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Catching up with an old friend can be great fun. Last week I received my copy of the Frank Miller / Klaus Janson Daredevil Omnibus from Amazon. While I already own the originals contained in this collection I went ahead and purchased this book so that I could re-read the series without having to pull them from my boxes (and so that I can give my oldest son the opportunity to read these great tales without risking any injury to my books). When these books originally came out they immediately pushed Daredevil to the top of my "must-read" list (surpassing, for me anyways, even the X-Men). I didn't know who Frank Miller was back then but he quickly caught my eye with this title. I am about sixty percent through the collection and am surprised at how much I am enjoying the books. I just finished one issue and noticed on the cover to the next issue that these books were selling back then for only sixty cents. I was amazed at how much story I was getting from each and every one of these books for a mere sixty cents. Daredevil, Electra, Bullseye, the Kingpin, Turk, the Punisher, the (awesome) Gladiator, and even, yes, "Guts" Nelson. To quote Eddie Murphy, "what a bargain". It was always great when a title would really hit its stride and Miller's Daredevil was running at full speed back then. I think this was just before Miller took his turn at Batman (and the books have so many elements in common), turning the Dark Knight into the character he is today. Anyway, I just thought I'd share some of the fun I have been having. Now I'm going to give my son a try at this delicacy. Everyone have a safe and happy Thanksgiving! To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

"My very first Journal" (or, "Let's see if anyone cares..."). Good afternoon, all. Welcome to my first foray into Journal writing. I signed up with CGC just a little over a year ago as I wanted to get some books graded and so I have been reading (almost) everyone's journals for that long. Your journals have been interesting, amusing, and even touching at times and so I have wanted to give it a try for quite some time but I just wasn't really sure what to write about. So I thought it would be best to just start at the beginning... In 1972, at the very mature age of ten, I purchased two books that would begin my forty-plus year love affair with the comic book. These books were purchased as my mom dragged me to work with her early on a Saturday morning (which I really hated) in Flushing, Queens. These two books were "Tomb of Dracula" #4 and "Fantastic Four" #126. While I am sure I enjoyed both books it was FF #126 that really captured my imagination, swallowing me whole into a new and amazing universe. It was just a wonderful coincidence that this issue was a re-telling of the Fantastic Four's origin, giving me the opportunity to (almost) come in at the very start (truly, I had no inkling of the incredible history that lay there just beyond my reach - not only of the Fantastic Four but of the entire Marvel Universe). I don't know how many times I read that book after buying it but the most remarkable thing happened just a few weeks later: I purchased issue #127 (where the incredible storyline I began in the previous issue actually carried on from where it left off). This was amazing to me! I didn't know it then but had I just taken my first steps down a very long road..... Before I knew it I was reading "The Amazing Spider-Man", "The Incredible Hulk", "The Avengers" and (one of my all-time favorites) "The X-Men" (I really loved their original costumes and the books I was picking up were reprints of their earlier adventures - not that I knew it at the time). I think within a few months I was buying almost all of their superhero books (although, back then it wasn't always easy to catch every book as it came out and finding back issues, at least for me, wasn't an easy thing to do - it would be years before I ever heard of a comic book store). It was a beautiful hobby (and still can be I guess) and for this young boy growing up in New York it was all about the stories and the wonderful artwork that accompanied them. It was about adventure and wonder.... and, even at fifty-one (tomorrow), it still is... See you soon. To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Good afternoon, all. I accidentally came across this thread and thought I would go ahead and join the club. This book was one of the first four I submitted to CGC for grading (and it happens to be the only one of the four with which I was truly disappointed with the grade the book received). I have another CGC book graded at 5.0 and it doesn't compare in quality to my X-Men #1). I know that there are many factors which lead to a book's grade but I just don't see it on this one. Oh, well..... Anyways, here is my pic....

I started reading comics on a monthly basis in 1972 (Fantastic Four #126) and stopped buying books (on a regular basis, any way) in 2004. As you can imagine, in that time I have ready many a great story. Yes, some of those stories were great to a ten or twelve year-old boy but they were great nonetheless. Here are a few of my favorites (for those who care - and in no particular order, except I saved my favorite for last). Fantastic Four #126 - It retold their origin and started the magic for me. Fantastic Four #149 - Back in the early 70's Reed and Sue Richards were heading for a divorce which was eventually derailed by the selfless actions of a very sly Namor (with an assist from Triton of the Inhumans). Really amazing stuff for me at that time. Spider-Man #121 - The death of Gwen Stacy. I had never seen a death like this in comics. Uncanny X-Men - The whole Dark Phoenix Saga was amazing as was the build-up to it. Jean's death at the end blew me away. Dark Knight Returns - I don't think I need to add anything here. Frank Miller's original Daredevil run. Wonderful storytelling throughout (by the way, whatever happened to the Gladiator?). The Watchmen. I read it after the buzz started building and it didn't disappoint. And, while I am sure I am surely forgetting a great many tales, arguably my favorite story is Amazing Spider-Man #248's "The Kid Who Collected Spider-Man". A simple tale of what truly makes one a hero. I never saw it coming and I never forgot it.