If you are expecting a toy today- sorry. I cheated today. But you know what? It's my Advent to you. I saw this great sign today that said 'Your opinion is not a part of the recipe!' Nobody pays me to do my Advents. In fact, for the life of me, Google AdSense refuses to grant this blog to be a source of extra income. Thus Madman with a Book is a labor or love and if I say that today's item is a toy- it's a toy.
Today, I am talking about one of my most favorite gifts of all-time. It's something I still love to receive and if you are a regular read of this blog, you'll know that I still regularly purchase and consume these almost everyday. I'm talking about comic books!
I was introduced to comic books at an extremely young age due to my father. He had an extensive collection of books from the 1950s and 60s- many of which would first appearances of icons such as the Barry Allen Flash and the Hal Jordan Green Lantern. My dad grew up during the beginning of the Silver Age of comics and his collection showed. There were tons of Superman, Lois Lane, Hawkman and other titles. Thus, I had no choice but to become a DC person!
IT was a rare treat when my dad would bring out his box of comics. I'd say he did it once or twice a year. We'd spend hours looking over the books. It was so fun!
Over time, I started getting into comic books. But it wasn't until 1988 that I seriously started collecting. That's when we moved to Knightdale, NC. My new home had an attic and my mother wanted above all else in her new house closet space. And my dad's comic books were slated to be taken up to a very hot, dank setting that had zero climate control.
Not wanting the books to get damaged future, dad's collection became my collection. Over the course of a year, I became a geek. A new Batman movie helped to feed that obsession. As part of all that, I wanted comic books for Christmas of 1989 that and that's where today's GIFT came it.
I don't remember where I saw it. But I wanted a comic book collector's kit. It came with protective sleeves, and a guide to pricing and collecting comics. And there was a grab bag assortment of books. (Man I love grab bags! To this day, I can't pass up a comic book mystery bag!) I really wanted that collector's kit and since my mother would buy her son anything if it involved reading, that was what I got for Christmas 1989.
This was also the year I was introduced to a quaint series about mutants living in the U.K. called Excalibur. The grab bag was filled with several issues (in a row) of the Marvel Comic. I have fond memories of lying on the floor under my tree, next to my dog Lassie and cat, Midnight, just pouring over every page from Chris Claremont and Alan Davis.
Comic Books has been a part of my life since almost day 1. But it's not been as prevalent as tomorrow's gift. This is it! the biggie! What is the most beloved toy I ever got for Christmas? Find out tomorrow. Until then, here's a comical holiday skit starring some Marvel Comics characters. Enjoy!
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