Darrell's Comic Book Blogs

So - going through the old blogs, I realized the last time I bagged was 2 months ago. Got through 300 comics bagged. So - last week I bought 400 more bags and another long box. Yeah - I am just about there, but not quite! Yikes! Comicbook collecting is fun!

Almost a month since my last blog? . It's been so busy here at work - compounded by the fact that I lost one person and another wants to transfer to a different department. Oh, sure - no problem. We're only in the busiest month we've had in the last year. Sheesh.

Ah well. No REAL complaints, as everything else is great. Just wanted to check in before you guys put my face on a milk carton or some such.

Between gas prices and my recent decision to start picking up some titles I dropped in the past - whew!

But - I really have few complaints. Everything's been holding my attention, and since I refuse to buy every single "tie-in" book, I'm not as bad off as I could be. I gotta admit, reading the Avengers books alongside Secret Invasion has made the experience somewhat more delicious; especially since I have only recently started reading most Marvel books again. 

I'm still looking forward to Final Crisis and Batman: R.I.P. kicking into gear (kinda the reverse problem I usually perceive with GM's writing); but so far - the foundations are laid.

Just a quick blog. I am not planning on being on much in the next couple of days because I'm trying to wrap up stuff at work before going to Michigan to visit my family for the long weekend.

I just wanted to drop a note and let everyone know that I am enjoying the social aspect of the site. Getting psyched about the possibilities the "Market" report opens up for trading/buying/selling books with friends who have a common interest.

Makes me feel almost like a kid again!

Feeling kinda "odd" lately. Hard to explain. Feeling off center, maybe? A great disturbance in the Force? Spiritually bankrupt? Like my soul has withered, I guess. Not depressed (trust me, I know depressed) but this feeling of - I could really give a s**t about anything. I just can’t bring myself to care. Even that’s not exactly it. I DO care. I just can’t get worked up anymore. Maybe that’s it - nothing to be passionate about? Working too much? Could it just be I need a break? Maybe I’m just getting old and cranky?

Thanks for the laughs.

Spending my day off bagging comics. Apparently, I haven't done any bagging for about 16 months. Love collecting comics, but MAN do I get behind on that stuff. And then, after bagging them - I need to file them. Which means shifting boxes of comics to make room for the new ones. I stopped re-bagging my already bagged comics (like the experts recommend doing) a couple of years ago, fully intending to switch to Mylites; which I started, but had to finish due to income restrictions.  Ran out of bags "on hand." Now the next trip to the LCS will see me buying a couple hundred more bags. THEN - when's the next time I get psyched up enough to bag some more?

It's a vicious circle.

In the summer of 1983, I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. I was 10 going on 11. I won’t bore you with too many details. That’s partly because I don’t know a lot; but mainly because this is about comics, dagnabbit!

I grew up in a small town, so of course, with all the benefit dances and fundraisers people were holding to help my family out financially, the local papers picked up my story. The small town newspaper ran a picture of me along with their story. Of course, in the picture, I was sitting on a couch, surrounded by comics. Here’s where it gets good. My aunt lived next door to a man who collected comics. He and his daughter used to travel, showing off their collection. He and my aunt talked, and he brought me two short boxes of comics. And after years of viewing comics as disposable (and usually cover-less) entertainment, was I in for a surprise!

First – there was the box itself. Your usual short comic box; but I had, up until then, never seen that! Second – the bags and boards! Wow – you can PRESERVE them! And some of them still had the price stickers on. There was something called Uncanny X-Men in this neat bag and . . . whoa – it was worth SIX DOLLARS (note – it was issue #137. Yeah, I know)! All kinds of wonders! Long story short(er), I made it thru chemotherapy, radiation, hair-loss, nausea, et cetera; and honestly, my love for comics helped me get through it all.

I fully intended to continue my reminiscing today; however, when I got to work, I was told I have an online training thing to do. Yay, team! Anyway – I did want to give a brief update.

I did, indeed, reach the 10,000 comic milestone with today’s trip to the LCS. It did occur to me, though, that – if I still had every comic I’ve ever bought – I’d probably be double that by now. * sigh * Ah, well.

OK – gotta get back to the harassment training. I’ll try to continue my self-indulgent ramblings tomorrow.

As of tomorrow, I'll have passed the 10,000 comic mark. In true comicbook fashion – a milestone like this deserves a telling of the origin story. So, without further Apu . . .

I can’t remember a time where I didn’t know about superheroes. As a kid, I devoured reruns of the 1966 Batman TV series. I also enjoyed the Superfriends (because, hey – Batman and Robin were there, too). Man, was I hooked. The concept of adopting a costumed identity and fighting crime has always seemed "natural" to me; well, in fiction, anyway. Of course, looking back at my "School Memories" scrapbook my mom kept of my early school days – I see that in a couple of the "What do you want to be when you grow up" spots I picked Batman.

I’ve always been a reader. My mom says I was starting to read at 18 months. Blame that on Sesame Street, I guess. Anyway, I can’t remember my first comicbook, but I’d bet anything that it had Batman in it! I loved superheroes. I discovered Spider-Man courtesy of reruns of the 1967 cartoon. (As an aside - did anyone else have one of those "non-affiliated" stations that showed reruns of old TV shows and cartoons?) Superman: The Movie came out in 1978. WOW!! The Incredible Hulk on TV. Spider-Man TV show, Captain America (my dad actually made me a shield. I still remember painting the red, white and blue on it – wish I still had it – but it didn’t deflect rocks. ‘Nuff said). So – basically, my time was spent watching or reading superheroes, playing superheroes (either being the hero or playing with my Mego dolls. Yeah – I said "dolls." Wanna make somethin’ of it?