I'm not dead is what he said...

This Journal entry truly shows my age. Unlike a few on here I believe I'm one of the younger members. I didn't grow up with any of the 12 cent, 25 cent, or even 50 cent issues. For me Thanos was a guy who already had a new shiny glove. In fact my first comic ever cost me a whopping $1.75. Yep I grew up in the 90's.

Many have come on here explaining their first comic experience and or the story that followed with them so here's mine. In 1990 I went to spend the Thanksgiving holiday at my Aunt's home in Virginia. There my cousin had just returned for his leave while serving in the Navy and was pretty much forced to watch this 9 year old kid. So doing what any 20 something year old would do, he graced me with video games, slurpee's, and comics. In search of this first comic we went to the nearest 7/11 and on the spinning rack was this comic that truly stood out to me. It was a simple picture of a hand and some claws coming up out of the ground entitled "Wolverine." Wolverine, Volume 2, Issue 33. I was mesmerized by this picture at first. Marc Silvestri's art was by far the coolest thing I had ever seen. Then once I opened the issue Larry Hama's story took off. I must have read this issue from this exact comic over a thousand times. Apparently Mr. Wolverine had pissed off the Yakuza and so they killed him, or at least they thought they did. After digging himself out from a shallow grave a very angry clawed character decides to go back and kill everyone. A little violent for a nine year....... Yeah. But this was awesome. From that point on I was hooked on comics. Wolverine became a main stay while the Incredible Hulk, X-Force, Infinity Watch and X-Men all trailed in that oh so close second spot.

Since that point I had kept that comic and after I found out that girl's didn't actually transfer cooties or any other infectious diseases I started to walk away from them. Fast forward almost 10 years from the point I stopped and I finally picked it up again. Magically the comic that got me excited about it was the first comic I ever read again. Still smelling of spilled soda and musk that issue revived something in me that had long been let go. I eventually tracked down Larry Hama and got him to sign that very issue from my past. By now this issue is one of those coveted issues tNerb is looking for in a .5 or maybe even worse condition. I'm saying Coke stains, Cheeto stains, maybe a little Koolade, followed by a dab of some Hershey's chocolate, and aged to perfection. First thing he says to me, "you don't want to track down a nicer copy for me to sign." All I could say was "No sir" and begin to explain to him this very story. After hearing this Mr. Hama became the nicest man in the world when talking to him. I literally told this man that he and he alone told a story that forever changed me.

I have since purchased a nicer copy and one day our paths will cross again but until that time the signed copy will remain uncased. I never once had a though of getting this issue graded as this was what started my passion with comics as well as reignited that passion now that I've grown.

K

Below is the Sketch Mr. Hama did on a Wolverine Best there is for me.

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