THE EVERLASTING FIRST: Comic Books

The 1966-68 Batman TV series turned me into a lifelong comics fan. But my interest and (at least) peripheral awareness of comic books predates the BIFF-BANG-POW! of that specific introduction to Batman and Robin and their Gotham City playground.

Nor were the Dynamic Duo the first larger-than-life comics characters introduced to me via black-and-white cathode ray rather than four-color funnybook. I knew Superman, Flash Gordon, and Popeye from TV before I ever looked at a comic book. The same can be said of various characters from other media who had comic-book careers, from radio hero the Lone Ranger and pulp hero Zorro through various animated notables like Bugs Bunny, Woody Woodpecker, and the Walt Disney stable. In each case, I saw 'em first on TV.

My first conscious memory of comic books is circa 1965, when I was five years old. I betcha I saw comics before that, but my concrete details from that era are sketchy at best. Man, if only I'd thought to take notes! Irresponsible preschooler....

Anyway, I  do remember a 1965 Superman comic book that belonged to one of my older siblings: 80-Page Giant # 14, starring Superman's girlfriend Lois Lane. I regard this as my first comic book.

What came next after that 80-Page Giant? Lemme check my notes...er, skip that. There are a number of comics that I saw somewhere in this 1965-66 timeline. A big one for me was Metal Men # 16, which I adored. I had my sister Nina read this to me again and again. I wrote about the book as part of my remembrance of growing up in the '60s:

"Metal Men, by contrast, was just plain goofy fun: Bickering robots with super-powers and human personalities, saving the world from an outer-space invasion. One panel from that Metal Men comic book became a classic fave rave in my house, as the Metal Men fought off robot termites, prompting the Metal Man named Mercury to quip, 'You're not going to throw ME into an antipasto!'

"I laughed. I laughed and laughed and laughed. For a long time thereafter, Nina would occasionally wrestle and tickle me, and threaten to throw me into an antipasto.  I think she may have finally stopped just after I graduated from college, but I wouldn't put it past her to try again, even now.  And I'd probably still squeal with laughter, just as I did when I was five."

I also recall an issue of the World War II-set Our Army At War (# 162, cover-dated January 1966 but probably on stands in the fall of '65), in which Sgt. Rock and the battle-happy joes of Easy Company meeting the Norse hero Viking Prince. I betcha there was another Superman book for me somewhere in this time frame, and maybe some long-forgotten funny animal book, too.

And then: January 1966. Batman. A TV show sparks absolute superhero obsession. That obsession turned me into an avid comics fan. I remain so to this day.

For whatever reason, even though the TV show was what hooked me, I don't think any Batman title was my first comic book after being hooked. As with the case of that Lois Lane book mentioned above, my brothers and sister continued to bring comics into the ol' homestead. These included an issue or two of Tales To Astonish (starring Sub-Mariner and the Incredible Hulk) and, I think, an issue of Strange Tales (starring Dr. Strange and Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.), which served as my collective entry into Marvel Comics. 

Also in '66, my Dad took me to an outlet selling discount books and magazines, a clearance outfit whose wares included a bunch of cover-compromised comic books. I snapped up the 80-page Superboy # 129, an issue of The Flintstones, and maybe something else. But mainly: Superboy # 129.

Magic. Just absolute magic.

Summer of '66 found me on vacation in Missouri, picking up my first issue of Batman (a purchase probably preceded by acquisition of a paperback collection reprinting older Batman stories when I was home in Syracuse), another Tales To Astonish, another Superboy, and bypassing what would have been my first Justice League Of America. While in Missouri, my sister and cousin gave me a back issue of The Avengers. 

And I was off and collecting. 1966 and '67 brought so many more comic books into my hands, from World's Finest Comics to Tales Of Suspense to Spyman, Mighty Comics Presents, and Dell Comics' Super Heroes. And more. And LOTS more!

And I'm still getting more. I buy new comic books every week at Comix Zone in North Syracuse, coincidentally located in the same two-block radius where I started getting comic books regularly in the mid '60s. 

A few recent Comix Zone purchases

Some things don't change. My obsession certainly hasn't. It had to start somewhere. I see no reason why it will ever have to stop.

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Carl's new book Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones is now available, courtesy of the good folks at Rare Bird Books. Gabba Gabba YAY!! https://rarebirdlit.com/gabba-gabba-hey-a-conversation-with-the-ramones-by-carl-cafarelli/

If it's true that one book leads to another, my next book will be The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1). Stay tuned. Your turn is coming.

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl airs Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, streaming at SPARK stream and on the Radio Garden app as WESTCOTT RADIO. Recent shows are archived at Westcott Radio. You can read about our history here.

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