Where do you go from here...

As I'm coming ever closer to filling my want-list, I've been pondering for the last few months what will happen once I have all the comic books I ever wanted ?

I've lost practically all interest in new books and my backissue want-list that once was 12-sheets long now only sports 11 single comics. Granted most are expensive, but if I wasn't such a tightwad I could probably all get them before the end of the week.

But what then ?? What do you do when all your goals have been achieved ?? Move the goalposts ?
Upgrading certain issues could be considered, among my +- 9000 comics there must be about 50 - 100 which have covers I truly love and would consider getting in high grade. But what for ? To just stare at the covers while reading the lower grade issue ?
Does a great cover become even better when you have it in NM 9.4 ?...I truly don't know

Part of me thinks upgrading isn't such a bad idea, but part of me (the part that HATES to have double issues of *ANY* comic) thinks it's just throwing money at phantoms.

Another avenue could be to diversify...collect even more series. But which ones ? There aren't a lot of series out there which I really like (and haven't already completed)...What If? Vol #1 comes to mind, but that's about $200 for the full series, not much of a challenge. Other publishers ? I don't even like Silver Age DC all that much, I would dread to read Charlton or Gold Key books, let alone collect them (apologies to collectors of these books, but I'm just a jaded, shallow Marvel Zombie)

Just give up, and let my collection just sit there and gather dust, or even worse sell it ?? Not particularly inviting is it.

Maybe Original Art is the key, a whole new area of collecting, tightly connected to the Comics I already have, and hard to find, as each page is one-of-a-kind. Only trouble is that unlike with Silver Age comics you HAVE to pay the price the piece is worth. If you want a copy of Avengers #4 but can't or won't pay a cool grand for a high grade copy, well you just buy a VG copy for 20% of the price. Not going to happen with original art. One of a kind remember...

I'm looking into it right now, it's getting me exited again and is feeding my collector's addiction. The real downside is that I will need to get rid of a big chunk of my collection of books just to buy a few choice pieces of art.
And once I get rid of the books, will I enjoy the art as much....

Told you it wasn't easy

But looking at this glorious piece of art and other like it should help me make up my mind


Kirby draws Doom vs Thing



You should see the scan in the Gallery part of the Blog on the right, if you then drag it to your browser's address bar you should see it in all its glory