Anyone else receive comics as gifts in front of people who don't get it? 4 4

[MattrixAlien]

This year I opened a few comics as presents in front of relations who don't appreciate the hobby. I think comic book shaming is still a thing, particularly for adults  There were raised eye brows and a couple of mocking comments. I tried to explain why they were cool books but that just made it worse. After the first 2 I discreetly opened the others when people weren't paying attention.  Anyway happy festive season to everyone here. I know you understand the love 

Edited December 28, 2022 by MattrixAlien

[Cat]

Comic books? You child. 

 

We're all here to discuss Paw Patrol. 

[THE_BEYONDER]

On 12/27/2022 at 8:38 PM, Cat said:

Comic books? You child. 

 

We're all here to discuss Paw Patrol. 

[Cat]

On 12/28/2022 at 11:40 AM, THE_BEYONDER said:

See. This reminds me of S02E03... 

[boomtown]

When I was a young kid back in the 1970s, my older brother would buy me comics every year for Christmas. It drove my parents crazy! They would buy me a bike, I'd go crazy over the comics. They got me a TV for my room, my favorite gift was the comics. I remember my freshman year in high school, they talked with my brother about getting me a more "grown up" gift. He agreed and said he would figure something out. Christmas morning, opened his present first, big old stack of comics! They just didn't get it at all.

[speedcake]

Imagine trying to take someone else’s joy away from opening their gifts. Some people are rotten. 

[Cat]

On 12/28/2022 at 12:13 PM, speedcake said:

Imagine trying to take someone else’s joy away from opening their gifts. Some people are rotten. 

I actually got that from an aunt one year, a little 'talk' that I shouldn't get such 'wasteful' gifts. I asked her if she meant I should get approved items like crochet and gardening stuff, and she said 'exactly, useful things'. She didn't get that I'd just rattled off her interests. 

[wombat]

I guess telling them to go f themselves is not the best course of action. I would probably do that though. 

[thehumantorch]

On 12/27/2022 at 6:10 PM, MattrixAlien said:

This year I opened a few comics as presents in front of relations who don't appreciate the hobby. I think comic book shaming is still a thing, particularly for adults  There were raised eye brows and a couple of mocking comments. I tried to explain why they were cool books but that just made it worse. After the first 2 I discreetly opened the others when people weren't paying attention.  Anyway happy festive season to everyone here. I know you understand the love 

If you enjoy something and it doesn't hurt anyone, including yourself, nobody has a right or a reason to criticize you.   

I enjoy collecting comics and frankly I don't care what other people think.  Sometimes when I get together with buddies I'll take a few keys or classic covers and explain the importance and the value and try to explain my interest.  Mind you, not often and not so many books as to be a bore.  Some get it and some don't but a little education never hurts.

[Ken Aldred]

I used to have it occasionally with family members who would express contempt, ‘I don’t know what you see in those things’, that type of comment, while having obsessions themselves such as cowboys and the Wild West.

I can deal with ignorance and vitriol like that, having put up with it ever since I started collecting as a kid in the 70s.  Simple stubbornness, but it’s something I care a lot about, a contrary opinion is irrelevant, and always will be.

The best example I’ve got goes back to my final year at university, pre-Christmas 1988. I’d met another comic book fan in my year on my course, and our group were exchanging presents. As a comic reader who I knew had some taste, I got him a copy of a Captain Britain trade paperback, which resulted with a big ‘Ewww… !’ from his girlfriend and a couple of others there. To us, fantastic comics from two all-time great creators, Alan Moore and Alan Davis, to the others the clear equivalent of presenting a steaming turd in a box. The recipient, however, was very happy with the seasonal gift of comics, which was what mattered, even if the outsiders couldn’t understand.

 

[DougC]

This mentality is often caused by trauma from being forced to "grow up" (for the older generation) from parentification or just undue forced responsibility during childhood. From younger people, it usually signals they haven't come to terms with who they are as a young adult and will publicly chastise "childishness" as a show of false maturity but in private embrace it. In both cases in their mind they had to put away "childish" things and become an adult so if someone else hasn't they should be shamed until they do, because that is what it "means" to be an adult. Some people are just angry at the world and use any excuse to lash out at others, family members and friends are likely to put up with it the most so they usually get away with it.

Years back during a family XMas the MIL started making snide comments about our daughter being to old for dolls (a super expensive Supergirl Barbie) to which I came down hard on and reminded MIL that her house is literally a shrine to "Precious Moments" toys and that at her advanced age it was completely embarrassing. I was more lippy and targeted with my words but I regret nothing... lol.  

[The lips]

I’m incredibly proud to collect comic books and gladly talk about it. 
If say people are taking about hobbies or personal interests I’ll happily talk about my love of it and people can be surprised that a grown man and father is still in to super heroes. 
once though I’ve explained my love of it and the artwork, storylines, cultural significance, investment etc I’ve sold it to them pretty well !! 

[Conali]

I would bet dollars to doughnuts that everyone on this forum has had an interaction (and probably multiple interactions) with someone deriding their passion or hobby.

  Love what you love, and don’t ever let someone else tell you what you should be loving.
  
   I tell my kids at least once a week to stay a kid as long as they can…

 

[Monster's Lair Comics]

My brother and I have been exchanging comics as gifts for probably 30 years. Basically everyone in the family understands by now.

 

[Dr. Balls]

I've been pretty fortunate that over the years of collecting, my wife has come around to understanding comics have value, and generally people don't have any issues at my house, as family tends to hunt around and get me trades and stuff, which is cool, because I get gifts that I actually like!

[Dr. Love]

Sounds about the same stuff I used to get from you super hero collectors about my romance comics!

Cruel, you fanboys can be!

Edited December 28, 2022 by Dr. Love

[Artboy99]

Yes it has happened to me.

One Christmas one of the gifts I was given was a comic book price guide. While I definitely appreciated the thoughtful gift my girlfriend of the time did not. She made a comment within seconds of me opening the gift "Comics, what a colossal waste of time"

She had her own hobbies and interests but she was too short-sighted to be able to consider those when she uttered the statement.

[workingdog]

My family never shamed me for reading comics or receiving them as gifts.  In fact, they encouraged it. I wasn't the best of readers when I was a young tyke until my Dad introduced me to comic books.  It wasn't long before I was reading every comic I could find.  My parents did tire of me frequently asking what certain words meant (e.g. Excelsior!).  I was gifted with a dictionary not long after.

[Robot Man]

On 12/28/2022 at 7:29 AM, Artboy99 said:

Yes it has happened to me.

One Christmas one of the gifts I was given was a comic book price guide. While I definitely appreciated the thoughtful gift my girlfriend of the time did not. She made a comment within seconds of me opening the gift "Comics, what a colossal waste of time"

She had her own hobbies and interests but she was too short-sighted to be able to consider those when she uttered the statement.

That is probably one of many reasons she is your “X” girlfriend…

My family could care less. They know me pretty well. They know not to buy me any vintage comics but I do get a few related items. My wife got me the CGC grading guide and my younger daughter got me a very limited edition Batmobile Hot Wheels car. 

[mikej61]

Yes,  I have  routinely received comic gifts and gave them out as well.   This year gave some early walking dead comics to my son and I got an early ASM with the Green Goblin.