X-Men (2019 Series) #15 Carmen Carnero Stormbreakers Cover

We've all had a piece of art that we said "someday I want to own that!" A white whale of sorts. The acquisition of this piece was just that for me, an uphill battle.

When the comic with this cover came out, it was a one per store cover. So I knew my store would get a copy, and that should have been easy part, right? Nope. One of my employees promised this comic to his friend. Oh hell no, it's mine! He can go buy it on Ebay for fifty dollars or whatever it was going for at the time. Ok, so the first hurdle is cleared.

Fast forward to September 7th 2023, Carmen Carnero is coming to the Green Room and that this cover and two others will be for sale soon. I send off an email asking if anyone else has requested to buy this cover and what the price is.

Success! Icíar says I'm the first person to inquire about it and that as soon so she has a price she'll let me know what it is.

Another month goes by and nothing. A few times she teases in mass emails that the art drop is coming soon but no firm date.

Finally at the end of October it happens, but it's only Carnero's Inktober stuff, the published art isn't there!

At this point my mind goes to all sorts of dark places. Maybe Carnero sold it herself to avoid having to pay the rep a cut. Or maybe she got hungry and ate it. All pretty irrational, but it's been over six weeks at this point. I send Icíar another email asking what's going on and she tells me that the published art will be coming soon in the main art drop. Ok, I'll keep waiting.

Finally on November 28th Icíar sends me an email that the drop will happen on the 30th. BUT apparently enough people have inquired about these covers that they decided that the best way to be fair is to do this through a blind auction format. I'm a little upset, but I understand that there is no way to accurately begin to price these covers since she's never sold any before. But I'm feeling like this is not going to happen. And to make it worse, she sends me a huge scan of the cover to tease me further!

So I throw in my (to me) obscene offer. And shocker, there's another delay! Carmen got sick, so the drop is now delayed until December 14th. At this point I'm wondering if this is the universe saying that I should just give this up? It's no longer a guarantee that I'll get it and if I do, I'll probably have to mortgage my soul.

Finally the date is set for what the auction and... the rules have changed again! Now you will be told if you're the high bidder. Also if you are the high bidder and get out bid, you will be notified so you can submit a higher bid.

Once again, I'm a little upset, but I've drawn my line in the sand and if someone is willing to pay more for this cover than what I've already bid, then they can have it! Fast forward to December 27th, Icíar sends out another email warning that the auction is closing in a hour. I'm not sure if I'm the high bidder. I haven't received a message that I got outbid, but what if it got lost or Icíar was too busy to send it? I briefly contemplate putting in another bid, but I say to myself that I'm already tapping the emergency fund to pay for this if I win, so I better not go any higher.

Weeks go by after the auction has closed, and I've heard nothing. So I cycle through the five stages of grief. Anger and depression that someone else got it. Grief that I'll probably never own this cover. Denial that I ever stood a chance against people with deeper pockets then me. Thoughts of contacting Icíar to bargin; I'll pay more than the winner. And finally acceptance that I didn't win.

I forget what I bought, but I know that I ended up spending a portion of the money I had ear marked for this on something else, but I still kind if regret not getting what I wanted. Then on January 2nd, out of the blue I get an email from Icíar; apparently I won!?!? She told me that someone put in their bid minutes after the auction ended that would have out bid me, but because it was too late, mine was still the winning bid. Also she apologized for the delay, saying that she had some personal things going on. Was this her way of giving me an out because of all the changes? To let someone else have it? No idea, but that other person can go pound sand, this is mine!

I immediately paid, and then the waiting game began all over. Waiting for Carmen Carnero to send the piece to the Green Room, and then for Icíar to send it out. Now there was a new issue; it might arrive at my house around the time I was at OAX. Crap! I told her to hold off shipping it until the end of January. Finally February 9th I had the piece.

I can't fault Icíar for all the issues and delays with this, she was pregnant during this whole time and she did have some personal emergencies come up in her life. But I'm sure The Green Room will do better in the future.