Yesterday, I read the DC Comics adaptation of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. That means I can officially say that I have read every single physical comic that was in my “unread” pile.

I knew this day was coming, and it would have come sooner if I hadn’t stalled out on reading the digital Star Trek comics that were published before the movie adaptation, although when I think about how much looser the continuity is with the second series, I wonder if that was even necessary. But I’d told myself, “No, you’re reading everything in publication order, and this is where it comes in …”, so there you go.

The comic itself, by the way, was solid. Movie adaptations as one-shots are always hit or miss because it’s a lot of telling and not showing. But I guess if you consider that in 1991, a six-issue adaptation of a film wouldn’t work because by then, it would be out on video and people wouldn’t need the adaptation, you’ve got to do a one-shot. And the edition I have of the comic is the prestige format edition with a painted cover as opposed to the regular comic edition (which was the size of an annual), so that will go on the bookshelf as opposed to the shortboxes, right next to my oversized reprint edition of ST: TMP.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that this is all over and I can shut off the lights around here and leave. I still have movies to watch, books to read, and podcasts to listen to. Plus I still actually do have a comic book collection. And what that means is that I’m moving on to the next phase.

BEGINNETH THE CURATING!!!

My overall goal is to have a “minimal” collection of old comics comprised only of what I really want to physically keep. For instance, my runs of The ‘Nam and The New Teen Titans/The New Titans. But beyond those two or three shortboxes worth of stuff, I can’t say whether or not I want to keep all of the books I’ve read. So what needs to happen is a reevaluation of each shortbox, and a decision on whether to keep, sell, donate, or trash those individual books. What about them makes me want to hang on to them? Is it because I have a particular attachment to them (i.e., they were the first books I bought with my own money)? Is it because they’re signed? Is it because they’re part of a run of comics I can’t get digitally and I want to finish the run?

AND what of my back issue want list? What should I prioritize? What should I cut?

I have no clue.

In conclusion, I am entering a land of many contrasts. So I’ll strategize and come back with a post about how I am going to tackle both conundrums. But for now, I’ll sit comfortably with my zeroed-out comics reading list.