BWC Origin Story

As a kid I loved to draw! Everything from dinosaurs to Sonic The Hedgehog were doodled. There were no iPads or online tutorials back then. So, I would use reference art from my comic books and magazines to create various scenes. I've always enjoyed comic books as an art form, although, I rarely read them. Shown right are a few early drawings around the age of 10. As an adult, the most recent sketch displayed is called, "Top Hat Cat."

If I wasn't drawing I was collecting. I started with a few pogs and packs of sport cards that my dad gave me. I had no idea who those people were but the cards looked cool. That was all the justification I needed to start a small collection! Action figures were occasionally purchased but mostly came from the Dollar Tree bin. Sport cards didn't hold my interest very long because I soon got into Pokémon during the initial 90s craze.

No one taught me the importance of keeping things in prestigious condition or how imperfections will effect an item's overall value. It's something I picked up naturally from a young age. Clearly, my 8 year old self was on to something as I openly displayed my wealth for everyone to see! But the good times wouldn't last forever. Unfortunately; my entire childhood collection was sold at a summer yard sale. Obviously this was not my idea. Similar stories from other disgruntled 90s kids echo throughout the comment sections of YouTube everyday.

Throughout my late teens I knew I wanted to do something in the comic book industry (preferably draw) but didn’t have any formal artistic training or business connections in my area. There's no doubt in my mind I had the potential to be a successful artist but circumstances were severely against me. I never made it into the comic book industry. Instead; I ended up working in manufacturing and hated every minute of it. Spoiler Alert: Spontaneously developing a passion for something you never cared about isn’t going to happen, no matter how high the salary or recognizable the brand has become!

As it turns out; the line between endurance through self discipline and outright stupidity is incredibly thin. I gradually realized I was chained, like a forgotten prisoner, to the concrete walls of Corporate America. Any remaining talent, desire or artistic dreams I had slowly decayed into ashes over my 20+ year manufacturing "career" with almost no hope of redemption in sight.

   I was kept in solitary confinement throughout the bulk of my working days. Because of that situation, interacting with other people consistently wasn't possible. That may sound like a nightmare but there are many advantages gained from years of unsupervised isolation. I used any downtime we had to research and learn as much as possible from my phone. I read books on economics, religion, health, fitness, law, and more. Basically any topic that may be of interest in the future. I reached a point where I knew more about financial markets and collectibles than my actual full time job of eight years! I even created the site's logo(s), ordered inventory, designed business t-shirts and curated my entire collection in Google Sheets while proudly on company time! 

I've had an entrepreneurial attitude towards money for the longest time but didn't know how to express it. At 18 years old I saw more wrong than right from the 30 year job narrative pushed by society. The idea of trading time for money building another man's dreams to earn pretend money to buy things we don't need to impress people we don't like sounded absurd! After more than two decades of employment I've concluded that not only was the grass not greener on the other side―it's also scorched beyond repair. The entire system is completely backwards! 

   My personality type is incompatible with full time jobs long-term because I don't operate within the hive mind's group dynamic. My attendance and quality of work was always excellent but I never found any of it meaningful or felt any sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. All of us are forced to participate in this system because we live in an economic world with bills that must be payed. Many people choose to remain complacent, without thinking for themselves, because it's the path of least resistance. 

I had already mentally checked out of Corporate America in March 2025 and needed to find another hobby (besides the gym) as the only thing I'd been collecting over the years was anxiety, anger, and stress. The pay was great but there were no opportunities for advancement. I kept applying for other companies but couldn't get any interviews. I'm capable of doing more but I'm not qualified through the eyes of employment recruiters as I've stayed with the same company(s) too long.

The manufacturing industry nearly drained me of all motivation for life. Severe nightmares plagued my mind uncontrollably for years. Falling asleep became one of the most terrifying experiences imaginable as I didn't know who/what would be waiting for me on the other side. It was pure mental torture! The question wasn't how many nightmares would I have but how bad are they going to be? The thought kept emerging, "If I can't find another job maybe it's time to create my own before years of extreme sleep deprivation kills me?" 

   What started as rebuying a few nostalgic pieces for fun (after a 25 year hiatus) quickly turned into a compulsive urge to completely renovate my walk-in closet! I wanted to feel like I was entering a premium comic book store filled wall to wall with the best 90s and early 2000s memorabilia I could find. With some modern pieces sprinkled into the mix. It's the setup I would've loved to have as a kid but couldn't afford.

There were no intentions of displaying my collection publicly until recently. It was strictly for personal enjoyment. Eventually, the opposite happened, the collection grew to a point that seriously needed curating around the 150 items mark. Staying private no longer made sense based on the amount of time, energy and work involved. I'd been stacking inventory for a year and a half before the thought of publishing anything online was even considered.

On paper the decision made absolutely no logical sense during a failing economy. I didn't care about the extra expense as my savings and investments were already established long before buying a single comic book. There is a unique strategy behind every piece. Certain items are purchased for short-term purposes and others are meant to be held several years. I rarely buy something just because it's shiny or new. The marketplace is already oversaturated with reprints and cover variants fueled by hype and greed. That's why I prefer collecting older items over modern. Besides, wolves don't follow the masses....

It appears we're culturally moving into a new era regarding ownership of non digital products. I think of collectibles as adding an additional layer of portfolio diversification in case something stupid happens in the future regarding America's banking system or the way people are able to buy things online. I do pay attention when I hear quotes such as, "You will own nothing and be happy." I'll entertain doomsday scenarios also as I don't see the world getting any better any time soon. But, until something happens, collectibles are still speculative purchases at best and should be treated as a hobby.

I would NOT recommend unloading large amounts of money on paper, cardboard, or plastic until your priorities have been taken care of first. There's no guarantee of making a profit long-term as 99% of collectibles have no real value other than what someone else is willing to pay. So, use that credit card strategically!

   Most of my purchases come from eBay. My timing isn't perfect but it's pretty close. Some things weren't available until recently so I can't say I'm late to the party. Whenever I think I'm nearing the end I'll find something else to add but do have a target in mind. I've lost count of how many purchases were made intuitively, some spontaneously, with zero thought behind the decision. While others require days of planning before I attempt to buy or contact a seller to negotiate the price. 

I'll typically follow a list of mental rules I made which helps reduce mistakes. I currently hold over 200 items in my personal collection. Everything has been digitally recorded and available offline. The only metric I don't follow are current market prices because 95% of my collection is not for sale. The iPad mini sitting on the shelf is a dedicated "Data Center" which is synced to my phone and other tablets. Inventory changes are updated in real time. From there I can see the purchase price, year of release, certification numbers (CGC, PSA, JSA), date acquired and retailer. It's not fun but necessary. There's nothing worse than someone being interviewed about a collection years in the making and the owner has no idea how many items they have, amount spent or estimated market values.

Properly documenting each item is the most important aspect of collecting!

I’ve seen hundreds of collection types on YouTube but Blue Wolf Comics has to be one of the most exclusive collections in South Carolina as several items are literally irreplaceable! There are plenty of larger more expensive collections easily found online but I almost certainly have everyone beat when it comes to documentation. Mine is unique because I'm not always buying what's trending at the moment. In my opinion, that's what gives a collection personality. As mentioned most of my stuff is not for sale. However; if you see something you like, feel free to contact me with questions/offers or check my eBay store for current listings. I can't wait to show you what I found!

Disclaimer: All information provided by Blue Wolf Comics (BWC) is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, legal, factual, scientific, or professional advice. Always do your own research and consult a qualified professional if needed before making any objectively important decisions.  

David (8/23/26)