The nature of "my thing" #3
Posted 9th March 2013 at 09:29 PM by troggi
When I was very young I used to get British comics; The Eagle, Look and Learn, The Beano, The Dandy, The Buster, The Sparky, Topper, and Beezer. I loved them so much that there is one issue of The Sparky that I recall so well that it is ingrained on my psyche, I would give away organs to get that one issue again!
On Friday nights and Sunday lunchtimes we would go to Wincobank and Blackburn Working Men's Club and I would be bought a comic as a bribe to keep me quiet during "t' tombola." An old guy who used to stand by the bar said to me one Sunday, "if y' want som'at better t' read bring me a roll o' y're owld comics an' Ah'll swap 'em wi thi f' some American 'n's."
The following week saw me waiting near the bar talking to old Hilda Hammond so as not to look too eager to get my paws on the promised "American 'n's," a roll of comics, tightly furled and held in place with a rubber band, in danger of disintegrating in my sweaty hand. The old guy came in and took his place at the bar. I really can't even see his face any more never mind remember his name the multi-coloured glossy roll he held out to me demanded all my focus. Mumbled "thanks" came out of my mouth and the rolls of paper were exchanged.
This was 1968. I was the bespectacled Robby Reed in DC's Dial H for Hero,I was Batman and The Flash, I was Marvel's Daredevil and The Hulk and, more than anything, I was Spiderman.
Now, 40-odd years later, I am still reading American comics, although now (well, since the 70's) I read the excellent British 2000AD as well and The Megazine and CLiNT.
Nerd aren't I?
On Friday nights and Sunday lunchtimes we would go to Wincobank and Blackburn Working Men's Club and I would be bought a comic as a bribe to keep me quiet during "t' tombola." An old guy who used to stand by the bar said to me one Sunday, "if y' want som'at better t' read bring me a roll o' y're owld comics an' Ah'll swap 'em wi thi f' some American 'n's."
The following week saw me waiting near the bar talking to old Hilda Hammond so as not to look too eager to get my paws on the promised "American 'n's," a roll of comics, tightly furled and held in place with a rubber band, in danger of disintegrating in my sweaty hand. The old guy came in and took his place at the bar. I really can't even see his face any more never mind remember his name the multi-coloured glossy roll he held out to me demanded all my focus. Mumbled "thanks" came out of my mouth and the rolls of paper were exchanged.
This was 1968. I was the bespectacled Robby Reed in DC's Dial H for Hero,I was Batman and The Flash, I was Marvel's Daredevil and The Hulk and, more than anything, I was Spiderman.
Now, 40-odd years later, I am still reading American comics, although now (well, since the 70's) I read the excellent British 2000AD as well and The Megazine and CLiNT.
Nerd aren't I?
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