What's the longest it's taken you to obtain a missing comic?

Kid Robson · Post by **Kid Robson** » 30 Sep 2013, 12:52

It took me 12 years to find a missing issue of Marvel's U.S. Doctor Who comic (#9), and there are some elusive issues it's taken me over 20 years to acquire. I don't mean comics I had as a kid that I wanted to own again, but new comics I was buying at the time they were issued, but for some reason or other missed an issue or two.

What's the longest it's taken you to track down an issue to complete your collection?

philcom55 · Post by **philcom55** » 30 Sep 2013, 13:08

It must have taken me 20 years to find a copy of Boys' World no.1, which had sold out when I arrived at the paper shop - and I still haven't got the free gift!

But my longest wait has probably been for Lady Penelope no.1 (with free 'Signet Ring'). I turned up straight after school on the advertised publication date in January 1966 with seven old pence in my hand, only to find that they'd been delivered (and instantly snapped up) the day before...and I still haven't found a copy 47 years later!

Of course, given the prices old copies of Lady Penelope now sell for I probably couldn't afford it even if I did see one!

- Phil R.

Kid Robson · Post by **Kid Robson** » 30 Sep 2013, 13:30

philcom55 wrote:It must have taken me 20 years to find a copy of Boys' World no.1, which had sold out when I arrived at the paper shop - and I still haven't got the free gift!

But my longest wait has probably been for Lady Penelope no.1 (with free 'Signet Ring'). I turned up straight after school on the advertised publication date in January 1966 with seven old pence in my hand, only to find that they'd been delivered (and instantly snapped up) the day before...and I still haven't found a copy 47 years later!

Of course, given the prices old copies of Lady Penelope now sell for I probably couldn't afford it even if I did see one!

- Phil R.

Phil, I actually had Lady Penelope #1. I remember my dad waking me one night when he came home from work and presenting it to me. I guess he'd spotted the TV21/Gerry Anderson connection and assumed I'd be interested. I don't remember ever buying another one, but it's always possible that I got the next two 'free gift' issues. Wouldn't mind another copy of #1 myself, now that I come to think about it.

stevezodiac · Post by **stevezodiac** » 30 Sep 2013, 14:09

I persuaded my sister to buy Lady Penelope number 1 which she did. But I never managed to keep the issue. She used to buy Fabulous 208 in the late 60s early 70s.

ISPYSHHHGUY · Post by **ISPYSHHHGUY** » 30 Sep 2013, 23:20

I've recounted the following deed endless times on here, but seeing you are 'new', Robbo, it qualifies as a repeat:

---I can't quite equal Phil's 47-years-and-still-counting Lady Penelope, waiting period, but I had a pretty long, agonizing wait for SPARKY circa 1969: this material haunted my head until copies were finally located in 2007: Thirty-eight years later!

Included therein was my favourite-ever comics storyline , amongst other treats.

The earliest copies were stolen by 'mates' in my class, and the rest were destroyed by my mother, who insisted on burning them, the same week after I had read them, an act that caused me endless anguish........

Quite remarkably, the entire run of 1969-70 SPARKYS turned up on e-bay the very first day I got online: they were good quality but quite expensive*, and cost me over a weeks' wages, but it was a price I was more than willing to pay---these comics were the equivalent of the Mona Lisa or Michealangelo to me!

* this worked out in my favour---they were pricey to the point that there were no other takers

babington · Post by **babington** » 30 Sep 2013, 23:27

I have been trying to get a copy of Beano no. 1178 from February 13, 1965 for about five years! One came up in Phil Comics' auction this week, but it was part of a year run that I couldn't afford

klakadak-ploobadoof · Post by **klakadak-ploobadoof** » 01 Oct 2013, 08:40

Yesterday I bought a copy of the Dandy No. 1129 from 1963, the last one I needed to complete my set of the issues that had colour strips by Ken Reid on the back cover in the period 1960 – 1964 (Ali Ha Ha and Big Head and Thick Head).

Perhaps I should have posted this in the What-comics-did-you-buy-today thread but it took me 6 years to get hold of a copy of that last missing issue and complete the set so I thought I might very well do it here.

tony ingram · Post by **tony ingram** » 01 Oct 2013, 08:44

In late 1977, I picked up this issue of Wonder Woman, a title I'd never normally have bothered with, from Fosdicks in Penge while shopping with my Nan, purely because of the cover. It featured a guest appearance from the Golden Age Flash, a character I had never seen before and was totally baffled by (not having previously been aware of DC's multiple Earths concept) but who quickly became, and has remained ever since, my all-time favourite American comics character.

Unfortunately, the story (concerning the Duke of Deception duping WW into running amok in 1940s New York) was concluded in the next issue, and due to the erratic distribution of DC Comics in Britain back then, I never saw it.

I finally found a copy last year, and read the last part of the story 35 years after I'd started it.

ISPYSHHHGUY · Post by **ISPYSHHHGUY** » 01 Oct 2013, 09:31

a cracking cover, Tony: was the ending worth waiting on/different to your expectations, then?

Kid Robson · Post by **Kid Robson** » 01 Oct 2013, 12:45

Some great stories on here, thanks for responding to the thread everybody. Way back in the '60s I bought World's Finest #178, which was the first of a two-parter. 179 was an unconnected Giant-Size issue, with 180 containing the conclusion to 178. I've still to acquire and read it, around 45 years later. Hope to do so one day in the not-too-distant future.

tony ingram · Post by **tony ingram** » 01 Oct 2013, 15:36

ISPYSHHHGUY wrote:a cracking cover, Tony: was the ending worth waiting on/different to your expectations, then?

Not bad! Wonder Woman is duped into attacking the US Navy and ends up being hunted by her own side, but it's all sorted out by the end. This was an interesting period for that title, as they'd basically turned the comic over to the wartime adventures of the original Wonder Woman in order to reflect what kids were seeing in the first season of the Lynda Carter TV series. The only places you could regularly find the modern day Wonder Woman were in Justice League of America and Super Friends, rather than in her own title!

colcool007 · Post by **colcool007** » 01 Oct 2013, 17:17

I suppose mine is 12 years. I always wanted to know how Invasion! finished in 2000AD. I eventually picked up a copy in a comic shop in Exeter in 1989!

ISPYSHHHGUY · Post by **ISPYSHHHGUY** » 01 Oct 2013, 22:10

At the risk of restoking controversial flames, perhaps some of these missing numbers detailed above are available on 'dodgy DVD': not that I would officially sanction such works with a seal of approval, of course.......

helsbels · Post by **helsbels** » 02 Oct 2013, 07:58

It took me 28 years to locate the 8 missing issues of Misty I needed to plug the gaps in my collection! I had 8 early issues from 1978 missing (I had the first three issues and a complete set of weekly comics from mid 1978 onwards, plus all the specials, monthlies and annuals). I'm not sure why I hadn't held onto those particular issues at the time, but I managed to find them all once I discovered ebay back in 2006. I have to say they were well worth the wait, though.

Peter Gray · Post by **Peter Gray** » 02 Oct 2013, 19:04

klakadak-ploobadoof
Post subject: Re: What's the longest it's taken you to obtain a missing coUnread postPosted: Tue Oct 01, 2013 7:40 am
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Yesterday I bought a copy of the Dandy No. 1129 from 1963,

Well done!!

Amazing to have all these great comics of Ken Reid's work...I really hope you do a book on him...hopefully DC Thomson would give permission..as you know such a lot about Ken Reid already and would be perfect to do this long over due book...maybe as a print on demand type...just thinking aloud...