I have all the Epic run of "Groo the Wanderer." This makes me proud. I must've re-read each one twice.
 

At a massive sale at a comic shop I once got about half of James Robinsons Starman for roughtly ten bucks. I was happy.
 

My senior year of high school (1995 I think), during a trip to Hawaii with my school choir (travelling from New Zealand, so it was a big deal back then). I ditched my group (a big no-no) and walked for 2 hours in the hotest weather I've felt, just to find a comic shop, with the help of a free map and a page ripped out of a phone book. I find one, and in the window they have Spawn #1, which at the time I think is the greatest comic ever. The guy in the shop was reluctant to sell it since he'd just done the window display (no, I don't understand that either...), but I lay on a sob story about being from another country, and he caves. What's more I got it for $8, and thought it was great because Wizard had it listed at $15. Spawn may've died for me as a character many years ago, but I'll never sell that issue. I think I drank 2 litres of water on that journey.

Second place goes to a sketch of Ronnie Raymond Firestorm done by Phil Jimenez, because both Firestorm and Phil are awesome.

Oh, and completing my set of Silver Surfer Vol 1 was one of the happiest days of my comic collecting life.
 

Judging by recent $30-$60 winning eBay auctions, I'll have to say the Near Mint copy of Batman: The Man Who Laughs I bought new for $7 a year ago.
 

You find that comic that would complete your Night Force collection?

That is not funny.
 

I'm pretty proud that not only did I manage to snag a copy of the elusive Ambush Bug #1 at Wizard World, but that I got Kieth Giffen to sign it. He showed it to the person at the table next to him, and said something along the lines of "now this, this is the good stuff."

He also told a neat little story about how, back in the day, he would always misspell his name when he autographed Ambush Bug books, but stopped because no one got the joke.
 

Finding an entire run of Sandman Mystery Theatre at the Goodwill for a dime a piece was pretty sweet. That or having John Romita Sr. sign my Spider-Man disco record that I've had since I was 4.
 

At an obscure little bookstore that subsequently went out of business, I found four, FOUR of the original Egmont/Methuen Lt. Blueberry books from the 60's by Charlier and Giraud aka Moebius. I was just giddy with delight.

Do you know how hard it is to find 30 year old French Westerns? Sheesh!
 

The best comics-related deal I've ever made was a trade: I gave a friend of mine the full 6-issue "Man of Steel" by Byrne, and he gave me - wait for it - the entire first run of Frank Miller's Daredevil, from Elekra's introduction to the classic 'russian roulette' issue.

To this day I wonder how that friend of mine could have possibly thought this was a good deal for him. I mean, not even comparing each series' respective qualities, the Daredevil run in question is much longer than the Man of Steel mini.

Well, as long as everybody's happy, it's a good deal. :D
 

I'd have to say it was finding 3 immaculate issues of Flex Mentallo in a quarter bin.

However, I have to most pride for my collection of cancelled DC series (Gross Pointe or Primal Force, anyone?).
 

Three words: Skrull Kill Krew. 'Nuff said.
 

The first edition hardcover of "The Greatest Superman Stories Ever Told," autographed by Curt Swan and Julie Schwartz.
 

Greatest moment: After conducting a very enjoyable interview with Salvador Larroca, I was able to score some original art from his Fantastic Four #34: the opening splash page of the whole team in the Fantasticar.

Second greatest moment: An almost complete chance of a meeting with Salva in Chicago a few years later and getting him to autograph the art to me.
 

Here in New York, it's impossible to find any copies of the Elseworlds 80-page giant from 1999. So I befriended a dealer in the UK and had two mint copies sent to me via airmail. I paid something like $180 for each copy. They were sealwrapped in pristine condition. What a score!
 

My near complete collection of Marvels 2099 series (the original, not that damnable Marvel Knights one). I am currently 6 issues short of completing this collection. All I need are some of the Spider-Man variants from Venom 2099's appearance, the sketchbook, and a single Ghost Rider 2099.

Close behind is the entire run of Earth X/Universe X/Paradise X.
 

I found Hulk #180 in perfect mint condition at a garage sale. For TWO DOLLARS. The same guy also sold me Amazing Spider-Man #150 for a buck and the Death of Gwen Stacy (the original, natch) for 75 cents because of a minor ink stain on it. It makes a wonderful reading copy, it is mint other than the stain.

I own the hardcover, long out of print Greatest Golden Age Stories Ever Told, which I bought the day it came out.

I also own a copy of Shazam: From the 40's to the 70's, which is comically rare. It is in poor condition, but highly readable.

I own the hard-to-find Watchmen print set. Bought it brand new, $20 cover price.

I own almost the complete run of Grant Morrison's Doom Patrol that I bought one ish at a time right off the racks. That's more pride than value.

My true glory is not a possession. It was when I interviewed for a job at DC and was personally introduced to (among many others) Paul Levitz. He was genuinely appreciative when I told him I was a huge Legion fan and how much his work on the book meant to me growing up. We also got to talk shop a bit.

I got the job. I wound up turning it down, but it was still one of the warmest job interviews I have ever been on. Visiting the DC offices was a total trip. I even got some free primo TPBs out of the deal, and they shoved an armful of comps and merchandise at me on my way out. I needed shopping bags to carry it all.

Then I rode down in the elevator to street level with John Byrne.
 

I have the book-digest version of 'The Untold Legend of the Batman', probably one of the first times it was printed in that format. It always gets a place of honor on my bookshelf.

I have all 107 issues and 3 annuals of Marvel's "Star Wars" series.

I have all of Alan Davis's "Excalibur" issues.

I have Todd McFarlane's complete run on "Amazing Spider-Man"...I bought them as they came out.

All the JLI/A/E comics, including annuals and quarterlies.

The complete run of the Wein/Cullins "Blue Beetle".

The complete run of "Booster Gold".

The entire saga of the "new" X-Men, from Classic X-Men #1, up through the "Dark Phoenix Saga" and then starting with regular prints of "Uncanny X-Men".

Entire classic storylines such as:

Avengers-Under Seige
Avengers-Olympus Wars
Iron Man-Armor Wars
Spider-Man-Gang War

A trade paperback called 'The Power of Iron Man' that I got for a $1.50 at a 'Stars and Stripes' bookstore in Germany. It tells the story of Tony Stark's first descent into alcoholism. Great story. Much better cover than the later reprints of that run, too. It's a Bill Sienciwicz painting, which trumps most other art.

Mini-series:

Hawkeye (the first one)
Jack of Hearts
Kitty Pryde and Wolverine
Fallen Angels
Longshot
Nightcrawler (the first one)
Robin (the first one)
 

Finding a copy of the Cowboy Wally Show about 7 years ago at a musty but cool used bookstore in the middle of BFN*, Ontario and purchasing it for $3 having no idea what I was in for. It remains my favourite comic book of all time.



*Buttf**k Nowhere (aka Cobalt)
 

Wise and exalted Devon, we are exhorted on a nearby blog thusly and to wit:
"Chief Warner, and her outfit. And if you do NOT recognize her, shame on you, for your comic fu is weak; ask Devon to explain it to you."
Accordingly I scurry forward to tug at my forelock and abase myself and make inquiry:
Whu?
 

Tomorrow.
 

Collecting: completing my run of Peter David grey Hulk issues AND Giffen/ DeMatteis JLI/E for approximately $1/ issue at (sadly)a going out of business sale.

Finding Astro City vol. 1 #6, the only Astro City issue missing from my collection, for $3.

Sketches/ signings:

I met Gene Colan and told him how seeing his Dracukla art changed how I saw comic book art, and that even my 12 year old self could see it left MCFarlane, Lee, etc.in the dust. Gene the Dean looked extraordinarily pleased, and told me I "made his day."

I was the last person in line to meet Joe Kubert. I asked him if he was doing sketches that day, and he said no. I said I understood, and thanked him for the signatures. He signed my Hawkman Archives, stopped, looked at me, smiled, a quick Hawkman head sketch. I think I was smiling for the rest of the day. I later got a signature from the great Murphy Anderson, making the Hawkman Archives one of my most prized posessions.