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Comic Book Junkie #1
"Memories"
Review posted: 24 Jan 2006
Writer:
Publisher:
Reviewed by Matt Yocum
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When I was ten years old, I
bought my first comic book at Waldenbooks in the local mall of my
small town in northern Kentucky. I had enough money for one 60-cent
issue, and I was immediately struck by an image on the cover of Iron
Man #165 showing the armored Avenger standing defiant as his armor
melted. I read the book penned by Denny O’Neil, and as it ended on a
cliffhanger, I was anxious to return a month later and see what came
next. Twenty four years later, I’m still anxious to return and find
out what comes next.
In those intervening years, I owe a great deal to a number of
people and retailers for helping me enjoy the experience of comics.
My father ranks high on the list as he shuttled me for so many years
first to the mall and then a local comic book shop and several flea
markets as I sought to plug gaps in my Iron Man collection. For years
I grew up along with a growing shop in northern Kentucky, Comic Book World, and I’m pleased
to see they’ve grown to three stores in northern Kentucky and Ohio.
As I joined the Air Force and began to move around the country and
world, I find myself further indebted to many retailers such as Comic Oasis in Las Vegas, Nevada,
Nova Comics in Springfield,
Virginia, and the Mile High
Comics subscription service, who were willing to fill out a
customs slip each order as they mailed comics to my overseas duty
location.
During these many years, I found myself like many out there
slipping away in the 1990s when the industry flooded the speculator
market with gimmicks and bland titles. I always held onto Iron Man,
mainly in devotion to the character and not to the quality of the
book, along with a few other titles. When the 90s passed, it seemed a
new resurgence began in the industry. I saw better stories,
increasingly good art, and many more choices of excellent books. Now
I find myself feeling much the same as I did when I was ten, excited
to go to my local comic shop, and I’m reading more comics today than I
ever have before.
My appreciation for comics as an art form has only heightened these
past years, and my desire to learn more about comics led me to begin
reading numerous books about comics including how they relate to
philosophy, spirituality, the business side of comics, and even the
physics of superheroes. I hope to talk about some of these along with
other thoughts related to comics in this column.
Each Wednesday as I enter my local shop, I find myself that same
ten year old, walking along the aisles with so many possibilities
surrounding me. I pay a bit more than 60 cents an issue now, but when
I get home and plop myself in my favorite reading chair, the feeling
comes back, that rush of adventure that can only come from comics. I
get my fix. And for a comic book junkie like myself, it’s the
greatest feeling in the world.
Feel free to email me at myocum@comiccritique.com and if you’d
like to learn more about me, go to www.mattyocum.com.
—CCdC— Cover image used without explicit permission in accordance with the "Fair Use" provision of US copyright law.
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