SDCC 2009: My Quest Begins July 23

SDCC has become the center of the collectible universe each and every summer as the toy companies reel off exclusive after exclusive and debut their new toy lines for the upcoming year! However, many people have forgotten the origins on the SDCC when it started 40 years ago with a few comic dealers selling their “funny books” out of the hotel lobby.

Actually, the first SDCC coincided with my first birthday. Forty years later, I will converge on the con for the first time with determination to bring home six specific comic books to complete my childhood comic book collection.

Over the years, my collecting tastes and passions have changed and varied, however, I always end up coming back to reading/ collecting comics. I’ll read a new series and then go back and fill in some missing issues. I’ve done this enough times that I now have my own “Holy Grail” list consisting of the first six Incredible Hulk issues produced by Marvel comics. I’ve checked EBay recently for prices on the issues for upgraded good copies ( I cannot afford the CGC graded books!).

Here’s my upper spending limit for each book:
Incredible Hulk #1 $600
Incredible Hulk #2 $250
Incredible Hulk #3 $200
Incredible Hulk #4 $175
Incredible Hulk #5 $150
Incredible Hulk #6 $125

I wonder... Can I complete my quest for my Holy Grail and stay within my budget? According to eBay, I should be able to find my missing books within my spending limit. Will I find a single dealer wanting to make a big sale or will I have to search high and low throughout the convention to find individuals willing to sell a rare Silver Age comic for a reasonable price? Or will I have to wait until Sunday afternoon and pull out the old “take my cash or take it home” line? Only time will tell and that time is July 22 - 26! I’ll keep you posted! Wish me luck!