Join me for a second as we jump into the Wayback Machine and travel back in time to the early-90s. Millions of teenagers across North America are decked out in flannel and listening as Nirvana changes popular music. Democratic presidential nominee Bill Clinton is rocking out on his saxophone on the Arsenio Hall Show (And, presumably, screwing just about everyone in the green room because, well, that's just how he rolls). Jean Chretien is riding a wild wave of popularity as the country's most liberal Prime Minister since Trudeau. And a young Curtis J. Harding, Esq. is introduced to comic books for the first time.
A ten minute walk from my house there was a comic store called 'Gotham Comics And Games'. I wasn't really that into comics in my pre-adolescent years, but after school one day, a friend of mine asked if I wanted to join him on the way to the comic store - apparently there was this video game there that hadn't yet made it to our local arcade (Something called Street Fighter II - perhaps you've heard of it? Anyway..). With nothing else to do (except homework and, honestly, who the hell wants to do that on a sunny May afternoon?) I graciously accepted the offer.
There seemed an inordinate number of individuals clustered around that arcade cabinet (though my friend would later admit to me, "This is nothing - try coming on a weekend."), so rather than sifting through the mass of humanity waiting my turn to get slaughtered by the local champion, I decided to browse the comics. Sure, I knew of Batman, Spider-Man and the like - and, indeed, I had a few scattered issues strewn about my house that I had picked up through various means, but this was my first time in an actual comic SHOP. I was floored. Rows upon rows of costumed heroes fighting crime (and, of course, more than a few ANTI-heroes exacting their own brand of vengeance/justice/brutality, etc.). I grabbed two Batman comics, a Spider-Man comic and three Punisher comics (Fact: Punisher was my favourite comic book when I was twelve years old. I don't know what that says about me, but there it is) I bade adieu to my friend (who was busy dispatching his seventh successive challenger using with Ryu's shoryuken) and made my way home and spent the whole evening examining my booty. I was taken in by the action, the story and the artwork. I pored over every panel and quicker than you could say 'Shazam!', I was hooked. I soon got my own 'box' at Gotham - every week when the new issues came in, the shop owner would set aside books for me that he knew I would like and I'd come in and pick them up at my convenience. Life was good.
What happened next? Well, soon after Superman 'died' (I still have that issue buried in my treasure trove - I wonder if it's worth money now?), high school started trying to pound the geek out of me. Peer pressure is an hell of a thing. I stopped wearing dorky tee shirts and started endorsing sports teams in a bid to fit in. Obviously it didn't work - once you're 'branded' in high school, that's it. Trying to fight against it is like trying to push the tide back into the ocean. But that didn't stop me from trying. Soon I stopped going to Gotham altogether. Not so long after that, it shuttered its doors for good (pour one for my homies). And that was seemingly it. Comics ceased to be a part of my life for over a decade. It would take one of my favourite films of all-time to re-ignite my passion. When I saw The Dark Knight for the first time, I was absolutely floored. I had read The Killing Joke (Alan Moore - represent!) a dozen times and to see a Joker as deranged, unhinged and manic fully-realized on-screen (sure, Jack Nicholson was all right in the original film, but he was a little too cartoonish. Heath Ledger absolutely *nailed* it. It will go down as one of the most iconic roles in film history - of that, I have no doubt) was like an alarm clock ringing - violently jolting my inner comic-book geek awake from its slumber.
More than that, in many ways it served as a wake-up call for my entire consciousness. I started brandishing geeky tees like they were weapons. I talked openly about video games, comic books, movies - I wasn't afraid to put my passions on display. Now don't get me wrong - as my friends who have only known me in the 21st Century will attest, I was always geeky. But this was like my coming-out party. In a sense, I came to embrace my dorkiness and, more than that, own it. It wasn't a source of embarassment - it was a sense of pride.
These days I don't have my own comic shop - I'll pick up trades and one-shots online, or at different stores around the city. But I haven't stopped looking. I can't help but think it's like buying your first home - one day you just walk in and 'know'.
Incidentally, my doctor's office is now located in the spot where Gotham used to be. The last time I was in there for a check-up, someone had left a tattered, dog-eared Spider-Man comic in the waiting room. The universe is not without a sense of humour, it would seem.
What I'm Reading: Batman & Robin, vol. 1, Marvel Civil War
What I'm Playing: Batman: Arkham Asylum (Late to the party on this one, I know)
i am going to be honest here and say dislike. This is self-serving drivel. I for one expect more from you Curtis.
ReplyDeleteI laughed at "spent the whole evening examining my booty".
ReplyDeleteI'm going to be quite bold here (because I don't know you well. My fault, I live halfway around the world), and agree with Adrian. 'Geek' has been the new 'cool' for quite some time now (as evidence, my "I heart Geeks" t-shirt circa 2001; TV shows devoted entirely to video game news having the likes of Olivia Munn cohost; the collective box office earnings of Dark Knight, 300, Sin City, the spiderman series, the Hulk, Fantastic 4, Iron Man, the X Men series, etc, etc; and reaching back a bit further, Stan Lee's cameo appearance in Mall Rats (and what 'cool kid' in the mid90s didn't love Mall Rats?)). If not 'cool', geekery has been decidedly 'mainstream' for going on a decade, if not more. Coming out?? Comic books and video games aren't a lifestyle choice, they just are. Join the masses, and just enjoy.
ReplyDelete'Self-serving drivel'? *SOB*
ReplyDeleteYou HATEFUL man!
*weep*
My tears will stain my desk from now until the end of time.
In all honesty, I'm not going to disagree with you. This is exactly the kind of pap that STATED IN THE INITIAL POST that I wouldn't put up here. I wish I could say why I did it - I used to have this thing called an open diary where I would put up thoughts and memories that bordered on the melancholic-yet-beautiful (or so I was told, anyway). I can't do that any more and I suppose it sort of bothers me. Trying to 'regain the lost magic', in a way - like when Michael Jordan came out of retirement again to play for the Wizards.
I probably should have just reviewed another damned DVD, in retrospect. haha.
In addition, 'coming out' comes off as more than a little heavy-handed, I'll agree but you lost points for mentioning Hulk and Fantastic 4 in the same breath as those other comic book films. Those were just *terrible*.
... Mental note. Future blog post: Where Fantastic Four failed as a franchise. (Two words :'Ioan Gruffuld')
Anyways, yeah.. I don't exactly want to 'delete' this post, but I can't see any option to 'hide' it, either, so I'll just leave it up here as a reminder and warning - like a decapitated head on a pike.
I think you are quite justified in making this post. This isn't self-serving drivel. You're allowed to talk about your experiences. In fact, I would say that this is a post that defines the very essence of this blog.
ReplyDeleteBut hey, I've come from similar experiences, so I understand where you're coming from. I was a geek, and I still am. So don't apologize for making this post.