Comic Books

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I am a big comic book fan, although around 2001, I stopped buying them regualry when I let the last of my subscriptions expire. I still buy them on occasion and have many graphic novels.

My favorite was Spider-Man. He was a kid when I was a kid, got to college about the time I got to college and got married a few years before I got married. As a kid I watched the old Spider-Man TV show.

I am also a fan of Batman. Grew up watching the old Batman show and Superfriends. My name is Robin, my brother's name is Alfred, and my wife's name is Barbara, the same as the original Batgirl. Just coincidental though.

Rob Gronovius

I am a big comic book fan, although around 2001, I stopped buying them regualry when I let the last of my subscriptions expire. I still buy them on occasion and have many graphic novels.

My favorite was Spider-Man. He was a kid when I was a kid, got to college about the time I got to college and got married a few years before I got married. As a kid I watched the old Spider-Man TV show.

I am also a fan of Batman. Grew up watching the old Batman show and Superfriends. My name is Robin, my brother's name is Alfred, and my wife's name is Barbara, the same as the original Batgirl. Just coincidental though.

 

Wow, haven't thought about comic books in years.

I recall now going to the drug store with my mom (a real drug store, not the CVS/Walgreens superstore stuff we are used to here in the US). The revolving rack of comic books was in the back by the pharmacy pick up window.

Thinking back, how brilliant. In the 60's, who picked up prescriptions? Mom. With kids standing right there at the pick up window. Next to the comix. Hmmm.

I remember being really into Richie Rich. Never the action stuff. I know there were others and now you have me wracking my brain trying to remember the others, Steve!

Greg

The revolving rack of comic books was in the back by the pharmacy pick up window.

Greg

now you have me wracking my brain trying to remember the others, Steve!

Bakster

Sorry, Greg!

Nah..... Brain exercise is good.

Maybe add Sad Sack and maybe the occasional Archie, and of course Mad Magazine. Been looking at 60's comix online, thinking I must have been pretty dedicated to 'ol Richie Rich

Greg

Maybe add Sad Sack and maybe the occasional Archie, and of course Mad Magazine. Been looking at 60's comix online, thinking I must have been pretty dedicated to 'ol Richie Rich

I forgot about Mad Magazine until you mentioned it. I bought a few of those. I was also a big fan of Cracked Magazine. 

Ah remember the Mad Magazine “fold-in“ back covers?

Yeah that's right. I forgot about that.

Real G

Ah remember the Mad Magazine “fold-in“ back covers?

 

Oh yeah! I'd forgotten about those, too!

And Steve, I'd also forgotten all about Cracked. I remember now I think I liked that more than Mad.

Bakster

 

 

Tojo72

How the ads,you could buy like hundreds of plastic soldiers for like 99 cents,X-ray glasses,and forth.

 

Yes! The ads! Other things like spud guns, ant farms, even your own personal submarine for less than $5. Lol.

GMorrison

 

 

Bakster

 

 

Tojo72

How the ads,you could buy like hundreds of plastic soldiers for like 99 cents,X-ray glasses,and forth.

 

Yes! The ads! Other things like spud guns, ant farms, even your own personal submarine for less than $5. Lol.

 

 

 

 

Greg

I remember now I think I liked that more than Mad.

Greg! I totally agree. I bought every Cracked that was being issued. Mad? Not so much.

Bakster

Bill! Is that you in there? You lucky dog! Look at that thing. It is awesome! Lol. I would have had a blast in that. Lol!

Me too. I just gotta know.

That does look awesome, and is it one of the cardboard submarines referred to above???

I always saw Mad as a teenager-college mag and Cracked for the younger crowd.  Mad had a lot of social/political satire while Cracked was just for laughs.  My first issue of Cracked was the 1977 Star Wars issue.  I was 12 years old back then.

And that cardboard sub was way cool!  Back then I thought the ad was for blueprints to build a functioning sub!

Ant farms, sea monkeys, X-ray glasses, fake vomit, garlic flavored chewing gum, exploding pens... ah the nostalgia!

Greg

 

 

Bakster

Bill! Is that you in there? You lucky dog! Look at that thing. It is awesome! Lol. I would have had a blast in that. Lol!

 

 

Me too. I just gotta know.

That does look awesome, and is it one of the cardboard submarines referred to above???

 

 

Real G

I always saw Mad as a teenager-college mag and Cracked for the younger crowd.  Mad had a lot of social/political satire while Cracked was just for laughs.  My first issue of Cracked was the 1977 Star Wars issue.  I was 12 years old back then.

And that cardboard sub was way cool!  Back then I thought the ad was for blueprints to build a functioning sub!

Ant farms, sea monkeys, X-ray glasses, fake vomit, garlic flavored chewing gum, exploding pens... ah the nostalgia!

 

That sounds right about Mad.

That is what I thought. I thought they were plans. For the price I couldn't have imagined they'd send you all that. What a deal! Lol.

Yes, the nostalgia. I wish I could go back in time for a few days, as a vacation! 

Fortunately, I have dozens of comic book boxes full of my comics from the late 70s, 80s, 90s and early 2000s. All the Spider-Man titles, Spawn, Superman, Batman, Thor, X-Men, Ghost Rider.

Towards my later years, I was more interested in alternate reality comics where you'd find Batman vs. the Predator, or Batman vs. the Punisher, the amalgam comics where heroes were a combination of DC and Marvel characters like Dark Claw (Batman & Wolverine), Bruce Wayne: Agent of Shield, etc.

One of the better What Ifs was the daughter of Spider-Man and Mary Jane, Spider-Girl. Picks up the mantle of her father's when her powers manifest. He has long since retired due to losing a leg in battle.

Comic books then went to ZAP, and other stuff.

My 28 year old now talks about "graphic novels".

I never was a super heroes reader.

MAD was cool.

Spy vs. Spy was on the top of my list.

GMorrison

Comic books then went to ZAP, and other stuff. My 28 year old now talks about "graphic novels".

I suppose it is inevitable.

+

Are we having fun yet???

I remember the plans for a hovercraft you could build with a vacuum cleaner motor.

ikar01

hHere's a horror story that many of you may have heard before or even experienced.  At one time I had many comics like the first couple years of Ironman, Spiderman, Hulk, Justice league, Fantastic Four and many others.  When I came back from my first tour in South east Asis I found out that my Mother had given all of them to kids in the neighborhood or just tossed them.  The same with my small stash of models and a rather large collection of Baseball cardsfrom the 50s and 60s along with various collector cards from different T.V. shows..  I never understood the reasoning behind this action except that maybe she thought that I had outgrown them or would soon.  One disturbing theory I heard from a family member was that she thought that I might not be comming back from the war.  Who's to say.

 

When my dad was drafted into the US Army, after 2 college deferments during the Korean War he was stationed in Pearl Harbor at the hospital there.  He was a clerk typist, and sent home every single paycheck he earned to his mother.  Made pocket money shooting pool and playing cards.

When he go out, he took the train from Chicago to Cleveland, then the bus to his little hometown.  Might have had to hitchhike the last several miles, but that was the way it was in the 50's.

Went to his house, and there was another family living there.  A neighbor said my dad's folks had moved to a different area of the town.

When my dad got there, to a nicer newer house, he found out that the money he'd been sending home all those years was what they used as a down payment on the new house.

All his clothes, baseball cards (late 30's, 40's), any comic books or records he'd bought had either been given to his younger brother or thrown away.

He hitchhiked from Alliance to Kent with the discharge money he had in his pocket, and his Army duffel bag with whatever civies he'd had when he entered the Army.

Jay Bones

When my dad got there, to a nicer newer house, he found out that the money he'd been sending home all those years was what they used as a down payment on the new house. All his clothes, baseball cards (late 30's, 40's), any comic books or records he'd bought had either been given to his younger brother or thrown away.

That's a nice welcome home. Shaking my head.

Had a warrant officer who worked for me telling me a similar tale. Sent his money home from his time at basic and his first duty station in Panama. When he returned home thinking he had some money to get a car, he found out his poor Louisiana family had been living high on the hog on his pay and they had spent it all. He had no money. He retired a few years ago in the early 2010s.

Great graphics from the good 'ol days, Steve. Wow, the memories and I still can't  believe I never ordered any of that stuff. I'm sure my mom would have gone for it.

But the money sent home and collections gone stories make me sad....

Greg

Wow, the memories and I still can't  believe I never ordered any of that stuff.

Second to that was a plastic elephant that you load with cigarettes. You pull down on its trunk and a cigarette comes out its butt. My parents were smokers. So, they kind of got a charge out of it.