Warning: I had to pick between a full run of a comic or a single key issue for my collection budget

Last month, I had exactly $400 saved for my collection and faced a tough call. I could either buy the complete 12-issue run of 'The Last Ronin' in nice condition, or spend it all on a graded copy of Amazing Spider-Man #300, the first full appearance of Venom. I went with the full run because I wanted the whole story to read and share with my nephew. It felt like the right choice for a fan who loves the hobby, not just the value. But now I see that key issue's price has jumped again, and I'm wondering if I made a mistake focusing on reading over investing. Has anyone else had to choose between story and speculation, and how did you feel about it later?

3 comments

3 Comments

ben_fisher9d ago

Watched my buddy Dave sell his whole 'Saga' run to buy a single graded X-Men #1, thinking it was a smart flip. He made a decent profit, yeah, but he still complains about missing those books every time we talk comics. Says the cash didn't replace the fun of having the complete story on his shelf.

riley_gibson199d ago

Heard a collector say you can always buy back a key issue, but you can't rebuy the time spent hunting a full run.

fisher.jessica9d ago

My cousin did something similar with his old video game collection. He traded a bunch of complete console sets for one sealed copy of Super Mario Bros. The money was good but now he just talks about the games he used to play. The single rare item just sits in a box and doesn't give him any joy. He lost the whole thing he actually loved for a piece of plastic in a case.