COMIC BOOK COVER GALLERY: The origin of my SIXTY YEARS as a comics fan! Some comics from 1966 that I acquired in the '60s, '70s, and '80s

Sixty years ago this month, I began my path to becoming a lifelong comic book fan. I was in kindergarten, a five-year-old turning the ripe old age of six in January. I knew some superheroes from television--Superman, Flash Gordon, and I was a big fan of Popeye--and my parents and/or older siblings had read some comic books to me prior to the full-on immersion in funnybook fanaticism that commenced for me in '66. In particular, I recall a 1965 Lois Lane 80-Page Giant that must have belonged to my sister or one of my brothers; that's the earliest exposure to comic books my memory can conjure.

As fascinating as that Lois Lane comic was, it didn't spark the personal obsession that would soon manifest for growing little me. Even without the illustration at the tippy-top of this blog piece, I'm sure everyone reading this could probably guess why January 1966 was my true Ground Zero for comics fandom:

BATMAN!

The twice-weekly Batman TV series made its debut on ABC on January 12th and 13th, 1966. I did not see those episodes in their initial airing, and I don't remember how soon thereafter I was first able to witness this televised celebration of the biff, the bang, and the pow. I doubt more than a week or two passed between the show's national premiere and my slightly belated induction into its world of wonder. I was an instant fan, an instant enthusiastic fan, and that interest has never wavered over the course of six friggin' decades. And as a direct result of my sudden Batmania, comic books became a large and important part of my life. 

That also has not changed in sixty years. Probably ain't gonna change any time soon, either.

Today's gallery collects some comic books from 1966, including some I knew when I was six, and some I snagged in later years. Given the fact that comics' cover dates were postdated, I'm treating as fair game any late '65 releases that say 1966! and early '67 releases that were on the stands before 1966 expired. I am NOT under oath. We'll be sticking exclusively to the '60s-'80s era of acquisition I've established for these galleries. Today's selection includes books I bought new, back issues I acquired after the fact (but within the timeline), and B-stock contraband originally purchased without their covers. As always: These aren't actual photos of comics in my collection. But I did have each and every one of 'em at some point in time.

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I compiled a various-artists tribute album called Make Something Happen! A Tribute To The Flashcubes, and it's pretty damned good; you can read about it here and order it here. My new book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) is now available, and you can order an autographed copy here. You can still get my previous book Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones from publisher Rare Bird Books, OR an autographed copy here. If you like the books, please consider leaving a rating and/or review at the usual online resources.

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