This week’s assignment for the League of Extraordinary Bloggers is an idea sent in by CT at Nerd Lunch. CT and I were discussing possible article ideas for the Cool & Collected magazine, and this topic was a leading contender, but it needed multiple people’s input. So, if things go well this week, I may be contacting you guys to see if you’d be up for reprinting your responses in the magazine. Let’s see how it goes…

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Why did I buy that? Why did I sell that? My biggest regret is…

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Wow, this one is easy. As a collector (of things. I go through phases), I've come across some gems. Some I keep, some I get rid of. For the most part, I don't regret things that I have gotten rid of. For the most part...

However, there are two things that I owned that I so regret selling. Not because of their monetary value, but for their cultural value.

The first one was Eastman and Laird's 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' #1. Now before you get all crazy, it wasn't a 1st printing. Unfortunately, I'm not that lucky. No, it was a 2nd printing. I picked it up on a whim. It was the best book I had read in I don't know how long. These weren't your spandex wearing, kid friendly heroes. No, they were NINJAS! At some point, I don't remember when exactly, I decided I need money and I did the unthinkable. I sold my copy of TMNT #1. What makes this even more upsetting, I don't even remember getting even half the Overstreet value for it. Oh, how I've regretted it. I still have issues #2-9 and a bunch of the one-shots, micro-series and even Fugitoid. But it all feels incomplete without that #1

The second thing I've regretted? Selling my 1st printing of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. This comic book totally changed the way I looked at comic books. Gone was the cheesy "Biff" "Bam" "Boom" Batman of the 60s and in his place was this gritty, hardened warrior. This book was my introduction to Frank Miller, Prestige Format comic books and serious comic stories. The Joker died and Superman got his Kryptonian rear handed to him. That kind of stuff didn't happen regular comic books, especially in DC books. I loved it! Over time I was able to pick up a 3rd printing of #1, a 2nd printing of #2 and a few 1st printing copies of #3 and #4. But it just doesn't feel the same. Eventually I will get my hands on a 1st printing.

I've had other regrets. Trading away my Star Wars figures for He-Man. Trading He-Man fgiures for Transformers. Selling Gen1 Transformers to buy baseball cards. Selling baseball cards to buy video games. Selling video games to buy a car. Oh what a vicious cycle. Fortunately, I am now in a position to repurchase a lot of my former memories and have the space to keep them. I will get back some of my childhood!

I'm sure other members have regrets. In fact, I'm positive. Take a look at D.I. Treasures. Nice to know I'm not the only one that has a problem keeping LEGO bricks organized. I can also totally relate to Nerd Cantina. It is the fear of future regret why I haven't unloaded my TPotF cards. Nerd Out with Me also expressed a LEGO regret.

Where, oh where, have my comic books gone?