What are the gems of your collection?
 

Forgive me if we have a thread on this already, a quick search didn't find anything.

For me, it's probably my early Justice League of America issues. They were my favorite comic as a pre-teen, and as an adult I decided to try to buy every issue. I'm hopefully content to stop at just the original run of JLA and not try to buy every offshoot and appearance and crappy 90s alternate title.

I still have a lot of gaps, but I have managed to find cheap low condition copies of Brave and the Bold #28 through 30 and JLA #1.

I went through part of my collection last night and found those, along with a House of Secrets #1 and Daredevil #1. I had forgotten that I had all of those, to be honest; I really need to update/create a database.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

Not much honestly.....Fantastic Four #49 and #52 I guess. Condition is not so hot though. Found them at an antiques store as a kid--the find itself is probably why I prize them so much. Nothing really special.

I have lots of autographed stuff I got in person but that's really only valuable to me as (even though I was there for every one) I don't blame anyone who doubts the veracity of the autographs.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

I collect to read, not to invest in future financial gains, so I don't have anything that's truly valuable. 99% of my collection is DC from COIE to present day too, which is mostly worthless from a financial perspective, but its the era I enjoy reading so I don't care. I have a few pre-COIE comics that I enjoy reading, but none of its really all that valuable since I bought them in less than near mint condition.

My most valuable comic is probably Batman #251 (Joker's Five Way Revenge) which is in 6.0 condition at best. I don't care about its condition honestly. I bought it as a reading copy.

I am probably most proud of my Batman collection which contains with no missing holes Batman from Year One to present, Detective from Year Two to present, and the majority of the spinoff titles like Legend of the Dark Knight, Shadow of the Bat, Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl, and even Azrael's own title.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

^ Likewise, but if we had to put monetary value on a particular item I would have to say that my limited edition oversized ABSOLUTE: Danger Girl set takes the cake. I may have another valuable item here and there but that one takes the cake.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

All of Alan Moore's Miracleman, as well as a few books signed by him.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

I held on to all my Miracleman's as well whenever I was pairing down my collection. I have a couple of copies of Amazing Spider-Man #129 in good shape, although I'll probably sell them eventually. In my 25+ years of collecting I've probably owned and sold 11 copies of Giant Sized X-Men #1.

I have some pre-code 50s horror comics that I'll hold on to that are worth a little bit. Nothing too amazing though. I've mostly moved on to nice reprint volumes and hardcovers when I can get them.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

I have a copy of Cry For Dawn #3, on the inside cover is a nice sketch by Linsner, personally inscribed to the late author Moebius.

I have Walking Dead #2-80 in NM. I'd pre-ordered #1 too, but the store owner accidentally sold it to someone else. He said he'd get me another, but...yeah.

I have some key Avengers issues like 53 and 58. I got them cheap and they would have graded at 9.0 on CGC at least. Really. They were beautiful, but while I was away at college my collection got hit by mold.

Mainly, I have really long runs of many many titles. 250 consecutive issues, 300, sometimes longer.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

With the exception of Mad (which I have in the DC Archive line), a complete collection of Russ Cochran's EC slipcased hardcover sets. They are f-ing beautiful.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

The most valuable is probably the run of Sandman. The one which took the most effort is the Krazy Kat reprints, which took from 1988 to 2012 before they were all published.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...lantern_76.JPG
But it's in pretty rough shape.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

When i think of the Gems of my collections, I probably think of it in 3 ways. 1. what I value the most. 2. what might be the most impressive. 3. what is worth the most.

1. I still have the old, tattered, taped up Phoenix Saga trade my grandfather bought me for a dime in 1984 at a goodwill in Maine. I was 6 years old and had never read anything but my brother's old superman and batman comics and I was blow away. I have read that trade literally over 100 times and I couldn't find it for years when i got home from college. but I found it a couple years ago and it now sits on my headboard again.

2. I started buying X-men in the #185-190's and I quit around 320. I also picked up back issues at the time so I have almost a complete run from 100-320. I was also buying the New Mutants/x-factor/x-force/x-whatever and have anything that was released in that window (including intros of Cable and Deadpool that still sell for like ~$50) and complete or near complete runs of Amazing (200-420) /Web of (complete)/Spectacular (30-241) Spiderman comics (with intro's of hobgoblin, venom, carnage, and some others). I also have nearly complete runs of most of the Valiant Era comics (which is worth nearly nothing, but i remember enjoying them at the time).

3. As far as what is worth the most, it is probably those 1st appearances that I already mentioned (Hobgoblin/Deadpool/Venom)...I have a some older Marvel (i.e. X-men #4 with the introduction of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and Avengers #54 1st Ultron) ) and DC (a couple superman from the 50s and Batman from the 60s) but they aren't in great condition and not worth much.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

Thinking about it I do have a complete run of all of Mike Allred's early comics, like Graphique Musique and Graphik Musik, Creatures of the ID and Madman, all signed, and most with little sketches as well. I met him at a convention in the early 90s, super nice guy.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

Full runs of Sandman, Preacher, Grendel, Miracleman, Watchmen, and V for Vendetta.

*Yeah, I know the last two are only limited series, but I still have them all.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

I'm a big Moon Knight fan, so I was happy to pick up NM copies of these on sale back in my college days:

http://www.flashbackuniverse.com/blo...y_Night_32.jpghttp://www.comicbookmovie.com/images...y_Night_33.jpg

I think they were about $30 each. It would be much more expensive to get them now.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

I have a pretty sizable collection of Neal Adams DC and Marvel work. All the books are in VF+ condition. Primarily Batman, Detective, Strange Adventures, Brave and the Bold, Green Lantern/Green Arrow, Avengers and X-Men.

I also have some classic 70's DC Kirby stuff like Kamandi, New Gods, Forever People.. etc.

Lastly, the entire original Wrightson/Wein/Redondo Swamp Thing run.

These are books I would never sell, though pretty much everything else in my collection would be negotiable. :)

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

I took pics of my Adams collection before I put them all into mylars. I bought most of them in the 70's.


http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/a...an1/Adams1.jpg

http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/a...an1/Adams2.jpg

http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/a...an1/Adams3.jpg

http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/a...an1/Adams4.jpg


I recently found more Adams books after I took the pics. I guess they're my favorite ones in my collection and separated them from the rest of my books. I have comics from every era but my favorite are bronze age books.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

Wow, I'm loving this thread. It's getting me even more excited about my re-dedication to the hobby.

I think we have a great group of comic fans here and hope we can grow at least this part of the forum.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1...psc692ecb8.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ps357c3d35.jpg

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

I think Bronkster wins.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

I'd love to own that cover of Adventure Comics featuring Krypto, as a large poster.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

I treasure my full run of Chester Brown's Yummy Fur, including the early Xerox mini-comic versions from when he was self publishing.

I'm not sure how many people on the forum are aware of him or his work. His has a new book out right now called Paying For It, about his experiences with prostitutes.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ForItCover.jpg

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

I'll consider my "gems" as the ones I like the most. I couldn't tell you what is my most valuable comic/item.

Ostrander Suicide Squad, Giffen/DeMatteis JL/I/E runs, and Giffen/Bierbaum Legion (<--I know it's not a fan favorite, but I loved it).

And the run I'm most proud of: a (nearly) complete Superman run since Man of Steel. I got out of the weekly comics game a decade ago, but I'd pick up Superman and Action in the bargain bins when I found them. I'm trying to fill the holes left from the last three years of the pre-New 52 as my "end/jump off point".

I'll probably think of more later. I've been thinking of what I want to keep of my 20-year addiction to them-- and having not looked at them in years, I think I can part ways with much of my collection. But the above runs are the ones I think of as "untouchable". I'll probably be buried with them.

I should also add my sketch of Fire by Adam Hughes. I'd get to the MCBA Fallcon an hour or two early each day, and race to find his table to be one of the few to get a sketch that year-- and coming up short four years before finally being one of the first my fifth attempt. One of my greatest "hunts" before I scored.

Also got a personal note from Mark Gruenwald thanking me for my exhaustive review of Squadron Supreme. It was a nice gesture from a pro to a kid who loved everything that had his name on it (BIG Avengers fan back in the day).

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

Electra: Assassin #1
Pacific Presents...The Rocketeer
Youngblood #1-2 by Alan Moore
Judgment Day #1-3 by Alan Moore
Sandman #50

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

I grew up collecting with my Father. We've got about 12 longboxes with 1 longbox housing all the gems.

I've been a Green Lantern nut since I was teeny tiny (I'm now pushing 40). We've got a complete run of the Silver Age Green Lantern including mint copies of his first appearances in Showcase. Those are my all time favorites.

We have Amazing Spidy #9 and then almost a complete run of Amazing from about #30-250, two copies of Daredevil #1 and then a bunch of Daredevil from about 25-75, Hulk 180, Uncanny X-Men 2, 5 and 7, and almost complete run of Iron Man from #1-150, and a bunch of others. Then we move into the 80's stuff like Legends of the Dark Knight, Signed first print of Killing Joke, signed Kevin Maguire Justice Leagues #1-5 including the Superman test bullet cover of Justice League. . . complete run of Preacher. . . complete run of Epic's Akira, which has always been a favorite of mine.

I have to bust into those again. It's been years since I've thumbed through the collection.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

Value-wise, probably the first few Ultimate Spider-Mans. I have a bunch of Miller Daredevils too. I have a few long-boxes of early Vertigo books from DC that might have some value. One of these days I'll try and sell off a few boxes.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

:eek: I have a lot of those, but you have a few more... some beautiful books you have there. Thanks for posting those pics! :thumbsup:

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

Probably this one:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...-X-Men-094.jpg

I have comics that are older and in better condition, but I picked this one up new in a neighborhood drugstore. I hadn't read the X-Men in years, partly because it had become a reprint book, but the characters were so strikingly different that I had to get it. I then learned that the story had begun in Giant-Size X-Men #1 so I searched for that and bought it. I wish I could say I was hooked on X-Men through Dark Phoenix, but I only picked up a few more issues, probably because I stopped collecting altogether.

Fast-forward a half-dozen or so years, and a high-school friend mentioned off the cuff, "Hey, did you know your copy of X-Men #94 is worth $60?" He had my attention, and I started collecting comics again, with the help of this friend, who worked at a LCBS. This was the early '80s so there was a fair amount of speculation going on, and I still own multiple copies of some titles that I'm sure have no value whatsoever (Green Lantern Corps minseries!). But I enjoyed it. That's when I was reading the Byrne FF, the Miller Daredevil, Levitz-Giffen Legion of Super-Heroes, Micronauts... just a lot of really fun stuff. After high school, I gave up on the hobby, which I only picked up again a few years ago, but it's that era that I tend to do most of my reading of now.

EDIT: Actually, I just remembered that I own floppies of Days of Future Past, and I have Dark Phoenix too, or at least most of it. I definitely broke off my collecting, but did come back in time for that.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

Not sure if this is valuable or not. But in 1980's brought the Frank Miller Signed Batman The Dark Knight Returns LE Hardcover still in shipping box. It's limited to 4000 copies.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

Here's a few books from my Golden Age collection. I have a couple more but no good pix.

http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/.../Comics/NC.jpg
The first Golden Age book I bought - National Comics #23 (June 1942). I picked it up for $22. Not in the best condition but its held together pretty well. Also - Eisner!!


http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/.../Comics/FM.jpg
Siegel and Shuster's Funnyman #2 & 3 (1948). I have a soft spot for non-Superman S&S stuff. I'm slowly tracking down the complete set.


http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/.../Comics/GH.jpg
This is Green Hornet #47 (September 1949). I love this cover!


http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/.../Comics/FA.jpg
Funny Animals #32 (July 1945) staring Hoppy The Marvel Bunny!


http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/...cs/Rocket1.jpg
http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/...cs/Rocket2.jpg
A 1st Print of the Rocketeer Graphic Album signed by Dave Stevens. The Rocketeer is my second favorite character.


And the Golden Age Green Lantern is my first! Here's an original piece from Green Lantern's creator Martin Nodell. I would consider this my most prized possession.

http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/.../Comics/GL.jpg
I got this print back in 2000 at SDCC for my birthday. When he found out it for my B-Day, he added all the B-Day stuff to the piece. I actually have a lot of signed GL stuff and other sketches from Nodell before he passed away. I always felt like I was bugging him whenever I visited his SDCC booth but he never seemed to actually mind.


I also have Moore's Miracleman run but stopped when Gaiman took over. What did I know back then?

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

Most prized for sentimental value would be my worn copy of Marvel Super Heroes "Secret of the Power Crown" Super Slurpee Comicbook that I won on a scratch off card for buying a Slurpee. It featured Captain America, Hulk, Spider-man, and Spider Woman. It was the first comic I ever had that started my collection. It's not worth anything mnetary wise.

My most valuable, monetary wise, would probably be the 17 near mint CGC 9.4 copies of Nick Fury #1 from 1968. I also have a number of Captain Marvel #1's from 1968 graded 9.4 as well. I bought most of these as a teen in the late 1980's for $15-$25 each. I had them graded about 10 years ago and haven't gotten around to selling them yet.

One of my favorites is a signed McFarlane Spider-man guitar hand signed by Stan Lee. I have a few things signed by him at recent conventions.

I also have 50 copies of The New Mutants #100. I'm sure their worth a fortune by now.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

I got a few Walking Dead original pages... those must be worth something now. The biggest thing I missed out on was at my first WonderCon I saw a guy selling the painted cover for Preacher #1 for $175, I tried to haggle it down to $150 but had no luck so I passed on it. The book was only at issue 4 or 5 so I didn't really get into it yet.

I don't even know how much something like that is worth now, but I suspect it'd be a few thousand easily.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

50 copies of the same comic? :whofart:

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

Wow, some truly amazing comics in this thread. I'm damn jealous.

Haven't collected single issues in years, really. Mostly stick to TPBs and the like. In terms of "gems" of single issues I'd say Batman 404 (first part of Batman:Year One), Watchmen 1 and Daredevil 168 (1st Elektra). Nothing expensive, but all stuff I enjoy having. Also have Wolverine 1 (regular series) that I purchased for $20 back when I was like 12. It was a huge sum of money at that age and I went with my mom to a little hole-in-the-wall shop in Cocoa Beach -- the sort of place where every wall was covered. Again, nothing major, but it's a nice childhood memory.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

Your welcome. When I was a kid I bought almost everything Adams did. I was really disappointed after bringing them home that most of them didn't contain his artwork even though he did a lot of covers. I appreciate them now but back then I really didn't like any of the interiors except for the ones Irv Novick did with Dick Giordano. I also liked Aparo but I don't recall if Adams did any covers with Aparo doing the inside artwork. I could be wrong though.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

I don't have many these days, but a friend back in the UK has the single greatest collection of comics i have ever seen. His father started buying comics from him waaaaaayyyyy back and he made my friend obey certain rules. He was only allowed to read them in the company of his father and that they were all to be kept in sealed bags and stored properly. Also, he is not allowed to sell or give anything away whilst his father is still alive. I managed to get a chance to see many of the comics (i was not allowed to see them out of the bags), but i was speechless. He has literally every issue at least from 1-30 of every Marvel and DC character you can think of. Seeing first issue Spiderman, Fantastic Four, Hulk, Daredevil....it was incredible. He had cabinets full of very early comics...hundreds. Let me add that they were in mint condition from what i could see. He knows how much the whole collection is worth...but he is being loyal to his fathers wishes. Personally if it was me i would be looking to put an extra something in Dads coffee.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

This might be cheating since the comic itself isn't really a gem, but for me it's Spider-Man #1, which I got signed on the cover by Todd McFarlene (2008 MLB Fan Fest signing) and then Stan Lee (2010 NY Comic Con signing).

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

Nothing too major. Some signed comics from Brian K. Vaughan and Bill Willingham.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

Pure speculation that didn't amount to anything; but I only paid about 75 cents for each copy. I bought about 20 copies of Batman Killing Joke and others that made up for it though. I just recently started selling the Killing Jokes for at least $50 each.

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

I don't recall what signed books I have. I know I got a signed Sin City #1 by Miller. Jim Lee signed a X-Force I think...

Re: What are the gems of your collection?
 

I used to have an All-Star Batman #1 signed by Frank Miller and/or Jim Lee (I don't remember at this point). I got it as a sign-up gift from CBLDF. It had zero sentimental value to me (I'm not particularly a fan of either creator) and I wound up selling it. I think I got $25 or so for it.