I once was lost, but now am found... *Epic Story*

How did you become a VALIANT collector?

Moderators: Daniel Jackson, greg

Post Reply
Aram
I'm just glad it was pretty good, long and drawn out. (that's what she said.)
I'm just glad it was pretty good, long and drawn out. (that's what she said.)
Posts: 3292
Joined: Sat May 05, 2012 9:38:00 pm
Valiant fan since: Unity
Favorite character: Tie between Flo and Andy
Favorite title: Archer and Armstrong
Favorite writer: The ones that wrote 4 Valiant.
Location: Here, there, at some point everywhere.
I once was lost, but now am found... *Epic Story*

Post by Aram »

My Epic Valiant Story; :D

Though things are a bit fuzzy in the beginning, I know I for sure that I began collecting comics in the beginning of the speculative craze about 1-2 months after Unity. It all started after seeing "The death of Superman" on the news. I immediately looked up my local comic shop's number and called to ask if they had any copies left. I bought 2 and promptly opened 1.

Within a few months I was reading Wizard Magazine and going to shows, though I was literally poor and 13 at the time and really couldn't afford to buy much of anything. I would go door to door asking to mow lawns and do anything I could to raise cash to feed my comic book addiction. What started as an interest in the entire industry narrowed within 2 years to solely valiant.

I sold/traded every one of my non-Valiant comics so that I could get more Valiant. In a time that other comics cost $1.25, Valiant was 2.25 to 2.50. Unity prices were $10-$40+ per issue and anything prior was a pipe dream to me. At an approximate income of $30 per month total from every source I could scrape up at the time... there was just no other way to continue but to sell off my few my non-Valiant comics. I remember vividly daydreaming about winning the "Every Valiant Comic" when Secret Weapons #1 came out.

Then I remember the decline.. the market beginning to crash.. My local comic shop began to toss Valiant comics in the $3.00 for 10 comic grab bags. I worked out a deal to let me pick out 10 Valiant's for $5.00. It was the high point of my collecting years. At that time I was only signed up for Second Life of Doctor Mirage in my "Comic Saver", because my second comic; Archer and Armstrong had been apparently been canceled. It was 1995, my income had dropped to about $15-$20 per month and I had got every cheap Valiant my local shop had at a discount. Then I went into the shop to get my one comic I was buying still...

The Second Life of Doctor Mirage #18. They didn't have it.

My collecting days were over. My Valiant days were over. I found out 2 months later that it Second Life of Doctor Mirage was cancelled, and I never did get that last issue. I was *SQUEE* at Acclaim and angry at Valiant for selling out.

Within a year I traded my small but still prized entire comic collection which consisted of 3/4ths of a SHORT box for a Turbo Grafx CD to a friend, which I regretfully sold at a yard sale within a year because my income had gone down to $0-$5 from all sources at the age of 16.

Fast forward half a decade or so...

I stop by my Local Comic Shop that I first went to when I was 7 years old... just for nostalgia sake.

I see the new (2001)Catwoman #2 with it's retro inspired cover and I'm hooked and pick up Issue 1 for $4 and start a new saver.

I am a young adult with a minimum wage paying job, no transportation but I at least have some small disposable income and I live within half a mile of my job.

Not long after I am driving down the street with a friend and we see a sign... "Comics Shop GOING OUT OF BUSINESS". As we both collected comics together in our youth we decide to stop by to check it out.

25 cents per comic or $40. per Long box. They had near complete runs of the common Valiants...

I left with 2 long boxes. one was 75% Valiant, no doubles. I had reclaimed 75% or more of my hard earned comic collection of my youth in one fell swoop for $80.

Within a week I had discovered Valiantcomics.com and was now on the road to "Recovery". :wink:

About 4 or 5 years pass, I obtain a vehicle and I slowly build up my collection where ever I can find the missing pieces for prices I could afford. I send in my email and post my collection on valiantfans... I'm at over 50%! Far more than I ever dreamed I would have.

Fast forward another Half a decade or so... I get married, have kids, get a decent lower-middle class job... discover the evils of eBay... and lo and behold! Valiant is coming back! And I have all regular issues and some of the variants! I then see an eBay listing for All the GOLDS... $420 shipped... OUCH...

Not in my budget... financially strapping to be blunt... but thankfully I have an understanding wife that has been with me for the last 1/2 a decade and knows how much I love me some Valiant.

Which brings me back here to the ValiantFans Forum... where I don't believe I ever stopped to post before.

I received the Golds in the mail Just this last week and with a few items picked up here and there, I am now down to 49 items in the VH1 Universe left to find!

For some perspective earlier this week, I did some serious soul-searching and then asked my wife; "What would you be willing to sell all the Valiant for right now if someone was at the door with CASH?" She asked me; "Well what did you pay for them?" I replied; "About $1300. and over 11 years tracking them down.", She said after a pause; "Well probably $2000 then."

I smile, turn to her and replied; "You know what someone would honestly have to offer me for me to actually even begin to think about selling them?"

"About Ten Thousand Dollars."

"Wow", she replied. "Are they worth that?", she asked. I said, "No, they are probably worth about $1300 to $2000 tops on the market and only then to someone that wants them as a complete set." "But, that's what they are honestly worth to me after 11 years of trying to find them."
It's not that I don't have an avatar... I've just been working on it for the last few hundred years.

User avatar
greg
The admin around here must be getting old and soft.
The admin around here must be getting old and soft.
Posts: 22861
Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2004 9:39:27 am
Valiant fan since: Rai #0
Favorite character: Depends on title
Favorite title: Depends on writer
Favorite writer: Depends on artist
Favorite artist: Depends on character
Location: Indoors
Contact:
Re: I once was lost, but now am found... *Epic Story*

Post by greg »

:clap: Welcome!

User avatar
myron
I do embrace my inner geekdom
I do embrace my inner geekdom
Posts: 16277
Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2004 10:37:59 am
Valiant fan since: 1991
Favorite character: Gilad
Favorite title: Pre-Unity Harbinger
Location: watertown, wi
Re: I once was lost, but now am found... *Epic Story*

Post by myron »

Nice!

now keep posting...
Why waste time learning, when ignorance is instantaneous?

User avatar
caniac
the hole just keeps getting deeper
the hole just keeps getting deeper
Posts: 3688
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2007 2:41:24 pm
Valiant fan since: 1992
Favorite character: XO Manowar
Favorite title: XO Manowar
Favorite writer: Robert Venditti
Location: the beach
Re: I once was lost, but now am found... *Epic Story*

Post by caniac »

Nice story...welcome! :thumb:
Image

User avatar
MoonChild
I HAVE NO INTENT ON BEING PATIENT!
I HAVE NO INTENT ON BEING PATIENT!
Posts: 4351
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2007 1:14:53 am
Valiant fan since: 1992
Favorite character: BloodShot
Favorite title: Harbinger
Favorite writer: Dysart
Re: I once was lost, but now am found... *Epic Story*

Post by MoonChild »

Great read! Looks like You got onboard literally right after me and we were around the same age! I got onboard the day of the Death Of Superman came out with BloodShot #1. That same day I got a few others too A&A, EW, RAI. Didn't get hooked on all things Valiant till 2007 though! I was only into BloodShot as a kid, was my Fav along with Wolvie n Punshier.

I left with 2 long boxes. one was 75% Valiant, no doubles. I had reclaimed 75% or more of my hard earned comic collection of my youth in one fell swoop for $80. :clap:


Oh, and welcome! Your package is on my table, should go out tomorrow or monday the latest :thumb:
Image
Click the Sig, Hear Something Different!
http://www.reverbnation.com/lexmoon
Also, Check my reverbnation page^

User avatar
iggy101us
I bought my first comics at Kwik-E-Mart
I bought my first comics at Kwik-E-Mart
Posts: 8966
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2007 9:12:20 am
Location: Calizona Sector, North Am
Contact:
Re: I once was lost, but now am found... *Epic Story*

Post by iggy101us »

Welcome . . . the evils of eBay . . . :lol:

User avatar
kevinbastos
I felt 'used car salesman' kind of dirty.
I felt 'used car salesman' kind of dirty.
Posts: 3868
Joined: Wed Apr 06, 2011 1:34:06 pm
Valiant fan since: 1992
Favorite character: Rai
Favorite title: Quantum & Woody
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Contact:
Re: I once was lost, but now am found... *Epic Story*

Post by kevinbastos »

iggy101us wrote:Welcome . . . the evils of eBay . . . :lol:
No kidding. Welcome!
Hey, look! I have a podcast!
And a Website!
http://www.valiantnewuniverse.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


If I win an argument, it doesn't mean I'm right. It means I'm a better arguer.

In addition, I'm right.

User avatar
MrBigFeathas
My posts can all fit in a short box
My posts can all fit in a short box
Posts: 193
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2005 1:41:26 pm
Valiant fan since: 1992
Favorite character: Gilad/Rai
Favorite title: X-O Manowar
Location: Bay Area, CA
Re: I once was lost, but now am found... *Epic Story*

Post by MrBigFeathas »

Welcome, it is awesome to have a wife that supports your habit.
My Collection: http://comicbookdb.com/collection.php?ID=50094" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

User avatar
caxiotis
Wang, Wang, Wang, I want all of your books.
Wang, Wang, Wang, I want all of your books.
Posts: 3314
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2007 3:28:45 pm
Valiant fan since: 1991
Location: Des Moines, IA
Re: I once was lost, but now am found... *Epic Story*

Post by caxiotis »

Welcome
Pull List: I only buy TPB's, HC's and Hellboy comics

Aram
I'm just glad it was pretty good, long and drawn out. (that's what she said.)
I'm just glad it was pretty good, long and drawn out. (that's what she said.)
Posts: 3292
Joined: Sat May 05, 2012 9:38:00 pm
Valiant fan since: Unity
Favorite character: Tie between Flo and Andy
Favorite title: Archer and Armstrong
Favorite writer: The ones that wrote 4 Valiant.
Location: Here, there, at some point everywhere.
Re: I once was lost, but now am found... *Epic Story*

Post by Aram »

MrBigFeathas wrote:Welcome, it is awesome to have a wife that supports your habit.
She may not support it anymore once she finds out how much I paid today for my QR Variant... lol... facepalm
It's not that I don't have an avatar... I've just been working on it for the last few hundred years.

User avatar
MrBigFeathas
My posts can all fit in a short box
My posts can all fit in a short box
Posts: 193
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2005 1:41:26 pm
Valiant fan since: 1992
Favorite character: Gilad/Rai
Favorite title: X-O Manowar
Location: Bay Area, CA
Re: I once was lost, but now am found... *Epic Story*

Post by MrBigFeathas »

Aram wrote:
MrBigFeathas wrote:Welcome, it is awesome to have a wife that supports your habit.
She may not support it anymore once she finds out how much I paid today for my QR Variant... lol... facepalm
Lol, nice. My wife supported me through finishing my Spidey collection. The Valiant stuff not so much.
My Collection: http://comicbookdb.com/collection.php?ID=50094" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

User avatar
Daniel Jackson
A toast to the return of Valiant!
A toast to the return of Valiant!
Posts: 38007
Joined: Mon Jun 21, 2004 8:33:38 pm
Re: I once was lost, but now am found... *Epic Story*

Post by Daniel Jackson »

Welcome.

User avatar
jmatt
Mmm, I was drooling over Cooshie tonight.
Mmm, I was drooling over Cooshie tonight.
Posts: 11026
Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2012 2:41:10 pm
Location: Lehigh Valley, PA!
Re: I once was lost, but now am found... *Epic Story*

Post by jmatt »

Aram wrote:I was *SQUEE* at Acclaim and angry at Valiant for selling out.
Weird. Those are the exact words I was planning on having carved on my tombstone.

Welcome!

User avatar
betterthanezra
Wanna see an unpublished Shadowman page?
Wanna see an unpublished Shadowman page?
Posts: 12342
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 12:18:28 am
Valiant fan since: 1991
Favorite writer: Josh Dysart
Location: Scoot over, I have to get in behind you.
Re: I once was lost, but now am found... *Epic Story*

Post by betterthanezra »

:thumb: Welcome

-Brian
I'm on Twitter follow me

https://twitter.com/#!/shadowsip" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My Valiant story here

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=6932" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

User avatar
comicsyte95
It's Porktastic!!!
It's Porktastic!!!
Posts: 9572
Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2008 7:30:20 pm
Location: somewhere in the valiant universe
Re: I once was lost, but now am found... *Epic Story*

Post by comicsyte95 »

Welcome! :thumb:
If I just can't be me ,and the Arrow isn't enough.. then maybe I should be Ra's al Ghul


Post Reply