It began one day in late 1985 at a comic shop where I was busy spending my allowance at an after-Christmas sale. I had been buying comics for about a year after spending the previous 2 years using my not-so-hard-earned money to buy G.I. Joe toys. It was the G.I. Joe comic, that I received for my birthday in 1984, which renewed my interest in comics. G.I. Joe was a Marvel comic, but all my other favorite were published by DC. As I flipped through back issues of the Flash at the store that day, I overheard a conversation that shocked me. Little did I know at the time, that conversation would set me on a quest that still continues decades later. What did I overhear? I heard another customer speaking to a store employee. This customer claimed that he owned every DC comic. My 12 year old mind had no way of knowing the magnitude of his claim. Several years later I realized how unlikely his claim was. It is possible I misunderstood the conversation, or that the man was exaggerating. In any case my mind was set on the idea, so I set out to accomplish this same feat.

The Holy Grail

The first step on my quest was to make sure that I was buying all the current DC titles. I was already buying most of them. Initially I added the few remaining super-hero titles to my list. Then, beginning with the FEB 1987 cover dated issues, I bought every new DC book off the stands, a practice which continued without fail for more 20 years. The next step was to work my way through the back issues. With the help of Overstreet's Price Guide I compiled a list of all the books published by DC since the company was created. While building that list I grasped the magnitude of what I was attempting. DC had been around 50 years and many of the early issues were worth more money than a (now 13 year old) kid could imagine. Nevertheless I began my chase toward a seemingly unattainable goal. Beginning with recent super-hero titles and continuing into the other genres, I tracked down and bought the books I needed to complete the collection. I meticulously tracked my inventory and my list of needed books. (SIDE NOTE: From 1989-1994 I bought every Marvel and books from other publishers too, but I had to give those up to afford additional DC purchases.)

Why did I continue this obsessive goal once I had realized the scope of it? Why not? I enjoy the hobby immensely. It has now become a point of personal honor and pride. Many local collectors and dealers know of my painstaking pursuit and support my efforts. I had local newspaper articles written about me, and I made appearance on a local morning show. This encouragement strengthened my will to continue toward my goal. Most of all though, I do it for fun! But why DC? DC is the greatest! They have my favorite characters, stories, and history. Some day, with enough effort and lots of $, I might even achieve my goal of owning every DC book ever published; even my personal Holy Grail -- Action Comics #1. ..... Someday .....