Sunday, 09 November 2008 21:06
I've been collecting comic books for almost 20 years now. It started way back in late 1988, when I used some extra money my dad gave me for a haircut to buy Batman #426. Over the years, I've spent over $8,000 on issues in my collection, which now stands at about 3,500 in number.
One thing that started bothering me recently when reading my comic books was how hard it was to remember, from month to month, the details of a particular storyline. My brain doesn't know what to remember and what to forget, and invariable gets it wrong. Not only that, but sometimes I'll even miss issues and not even know it.
So, a few weeks ago, I cried "Uncle!" and closed up my subscription box at the local comic shop, Things from Another World. It was hard to give up on 20 years of history and habits, but I'm much happier.
Now, instead of collecting individual issues, I wait until those issues get collected together in a trade paperback/collection/graphic novel and buy that. Not only is it cheaper, but I can actually put these graphic novels on a bookshelf, where friends and relatives can lust over them (granted, I don't own a bookshelf yet, but first things first).
There is only one problem: I only have a handful of graphic novels. Not only that, but the graphic novels I do have probably wouldn't make my list of favorites. In other words, I don't own anything worthwhile!
So, for the past few months, I have set aside a little bit of money from the weekly budget to by one book a week. I figure in a year or two, I'll have a pretty good collection of my favorite comic books out there.
My plan is to post articles here at least once a week about what I'm buying and why. I'm trying to buy in order of my most favorite, but every once in awhile I'm sure a new release will sneak in occasionally, or I'll get spontaneous and buy something from left field.
I hope you enjoy what I'll be posting here. One of my goals with this site is to inspire those of you who haven't ever read a comic book to perhaps pick one up, or to inspire those who haven't read in awhile to get back in the habit. It truly is a beautiful, incredible medium, which deserves more widespread attention and sales.
Happy reading!