Redartz: Hello once again! Ready for a bit of fun, mixed with a little introspection? Anyone who has watched the CW's "DC Legends of Tomorrow" will understand today's question. Which is:
Through some miracle of time divergence, we each have been granted a 1/2 hour to visit with your 12-year-old self. Aside from the obvious ("Set aside that copy of Hulk 181 and don't lose it", "Invest in Microsoft"), what would you say to yourself?
If I had the chance to chat with 12 year old Redartz, I'd tell him (me?) not to be so concerned about what other kids think, and to be happy with yourself. I'd advise to worry less and to take more chances. And, I'd recommend not to burn those GI Joe figures.
Now what would you talk about?
One additional note: after completing this post I learned of the passing of Steve Ditko. Brilliant artist, great storyteller and possessor of a boundless imagination. Steve, with Stan, gave me a hero in Peter Parker, stoking a lifelong love for comics. For this, and for so much more, thanks Steve. Be at peace.
12 comments:
Oh golly, Red.
I think Rod Serling may have given the truest of all answers to this in Twilight Zone's superb WALKING DISTANCE episode.
To some degree, even if you could do it, you still "couldn't" (or shouldn't. . . or just flat-out wouldn't) do it, y'know? 12-year-old HB-- as is the case with probably 99% of 12-year-olds-- wasn't a creature built to take or heed or pretty much even recognize sage advice from a sound, knowledgeable source. Certainly as far as deeper life-lessons were concerned. That brain isn't built to hold onto the Big Picture very well-- (man, especially boys. . . ) And I REMEMBER being 12 well enough to know that I would have probably nodded at my older self as he rattled on, hoping that he'd wrap it up soon so that I could escape from this uncomfortable conversation-!
HB
And gosh yes--- so sad to hear of Steve Ditko's passing, even at 90 years old. With each instance of a passing of a member of that thinning crowd of his creative peers, we are all faced with the mortality of the beloved delights of our childhood (keeping very much in line with today's topic, in fact-). I think the fact that we are able to hold in our hands today the very same items that gave us so much joy in our youth, and easily re-experience that delight, is what makes guys like Steve and Stan and Joltin' Joe and John Buscema and Colan and Jack, et al, forever alive and vibrant in our minds. They're our own little personal Immortals, always the same guys that gave us Spider-Man #1 or Incredible Hulk #111. They're always the same age in our minds, in a way, as when they gave us those comics the first time. And so it's never not a shock whenever one of them passes away.
LOVED the fact that there were moments when you could SEE some of Steve's wild visions brought to life in the DR STRANGE film. Man. . .
HB
My 12-year-old self was just learning about bagging and boarding comics, realizing that they get expensive later on.
So I guess I'd have to give him really complicated advice about the market crashing so don't waste your money on buying every #1 that comes out because the market will become flooded, invest on a few books from the 70s or 60s 'cause those are the ones that appreciate due to their scarcity...and like HB, 12-year-old me would get a glazed look, and I'd end up saying, "You know what, don't worry, just do what makes you happy."
"Also, all these kids whose approval you're seeking now are people you won't see or care about in 30 years, so don't worry about them, either."
As for Steve Ditko, I was very sad to hear the news, and tried to think of the Ditko tales that meant the most to me. Popping up in first place was Spider-Man vs. the Sinister Six, which I remember buying circa 1982 as a reprint in the double-sized Marvel Tales #150. I loved the dense plotting, the wall-to-wall cameos from other Marvel heroes (in an era that sure did revel in the "shared universe" concept in the funnest possible way) and of course, those Ditko splash-pages as Spider-Man takes out his individual foes.
I also owned volumes 1 and 3 of the little pocket books showing the early issues of Spider-Man, wonderful backseat reading on long family car rides.
Also, a huge shout-out to the Dr. Strange stories in "Strange Tales". I was lucky enough to acquire a few ragged issues from that series and got a real kick out of them.
The story that most comes to mind is an obscure little story about Baron Mordo's henchmen trapping Strange's body in a mystic mask and shackles, and him needing to use his astral form to guide his body to safety and defeat the bad guys. The magic was trippy, but at the same time the stakes were so down-to-earth, you could feel the humanity of Strange just trying to keep in one piece.
(the corresponding Nick Fury story introducing The Fixer was fun, too, I probably should've mentioned this in the Strange Tales post a week ago...)
R.I.P. Steve Ditko, thanks for the pleasant images burned in our memories.
-david p.
Since I am a huge Fantastic Four fan, the many guest appearances of the Human Torch (and Doctor Doom) in Amazing Spider-Man got me to buy many early Spidey comics. Though Steve Ditko's style was completely different than Jack Kirby's, I quickly came to appreciate Ditko's art. Soon I was buying up all the Spideys & Strange Tales I could find!
I'm not sad, though, because reaching 90 is having a full life. I choose to celebrate that life by rereading my favorite Spideys, Doc Stranges and more and mentally thanking Steve for all the wonderful years of entertainment he provided.
My first bit of advice to 12 year old me would probably be "Don't play football!! You'll end up walking like a half a parenthesis when you're fifty during cold weather."
I think the others would be to ignore peer pressure, beauty is only skin deep, etc....., but I don't figure my 12-year-old self would have listened any better than he did the first time around. 😉
Yeah, my advice would probably be pretty close to yours, something along the lines of "It'll get better"; I'd also advise myself to keep an eye on all my comics/baseball cards so my parents couldn't throw them away.
Too bad about Ditko; his "civilian" faces tended to all look alike, but I loved the way he drew superheroes. His Spidey was so agile, leaping all over the page. And his other dimensions in Doc Strange were pretty trippy. I was never as fond of his DC work, maybe because he wrote a lot of it. I could never quite wrap my head around all that Objectivism stuff.
Actually, I do have one ultra-specific word of advice for 12-year-old HB--- altho it's still a dice roll that he'd take it to heart:
"Start learning the lyrics to "Comedy Tonight" from A Funny Thing Happened On the Way To the Forum. . . NOW! Do NOT wait seven more years until the night BEFORE your first huge cattle-call audition! You idiot. . . !"
HB
HB- I think -year-old HB would be fairly impressed with your attempts at communication. Sounds like an entertaining story behind your bit of theatrical advice. Oh, and as for those lyrics- I will forever recall the lyrics to "Comedy Tonight" thanks to a promo that used to run on the Chicago cable station. The tune accompanied ads for WGN , if memory serves, to promote their sitcom schedule.
david p.- That Sinister Six story was one of the greatest Spider-man tales ever. A true masterpiece...
Graham- "walking like half a parenthesis"....wonderful!
Great topic today Red! I don’t know what I’d tell my 12 year old self. There are too many mistakes to correct! Like others I think it would be to enjoy life - it’s short, and don’t be shy about your passions. That applies at any age I suppose. There is still plenty of life in us yet!
I have a fondness for Ditko because I don’t think his creativity gets enough notice.Jack Kirby has been rightfully recognized more recently for his important contribution to Marvel. But when you look at Ditko’s creations in such a short period during the formation of Marvel...Spidey, J Jonah Jameson, Aunt May, Green Goblin, Vulture, Mysterio, Doc Ock, Electro, Lizard, Scorpion, Gwen Stacy, Betty Brant, Flash Thompson, Kraven, Sandman, Dr. Strange, astral plane, Dormammu, Baron Mordo, etc...it is really pretty amazing. Others ran with it for sure. But he and Stan Lee set a bedrock foundation that is hard to beat. I think Ditko’s art lost some of its verve and detail over the years, but his early Marvel input was fantastic. I wonder what would have been if he didn’t walk away. His stuff at DC was quite good but it missed a “secret sauce”; perhaps Lee is a good bombastic counterpoint to the creative minds like Kirby and Ditko.
Oh, and I remember that “Comedy Tonight” ad for WGN as well! Cheers!
And if Edo is out there... Go Croatia! I’m curious what the feel and energy is like there with the recent World Cup successes!
I agree that any deep, sage advice would be lost on my 12-year old self, but I love the encouragement that others have listed.
I think I would tell myself to start broadening my music listening habits. It wasn't until my mid 20s that I allowed myself to discover the overabundance of great rock bands that aren't typically played on the radio. The Who and the Beatles are still the best, but don't be afraid of Husker Du or Sonic Youth.
--Joseph
I'd tell 12 year old me to cherish my time with my Mum, Dad and brother more than I did as they are all no longer here and memories are important, not to chuck out so many of my late 60s / early 70s Marvels as new (1973 and older) comics are better, not to fall for the hype that the 1978 the Scotland World Cup team would at worse, be runners up (that hurt) and not to be so shy when I was a teenager no one cares what you say or do (oh and avoid cheap cider yuk).
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