Comic Book Thursdays #1- How Death and True Stories Defined a Lifetime Obsession

  

   When I was eight years old, DC Comics killed Superman in 1993. Having only known Superman from the Christopher Reeve movies, I really didn’t know him in the comics. I remember the news raving about it and before I knew it, there was a copy of Superman #75 in my house. I read it, loved it and later on, began collecting the Reign of the Supermen story line. Since comics weren’t a big thing where I lived, I managed to get most of the singles. Though I missed a bit of the story at the time, it was still my favorite.

Superman #75, 1993. DC Comics.

    As a teenager, I worked at a bookstore’s cafe which ironically was on top of a comic book store. It was the best job ever. I met local authors, served them coffee and got advice that made my teen years bearable. To my literature addicted fifteen year old self, it was like being star struck every day. Little by little, I begun to deviate from superheroes and begun reading fantasy comics or darker super hero stuff. Mainly titles like Aria, Rising Stars and Sandman.

   At seventeen, I still worked there. Due to personal situations in my life, I became clinically depressed. Suddenly comics and books no longer held any magic for me. I stopped believing in a lot of things. I just functioned, living in a world devoid of color.

   But then I ran into a book that straight out b-slapped me into existence again. It was a comic book that had nothing to do with superheroes. The closest thing it had to it was the author’s love for them. It wasn’t even a series at the time, it was a single issue. It was called True Story, Swear to God by Tom Beland. 

    It was a realistic tale about love, started by something straight out of a comic book. A California artist finds himself in Disney World and ends up meeting the love of his life, a Puerto Rican radio personality, at a bus stop in said theme park. Hilarity, awkwardness and magic ensue and as a reader; you willingly follow their journey, hoping everything finds a way to work out for these characters. At the time I picked it up it was only a single issue, but thankfully now there’s two trade paperbacks that I know of, chronicling how it went from a chance meeting to a relationship we can all relate to in some form or another. The comic being autobiographical struck my fancy, since at the time I hadn’t encountered such a thing.

Collected Edition of True Story, Swear to God by Tom Beland Vol. 1, 2008.

   Even though I've never run into the people who wrote the Superman books back in the day and have only met Tom Beland casually at conventions, I've always wondered if these authors know about the change they make in their readers. In my case, one comic book gave me a love for a genre, whereas another one changed my outlook in my darkest times. Is this what they aim for when they put their stories out in the world? I sure hope so, because they did for me.

   So do yourself a favor, get yourself a copy of the Death of Superman (perhaps one of the most 90's books ever) and also a copy of the True Story, Swear to God trade paperback. Not only will you read two really good stories that have totally different formats, you'll be able to laugh at Superman's mullet (I do it all the time, it's OK) and learn about life from Tom. I promise you that at the end of the day, you'll look at bus stops in a different way while you remind yourself of how awesomely ridiculous the 90's were. 

Just look at that hair! Amazing!

Which comic books were life changing for you? Sound out in the comments below!

Currently Listening To: Cinema- Benny Bennassi (Skrillex Remix)

Book on My Nightstand: The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern (still haven't finished it)

On my TV: Arrow- Season 1

Currently Retro gaming: Final Fantasy VI

Random Pop Culture Thought of the Day: "Bieber fans vs. Supernatural fans? Is that a contest? Am I supposed to get my salt, silver knife or my holy water? Where's The Doctor when we need him?"