What was it like for you, growing up as a comic fan?

[Sacred Knight]

For me the hobby was never frowned upon in any way, be it within family or in public. but at the same time I only had maybe one or two friends who were into it, and even then not as much as me. My brother would also entertain me from time to time when I wanted to talk about it too but he wasn't necessarily a fan. So overall it was very much not something that I had any sort of community to engage with and share things with. It was just a me thing. Which was fine by me at the time. Frankly it still would be fine by me, but then came that little thing called the internet, so that's moot now, ha.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

I started reading comics in the very early 70's, going to the neighborhood Woolworth where books were in those spinners, a vast selection to choose from. I would buy a good half dozen at a pop and pour over them in my bedroom, I had two or three friends on my block who also read comics and we'd trade every now and then, something that was just as much fun as reading them. Heck, we'd even play superheroes occasionally, I was almost always Iron Man, and I'd draw ovals in my palms with crayon for Shellhead's repulsor rays. Ahhh, good times!

[DrNewGod]

I started reading comics in the very early 70's, going to the neighborhood Woolworth where books were in those spinners, a vast selection to choose from. I would buy a good half dozen at a pop and pour over them in my bedroom, I had two or three friends on my block who also read comics and we'd trade every now and then, something that was just as much fun as reading them. Heck, we'd even play superheroes occasionally, I was almost always Iron Man, and I'd draw ovals in my palms with crayon for Shellhead's repulsor rays. Ahhh, good times!

That's awesome. I always chose guys like Captain Mar-Vell, The Atom, or Hawkman. I had a soft spot for the second stringers.

[The Darknight Detective]

That's awesome. I always chose guys like Captain Mar-Vell, The Atom, or Hawkman. I had a soft spot for the second stringers.

For my brothers and I, it was always Superman, Batman & Robin, The Flash, Aquaman, and Spider-Man.

[comicscollector]

I always bought comic books and knew people that read them as well when growing up.
When i started reading more comic books with my allowance money is when the X-Men became quite popular with Chris Clameront and Jim Lee and when Image comics started,and i knew lots of people that were collecting comic books as well.
And the Dungeons and Dragons board game was quite popular around that time as well.

[GOLGO 13]

I inherited half a refrigerator box filled with comics in the mid 70's when I was a kid. Kept them no big deal.

In the late 70's or early 80's I cant remember, a tiny store that sold rare coins, baseball cards & hung up comics on a wall set up shop. He charged $10+ for individual bagged comics that I also had sitting stacked in piles in the bottom of boxes in my closet. I did the math & started thinking.

Didn't know any other kids my age into comics. My dad took me to my first comic convention in NYC at a big name hotel across the street from Madison Sq Garden...my eyes were unfurled!!! So my dad questioned why those old comics were so expensive? I told him I have a lot of those books at home.

He never gave me hard time over my hobbies ever again.

[Tien Long]

Seems like my story is very similar to others here. I started to read comics back in the early 90s and kept the interest going throughout the rest of the decade. No one at school or in my family made fun of me for it. First off, in school, I was well-liked from the smart kids to the jocks to the kids who got in trouble. Secondly, there was a small contingent of kids who also read comics, though they were DC, while I was Marvel. Third, the 90s were a time when X-Men, Batman, and Spider-Man were popular on Saturday mornings, so I was well liked. As for the family, yeah, they didn't mind. Heck, I had an aunt who worked at Marvel as an accountant. Always got the latest TPB's and toys for Christmas or my birthday . In college, it was pretty much the same thing. Actually, it was better, since I finally found a lot of other people who loved comics and video games like me.

The problem for me was always accessibility. There were no comic book stores in my town. The local convenience store had some issues here of there, but they were usually out of date. I honestly would walk 20 - 40 mins. to other towns, or catch 30 - 60 minute bus rides to the mall to get to comic book stores. During the late 90s, early 2000s, the malls were great, since Borders Books and Music, Barnes and Nobles, or Waldenbooks had an assortment of comics and TPB's. Pretty soon, when I could drive, I'd go on the highway to the mall for comics. When I learned about the bus that went to the Port Authority in NYC, I'd spend my weekends at Midtown Comics. All of this is why I really enjoy digital. No car rides on the NJ turnpike or to the mall, just a few clicks and boom, instant comics.

[babyblob]

I was pretty lucky. I didnt really get into superhero comics until I was about 16. My father who was a fan of Archie and Harvey comics was pretty supportive of my new hobby. My mom just kinda rolled her eyes. But my dad would buy me comics he thought I would like and action figures. Even now as an adult he is pretty cool about it.