My Spider-Sense Tingles At The Latest Hake's Auction

Thanks to Brian at Cool And Collected for tipping us bloggers off to the newest Hake's Auction. I always look forward to Brian's challenge to "shop" at a Hake's Auction. Hake's always has some of the most drool worthy items to bid on and as usual, Hake's did not disappoint in their latest auction.

I drooled over their Beatles listings, made weird, unmanly noises over their vintage Batman and Superman goodies and I even went koo koo for the Yankee Stadium seats, but as soon as I saw this challenge, I knew just exactly what I would be looking at. If you don't know, then you haven't been paying attention to my last few months of blog posts.

Spider-Man goodies. Check that, vintage Spider-Man.

Ever since I started focusing on my Spider-Man collection, I have been dreaming of vintage Spidey items I'd love to add to it. When I started browsing Hake's, I found a few items that would fit very nicely in my Spider-Man collection. All the images from here on are used with permission from Hake's Auction.

One of the parts of my collection I want to expand on is my Spider-Man comics collection. There is hardly any vintage in it and I found some beautiful books that I would love to add.

This issue of Amazing Spider-Man #50 would be a great addition to any Spider-Man collection. In this issue, Peter Parker decides he's had enough with getting no respect from the people he saves and from the New York City Police so he gives up being Spider-Man and throws the suit in the trash. A kid finds the suit and gives it to J. Jonah Jameson. This issue also marks the first appearance of the Kingpin. The cover is one of the more iconic covers in comic book history and was one of the basis of Spider-Man 2.

No Spider-Man comic collection can be considered complete without two of the most powerful issues in the history of Spider-Man. Issue 121 is the issue that shocked readers and changed the life of the Web Head, the ramifications which is still being felt to this day. If you don't know why this issue is so special, it's the issue where Gwen Stacey dies. Still to this day, it's not known if she was dead already when Spidey found her or did he accidentally kill her when he caught her with his web, causing her neck to snap back. One of the most heartbreaking panels in all of comic book history is when Spider-Man realizes that despite his best efforts, he did not save Gwen and he is holding her in his arms.

Issue 122 is just as poignant to me because even though Spider-Man vowed to kill the Green Goblin and cam within a blow of finishing him off, Peter turns his back on the Goblin because he realizes that even though the love of his life is gone, he is no killer and refuses to cross that line. The Goblin, however, tries to use his glider to kill Spider-Man, but misses and impales himself, supposedly killing himself. Of course, The Goblin would be back many, many times over the years to torment Peter Parker, but these two issues were the stories that changed the life of Spider-Man forever. Also, Gwen is one of the few characters that has stayed dead and never came back to life.

One of my other hobbies is collecting cards. I usually collect sports cards, but when I saw this listing for a set of 1966 Donruss Marvel Super Heroes cards, I knew it would an awesome way to satisfy my Spider-Man and vintage card craving in one swoop. Plus, the display box it's self would look great on a shelf with the rest of the vintage Spider-Man goodies in my collection.

These cards are fantastic and would look so cool in a binder. I could flip through those pages filled with this beautiful artwork over and over again.

I love buttons and have always wanted to start a collection of vintage buttons. This lot would be a great way to start that collection. The only way to get these button were to order them from the 1969 Marvelmania catalog. These button all look to have been drawn by Jack Kirby which make these the more beautiful. Even if he didn't draw these, they look close enough for me and I'd want them. Especially that Spider-Man button.

Last, but not least, I wanted something I could frame and hang up on my wall and after looking through various lots, I think I found the perfect item.

This 1966 Aurora Model Kits retailer sign is perfect because not only does it feature Spider-Man on it, but there are also a few other characters that make the Sexy Geek go all ga ga for like Batman and Robin, The Man From U.N.C.L.E, Superman, The Hulk and Captain America. This piece would be framed and proudly be displayed in the House Of Swag because Lord knows I cannot put together a model kit to save my life.

There was so many other items I would love to pick up, but the ones I displayed here are the ones I would place bids on if I could afford to. It saddens me that I won't be able to place a bid as these are some of the more expensive items in the auction. Maybe one day when I hit lotto or my rich uncle leaves...wait a second, I don't have a rich uncle. OK, scratch that one out. My point was that even though I won't be able to afford any of these anytime soon, I can dream that one day they will belong to me. Until then, I will continue to live vicariously through those who can afford them.

If you want to try your hand at writing for the League Of Extraordinary Bloggers, visit this link and join the club: http://coolandcollected.com/this-weeks-assignment-from-the-league-hakes-auction/

While your there, check out the blogs of my fellow League members:

http://calvinscanadiancaveofcool.blogspot.com/2013/04/hakes-did-me-right.html

http://fortuneandglorydays.blogspot.com/2014/06/loeb-hakes-auction.html

http://aeiouwhy.blogspot.com/2014/07/league-post-hakes-auction-212.html

http://coolandcollected.com/hakes-auction-212-is-loaded-with-pop-culture-goodness/

Hey Buddy, Can You Spare Some Room?

I spent a better part of last weekend doing some much needed clearing up of my room. I did this for a few reasons. A-My room had gotten really cluttered. B-I wanted to swap out stuff I had in my closet for future blogs for stuff I had already shown. C-I wanted to see what I had. What should have taken a few hours had taken a couple of days and it was shocking and frustrating.

I had boxes and bags on my dresser, chair, desk and other places in my room, so I packed all of the stuff and opened my closet door to put all my stuff away. When I opened my closet, I realized I had a problem that you would think you could only find in cartoons or comedies. My closet was already filled with boxes upon boxes of sports cards, unopened and opened figures, as well as boxes for most of my bobbleheads. That is when I realized I was in big trouble.

I had just about run out of room and I was stuck holding the bag, literally.

What started out as collecting what I liked had turned into an episode of Hoarders, starring The Sexy Geek. It was an unplanned and most unwanted appearance. I had to figure out what had happened and how I could stop this slippery slope I was on before I was left blubbering over an intervention by friends and family because I was sneaking in a moldy issue of Amazing Spider-Man #500 and a Mego Robin with a broken leg...wait I have one already. Oh God, Help me! (drops to my knees, crying hysterical as I hold Robin in my arms, whispering to him that everything would be O.K)

Alright, seriously, I know how I got here and it's a pretty simple explanation. What started as my collecting stuff I actually loved grew into my picking up something of anything I remotely liked. I have my sports collection which consists of anything Yankees, Jets, Knicks, Islanders and Devils as well as a few player collections. In my sports collections, I have cards (a lot of cards), autographs, bobbleheads, figures, pins, yearbooks, programs and other stuff I can't remember. My pop culture collection consists of Batman, Spider-Man, The Beatles, The Monkees, Luke Skywalker/Star Wars and Back To The Future.

Now, the problem is not only do I have a large collection of stuff that I like, but I have managed to start side collections of stuff I that while I like, don't have the attachments that I have to my favorites. For instance, I love KISS, but did I really need to buy a huge Love Gun Mister? It's never even been out of the box. Granted, the box is wrecked, which is why I got it for half off at Spencer's, but I honestly didn't need it nor have I used it. Plus, I really don't go out of my way for KISS stuff anymore.  I have a side Iron Man collection. I was never a huge Iron Man fan when I read the comics. I fell in love with the character after I watched the movies and then started reading the books. I'm a huge WWE fan and I never even started a collection save for a few Roddy Piper and Steve Austin figures. Imagine how messed up I would be if I had?

Because I really cannot afford a storage room, I have some boxes and rubber maid bins that have toys, video tapes, autographs, books and other items. I also have my T.V., DVD's, Blu Ray's, clothes and other things. As you can imagine, room is very limited in my area. I'm lucky I have room to move around right now, but if I keep adding stuff I may not.

What I am going to have to do is step back and take a bit of a break from collecting. Reestablish my collecting goals and focus on that. Anything else, I may either put away, trade or sell. I would have to figure out just what I would be willing to part with. That will not be easy. I always did not want to be the collector you all saw on Collector Intervention that would have a hard time letting go of a piece, but the more I think about what I may or may not part with, I can now understand why they always had a problem with letting go. But I also realize I need to take control before the collection takes control of me.

If I decide to let anything go, I will throw it out to you guys to see if there would be anything anyone wanted. I would rather anything I have would go to a good home and a collector who would appreciate it before I give it to Goodwill or turn to eBay. It sucks that I let things get out of control, but at least I was able to catch the problem before it was too late and that is always a good thing.

Why?

This week's topic form League members to blog is another one word topic. Why? Now, when I saw the topic, I initially was going to pass on writing a blog on it, but then I thought about it and realized I can go several different ways with it. I ultimately decided to make this blog a rather personal.

The question I am hit with from a lot of people is why, at 42 years, do you still collect toys and read comics. Now usually when I am asked this question, the words have a ring to it. Like the person asking is shocked and appalled that a grown man would still rather read a Spider-Man comic than the latest best seller on the New York Times Best Seller's List. I usually just keep it simple and say "because I want to". Now, since this Why has become this weeks topic, I had a chance to sit down and think about why I collect.

Honestly, there are really 3 main reasons why. The first one being that I really didn't have a lot of toys growing up. My mom got me Star Wars, Spider-Man, Batman, Superman and other goodies, but since I was at a special school growing up, I wasn't home until the weekends and when I was home, it was usually baseball, baseball, baseball. I would watch the Yankee games as well as the Mets and the NBC Game Of The Week so my time with my toys was limited. I did play with what I had and I did watch all the Saturday morning cartoons. Since my mom worked long hours as a home attendant, money was tight and when birthdays or Christmas rolled around and I would ask for a new glove or the Star Wars Death Star Play set, she would go for the equipment every time. Her reasoning was I could get more mileage out of the equipment and she was right as I was using bats I had gotten when I was ten as a teenager. Plus, it got me out of the house. What sucked for me was my cousin got all the Star Wars play sets and figures, Mego dolls, Shogun Warriors and other toys I wanted and would be a bit of a jerk when it came time to share. I don't blame my mother for this. Maybe had I just chosen toys over baseball and, later, football, I would have gotten everything my cousin got and more. My mom was and still is an awesome mother and did the best she could which is more than anyone could ask.

I still haven't gotten this and I still want it!

That brings me to the second reason why I collect which is my fulfilling some childhood dreams and re-buying stuff I had as a child. Now, I'm sure that the amateur shrinks out there will say I have some psychological issues because after 36 years I still cannot let go of the fact that I never had the Star Wars Death Star Play Set or an X-Wing Fighter or a Land Speeder, or AT-AT and maybe I do. But when I pick up a piece, like the Spider-Man bank I used to own or the Batman hand puppet I have been wanting forever, it makes me feel very good. Almost like I accomplished something I have always wanted to. I realize there are a lot more important things in life to accomplish, but as long as I pay my bills and continue to be the best person I can be, I see nothing wrong with collecting toys as long as it makes me feel good.

Which brings me to my last reason. Collecting makes me feel good. When I see a package with my name on it at the post office or see a vintage toy at a toy show or flea market my heart races. To me, there is no bigger joy than to see a toy you have wanted on your toy shelf, proudly displayed in your collection. The thrill of the chase has a lot to do with it as well. I love surfing eBay, going to cons and flea markets and just hunting for something that is going to make me open my wallet and bring something home with me. I wish I could express just how I feel when I land an item that I have been wanting for a long time, but I'm sure my fellow collectors know what I mean. And this doesn't apply just to my toys. I feel the same way when I pick up a bobble head or find a baseball card or score an autograph I have been wanting for a long time. Collecting just makes me feel good.

Bottom line, I love to collect. I will continue to collect my toys, comics, sports items, sketch cards, autographs, bobble heads and whatever else I want. And I'm not the only one. Maybe other people collect things like first edition books or antiques or art. Whatever the reason, there is an answer for the "why" that is asked . Answers may differ, but there is always a reason and it's usually a good one.

If you liked this blog, you may like these from my fellow leaguers as well:

www.randomnerdness.blogspot.com

claymationwerewolf.blogspot.com/2013/05/why-this-not-that.html

www.diaryofadorkette.blogspot.com/2013/05/why-of-all-things-she-ra-fanfic.html

coolandcollected.com/why-do-hallmark-cards-always-make-me-cry/

Happy Memorial Day everyone!

Its Finally Happened.

Right now, I'm in the laundromat, watching my clothes wrestle each other in the dryer, bored out of my mind. I decided to try to post a picture-less blog to give you all a quick update to what I've been up to the past few weeks. Plus, I get to test this Blogger Android app that I downloaded off the Android Market.

I finally decided that I've had enough of binders. I currently have close to 30 binders that house my Yankees, Jets, Devils, Knicks and Islander cards. I am running out of space to put more binder. Plus, to be honest, I'm thrilled with having to shell out 3-7 bucks a pop for binders, then 15 dollars for 9 pocket pages. With all the cards I pick up during a calender year, I will have to buy a home that has a massive library just to house the binders. Plus, I have close to 15 boxes of cards I have yet to organize. Sheesh!

So, I finally have joined the many masses that are puting their card collections into monster boxes, top loaders and penny sleeves. Not exactly what I wanted when I started collecting again, but with room at a premium, I have no choice.

So, I have started with Topps. I have made dividers from index cards and been moving the base into the box. I plan to keep the inserts in the binders as well as the player collections I have of Mark Teixeira, Martin Brodeur, Mike Bossy, Mark Teixeira and Patrick Ewing.

I'm hoping this works out for me. I'm tired of having to decide how I am storing my cards, especially between my Team Collectors group, trades, box breaks and ebay, I get a lot each month.

I also have been looking to build up my Knicks collection. Of all the teams I collect, they are the team I have the fewest of. So, I've been picking up a few cards as well as some Ewings. Its been coming along nicely and pretty soon, I should have a nice Knicks collection.

2010 Mark Teixeira Cards

With The 2011 baseball cards set to be realised within the next month, I wanted to take a sec and reflect on the 2010 Mark Teixeira cards I was able to add to my Teixeira PC during the past year. The collection stands currently at 222 cards and I'm anxiously waiting for the new releases so I can add more to the growing collection.

Here are the cards I bought, traded, begged, pleaded and cajoled for in 2010:

Topps


Topps Finest base

Topps Legandary Lineage Teixeira/Gehrig insert

This was an insert I picked up at a card show for a penny. Love that price

Topps Peak Performance

Allen & Ginter base

Topps 206 base

Bowman base

Topps 206 Gold Border Paraell

Topps Attax

Allen & Ginter This Day In History Insert. Teixeira's bithday is April 11th, same as mine.

Topps 206 mini

Topps Legandary Lineage Teixeira/Mantle

Topps Heritage All Star

Topps National Chicle base

Topps Opening Day Toppstown card

Topps 206 base 2

Topps base

Topps Heritage

Topps Turkey Red insert

League Leader cards

Now for the Upper Deck cards. Bear in mind there wasn't much due to UD losing the MLB license:

Pure Heat insert

Upper Deck base

Biography inserts

Obviously, this is not all the Teixeira cards that were released in 2010. I am still working on getting to as complete as possible. I would most likely have to pass up the high dollar cards, but that's fine as long as I'm happy with my collection.

I'm sorry for the cruddy pics. I really need to get a new camera or buy a scanner.

I will also be working on getting my Teixeira have list on here. I'm always looking for Teixeira cards, GU, autos, posters, bobbles, figures, etc.

Bring on 2011 Topps!