Redartz: It's sometimes hard to imagine, in these days of big screen comics adventure being big box office draw, how it used to be; back before everyone you meet could name the membership of the Avengers, or Iron Man's secret identity. Back in that era we affectionately call the "Bronze Age", many of us comic fans dwelt in some degree of isolation, enjoying those four color fantasies in the solitude of our own rooms. Some of us were fortunate enough to have a friend or two who also 'had the bug'; but even then the sense was one of a very secret, very exclusive club. This is not to say that attempts weren't made to educate others on the wonders of comics: Marvel Comics even had a specific 'rank' for those who recruited others, the "K.O.F."...
Anyone among you ever try 'spreading the word' about comics? How successful were you at rousing someone's interest in checking out a book or two? Did your peers seem receptive, or were they dismissive of all that "Zap, Wham, Kapow!" they only knew from the 1966 Batman TV show? Or, did you pretty much keep your hobby to yourself? That's the basis for today's discussion.
For my part, I was one of those lucky enough to have a comic collecting friend (indeed, he's the one who got me started in the first place). Nevertheless, I was so fired up about what I was reading and collecting, I just had to share. Starting with my brother, and continuing through most of my friends and acquaintances, I told tales of exciting stories, dramatic artwork, eye-catching covers, fascinating characters, and thrilling 'treasure hunts' seeking elusive back issues. It wasn't long before I was universally known for my comic mania (which may or may not have been a good thing at the time). Most everyone I talked to was polite, of course they may have had a few comments after I left. But I was actually somewhat successful at gaining a few converts. One friend started collecting, but only stuck with it for a year or so. A neighbor was enticed enough to buy quite a stack of comics, many of which I purchased from him some years later when his interest waned. A bit later, one of my girlfriends was so intrigued by my hobby that she started collecting. She actually haunted flea markets with me and competed for the boxes! Whether she still collects, I have no idea.
Yet for all that, my greatest success in 'recruitment' involved the next generation. Both of my sons caught my comics fever, and more recently two of my grandsons also have started reading and collecting comics. It is quite satisfying to pass along a stack of books to a young person who is excited to receive them. It's also great to hear from a grandson how he scored some Bronze Age Marvels from a flea market on his own. Ah, there's hope for the future after all; and perhaps I've earned that rank of "K.O.F." after all.
11 comments:
I didn't actually recruit anybody but I knew several other kids who were Marvel fans. Marvel's British black & white weeklies were easily available and reasonably popular. I later became a regular reader of the genuine article - imported American Marvel comics - and I did a lot of swapping comics with other Marvel fans. One of my associates was called Lee, who was a year younger than me. Lee and I had nothing in common except our interest in Marvel - I remember us discussing how to pronounce the "Ms." in Ms. Marvel. Neither of us had ever heard of the word before - I suggested that Ms. was a new way to spell Miss but Lee thought you had to pronounce the M and the S separately - M.S. Marvel. That didn't sound right to me...
R.F.O was a buyer of at least 3 Marvel mags a month...
Those rankings appeared in Marvel UK too but, as I recall, to be awarded the R.F.O. you had to buy ALL the weeklies. At its' peak Marvel UK was producing seven weeklies - that's 28 a month and 35 in some months. Anybody buying all those deserved an RFO !!
(Colin - I truly have no idea how you UK gents kept up with weekly titles, lol.)
Red - this is an interesting question. I never recruited any kin or friends to read superhero comics, nothing beyond a casual glance and very occasional purchase.
That said my brothers, sister, and I devoured the D.C. Thomson Annuals (Dennis the Menace, Beano, Dandy, Beezer, etc.) from Scotland. No recruitment was necessary. Same is true with me nieces and nephews on my side of the family tree... No real interest in the super heroes but absolutely loved the D.C. Thomson annuals. Also some real interest in Archie, Sad Sack, Richie Rich.
My working hypothesis is that the genre of comics might make all the difference. I suspect few (very few?) of us enjoy "funny" and superhero comics. (I mean look at the comic blogs... people spend scant minutes on the funny stuff compared to the hours on superhero stuff.)
Maybe all those folks we never recruited to the world of superheroes might have read an Archie, Sad Sack, or Richie Rich (or Dandy or Beano)?
When I first started collecting, I had a couple of friends who also did. This was between the ages of maybe 6 - 11, and both of them sort of "outgrew" them, though one of them still enjoyed the late 70's tv shows and the Superman movies. I basically kept my hobby to myself after that, because teenagers would ridicule you around my town, especially the girls....who I certainly wanted to have the opposite effect on. It seems a lot more "out there" now, as you said, but I still get a little self-conscious when I thumb through the occasional rack of comics. Of course, I am rapidly approaching my mid 50's.
When I was a kid, it seemed that comics fans just sort of gravitated together somehow; I don't ever remember trying to indoctrinate anyone.
Nowadays I have a friend to whom I keep recommending Marvel's Netflix shows and movies, but he refuses to watch any of them. Some people just don't know what they're missing ...
It is an odd turn of events in that in an era where fewer people than ever are actually reading superhero comics more people than ever are familiar with the characters from them.
I don't think I ever recruited anyone over to the comics world, but I have definitely encouraged folks with less deep engagement to get more engaged (which essentially how I was "recruited" - I always read comics, but it was making friends with a new kid in school who LOVED Marvel books that got me into it hardcore).
I also had GF in the late 90s who got into reading a bunch of my comics when I was first getting back into them by buying trades of stuff like Hitman and Sandman.
In college, I got one friend into Sandman, The Maxx, Kabuki, & Concrete. She had no interest in any super-hero books or most of the indies or other Vertigo titles, but at least I steered her toward some books she liked.
My kids have no interest in super-hero or sci-fi/ fantasy material, but my son likes Simpsons comics and my daughter loves Archie books. Unfortunately, she sees Veronica as a role model. Who knew comics could actually corrupt kids?
- Mike Loughlin
After reading Mike and Dr O I am becoming convinced that "men and women in tights" isn't necessarily every boy/girls interest and many of our peers saw it to be for really little kids.
Especially b/c some of their friends / kids did take an interest in the medium but for non-superhero product.
Not to mention that when I went to the News Agency in the late 60s / early 70s there were two spinners. One was completely non-superhero, mostly Harvey. Perhaps we were evangelizing the wrong product and our buddies would have loved that other Harvey/ Charlton /Archie spinner rack?
Charlie- I think your comment about genre, along with similar comments from others today, makes great sense. One of the strengths of comics as a medium is the availability of so many different styles, genres, and formats. Whether it's superheroes, teen humor, Disney, gritty war drama, horror, historical, or any other area, there is truly something for everyone.
Graham- your self-consciousness is certainly understandable; we've all been there most likely. Sometimes I feel a bit odd when leafing thru some old Archies or some such,at a flea market; but then I think "if it's good reading, that's all that counts- to each their own, live and let live, and so on"...
Mike L- indeed, some of those Indies are excellent reads. There is a great array of fine material out there presented in the 'graphic' format (re: comics).
I remember when I was younger, around sixth or seventh grade, during sleepovers, I would take my comics with me. There was always a time when we were told to settle down and I would bring my comics out for every one to read. I don't think anyone started reading because of this and I also don't think I ever shared that I still read comics.
Later, when I was in High School, most likely 9th grade, I ran into a neighborhood guy that also read comics. He was DC, I was Marvel but we shared a common interest. I kept all my comics in a footlocker and he would come over to read them. He would sometimes bring his comics but not always. I never went to his house. That was something his mother "just wouldn't allow". Anyhoo, one day, he came over real early, like around 6:30. It was during the summer. My mother would leave the garage door up about a foot and the back door open to create a breeze so our garage wouldn't get hot. He didn't want to wake anyone so he thought he would just shimmy under the propped up garage door. He got himself stuck. And when he tried to back out, he got his jacket (it was a sleeveless vest that he always, ALWAYS, wore) stuck. So he just lay there crying till my Mom went out to do laundry. It couldn't have been more than 10 or 15 minutes... I don't think he ever came over again. I don't remember.
Jumping forward to my adult years. I was at work and had brought some of my Iron Man comics with me. I had recently gotten two long boxes, one of Spider-Man, one of Iron Man and The Defenders, when I helped a guy close out his store. One of my co-workers was looking for something to read so I gave him the comics. He read through all the Iron Man and most of The Defenders. He got a job somewhere else or he would have completed the box.
(Once upon a time
I was just a little bone
I was just a little tiny rib
And the rib cage was my home
Somedays I'd wonder how it would feel
To be my own person
To eat my own meals
I never had to make a plan
Just be a little piece of a bigger man
And Adam rocked my world
I was his biggest fan
No such thing as being a girl
He had the whole world in his hands
Now that was the life
No worries no pain
Just stay in my place
And grow a little more each day
I never had to make a plan
Just be a little piece of a bigger man
And Adam rocked my world
I was his biggest fan
No such thing as being a girl
He had the whole world in his hands).
PS: Guys, I need help. There was a post awhile back over the X-Men. Someone was talking about Paul Smith's run and the John Romita Jr's run. I have Smith's run and much of JRjr's. I'm willing to share but I forgot who was interested in them....
I believe Mark Evanier was the originator of those Marvel rankings, many moons ago.
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