To be honest the entire cunning plan to collect every single Batman title hit a brick wall during this month. And this is all down to one simple factor, moving house.
When you have to deal with Estate Agents, Solicitors and Surveyors (and the rest of the fuckers that think you're a human cash machine), there is little cash left in the pot to buy comic books.
Well, that would be the normal response to dealing with the above situation, especially if you were a responsible person. So, I got to the last week of January by only buying two books: 'Tec 871 and Batman 399 and then I got that tingle back.
That tingle (and other collectors must know that feeling too) that says: I NEED TO HUNT DOWN MORE.
And to accomplish this I had to visit Warrington's ever expanding Millenium Comics and promptly became ridiculously irresponsible.
Less than 30 minutes later I was walking back to my car with two crappy plastic bags full of Legends of the Dark Knight Annuals, a shedload of 'Tecs and most of the #370-#398 Batman run.
Best of this splurge bunch was picking up Detective Comics #393. Which is right up there with some of the earliest books I've managed to get my hands on so far. So the trip was thoroughly worthwhile and economically viable, if a bit ill-advised.
And as I drove away, it dawned on me that this might be the last time I might be able to go this mental in a comic shop for a while. That I might have to go Cold Turkey for a month or so... That the thrill of the Batman hunt, might have to stop if only for a little while.
You see, since I've set this ridiculous collecting goal, my actual comic collection has grown to a point where an increasing proportion of it has never been read. And these include one-offs and mini-series that really have nothing to do with post-Year One Batman continuity. Hell, I figure, what's the point of having these books, if I'm not going to read them.
This large stockpile of Batman pulp fiction must be enough to get me through this self-enforced sabbatical (and a few bits of business that have just been completed will turn up in my letterbox over the next few weeks, as to ease this buying sobriety). Comic Book Buying De-Tox may cause grinding teeth, ithcy skin and vomiting but I will not... and must not... be arrested by the Rozzers ram raiding Krpyton Komics.
It can't be harder than quitting smoking (twelve years and counting).
Can it?
