I was always a big superhero geek. I have probably seen all the movies Marvel, DC and other comic books publishers have put out, but I was never a big comic book guy. I just didnāt like reading much as a kid. I could have Spider-Man 2 playing on loop all day long but would never pick up one of his comic books.
That changed in the summer when I was around 7 or 8 years old. I wasnāt in school, so my father would take me to his job. At the time he worked at a restaurant, so I couldnāt do much to help. This was also right before smartphones and tablets blew up, so I didnāt have anything like that to entertain me. Therefore, before clocking in for work, my dad would take me to a convenience store over at the next block to find things to keep me occupied. He bought me drawing pads, pencils, crayons etc. so I wouldnāt get bored.
One day, he noticed that the store carried 3 packs of comic books. They were all mismatched stories and characters, and I probably wouldnāt have understood what was going on anyways, but my dad bought them for me anyways; at least just to look at the great art for a few hours. I did end up enjoying the comic books though. They were a lot of fun and I loved them more when my dad told me that he also loved reading comic books growing up. He was a poor farm boy in Mexico in rough conditions, but he would always scrape enough change to buy a comic book that would allow him to escape from the everyday struggle. Comic books carried a little more weight afterwards because this felt like my father passing on one of his favorite childhood pastimes onto me.
Most of the comic books I had when I was younger were thrown away because I wasnāt responsible enough to take proper care of them, but I recently began the hobby again. After spending most of my quarantine glued to a screen, I began to pick up reading again. On my way to see if the Strand in Union Square was open, I noticed that the comic book shop Forbidden Planet was open as well. I browsed around and remembering how much fun I had reading this stuff, I picked up a copy of Spider-Man: Life Story. Iām trying to pick up the newer series and story arcs, but it can be difficult since many series date back to the 60ās and 70ās. Graphic novels are also great because they compile multiple issues revolving around one storyline.
Though comic books themselves havenāt been a huge part of my life, the stories and content that have been adapted into movies, games, and TV shows have had an indelible effect on my life. Comic books and superhero media in general have taught me a lot about myself on a very human level. My favorite superhero and fictional character is Spider-Man because he is the ultimate relatable character. Personally, I see Peter Parker getting picked on by the big jocks for being nerdy and smart and I see myself in middle school getting picked on by the cool kids. Things always seem to go south for Peter no matter how hard he tries to balance school, work, and being Spider-Man, and I think lots of us remember a time where the world seemed overwhelming and too much to handle. However, despite all the challenges, Spider-Man never gives up on helping those in need. Itās something I try to emulate in life; Iām not fighting Thanos or saving the universe, but I try to do things that no matter how little they might be, helps someone through their day. Superhero media sends messages like these to its audience, and I think that picking up the original source material is important in absorbing all the messages and themes that said character is trying to convey. And while my dad is not as passionate about comic books and superhero media as I am, Iāll always be grateful for him introducing this wonderful genre to me.
The superhuman traits of comic books are amazing to see; it puts the āsuperā in superhero. However, ultimately what brings people to comic books and the sci-fi genre in general is seeing people struggle with what seems to be insurmountable challenges and then pushing themselves to do incredible things. The premises in comic books are always wild, unrealistic, and flashy, but what makes the stories and characters so memorable is how we see the world, society, and ourselves in them.
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