My Wife Thinks I'm Crazy Part 38

Stephanie walked into the office while I was sliding one of my new CGC-graded Conan comics into a resealable bag. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"Umm, putting these comics in bags," I said, stating the obvious.

"I can see that," she said, perplexed. "But why?"

"So the case doesn't get scratched," I said. The puzzled look on her face told me she was working another question in her head, one that would indicate that she clearly doesn't understand the things I do. So I held up a slabbed book in my left hand and grabbed another with my right. I mimicked putting the two together, trying to demonstrate that if they weren't bagged, the case would get scuffed up or worse.

"It's the comic that matters, right?" she asked. "And the shell thing protects that already. Why protect the thing that's protecting the comic?"

"That's true, but..." I started, thinking to myself, where does it end? Would I get a bag to protect the bag? Of course not, but I knew Stephanie wouldn't understand, so I changed tactics. "Look how great the book looks in the bag. Not sure what it is, but it really pops now."

She just laughed on the way out of the room. "You're crazy, dear. And I love you for it."

Why Oh Y do You Taunt Me So?

I was able to say no to the Ex Machina oversize hardcover that collects books I already own. I was able to say no to the Gotham Central oversize hardcover that collects books I already own. But DC has bested me. I simply don't see how I'm going to withstand knowing that there's a Y: The Last Man oversize hardcover that doesn't grace my shelf. I just couldn't take it.

I'm excited about my decision to buy this one. No second guessing this one. I'll enjoy the book many times I'm sure because it's the best series I've ever read. But I have opened the door to double dipping, and what's good for the goose is good for this gander, so I'm afraid it's only a matter of time before I start wondering if an upgraded version of Ex and Gotham wouldn't be welcome after all.

Mmmmm, Covers...

I've been known to buy comics solely for the covers. These books are never to be opened, just enjoyed behind a clean, shiny mylite2. Here's one I have my eye on today. I don't even know who the character is, but I'm considering adding it to my next order. It's the cover to New Exiles #9 ready to ship in August. Alexander Garner's colors are vibrant and enticing. I suppose the woman's face is a little too manaquin, but those colors...those beautiful, beautiful colors...

I also considered briefly the new Secret Invasion: X-Men #1, but then I realized that there were other characters on the cover other than Emma Frost. Once I spotted those other characters, I realized just how stupid the cover is and I crossed it from my list. Still, Emma's looking better than ever...

Of course, this is all fantasy. I won't buy either. Once you slap the title's logo on either of the books, they lose their luster. Besides, I have a house to buy.

The Final Chapter?

I went to Barnes and Noble to pick up another Star Wars book. After looking over 5-6 copies, I found one I could live with. Nothing particularly interesting about the book or the purchase, just the fact that I still collect these damn books without reading them. And with 95% of my book collection in boxes in my garage, I'm not even sure I can use the whole "but the spines look so cool on my shelf" reasoning.

Then again, this is the final chapter in the "Legacy of the Force" series. Now's my chance to quite for good. [cue laugh track]

Just Say No

Has it really been two weeks since I last posted? Time flies when you can't think about collecting. In the last couple of weeks, my mind has been focused on my new home pretty much non-stop, so not only have I not had money to devote to my hobbies, I haven't had time either.

But tonight I placed my order for comics shipping in July. I spent a whopping $41 with shipping. It's like, for the first time in years, I'm curbing my spending. Sure, I've spent under $50 before, but let's face it, anytime I did, it was more to do with the lack of interesting books and less to do with will power.

Not this time. Tonight I found plenty of books I'm interested in, I just decided to say no. And it worked. Who knew? So instead of spending money on comics, I'm saving it up so I can buy a lawn mower, or a new fridge, or the washer/dryer combo. Sure, it'd be cool to move into my new home with a bigger stack of things to read or a shorter list of cards on my list, but you know what? Buying a TV or patio furniture is more important right now.

Wait. Does this mean I've finally grown up? God, let's hope that doesn't last...

EDITED TO ADD: You know, it's funny. Despite all of what I said, I still managed to buy Savage Sword of Conan Volume 4. I still haven't finished volume 1 because I'm not even sure if I like it. So it's good to see that at least some things never change.

Third Time's a Charm

Today is my third wedding anniversary. That's right, three years ago today Stephanie and I tied the knot. It's the best thing I ever did, no question.

While we've been planning a few events for tonight, we've also been fantasizing about what we're going to do with our new house. That's right, just last night we signed the final paperwork that set the whole home buying experience in motion. We close on June 12.

The last few days, with the house and the anniversary talk in the air, I've completely forgotten about collecting. Jumping on eBay to find more football cards, or dusting my first edition books, or soaking in my favorite Adam Hughes covers has been the farthest thing from my mind. Throw the warm Spring weather in the mix and you get a tempered collector's mentality. I'm looking forward to a much needed break.

Although I don't foresee adding to my collections in the coming weeks, I do consider it a necessity to make some more cuts. First thing on the chopping blocks: My Marvel run of Star Wars comics. After that, I feel the dam about to burst. In other words, I don't imagine moving into the house with any comic books.

Let the selling begin...

Buy High, Sell Low

Trying to get rid of a few items to make room on my bookcase. For now, just a few unwanted hardcovers. Based on other eBay auctions, I'll be lucky to get even the cover price of one of these books, let alone price I paid for the bunch. But that's a risk I have to take with a home purchase in my future...

For those interested in what I'm offering up this first time around on eBay, check out my auctions.