2015, a good year for collecting comics?

[Adam Eterno]

I've just had a look back on my purchases and sales for 2015 and hadn't really realised how active I'd been! It looks as if I've been on a buying spree but although I've spent a fair amount, easily the most in a year ever, I have sold quite a few duplicates and extras that came with the particular comic I was after so I don't think I have to have a chat with the Bank Manager.....yet. I have massively improved my collection though!

How has everyone else done? Have I been excessive, average or a lightweight in comparison?

I may have missed a couple of purchases and haven't added my acquisition of recently issued comics such as Chrononauts, Johnny Red and Surface Tension but my list for 2015 in no particular order reads:

War picture Library 1 & 2,
Pow #1 with gift,
Hornet #1, #2 with gift, #3 with gift and #4 with gift,
Terrific #2 wfg,
Valiant #1 free gift only,
Fantastic #54 wfg,
Target (1972) 1 & 2 with free gifts,
Scorcher 1 wfg & #2 wfg,
Jag #1 wfg,
Warlord #3 wfg,
Cheeky #1 wfg,
Krazy #1 wfg,
Monster Fun #1 wfg,
Joe 90 #2 free gift only,
School Days 1-12,
Cor#1 wfg,
Vulcan #2 wfg,
Striker #1 wfg,
Boy’s Magazine (1922) #1 wfg & #3 wfg,
Solo #1 & #2,
Tarzan Weekly #1 wfg,
Rocket #1 (1923) wfg,
War at Sea Picture Library #1,
Shiver & Shake #1,
Club Library War #1,
Bullet #1, & #3 wfg,
Plug #1 wfg,
Commando #1,
Hulk Comic #1 wfg,
Wham #2,
Boys World #1,
Zip #2 wfg,
Film Fun (1920) #1,
Swift #1, 2 & 3,
Pecos Bill #1,
Goofy #1,
Knowledge Magazine #1,
Toytown #1 gift only,
Pippen #1,
Buzz #2,
Cracker #3 wfg,
Huckleberry Hound Weekly #2,
Fantastic Tales #1,
Jackpot #1 wfg,
A full year of Adventure 1957, 2 years of Wizard 1960 & 61 and a Full set of Crunch!

Phew! Some/many are better versions of an existing comic in my collection so I have hopefully sold on the duplicate quickly to recoup my costs. There have also been a couple of dozen additional purchases just because they were going cheap and I sold them on quickly to help fund the above!

Excessive?

[SID]

Over twelve months? I don't think so.

I must admit that since I have moved up north to be with my partner (and hence less bills), I have been enjoying myself collecting wise.

[Adam Eterno]

Over twelve months? I don't think so.

I must admit that since I have moved up north to be with my partner (and hence less bills), I have been enjoying myself collecting wise.

Here's to an even more successful 2016 of collecting then!

[Adam Eterno]

I can now add the complete set of Avengers from 1-148 including the gifts to #1 and #2 that I bought this morning. I've been after the transfers to #1 for years. I already have the set so I'll be swapping over issues to hopefully improve the quality of my set before selling the remaining set on Ebay. I've also won 13 comic free gifts, all football related, from the 50s and 60s. I recognise some of them but not all so will be doing a little research when they turn up.

[Shiner]

Thanks for sharing this with us - I love the collecting part of comics and admire what you've picked up. Tell me, do you have a "holy grail" that you're still seeking?

[Adam Eterno]

Thanks for sharing this with us - I love the collecting part of comics and admire what you've picked up. Tell me, do you have a "holy grail" that you're still seeking?

Commando #1 was my Holy Grail previously but I asked myself the same question after I managed to get it and I would really love to get Valiant #1, Eagle Volume 1 or Tiger #1. I'd of course love to have the 1st issues of any of DC Thomson's Big 5 or the Beano #1 but I think they are out of my league!

Is there any in particular that you're after?

[Shiner]

Well I've moved into the original art market and I'd love to have the cover to Mighty World of Marvel No.1 - I know it exists as I once swapped e-mails with the original owner but, hey, I've got the cover of No.3 so close!

Holy grails are great aren't they. It's like climbing a mountain, reaching the top and then grabbing a view of a larger mountain. Good luck with yours. I'm sure you'll land one of them in 2016.

Anyone else want to mention theirs?

[philcom55]

The funny thing about Valiant #1 is that, with the exception of the Steel Claw, I don't think Valiant was a very good comic until it merged with Knockout.

My own holy grails would be the original art for one of Ron Embleton's 'Wrath of the Gods' spreads, or Eric Bradbury's header illustration for Jason Hyde.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

I quite like VALIANT all the way through, Phil: like a stick of comic Blackpool rock........but then again I am hopelessly biased towards UK comics of the 60s and early 70s.


Yes eventually it became really bizarre,---Giant ape-robot Mytek the Mighty racing through the skies using a jet-pack circa 1965------- but that quirkiness of bringing in Spanish artists added a real sense of vitality and uniqueness to the proceedings---I do love VALIANT, UK comics History would have been poorer without this comic in my view.


This was the best IPC 'boys' comic' before the mid-70s UK boys' comic reappraisal started by WARLORD, I reckon.

My own Holy Grail regarding comics as yet un-obtained?


---Believe it or not, it's the short-run GIGGLE [1967]


I have never laid eyes on this comic---other than a few front-page scans seen on here-------in almost half a Century.


Like Valiant, I appreciated the mix of British and European artists in Giggle: LUCKY LUKE, being the prime contender here, of course......

[TwoHeadedBoy]

No idea at all - got a lot of comics this year, and the online purchases should be easy enough to figure out, but all the ones picked up in shops and fairs and so on, plus freebies sent to me by various folk... It'd take a long time to figure out.

I shall resolve to keep track in 2016. Maybe.

[Adam Eterno]

No idea at all - got a lot of comics this year, and the online purchases should be easy enough to figure out, but all the ones picked up in shops and fairs and so on, plus freebies sent to me by various folk... It'd take a long time to figure out.

I shall resolve to keep track in 2016. Maybe.

I know what you mean. I compiled my list predominantly from ebay wins but forgot to add pressies, other auction wins, shop buys etc. I'm too busy in my spare time looking for new comics to keep track of everything I've bought!

[suebutcher]

It's been a good year by my standards; I found around 120 British comics at low Australian prices, and splurged out on a Ranger No.1. My Holy Grail remains those damned elusive 1965 TV Comics, particularly Nos. 691 and 693, bought with holiday money on the Norfolk Broads and fondly remembered.

I agree about Valiant, ISPY. There are things in it I don't care for, but in the era when it had both Kelly's Eye and Steel Claw it was unbeatable. And the Nutts were better than mangy old Mowser.

[blaing]

Sue, you are not the only one looking for a 1965 issue of TV Comic. I am looking for in particular, No. 688 (and the December 19, 1964 issue)

For me it has been a productive year, but I have spent the year more on Buy It Now purchases. I have only been involved in six auctions this year, of the six, I only lost one. My most recent being a bundle of Nutty comics (including the final issue)

[philcom55]

Of course, Kelly's Eye was originally a Knockout strip (as was the excellent Prof. Kraken). I still think Knockout ought to have swallowed Valiant rather than the other way round.

[Adam Eterno]

I missed all of the Valiant mergers as I lived abroad in the early 70s with access only to US comics such as Archie, Snoopy etc and then I found Marvel. I returned in '74 and Valiant was my first UK comic love and it had already merged with Lion, Knockout, TV21 etc. I didn't read earlier Valiants until I was a "Grown up".