Friday, April 20, 2007

Return Of The Geek

I’m sure it’s no surprise to anyone that I used to be a major geek….one reason it’s no surprise is because in a lot of ways I still am. But never before have I ever defined the level of my geekyness to the extent at which I’m about to. You see….I used to be a comic book geek. I know again a collective “YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING!!!” rings out across the Internet.

No you don’t understand. I used to be a $250 a month, stay at home and read Batman instead of partying on a Saturday night, have to hold the comic book in such a way as to not smear the ink, late for after school job because I had to have the Death Of Superman special edition that included the memorial arm badge and fake newspaper….geek.

By the grace of God that all changed once I met Lucy and discovered there are better, more rewarding things to spend your money on. So I packed up my 5 boxes of comics, stowed them in the attic where they still sit completely insulated and protected, and eventually I switched obsessions. Buffy The Vampire Slayer became my drug. I’ve seen every episode a million times and can tell you the entire story line start to finish. Except it’s not quite finished….

Buffy went off the air a few years back and since then I’ve switched to other diversions like Lost and of course Fred/Lucy. Things took drastic turn last week though when my two biggest addictions combined into one….the Buffy Comic came out!!!! Not just any comic, the story picks up one year after the show ended and is in fact the official 8th season. I just couldn’t take the strain.

Last Tuesday (comic books only come out on Tuesdays) I left work and took the old familiar drive to the comic book store. Now ironically only three blocks from where I grew up. You don’t know how thankful I am that it wasn’t located there back in the day. It’s literally within sight of the very same grocery store I spent many a day trying to earn enough to cover the cost of the 20 books I was buying a week. Back then I guess I would have just asked them to start mailing my checks across the parking lot to the place where my money would eventually land anyway.

I did good though. I only spent $3.67….so I guess I didn’t truly travel back in time like it felt when I stepped through that door and saw all my friends and enemies lining the shelves. The Punisher, Wolverine, Spidey, Batman, Supes, Robin, Birds Of Prey, Captain American was assassinated…so was Peter Parkers aunt May. Robin still had his own book (good for him). Still only $3.67 was spent and that’s all I’m going to spend when I go back this week for Buffy issue #2.

This time it’s different I keep telling myself. This time nothing on paper can come close to the real life Adventures Of Charlie Blockhead.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I read your blog everyday! I love your stories and as your Aunt Becky and can see you and Lucy and Fred. I am very proud of who you are now and wanted to tell you so.

p.s.s. I also love your American Idol Blog...Keep on blogging. BB

Peter said...

I smell trouble. Hanging around the old familiar haunts will foster those old habits. Proceed with caution.