I'm sure that a number of comic book fans are able to recall their first foray into the medium. Many could tell you when they gave comic books a shot, or which book they first cut their teeth on. I'm sure not a lot of people can remember the reason why they got into comics; the motivation they had to explore a new medium of storytelling.
Despite all of the usual stigmas that come along with collecting comic books, I initially got into the medium in order to impress some older kids and to become socially accepted by them for doing so. That's a terrible reason to get into any hobby or interest, but luckily once inside the world of comic books, I found myself at home.
I remember the entire incident very clearly. I had been waiting for the bus with some older boys in my neighborhood who were having the typical comic book conversations that young boys will have. I wanted to throw in my own two cents but I had no clue as to what they were talking about. I knew some of the characters, but only in passing. I knew Batman and Superman by their logos, but not as Bruce Wayne or Clark Kent. However, like all young kids, being accepted by my peers, and not only that but by older, supposidly cooler boys, was a big deal.
So I lied. Since I didn't know anything about the characters or stories, I figured I'd try and impress them by saying that my dad owned a copy of "Hulk #1." It worked, but only for so long. I knew at some point I'd either have to give up on trying to look cool or actually get into comic books.
I think my choice was pretty obvious.
So during the next shopping trip to the grocery store, I convince my mother to let me go pick up a comic book at the bookstore which was in the same shopping center. I was a big reader as a kid and I'm sure my mother didn't mind giving me a measly dollar and some change to get a comic book over buying me a book that I would have just devoured in a night anyways.
M
y first experience as a comic book fan began at the spinner rack, not at the comic book store, and as such I had a limited amount of titles to work from. I decide to start simple and look for a hero that I had not only heard the older boys talk about, but someone I had heard of before. A cover caught my eye that featured Spider-Man sporting six-arms and carrying two burglars in his arms.
Little did I know, what I had in my hands was a "What If" title and not an actual Spider-Man book. I went through the first couple of months as a comic book fan thinking that Spider-Man actually did have six arms and that he just did a really good job of hiding them (and forgetting to use them ever.) Despite its place just outside of Marvel continuity, the book still proved to be a great crash course to the universe. Not only was Spider-Man featured, but as was the Fantastic Four, the X-Men and pretty much the entirety of Spider-Man's rogues gallery. It gave me a lot of material to work with at the bus stop.
I couldn't wait to take the book to school, to show it off to those who would be interested. I remember treating it like it was a big deal, keeping the comic not only in the plastic baggy it came in, but in the actual paper bag from the bookstore to preserve its glory. Of course, later on I'm sure it ended up on the floor of my room, its cover torn asunder and its pages bent to all hell.
From then on, that was it. I was a comic book geek. My second book would be a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic based off of the animated series. I had been a fan of the cartoon, so it proved to be an easy way to get into the habit of buying comics. The third book I picked up was the first issue of "X-Men Adventure," which was the comic adaptation of the 90's animated series. At the time I had no clue, all I knew was that the X-Men were considered to be cool by anyone who liked comics and that first issues were a big deal. This led to my lifelong devotion to Charles Xavier's little school of muties, but that's a whole 'nother article onto itself.
Later on in my life, when I had finally donned the mantle of "serious comic geek," I went ahead and bought a new copy of What If #42 just to read it again. Every time I see the montage of villains at the end, or Spider-Man fighting the original X-Men, I forget the reason I initially got into comics and I remember the reason why I stayed with the medium after my first dip in the pool.
Despite all of the usual stigmas that come along with collecting comic books, I initially got into the medium in order to impress some older kids and to become socially accepted by them for doing so. That's a terrible reason to get into any hobby or interest, but luckily once inside the world of comic books, I found myself at home.
I remember the entire incident very clearly. I had been waiting for the bus with some older boys in my neighborhood who were having the typical comic book conversations that young boys will have. I wanted to throw in my own two cents but I had no clue as to what they were talking about. I knew some of the characters, but only in passing. I knew Batman and Superman by their logos, but not as Bruce Wayne or Clark Kent. However, like all young kids, being accepted by my peers, and not only that but by older, supposidly cooler boys, was a big deal.
So I lied. Since I didn't know anything about the characters or stories, I figured I'd try and impress them by saying that my dad owned a copy of "Hulk #1." It worked, but only for so long. I knew at some point I'd either have to give up on trying to look cool or actually get into comic books.
I think my choice was pretty obvious.
So during the next shopping trip to the grocery store, I convince my mother to let me go pick up a comic book at the bookstore which was in the same shopping center. I was a big reader as a kid and I'm sure my mother didn't mind giving me a measly dollar and some change to get a comic book over buying me a book that I would have just devoured in a night anyways.
M
y first experience as a comic book fan began at the spinner rack, not at the comic book store, and as such I had a limited amount of titles to work from. I decide to start simple and look for a hero that I had not only heard the older boys talk about, but someone I had heard of before. A cover caught my eye that featured Spider-Man sporting six-arms and carrying two burglars in his arms.Little did I know, what I had in my hands was a "What If" title and not an actual Spider-Man book. I went through the first couple of months as a comic book fan thinking that Spider-Man actually did have six arms and that he just did a really good job of hiding them (and forgetting to use them ever.) Despite its place just outside of Marvel continuity, the book still proved to be a great crash course to the universe. Not only was Spider-Man featured, but as was the Fantastic Four, the X-Men and pretty much the entirety of Spider-Man's rogues gallery. It gave me a lot of material to work with at the bus stop.
I couldn't wait to take the book to school, to show it off to those who would be interested. I remember treating it like it was a big deal, keeping the comic not only in the plastic baggy it came in, but in the actual paper bag from the bookstore to preserve its glory. Of course, later on I'm sure it ended up on the floor of my room, its cover torn asunder and its pages bent to all hell.
From then on, that was it. I was a comic book geek. My second book would be a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic based off of the animated series. I had been a fan of the cartoon, so it proved to be an easy way to get into the habit of buying comics. The third book I picked up was the first issue of "X-Men Adventure," which was the comic adaptation of the 90's animated series. At the time I had no clue, all I knew was that the X-Men were considered to be cool by anyone who liked comics and that first issues were a big deal. This led to my lifelong devotion to Charles Xavier's little school of muties, but that's a whole 'nother article onto itself.Later on in my life, when I had finally donned the mantle of "serious comic geek," I went ahead and bought a new copy of What If #42 just to read it again. Every time I see the montage of villains at the end, or Spider-Man fighting the original X-Men, I forget the reason I initially got into comics and I remember the reason why I stayed with the medium after my first dip in the pool.
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