalued point total (110 for a 9.6), there is a book like Power-man and Iron Fist #66 (2nd appearance of Sabretooth) that has an unjustifiably high point value (275 for a 9.6). So in the end, does it really matter what a book?s point total is? It shouldn?t, not really. I?ll admit that for whatever reason, I like to see myself rise in the overall rankings, but would I buy a book I have no real interest in just because it has a high point value, or would I refrain from buying a book I really want because it has a low point value? No way. I buy books because I enjoy them and want to add them my collection. If we?re collecting books for the sake of points alone, we just end up with a bunch of books we don?t really want, and where?s the fun in that? Til next time? ***

The time between teams (Part 2 of 2)? So what were the X-men doing after their own title ended in 03/1970? Searching for the Angel! This is their story?X-men #62, X-men #63, Avengers #110, Avengers #111, Hulk #172, Captain America #173, Captain America #174 and Captain America #175. SPOILER ALERT! If you don?t want to know how this story unfolds then stop reading now, go pick up the issues above and read ?em for yourself pilgrim (you?ll be glad you did)! 10/1969 X-men #62: the Angel?s life is saved by ?the Creator? in the Savage Land and he gives Angel a new costume after his old one was destroyed. 11/1969 X-men #63: ?the Creator? is revealed to be Magneto who is actually using the Angel and the Savage Land mutates for his own evil agenda?until the X-men take him down! 04/1973 Avengers #110: Magneto rendered the Angel (last seen in Amazing Adventures #15) unconscious and disguised himself by donning Angel?s costume so he could take the Avengers by surprise upon entering the X-men?s mansion headquarters. 05/1973 Avengers #111: Magneto revealed that the costume he made for Angel (back in X-men #62) had been gradually absorbing his young mutant energy which Magneto then absorbed into himself before being defeated by the combined might of the Avengers and the X-men?the X-men then returned home to their mansion, however the Angel was nowhere to be found. 02/1974 Hulk #172: with the help of the Hulk, the X-men defeated the Juggernaut and continued their search for the Angel. 05/1974 Captain America #173: the X-men team-up with Captain America to confront the group they believe is responsible for capturing the Angel and for starting a smear campaign against Cap?the Secret Empire (formerly a division of Hydra)! 06/1974 Captain America #174: our heroes discover that the Angel was indeed imprisoned by the Secret Empire, along with several other mutants?they also nabbed the Beast (last seen in Hulk #161), Havok and Polaris (last seen in Hulk #150), and a handful of evil mutants in their attempt to conquer the United States. Sadly, Captain America and the X-men were swiftly defeated by the Secret Empire as well. 07/1974 Captain America #175: as it turns out, the Secret Empire used the brainwaves of the captured mutants to power their ultimate weapon?fortunately Captain America and the X-men managed to escape and finally take down the Secret Empire, setting Angel and the other mutants free! Hope you enjoyed this story as much as I did. The Angel?s next appearance would be in The Champions #1?and at least now I finally understand why he wore that lame outfit in issues #1-#7. It was all Magneto?s fault! I?ll leave you with a fan?s letter I found in Amazing Adventures #12 from May 1972 (just before the Beast teamed up with the Angel in issue #15)? ?Dear Stan and the Gang, It was a gray day in January of 1970 when I drove to the newsstand to pick up the last X-MEN book. Everybody in fandom had heard the series was ending, but it was nice of Roy to make a note of the fact in the letters page, to end the group?s lives cleanly and intelligently. The X-MEN?some call them a second-rate FF?but I always loved their air of mystery. The X-MEN?play with the name for awhile in your mind?tremendous. Sure they?re back as re-prints of their early adventures, but where are the merry mutants of today? Will there ever be further adventures of Scott and Jeannie, of Warren, of Bobby, Alex and Lorna, or of Hank, my favorite? C?mon Marvel, let?s see ?em again!? The response from the Marvel Bullpen? ?Gee, the world hasn?t gone completely X-men-less since that dismal winter?s day. The Iceman popped up in SPIDEY #92, Havok and Lorna charged through HULK #150, and Angel did a three-parter in KA-ZAR and MARVEL TALES- and now there?s your favorite, the bounding Beast, in a new strip all his own. We hope you- and all other mutantophiles who kept reminding us of our responsibility- will rest easy and just enjoy. Stainless Steve Englehart, Marvel?s newest boy wonder, is a long time Beast fan himself, and he plans to make sure the new Amazing Adventures lives up to everybody?s expectations.? I love hearing how the fans felt about what was going on with the X-men back then (second- rate FF? too funny). I enjoyed Steve?s run on Amazing Adventures and hope to add that to my collection someday as well, along with the aforementioned Amazing Spider-man #92. Til next time? ***

The time between teams (Part 1 of 2)? I really enjoy collecting high grade X-men appearances from the Bronze Age during the time when the X-men did not have a title of their own. It?s cool to see what our favorite heroes (and villains) were up to between the last issue with the old team, X-men #66 (03/1970), and the first issue featuring the new team, X-men 94 (08/1975). Check out this special announcement from Stan (Lee), Roy (Thomas) and Neal (Adams) at the conclusion of X-men #66? ?This is the final issue of THE X-MEN. At least for the time being. Though Roy and Neal have devoted long hours to recent issues (as have our fill-in artists)- and though a mountain of mail has assured us that many Marvelites truly enjoy the job they?ve been doing- the plain truth is that the magazine?s sales don?t warrant our continuing this title. We feel that the artists and writers involved can better devote their time to other projects, other characters. And so the X-men go on the shelf. We doubt if they?ll stay there, though. Our misunderstood mutants, like most of our other heroes, have often seemed to possess a life all their own- and we?ve got an educated hunch that they?ll be zooming into the pages of various Marvel mags in the not-too-distant future. Shed no tears for them, friends; they?ll be around.? As a huge X-men fan, I can?t imagine what it must have been like back in 1970 when Marvel cancelled that title, but I know I would have been excited to see an appearance by anyone associated with the X-men. I?ve listed all of the appearances I could find below in chronological order?the issues I own have an asterisk* next to them. Who knows, maybe someday I?ll be fortunate enough to own high grade copies of all of them (THAT would be something)! I just recently completed my Captain America X-men crossover in issues #172-#175 (check out my earlier journal entry for more on that one). My latest addition, and oldest CGC 9.6 to date in my collection, is Hulk #150 from 04/1972 featuring the first ever crossover appearance of Havok and Polaris. This issue picks up right where X-men #66 left off two years earlier, where Iceman and Havok had been fighting over the affections of Lorna (aka Polaris), and just before Captain America #174 where they were captured by the Secret Empire. This is a tough issue to find in high grade and at a fair price, but worth the wait! I will continue to add more when able and will be sure to journal my experiences for anyone who may be interested. Enjoy! 03/70 ---------- OLD X-MEN ENDS ---------- 09/70 Fantastic Four #102 (Magneto) 10/70 Fantastic Four #103 (Magneto) 11/70 Fantastic Four #104 (Magneto) 11/70 Ka-zar #1 (X-men) 01/71 Amazing Spider-man #92 (Iceman) 04/71 Marvel Tales #30 (Angel) 11/71 Amazing Adventures #9 (Magneto) 01/72 Amazing Adventures #10 (Magneto) 03/72 Amazing Adventures #11 (Beast) *04/72 Incredible Hulk #150 (Havok, Polaris) 05/72 Amazing Adventures #12 (Beast) 07/72 Amazing Adventures #13 (Beast, Blob) 08/72 Avengers #102 (Sentinels) 08/72 Sub-Mariner #52 (Sunfire) 09/72 Avengers #103 (Sentinels) 09/72 Amazing Adventures #14 (Beast) 09/72 Sub-Mariner #53 (Sunfire) 09/72 Marvel Team-up #4 (X-men) 10/72 Avengers #104 (Sentinels) 10/72 Sub-Mariner #54 (Sunfire) 11/72 Amazing Adventures #15 (Beast, Angel) *01/73 Amazing Adventures #16 (Beast, Juggernaut) 03/73 Incredible Hulk #161 (Beast, Mimic) *04/73 Avengers #110 (X-Men) *05/73 Avengers #111 (X-men) *02/74 Incredible Hulk #172 (X-men, Juggernaut) *04/74 Captain America #172 (Banshee, Cyclops) *05/74 Captain America #173 (X-men) *06/74 Captain America #174 (X-men) 06/74 Iron Man #68 (Sunfire) *07/74 Captain America #175 (X-men) 07/74 Daredevil #111 (Silver Samurai) 07/74 Marvel Team-up #23 (Iceman, X-men) 08/74 Iron Man #69 (Sunfire) 09/74 Iron Man #70 (Sunfire) *09/74 Defenders #15 (Magneto, Blob, Professor X) 10/74 Defenders #16 (Magneto, Blob, Professor X) 10/74 Incredible Hulk #180 (Wolverine) *11/74 Incredible Hulk #181 (Wolverine) 12/74 Incredible Hulk #182 (Wolverine) 02/75 Fantastic Four Giant Size #4 (Multiple Man) 08/75 ---------- NEW X-MEN BEGINS ---------- Til next time? ***

X-MEN set complete, 1974! So when I first saw the awesome cover to Captain America #173 featuring the original X-men and Nick Fury, I knew I had to add it to my collection of Bronze Age X-men appearances. After reading the X-men portion of the storyline in Captain America #172-#175 (great story by the way?told by the man who has become my favorite writer of the Bronze Age- Steve Englehart), I decided to try and collect all four issues in CGC 9.6 condition. As it turns out only three other sets in the Registry include all four books, and none of these sets have all White pages. I?m not real particular about page quality so long as it?s at least Off-White (no Cream in my collection), but when I realized the first three issues I bought had White Pages (#172, #173 and #174) I had to make sure the last one (#175) did as well or it would totally bug me. As a result, the only one I could find with White pages had the old CGC label, which I don?t like, but I bought it anyway thinking that I would just pay to have it re-slabbed. Believe it or not, when the book arrived it had the new label?and Off-White/White pages. Yep, I was sent the wrong book (well, right book, but wrong page quality), and the company I bought it from told me they had misplaced the book with the White pages. Sigh. It was actually a blessing in disguise though cause after I sent it back for refund, another copy came up for auction with White pages AND the new label?I won the auction and ended up paying $40 less than I did the first time. Score! In general though I believe White pages are nice, but are really secondary to the grade?I?ve read where some collectors say they would rather have a 9.4 comic with White Pages than a 9.6 comic with Off-White pages (I don?t understand that logic, but to each his own I suppose). After a LONG journey, here?s a quick recap of how I collected these books? Captain America #172 (CGC 9.6 w/White Pages): found at the SDCC on 07/24/2009 for $140.00. Captain America #173 (CGC 9.6 w/White Pages): picked up off eBay on 11/23/2007 for $122.50. Captain America #174 (CGC 9.6 w/White Pages): snagged from Worldwide Comics on 08/17/2009 for $110.00. Captain America #175 (CGC 9.6 w/White Pages): scored on Comic Link 03/16/2010 for $72.00. In closing I?ll leave you with a little excerpt from a Q&A session Steve Englehart did with Comic Book Resources (CBR) back in 2005 (check out my 10/23/2008 journal entry for more on this interview- good stuff!): Stephane Garrelie: The first story by you that I read was Cap/Falcon/X-Men of your Secret Empire/Watergate story in "Captain America" (#170-#175). Do you think that so political a story would be possible in the comics today? Brian Cronin: Excellent point, Stephane. It is funny how stuff like Richard Pryor on SNL, or Steve (Englehart)?s Cap, couldn't be done today, and yet we act like we are so "advanced" culturally. Steve Englehart: I was asked about doing some "Captain America" today-- I said it would have to include politics-- they said "well, never mind." Steve Englehart: But that specific story? On the one hand, I was writing about events that all of America was interested in, so it wasn't some ad hominem attack on Nixon. On the other hand, a lot of people are interested in what's going on now... Too bad Steve was never given the opportunity to write that story. Maybe if we?re lucky, we?ll see him write a couple of story arcs now that Steve Rogers has returned! We can only hope. Til next time? ***

Picked up some nice books... As always, the family and I had a great time at the San Diego Comic-Con this year?lots of, hmm, interesting attendees to say the least?we were sure to take plenty of pictures this time around too (thanks to my wife for taking the pic below of Psylocke and Elektra). It took a couple of hours waiting in line, but my wife made it to the Lost panel while the kids and I checked out a brand new Spongebob episode at the Spongebob panel?so cool to see and hear all the people that do the voices for that show! We also attended the Jericho panel (the final arc of the current storyline in this awesome TV series will be presented in comic book format so be sure to check it out soon- http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=22250) and of course the Aspen panel where Frank announced that Soulfire will be coming to the big screen in addition to the already announced Fathom movie starring Megan Fox?it?ll be a few years, but will definitely be worth the wait (http://www.newsarama.com/comics/090725-sdcc09-apsen.html). Very happy with the comics as well?I scored Fine reading copies of a dozen or so original X-men books in the #34-61 range, Amazing Adventures #11-17, MTU #23 and ASM #92 all for a good price?also picked up a couple of nice CGC books?Captain America #172 CGC 9.6 and X-men #110 CGC 9.6. This year I realized though that if you want to buy CGC books at the Con you?re going to pay more than you would normally (have to assume this is because the vendors need to cover their expenses and they know that high grade CGC books command high dollar). It killed me, but I had to pass on a FF #104 CGC 9.6?it was in my hand, but the seller wouldn?t take less than $600 and that?s not gonna happen. All things considered (even the weary legs after walking and walking and walking for days) everyone had a really great time and we?re hoping to be able to do it again next year. Til next time? ***

It?s getting close and I?m ready? July 22 (Preview Night), 23-26, 2009 (SOLD OUT AGAIN!!!) http://www.comic-con.org/cci/index.php This is the premiere event for anyone with an affinity for pop culture, comics in particular. I?ve attended the San Diego Comic-Con at least a half dozen times in the past 12 years, most recently was last year when I took my family (everyone had a blast!). It is INSANE how huge it?s become and thanks to the movie and television industries, comics are now widely embraced by a mainstream audience as well, making it ?cool? to be into comics. The only downside to this is the extremely LONG lines for e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g, so you really have to pick and choose what events you want to go to. Last year we attended the Lost, Chuck, Heroes, Spongebob and Phineas and Ferb panels where we got see and hear the actors/producers talk about the upcoming season and even watch brand new full episode(s). Can?t wait to see what?s in store for this year! Of course, I?ve also got my wish lists ready for CGC books and reader copies to add to my collection. If you are fortunate enough to attend the Con this year, I?d also recommend taking in some of the attractions of San Diego (there?s more to life than just comics you know). Deep sea fishing is a blast and not too expensive (we caught barracuda and sea bass last year that we put on dry ice and then barbequed when we got home?sooo good) so we?ll likely do that again. We?ll also take the kids to Legoland for a day and hit the beach a few times. Yes, the economy stinks right now, but it?s not going to get any better if we don?t start spending some money (as long as we?re responsible about it)! If you aren?t able to make it this year, I would strongly encourage you to go next year, but start making plans now cause the passes sell out quickly and you have to book your hotel at least 6 months in advance (no kidding). Hope to see you there (I?ll be at the Aspen booth hangin with my buddy Frank)! Til next time? ***

All things considered, it was worth it... After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, I?ve received my books back from CGC (check out my 04/06/2009 journal entry if you wanna see my estimated grade of each comic prior to submission). Obviously I?m disappointed with some of the grades received, but overall I?m happy with the results and I will definitely consider submitting my own books again. Unfortunately, next time will be more expensive since CGC raised their rates and changed the Modern tier from 1975-Present to 1980-Present. Glad I got these in when I did, and I even submitted a few more prior to the 05/01/2009 price change! Here are the official results from CGC: Daredevil #196 CGC 9.6 Daredevil #257 CGC 9.6 The Punisher #10 CGC 9.8 (highest on census) Hulk 8 CGC 9.8 (highest on census) Wolverine #1 CGC 9.4 Wolverine #3 CGC 9.6 Wolverine #4 CGC 9.6 Wolverine #5 CGC 9.8 (highest on census) Wolverine #6 CGC 9.6 Wolverine #7 CGC 9.8 (highest on census) Wolverine #8 CGC 9.4 Wolverine #9 CGC 9.8 (highest on census) Wolverine #10 CGC 9.6 Uncanny X-men #105 CGC 9.0 Uncanny X-men #268 CGC 9.4 Spectacular Spider-man #17 CGC 9.6 Spectacular Spider-man #18 CGC 9.6 Alpha Flight #17 CGC 9.4 The Champions #17 CGC 9.6 Captain America Annual 8 CGC 9.0 Lessons learned: you can never predict exactly how CGC will grade a book, but you can significantly increase your chances of receiving the grades you want by submitting more than just a few books at a time; if you have any reservations about sending in a book for fear that it might not grade as high as you?d like, don?t send it in- just buy a copy that?s already graded. Overall, I?m very satisfied with the way things turned out- every issue even came back with WHITE pages (nice!). We?ll see if this keeps me in the top 500 on the census for awhile, although I?ll likely sell some of these in an effort to upgrade my collection. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the journals. It?s been a fun process. Til next time? ***

Choosing the right books? So here?s the thing. Do you send raw books to CGC for grading, or do you buy books that are already graded? For the most part I like to buy books that are already graded. Yes, it?s expensive, but I know exactly what I?m getting and there is zero risk involved. However if I can find the raw books I want in high grade for a good price then why not submit them myself and try to save some money? [NOTE: It?s a good idea to ask lots of clarifying questions about the condition of a book before buying from an auction site like eBay. Some sellers will list a book as NM/MT when in reality the book may have several defects that clearly keep it from grading that high...I found this out the hard way.] For me personally it makes the most sense to submit raw books from the Bronze Age and some early Modern Age that I would expect to grade high and that are valued at $200 or less. The cost of grading these books (1975-present) is much less ($15.00 per book) than that of older more expensive books ($29.00-$37.00 per book) and the initial investment is minimal so the risk is well worth the potential reward. If you haven?t already, you should also go through your existing collection and submit those books you love that have a good chance of making the grade. I?m a big Wolverine fan so I pulled together several issues to complete a #1-10 run and found a couple of other noteworthy books that hopefully will do well. Having said all that, I anxiously await the results and return of the following books I just sent to CGC today? Existing copies from my collection: The Punisher #10 NM+ (1988), Daredevil crossover Hulk 8 NM/MT (1999), Wolverine appearance Wolverine #3 NM/MT (1989), Silver Samurai appearance Wolverine #4, NM+ (1989) Wolverine #8 NM+ (1989), Hulk appearance Wolverine #10 NM+ (1989), Sabretooth appearance Uncanny X-men #105 NM- (1977), Firelord appearance Uncanny X-men #268 NM/MT (1990), Captain America appearance Purchased copies from eBay over the past several months: Spectacular Spider-man #17 NM+ (1978), Iceman and Angel appearance Spectacular Spider-man #18 NM+ (1978), Iceman and Angel appearance Alpha Flight #17 NM+ (1984), Wolverine appearance (X-men #109 cover swipe) The Champions #17 NM+ (1978), Sentinels, Iceman and Angel appearance Captain America Annual 8 NM+ (1986), Wolverine appearance Daredevil #196 NM+ (1983), Wolverine appearance Wolverine #1 NM+ (1988) Wolverine #5, NM/MT (1989) Wolverine #6, NM/MT (1989) Wolverine #7, NM/MT (1989), Hulk appearance Wolverine #9, NM/MT (1989) Daredevil #257 NM+ (1988), Punisher crossover I?ll let you know how these come out once I receive them back from CGC and we?ll see how bad I am at grading. What?s the worst that can happen right? Oh yeah?they could all come back 7.5 (Aarrgghh!!). Dude, if that happens I?m sticking with buying slabbed books from now on, period. Wish me luck!!! Til next time? ***

It's getting more and more difficult. Between the increasing number of collectors added to the registry every day and the determination of existing collectors who are continually adding to their sets, I am having a heck of a time staying in the top 500! Selfish I know, and I?m sure I?m the only one who cares about overall ranking, but I like being in the top 500. Besides, we?re in a recession people- you should be saving your money! What?s that? You are saving money by investing in a stable market like comics instead of losing it in the stock market? Oh, OK then, that makes sense I guess. I?ll just look on the bright side- it?s a great sign for the future of our hobby when so many people choose to invest this much time and resources into expanding their collections. That can never really be a bad thing...except when I get outbid. P.S. I?ll be submitting a number of books to CGC in the next couple of weeks- keep an eye out for my next post and I?ll give you all the details. Til next time? ***

I still don?t get it. I know the gang at the Collectors Society does a bang up job. It must be a huge task trying to keep up with everything going on in the comic book world while making sure the web site stays as up-to-date as possible. This is a great community to be a part of and I enjoy managing my collection while comparing it to all the others in the world. My problem and I?m sure I?m not alone in this, is with the current system used to determine the point value of our books. The Comics Registry states that its goal is ?to provide a competitive but fun vehicle for both serious and beginning collectors to gain recognition for their sets.? If gaining recognition for our sets is the goal, then much consideration and attention should be given to determining point value. The Comics Registry claims its ?scoring algorithm? takes into account ?each comic book?s scarcity, desirability and value?. If this is the case, then how in the world, for example, could my Avengers #110 CGC 9.6 (a very rare and expensive book) only get a score of 149 while the Avengers Annual #10 CGC 9.6 I just bought (a very common and inexpensive book) get a score of 250?!? The Comics Registry attempts to explain this by stating their scoring algorithm ?is also designed to enhance and encourage competition in the Registry by reducing extremes in value differences between grades and categories.? So how exactly does assigning a lower point value to a rare/expensive book and a higher point value to a common/inexpensive book encourage competition? That makes absolutely no sense to me. All it does is cheapen the hobby by rewarding collectors who obtain inferior books, while frustrating those who seek to enhance their collections with quality books (as evidenced by the example cited above). Thankfully, the Registry recognizes this to some degree by stating ?Research is continuing into more advanced methods to provide a ranking system that recognizes the intelligence of the market, while offering a better reflection of relative rarity in higher grades and adjusting for market distortions.? I don?t know about you, but I?m hoping a more accurate, fair and objective scoring system is put into place sooner rather than later, for the benefit of all collectors. Til next time? ***

Be sure you?re insured. I don?t know about you, but sometimes I think to myself, ?What if someone stole my collection?? or ?What if my collection was destroyed by fire?? The first thing that came to mind for me was, ?I should be fine because I have homeowners insurance?. Maybe, maybe not. Take a look at some of the highlights below from the following article: http://www.comicartfans.com/SubNewsDetails.asp?NID=1377 If you watch the news, you know unexpected tragedies like burglaries, fires and natural disasters happen every day. But what may be even more unexpected to some victims is finding out most homeowners insurance does not adequately cover their cherished collections. Even if your collection is covered, you may not be able to make a claim unless you have your collection listed on a schedule. Claims settlement may be based on actual cash value rather than the replacement value of the collectible. Finally, losses caused by flood, hurricane and earthquake may not be covered under the terms of your homeowner?s policy. If you are utilizing your homeowner?s policy to cover your collectibles, be sure to call your agent or insurance representative to discuss the coverage available under your policy. Put your understanding of the coverage in writing and request a written acknowledgement and comments. Make sure your collectibles are not valued at cost or depreciated value; in most cases collectibles appreciate rather than depreciate in value. Collectibles should be valued for insurance purposes at replacement value, or the cost of acquiring similar quantities and quality of collectibles. In the event that tragedy strikes, you can expedite matters and maximize your claim by taking a few simple steps: 1. Create and maintain an inventory of your collection. Having a current inventory helps you and the insurance carrier substantiate the value of the claim. 2. Take pictures or video of your collection and keep them with your inventory. When taking photos or video, be sure to capture any and all markings that will authenticate the piece. 3. Keep purchase records such as receipts and invoices. If possible, scan these records to a computer so you have electronic copies. 4. Keep a copy of your inventory, pictures/video and purchase records in a secure, secondary location from where your collection is housed, such as a safe deposit box or e-mail or save them to your work computer. Granted, in the grand scheme of things, comics are just ?things? and things can be replaced, but you should still be smart about protecting your investment. I contacted my insurance agent and fortunately for me, my collection is covered by my homeowners under ?personal property?, and at full ?replacement value? with no ?schedule? required (the only damage not covered would be from floods, hurricanes and earthquakes). FYI- when I contacted Collectibles Insurance Services, LLC they quoted me about $50/year per $10,000 in coverage. Not a bad price for peace of mind, but still more than the $29/year my insurance company would charge me for the same unlimited coverage were I to get my collection appraised and scheduled. Til next time? ***

Check it out- there?s nothing like the original. A good friend of mine who works in the comic book industry got me hooked on collecting original comic book art about 10 years ago. I had no idea at the time that you could buy the original art used in the creation of the actual comic book itself. It?s not cheap, but it?s very rewarding and displays beautifully when framed, especially if you can find a talented framer who can really make the art stand out. I?m happy with the small collection I?ve been able to put together over the years, which consists mostly of pieces featuring the Silver Surfer. My favorite is a full splash page of the Surfer drawn by Marc Silvestri for the Top Cow/Marvel crossover, Devil?s Reign. If you?re interested, you can check out my collection at: http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryDetail.asp?GCat=13513 If you?re thinking of adding pieces to your own collection or are just curious about what?s for sale out there, I?d recommend the following web sites: http://collectibles.shop.ebay.com/items/Original-Comic-Art__W0QQ_sacatZ3984 http://www.spiderwebart.com/ http://www.comiclink.com/forsale_ca.asp http://www.anthonysnyder.com/default.asp Til next time? ***

Storage and display. I love my collection and it?s great to be able to view scans of all my books in the registry, but it?s not the same as seeing the actual comics in person. I?m curious what other people do with their collections. Some collectors out there have hundreds of books. Do all these books just get stored in comic boxes where they gather dust (figuratively), or do they get displayed somehow so they can be appreciated? Personally I like to display four books at a time (on my dresser) in ?mini-sets? of my own design; the rest get stored in comic boxes until I decide to switch them around. These are currently my top three favorite sets to display: (#1) Hulk 172, Amazing Adventures 16, Defenders 15, Avengers 110 (Classic Juggernaut and Magneto CGC 9.6) (#2) Amazing Spider-man 129, Fantastic Four 48, Hulk 181, Giant Size X-men 1 (1st appearance Heroes CGC 8.0) (#3) Amazing Adventures 16, Defenders 8, Iron Man Annual 4, Hulk 250 (Highest Census) I would love to find a way to display eight books or so at a time on my wall, but I haven?t figured out how to do that. I could get them framed, but that?s cost prohibitive and doesn?t allow me to change the display. I?ve seen some shelving options that might work, but I?m not sold yet. If there are any ideas out there please let me know. Thanks! Til next time? UPDATE: Thanks to all for the suggestions. The best recommendation so far- http://www.frameitagainsam.com/hall.php ***

Talking points include some of my favorite stories. I realized recently that some of the best comics from the 70?s feature the same writer?Steve Englehart. I decided to poke around the internet to see what I could find on him and ran across this cool interview from Comic Book Resources (CBR). The following are some excerpts from that interview (see my favorite issues in parenthesis): Tue, October 11th, 2005 at 12:00AM PST If you've not checked out any of CBR's recent chats with comic creators, you're really missing out. Last week writer Steve Englehart stopped by and answered questions from his fans. This lengthy chat covers his work at Marvel, DC Comics and with Malibu's Ultraverse titles. Sit back and enjoy. Messchird: What was your first gig, Steve? Steve Englehart: I did a 6-page monster story for Marvel, "Terror of the Pterodactyl." They liked it and offered me the Beast (Amazing Adventures #16), so that was my first superhero thing. Steve Englehart: We came in when comics were on their way to their peak, we learned from masters, there were still greats from earlier eras alive...so we put together a pretty good package of skills and knowledge. I think today a lot of people lack that breadth of knowledge and then, we were a lot more interested in character than a lot of what goes on today. Steve Englehart: Times change. Sometimes they change for the worse... Jellobay: Any Marvel projects coming up? Steve Englehart: I dunno if there are any Marvel projects coming. We were asked to do some, but we're not making much progress in that direction. Brian Cronin: What was the reaction to your Beast at the time? Shock, horror, or acceptance? Steve Englehart: My Beast was well-received, by fans and - more importantly - by Marvel. Steve Englehart: I made use of his intelligence, and Roy Thomas and Gerry Conway had set up a good situation for him, so I ran with that. Steve Englehart: The cool thing, in retrospect, was that it was the only X-Men book at the time. Brian Cronin: You ended up using your Beast characters in your "Avengers" run. Is that something that you like to do? Stick with characters you enjoy, no matter the book? Brian Cronin: It worked really well with Patsy and Hank in "Avengers." Steve Englehart: Yes. When I did the Beast, there was no other X-book-- and when it came time to revamp the Avengers lineup, there was no other X-book, so he was available, and I really did like him. Jellobay: Speaking of the Avengers, what are your thoughts of the new team? Steve Englehart: I hate to give this answer, but I really don't comment on other people's work. It just seems like common courtesy if I don't like the stuff, and if I only talk about stuff I do like, it points up what I'm not talking about-- if you follow me. So, I take a pass. Brian Cronin: Hehe. Good system. Jellobay: Understand completely. Stephane Garrelie: The first story by you that I read was Cap/Falcon/X-Men of your Secret Empire/Watergate story in "Captain America" (Captain America #173). Do you think that so political a story would be possible in the comics today? Brian Cronin: Excellent point, Stephane. It is funny how stuff like Richard Pryor on SNL, or Steve's Cap, couldn't be done today, and yet we act like we are so "advanced" culturally. Steve Englehart: I was asked about doing some "Captain America" today-- I said it would have to include politics-- they said "well, never mind." Steve Englehart: But that specific story? On the one hand, I was writing about events that all of America was interested in, so it wasn't some ad hominem attack on Nixon. On the other hand, a lot of people are interested in what's going on now... Messchird: Sometimes, I feel comics are dead here. But there's a rise in comics as movies ("Sin City," "Batman Begins," "Hulk"). What's your opinion on that? Steve Englehart: It's tricky. I think movies are doing a lot of good for comics-- certainly making the general public aware of them as "acceptable" media, and reminding a lot of people that they liked these guys were they were "unacceptable." But at the same time, that's led to some people wanting comics to be movies, and they're not. Steve Englehart: Case in point-- I used thought balloons in my "Dark Detective." It came as a great surprise to me that thought balloons aren't generally used any more. And why? Because you rarely have voice-overs in movies. But these aren't movies. In comics, thought balloons are a tool at the writer's disposal and it's stilly to toss it away. Steve Englehart: Moreover-- a guy at San Diego pointed out something else-- thought balloons allow you to carry on the "D" story-- the underlying story that isn't in the main character's foremost thoughts. You can say, "Hmm, I wonder how Cap's project is going" just in passing, so that when you get to the real story about Cap's project, you've kept it in the readers' minds. Does that make sense? Brian Cronin: Agreed. Can you imagine a novel written without any inner voice, just dialogue? Stephane Garrelie: I read that you documented yourself a lot to write "Doctor Strange"... was it exceptional or is documentation an important part of your work? Steve Englehart: When I wrote Doc in "Defenders"(Defenders #8), I wrote him as "one of the heroes, with magic powers." When I got his solo book, I thought, "I really ought to learn more about this, to write a credible magician" so I started reading up. I do stuff like that a lot-- it makes for better stories, yes, but also, I learn stuff I don't know. Brian Cronin: Did you get any resistance at Marvel to your Patsy and Buzz reworking? Or did Marvel just say "do what you want with them." Steve Englehart: I got no resistance to anything from Marvel in the '70s. The editorial theory was "we're giving you these books. If you can make them sell and meet your deadlines, you can keep doing them." That was it. This is why it was so great then. We were encouraged to be as creative as possible, so long as people kept buying-- and really, why should it be any other way? [Complete article: http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=5785] [Avengers Vs Defenders: http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1429944] ***

Latest addition?second chances. This has been the best month of collecting in my life. I was able to find and purchase both of the comics that have been at the very TOP of my ?must have? list for the last couple years. What are the odds of both of them coming up for sale at the same time, let alone becoming high bidder on both?!? I could not believe it when I saw this book up for auction on eBay again, and listed by a seller who primarily deals in electronics no less (how he ever got a hold of it I?ll never know). This same exact book, same CGC serial number and everything, got away from me in May 2008 when I was outbid (don?t you just hate that?) by a collector of old U.S. dollar bills. That experience haunted me for weeks afterward, but it all worked out in the end cause now I got it, AND for $100 less than it sold for the first time!!! I still had to sell a couple of my minor keys to help pay for it, but its well worth it. This book has so much going for it?it?s from the early Bronze Age (1973), it?s the second highest grade on the census (there are only 2 copies graded higher at 9.8, out of only 74 total graded copies) with WHITE pages, it features what I consider to be one of the best covers?ever?with Magneto standing triumphant over the defeated X-men and The Avengers next on his hit list, and it rarely EVER becomes available for sale (according to GPAnalysis there are only 2 copies of this book for sale on average in this grade each year). I have no intention of ever letting this one get away from me again! FYI- I recently added back cover scans to all of my books. I decided it would be cool to check out all of the old advertisements (Chopcycles? Sweet!). My gallery also looks a lot better without having to look at ?image not available? anymore. Til next time. ***