The Akira run I was bidding for, issues 1-33, suddenly skyrocketed at the end. My fault, actually. Made a stupid mistake and bid my max price 10 minutes before the auction was due to end. The network was too fast, and I pressed “enter” on the confirm-bid button….boom! The price bounced from 20$ to 43$, and somebody outbid my max bid of 62$ just when 45 seconds were left.

Tchah!

There was a slim chance though. I had been secretly hoping for a full run of Lone Wolf and Cub (issues 1-45), and the same seller was selling a lot which was due to end an hour later. And there was another LWAC run (1-29) up for sale at a Buy-it-now option of 35$.

So two chances. Hope for the best and snipe for the 45-issue run, and failing that, go for the Buy-it-now bid. Had misgivings about the second one, though. The seller had a couple of negative feedbacks, and he was a little vague about his lot.

Anyways, sat it out. What if someone opts for the Buy-me-now bid before the 45-issue lot gets over? What if somebody beats me at the last minute again?

From what I found out, sniping is the best option. And like they say, aim for the head when you snipe. The lot was hanging at 50.13$ at a minute for the auction to end. Deep breath. How much can I afford? Not more than cover price. The market-price of Lone Wolf and Cub, the original editions is now touching something like 10-30$ each. Depending on the condition and the issue number. If some heavy hitter decides to get into the game, I am gone. I opt for a safe, double-the-nuber price. 45 comics, I can go upto 90$. Add two for luck. 8 to be gone on postage, if it comes to max bid. There.

45 seconds. I key in 92$.

Refresh. Bid accepted, I hope. Then I realise I had refreshed the wrong page. Aak!

Right page, refresh again. Why is it taking so much time? OK, finally, it opens. The auction is over.

I win. 71$+8$ postage for 45 issues of Lone Wolf and Cub. Check out this to find out how much they sell for.

None of this would have been possible without 2fargon. I will save the Thanks and the heartfelt gratitude for later, da. A week.

I don’t know how this happens, jayasankarvs. I google randomly for some Frank Miller interview, and this is what I get.

Philip K Dick – Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Bruce Sterling – The Hacker CrackDown.

Also available, Douglas Rushkoff – Cyberia, Douglas Adams’ You-know-what. William Gibson’s Count Zero, and Neuromancer. Huxley’s Brave New World. Check out the site.

More to come. The Illuminatus Trilogy!!!!!!! Found it online here. I dunno how this happened, seriously.

I would suggest you people download these stuff as soon as possible to your own HDs. Never know when they might get knocked off. ;-)

Ain’t I good?