If you haven't seen it, here it is:
For those of you too lazy to watch, the scene is about Owen's (played by Danny Devito) coin collection, which amounts to just normal nickels, pennies and quarters. The coins are only worth their face value, however for Owen, they are full of value because they are change that his father allowed him to keep (from a concert, the circus, etc). Memories can do that to ya. Suddenly a piece of paper with a doodle becomes a treasure.
I got my first comic sometime in 1984-85.
There had been a few comics around the house, some Whitman Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig and some old Smurfs (Marvels, actually). I still have many of them and they were published in 1982 and possibly my sister's when they were first purchased. However, there were no real super-hero comics around the house. I did have an awesome Spider-Man shirt (I know I have a picture somewhere of me in it around the house) and I loved all super hero cartoons (well, pretty much all cartoons, really).
For years I had remembered Marvel Tales #185 as the first comic I ever bought.
I was with my Mom at Walgreen's and she told me to go pick out a comic to buy. It all felt special because the way I remember it, my mom just never bought me anything when she went out shopping - candy, toys, whatever. I don't think that's actually true, but you can't shake that feeling of "that's not fair!" impression out the brain.
I remember being really impressed with the cover and finding the Lizard really creepy.
I loved the issue. Spidey has to fight the Lizard with one arm and ends up winning by tricking him into a refrigerated train car, which weakens the Lizard (being that the cold would weaken the cold-blooded reptile). I was a little confused as I was aware sometimes Spider-Man wore a black suit and sometimes the red and blue. I also found all the 60's references perplexing but I figured that's just how Spider-Man was. I had no idea it had been published in the 1960's. This particular story was so powerful and well done.
It drew me in and I was hooked on comics since then.
However, recently I discovered that my old childhood memories were faulty.
That's because that comic (Marvel Tales #185) was published in 1986, which would place me in the 4th grade and I know I was into comics before that!
I have a specific memory of hiding Peter Parker #104 in my desk and showing it to my best buddy, Matt in the 3rd grade. This memory is so specific, it's hard to doubt.
The cover (and the internet) states it was published in July 1985 date but that typically meant the issue was on the newsstands for months before July. The weird cover dates on Marvel comics was a thing until the early 90's. So, I'm not really sure what my "first comic" was but whatever it was, it was good enough to get me to keep buying more!
I do have a theory as to how my memory was so muddled. I used to beg my mom for these three-packs for comics at my local Winn's. If you unfamiliar with Winn's it was a five-and-dime store. Think of it as mini-Wal-mart without clothing, kinda like a Big Lots but without furniture or Hobby Lobby without all the crafts or home deco but they had yarn. I remember lots of yarn and a kick-ass toy section. Oh, and they had ICEE's!!!
So, basically, kid utopia.
This was the same store where I first spied and lusted after the Ultra Magnus Transformer that was located on the top shelf. I begged my mom for months for that toy and finally got it on my birthday (which was probably my 9th birthday, in, you guessed it, 1986!)
Anyway, Winn's had these 3 packs of Marvel Comics that I would get from time-to-time but for whatever reason, I must have forgotten them and in my head, my love affair with comics really started with that Marvel Tales comic. I loved the three packs because you could never see the third issue, so you were getting one surprise every time!
Another great comic that I love is Spider-Ham # 6 (also, in 1986 ) Again, this one was bought at the same Walgreen's as Marvel Tales #185. I don't quite remember if it was purchased at night but I remember it in the car with me as my parents took us took my sister and I driving around to look at Christmas lights. After we got home, I took the comic and read it under the colorful lights of our Christmas tree. I remember feeling safe, warm and cozy. It's one of my most favorite childhood memories.
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| I am as anti-gun as they come nowadays but this is still one of my favorite covers of any comic I own. |
Another great memory that also comes from...you guessed it, 1986. This time, a non-Spider comic and one of my only Archie comics in my whole collection.
I was visiting my grandmother (who lived out of town) and she took me shopping with her. I can't remember if my sister was with me or if we were by ourselves. She took me downtown, where we looked at the river that runs through her small town from the top of the bridge and we walked down to an actual old soda shop. My grandma treated me to a shake and a comic as well! The comic rack only had Archie's, which I found odd, but a comic is a comic. That old soda shop was fantastic and I wonder if it's still standing but I doubt it. More than any detail, I remember the feeling of that day with my grandma and walking into that soda shop. Again, another safe, special, childhood memory.
There might be more comic memories so, if they hit me, they will eventually wind up here. In the meantime, stay warm amigos!
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