Undervalued Spotlight Sign Off

It’s time to put the Undervalued Spotlight on the shelf, I’m stopping my weekly column after 10+ years of posts. I’ll leave the door ajar and allow myself to revisit this post if and when the urge and inspiration arises.

I posted the very 1st Spotlight back on September 1st 2009 and that actually turned out to be a bit of a dud. Gah!

I’m not sure what my record is for these picks but I know I’ve had more than my fair share of duds, I hope nobody was planning their retirement around my picks!

I did have some highlights, my favorite Spotlight lead to a nice pen pal friendship with former Dell Comics editor D.J Arneson. Lobo #1 is still underappreciated for its historical significance.

Here I’ll list my top 5 read posts of all time with their unique view counts;

  • #79 – X-Force #2 – 4,300 – is the most popular Spotlight by views, wow did I get some nasty comments on this one!
  • #64 – Tarzan #1 (Marvel) – 3,356
  • #154 – Amazing Spider-Man #360 – 3,222
  • #184 – New Teen Titans #21 – 3,181
  • #76 – Captain Canuck #1 – 2,602

Again I’d like to note that my five most popular Undervalued Spotlights as measured by views are all duds! Man I really do hope nobody planned for their retirement with these things.

The Undervalued Spotlight has been an important part of my life for the past decade, the amount of people it has allowed me to meet and get to know in person and on line is crazy. I’m all the richer for it.

I would love to list some names of people to thank but am petrified I will leave some people out that I shouldn’t so I’ll just say thank you to everyone who has supported the Spotlight over the years and a special thanks has to go out to the Guest Spotlight writers that have added so much to this column.

Walter Durajlija
Walter Durajlija

Walter Durajlija is an Overstreet Advisor and Shuster Award winner. He owns Big B Comics in Hamilton Ontario.

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Klaus
Klaus
4 years ago

I thought you going to do one on the Christmas and Archie treasury edition.

Chris
Chris
4 years ago

I have really enjoyed this column and am going to miss it. I looked forward to it each week. Whether or not the book “hit” didn’t matter much as you always pointed out interesting angles to comics, which has always been one of the joys of collecting. Thank you Walter.

Brian
Brian
4 years ago

Your column has become a weekly staple for me-it will be missed. Thanks Walter and good luck.

Craig Evans
Craig Evans
4 years ago

Walter. Greetings from the UK. This is the first time I’ve commented on your amazing output. Checking your site is a daily staple. Thanks for all your efforts it’s been much appreciated. Hope you still find time to post articles. All the best for 2020. Craig.

Gerald Eddy
Gerald Eddy
4 years ago

Wow… I think I might start having withdrawal symptoms! So one pass me an old comic… I need a fix!!

Michael Parker
Michael Parker
4 years ago

Hi from Australia. Very sad to see the end of your great weekly post. Always looked forward to it. Thanks. Michael

Chris Meli
4 years ago

As much as I will miss Covered 365 (so much so that I am trying to keep it going – plugging https://chrismeli.wordpress.com/ ), I will miss spotlight more because of its intellectual challenge. Do I agree? I it supportable? What are the stats? Etc. Sure, many people will throw out a comment that this or that comic is undervalued, but without much thought or structure. Your posts always had more depth of one sort or another, and every one was backed by your wisdom from decades of experience in the market. No question that keeping the picks on a weekly schedule would get to be too much, but do leave that door open – throw one up there when it speaks to you!

Colin
Colin
4 years ago

It was so enjoyable reading your insights on whichever book each week. No joke: I just got a bladeless vasectomy on Friday, which was uncomfortable, and still is, but this is painful and will be so for many Tuesdays to come. Hope to see more writings from you at some point. I wish you well and thanks.

Simon
Simon
4 years ago

Sorry to hear about the end of Undervalued Spotlight. What a great thing it’s been and huge thanks for so many terrific posts which I have regularly looked forward to reading for years – and I even got to do one myself 🙂 I do understand that “all things must pass” – so best of luck with the next endeavor and a very big thank you again!!

Peter
Peter
4 years ago

Thanks for the great posts over the years Walt! Some of your picks were clear winners. I remember your post from 2015 on Wonder Woman – you “knocked the ball out of the park” with your Wonder Woman #98 pick. I can’t believe how much that book has appreciated since 2015. If only I had listened to you and bought a copy.

Gerald Eddy
Gerald Eddy
4 years ago

I will also put in I have acted on a couple of your spotlights. The second appearance of Brainiac was one… I can’t afford the first appearance but got his next 6 including cameos!

CHRIS
CHRIS
4 years ago

I ENJOYED IT SIR, SOME HOW LIFE’S ROADS ALWAYS CROSS AGAIN. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR INFORMATIVE ARTICLES LATER ON DOWN THE ROAD.

paul
paul
4 years ago

These where awesome reads! this will be missed. I hope you do it quarterly or something.

John
John
4 years ago

Don’t worry about the duds Walter, I’ve made up for any losses with volume. Lol and thanks for your efforts.

Anonymous
Anonymous
4 years ago

4.5

Anonymous
Anonymous
4 years ago

5

Steven Farshid
Steven Farshid
4 years ago

This news hit me harder than it should have. Maybe it’s because I’m stuck inside like everyone else but I definitely teared up a little reading this. It will be sorely missed. This column has been the single biggest contributor to my comic book education over the last ten years and I looked forward to it each week. I will now be increasingly dumber each day until you return. Thanks for all content and look forward to what comes next.