I am a collect-aholic! I've known since I was very young that, the moment I acquired a part of a toy line, comic, or any collectable thing - that I had to get it all.

Heroclix has been like that for me, since the beginning. G.I. Joe and Transformers figures, Uncanny X-Men comics, Superman comics, and any comic that had Sabretooth, Hobgoblin and Joker dominated my collecting when I was younger.

It's kind of funny actually. I work with people who have developmental disabilities. A good portion have what we refer to jokingly as the phone gene. The phone is the end all, and be all of their existence. If there's a problem, they have to call everyone within their support circle (social workers, providers, etc). The same goes for when they are happy, or are just plain bored.

When it comes to collecting, I have a "gotta have 'em all" gene. It makes everything that much sweeter, when you put as much effort in acquiring things that you've missed, as you do into reading or playing them. To me, it's half the fun. Kind of like-it's not the destination, so much as the journey you take to get there.

My desire to do this fades in an out. Sometimes I come as close to obsession as you can. I get in the zone and get to acquiring things. Then it passes for a time. Then it comes back with a fervor.

My recent foray into acquiring The Age of Apocalypse story line, is a prime example. In the last week, I've manged to acquire 5 of the mini series that are part of the story line. Where as before, I went for a long time with just the first issues of Gambit & the Externals and Amazing X-Men. If all goes right, by next week, I will have acquired all 42 issues.

So as I draw near the end, I started looking at the other series I've been trying to finish off, over the last few years. And I have a list along with what I believe I need to complete them:

JLA- If all goes right, by next week, I will only be missing issues 2-5.

Ultimate X-Men- I need isues 2-14

Rise of Apocalypse- missing 2 issues.

JLA: Year One - missing 2 issues

The Darkness vol 1- missinig about 28 issues.

Sojourn- Missing about 19 issues.

The Flash vol 2- trying to acquire all of Johns' issues-missing about 13 issues.

X-Men/New X-Men - missing the first 120 issues

Wolverine (current series) - missing the first half of the series.

JSA- Missing about 20 issues

Anyway, those are off the top of my head. My goal is to finish all of those at somepoint.

There are some trades I'd like to get as well, but those listed above tend to be my focus.

Are there any that you'd like to complete like that? If so, what are they?

It's Ultimate Spider-Man for me. I started reading it(and comics for that matter) at the end of Warriors. So first I said to myself "Ok Spider-Man is just awesome, and since I started playing Clix, I started reading a 'few' comics" and thus I went to different shops collecting the Warriors series. What a series! I then said "Ok Ultimate Spider-Man is cool! I'm going to keep collecting" and right now I have most of the issues from 50-current. I'm missing about 10 though(Including Carnage, which I will aquire soon.) So collecting every issue of this is a huge goal that I will accomplish eventually. There are other titles that I would love to get every issue of(Uncanny X-Men, Amazing Spider-Man) but those would be near impossible for me. I really need to start searching for a title that came out a while ago, and is good, that I can pick up an issue of it every week.

I started collecting Punisher comics when I was about 10 or 11. You know how they say the first comic you read usually ends up as your favorite? Mine was a wolverine comic and I hate him lol. I have every issue of Punisher series' and specials. It took a very long time to get current. I never spent so much money on comics before lol. It's the only thing I'm rabid with collecting. Oh and Nine Inch Nails recordings. Every remix, every version, live, bootlegs lol. Punisher and NIN, they go together quite well actually.

I'll be in WWC in a few weeks, looking to fill a few holes in my collection. Here's a few things I'll be searching for:

Our Army at War(DC). Classic Joe Kubert. I have about 50 issues. A lot of holes to fill here. They're getting expensive.
Sandman Mystery Theater(DC-Vertigo) 8-16, 59-up. Great series by Matt Wagner and Guy Davis. 25 cent boxes, here I come.
Special Marvel Edition(Marvel) Featuring the Master of Kung Fu. Art by Jim Starlin. Special Marvel Edition became Master of Kung Fu with issue 17.
Master of Kung Fu(Marvel) See above. Art by Paul Gulacy. 17-20,25-31,43 and on. I should be able to find a lot of these.
Nexus(Capital/First) What a great series by Baron and Rude. Looking for 15,17-20.
X-Men(Marvel). I need 17 issues between 94-117. Very pricey, I'll be looking for lower grade 'reader' copies.
The Occult Files of Dr. Spektor(Gold Key) One of Gold Key's more obscure titles with nice painted covers. I need 6 issues to complete the set.
Conan the Barbarian(Marvel) Roy Thomas, Barry Smith, John Buscema. Lotsa holes between 2-50. Barbarian badness at its best.
Unknown Worlds(ACG) Post EC Craig, Williamson. Ditko. Great stuff, still affordable. I only have a handful of issues, plenty to fill in.

After the Con, I'll post how I did in my search, if anyone is interested.

I agree, NIN could easily have been on the Punisher soundtrack.

Man, what I wouldn't give to have my run of X-Men back. IIRC I had from issue 97-256 uninterrupted. If I'm wrong, I'm off by an issue on either side.


Anyway, please do post how you do.

Ooh, that was a nice run! There are some terrific stories in there, and those Cockrum and Byrne/Austin covers are my all-time Marvel favorites!

Yeah, it was. :disappoin Those books were, and forever will be my all-time favs. Too bad I can't afford to reacquire them.

I'll spare you the endless monologue on "great series/runs" I have collected in my time...

The All-new All-Different Uncanny X-Men is WAY up there. I'm lucky enough to still have the entire run bar GS #1 and #94 (i.e. the MOST expensive issues) but can really vouch for the Marvel HB BIG reprint of the early issues released this year. It's an excellent copy reproduction and you get a shed-load of issues (in colour) for a fraction of the market price. you KNOW it makes sense.

Cheers - StellarX

I've got a couple of long runs for both Green Lantern and Thor. I took quite a bit of time off from comics (about 15 years) and just recently got back into it thanks to Heroclix. At this point, my "completist" genes are being fed by trying to complete my clix collection. But now, I'm contemplating just how much it would take to fill in the few holes I have in those two runs.

Thanks a lot, Darth Sabre

Hey no problem. Glad I could be of some help!

Seriously though- I was anti-trade, until I realized that getting trades saves me money, and kills my desire to go after each and every title.

Right now, I'm one Essential X-Men trade away from restoring most of my Uncanny X-Men run (just need to get Vol 7, before Vol 8 comes out). Sure it's not the same as having the issues, but now I can move forward.

I had X-men GS#1 94-256. I'm pretty sure I had more. Was the Mutant Massacre like 312-315? I think I gave up after the X-tinction Agenda.

My Unicorn is to get Miracleman #1 and #24 (The last issue of the Silver Age storyline) #1 I read about 20 years ago but never purchased it because it was a partial story and $1.95 a comic was considered ridiculous to pay.

I wish they get all that legal stuff taken care of so the Dark Ages (Return of Kid Miracleman) could finally see print. Sentry is a good substitute though more needs to be done with him.

Mutant Massacre ran through Uncanny X-Men #210-214.

I really need issues #2-19 of Lucifer. I refuse to buy the trades.

you're busting my balls, kenny, you're busting my balls

Yeah, I've got no problem using trades to fill out the collection. In fact, I've been getting just the trades of some new issues (Ultimates, Supreme Power/Squadron Supreme, Ultimate FF).