Your Fondest Comic Book (Reading) Memory

[joe_collector]

No valuation, no mystery find, no decayed butter, just the fondest memory you have of reading comics as a kid.

 

X-Men 105: Phoenix kicking Firelord's butt. I must have read that book a million times, and was definitely the point where I started taking Phoenix seriously. That was as serious a beating as I'd yet seen in a comic book, and it made for a quite startling read.

 

Avengers 165: The two surrounding issues were good, but this one took the cake. Count Nefaria pounding the Avengers to a pulp, and all they way through I'm hoping he gets his wish and Thor will show up. Naturally who pops in at the last page, calling lightning from the sky...

 

X-Men 111: I don't know why this issue sticks out, but I remember it being the point where Wolvie started becoming a favorite of mine. That scene where he breaks free of his chains (both literally and figuratively) is a classic. And Magneto making a last-panel appearance didn't hurt either.

 

What If 3: This comic was my first experience with "comic reality" and what came to called "deconstructionist" during the Miller and Moore era. Seriously gritty stuff, and I remember thinking that "this is what would happen if Subby and the Hulk were really walking around out there". One of the few times that What If made good on its promise and supplied a thought-provoking and somewhat shocking story.

[Paladin]

Couple of books that stuck in my mind were an early Marvel Team-Up with Spidey and the Basili(s?)k and a Marvel Team-Up where the Yellowjacket looked like he'd been killed on the cover with the Wasp nearby in tears.

 

Remembered the first one cause I think it was one of the first comic books I owned, and the second one cause I couldn't believe they would kill Yellowjacket off.

 

Also remembered the Teen Titan issues where Tera betrays the Titans. Those were pretty cool.

 

How about the issue of Ghost Rider where he's racing death on motorcyle. Cool cover to that one.

 

Thar ya go.

[Bonds25]

It's recent, but reading Watchmen was a real pleasure.

[joe_collector]

Two to add:

 

Iron Fist 7 and MTU 53: The first comics where I really asked "who the heck is the genius drawing this book?", and these evoked the same kind of feeling as those old Silver Age Adams comics I had been given.

[Drummy]

Boy, lots of them.

 

My first two comics read: Hulk #199 and FF #172, both pretty interesting stories, although run-of-the-mill in the greater Marvel context. From that point forward I was obsessed with knowing more about the "Marvel Universe."

 

There's a great Marvel Team-Up run (39-42?) when Spidey teams up with the Scarlet Witch, the Vision, and Dr. Doom against the satanic forces of Cotton Mather and some awesome demon whose name escapes me. Great art, compelling story arc.

 

I guess these aren't really comics, but I also remember reading the Marvel Treasury Editions with intense enthusiasm. That was my first introduction to Galactus and the Surfer (FF 48-50), FF #11, Avengers #57 (1st SA Vision), and so on. Fun to read.

 

The list could go on and on, but I'll stop there and let others talk!

 

Dan

[Paladin]

How could I forget Iron Fist?

 

# 6 where Danny battles Colleen is truly memorable!

[ninanina]

Must of been reading a lot of DC as a kid, cause the one's I remember are the 1st appearance of Dream Girl in Adventure 317, the Death of Ferro Lad (cause he was one of my favorites) in Adventure 353 and for some reason Lana Lang as the Insect Queen in Superboy 124. Seems this is WAY before most of you were reading based on what I've read so far.

[g-man]

ASM #173 (my 1st book) when Spidey takes on one of my favs...The Molten Man.

 

Bought as a back issue: Batman #251: The best single issue story I have ever read.

 

 

Conan #1-24: Roy Thomas/Barry Smith.......nuff said.

 

[aardvark88]

Curt Swan's Legion from around Adventure 369? LSH vs the Fateful? 5 evil team. Karate Kid encased in a diamond prison. Must use his awesome Double-karate chop to break free. Made sense to me as a little kid. The issue also had a double pg spread pin-up of most of the LSH members by Swan.

[COI]

Here are a few:

 

Daredevil #228 : Part of "Born Again"; I was fairly young when I read a beat up copy of this, and it has gripped me ever since. You see that Matt Murdock has hit rock bottom. Everything is stripped away from him except the clothes on his back and a few dollars in his pocket. He rolls off a soiled matress in a dump of a motel and goes out on the Subway with the simple goal of beating the Kingpin's [!@#%^&^]. No costume, no climbing on the rooftops or anything like that. The utter realism of this hero broken down to a point where he is on the subway out for blood is just tragic. Meanwhile, the Kingpin is pumping Iron, and expecting his arrival. And when Matt finally shows, what happens? Kingpin kicks the [!@#%^&^] out of him. And as if he couldn't sink any lower, he's then tied up to an anchored taxi cab, and thrown in the river.

 

ASM #229-#230: Spidey has to contend with Juggernaut, and actually comes out on top! Shows that determination can overcome sheer force.

 

ASM #'s1-10(Marvel Masterworks): I was 9 when I got this book. Besides my Overstreet, this was my first intro to the history of comics, and especially Spidey which was the first character/book I had ever read. I knew how valuable these comics were(even back then) and at that age I thought I would never be able to own them(no internet, thousands of dollars is a lot to a kid, and they were not present at local shops) so it was great to be able to read those early stories and find out how everything happened. I read those 10 issues SO many times, especially on nights when I couldn't sleep. So even though I didn't buy these books off of the stands, I grew up with them anyway.

[underthebigw]

Too many to remember them all, but here are a few that standout:

 

Thor King Size Special 3: This is 1 of 2 books my grandmother bought me at a newstand in NY that I still own. It was like an entire new world was opened up to me--Asgard, Grey Gargole, etc, all by Kirby . I read and re-read this book hundreds of times. Whenever I need to remember why others collect books I don't like, I remind myself that they probably have a similar sense of wonderment associated with them.

 

Spidey 114: This is the other one my grandmother bought--they're both associated with memories of spending time with her as well as memories of NY newstands (I don't care what anyone says-NYC newstands were the best). And nowhere was it clearer to me thjat Spidey took place in NY as when he clung on to Hammerhead's limmo as it headed upstate to Westchester (ha, all of 10 miles). A great book, but that ending vexed me for 20 years (why did Aunt May clock him with that vase, and who would have guessed his Spidey sense wouln't have gone off because it didn't recognize her as a threat) until I finally read 115 decades later.

 

Jules Feiffer's "The Great Comic Book Heroes"--this may be cheating, but I can't seperate any of these great BA stories. I (my mother's ideas) bought this for him as an X-mas gift when I was 5 yrs old back in '69. She was horrified to find me reading it only months later. Man, that first Spectre story creeped me out and the reprinted Eisner Spirit story that took place in Morrocco (I think) just blew me away. I still look at the stories in this book and am amazed not only at the stories but the amazing quality of the reprints. Just a beautiful book.

 

Almost all books from the late 25 to early 30 cents books. That spring and summer (of the 30 cent variants) was the best to me and includes some great BA Marvel and DC story lines: the Marvel Team Up story mentioned above with Cotton Mather, Doc Doom and the time machine, the Kirby's Madbomb storyline, the return of All-Star comics and the JSA, the start of the Treasury Editions, Superman vs. Spidey. A great year or so.

[underthebigw]

Oops. That BA above is obviously a typo--meant GA.

[Lofwyr]

Dark Phoenix Saga..Uncanny X-men. Read this when I was only 11 years old and LOVED the story.

 

Thanos and the infinity gems/gauntlet issues.

 

DC's lobo limited series. I bought these issues off the rack and read them over and over again even though i'm not all that into the DC universe.

 

Wolverine #8 when wolverine teams up with Mr. Fixit aka. the incredible hulk. Written by Chris Claremont. One of the funniest wolverine story arcs ever.

 

The original Wolverine limited series. Wolverine goes to Japan to earn Mariko's love. Absolutely classic.

 

 

 

 

 

[chrisfuccione]

Does anyone rember the daily Spideer Man comic strip that Stan Lee for the newspaper. That is what got me intrested (kind of) in comics. CHRIS

[doyle033]

not sure what issue it was but there was a ghost rider where Johnny Blaze was chuggin the booze to "try to keep the demon down" and i thought it was a bit of ironic genius as most folks have to avoid the booze in order to keep the demon down and here is JB trying to knock the demon into a stupor with booze. Anyone remember that? or can anyone understand this? its friday night and i spent most of the night Tryin to keep the demon down.

[Bonds25]

My first memories of reading comics were when I was real young. My cousins passed on a huge grocery sack full of Richie Rich and Archie comics from the late 1960s/early 1970s, and I must have read ever single issue about 5 times. Those were great comics!

[BronzeBruce13]

Nice idea, way to focus on a positive... kudos.

 

So many...

Most of the 20¢ers that I read as a youngster were the ones that stuck in my memory... and that paper smell too.

 

I fondly remember ASM 123 with Luke Cage and Hero for Hire #1. Both, favorite covers of mine. I know I read ASM 121 and 122 as well and was a bit surprised Gwen died, but those issues didn't have the impact on me at the time. I think I was less affected maybe because I didn't believe she would stay dead... don't know for sure anymore. Anyway, 123 really stuck with me though as I was a big Hero for Hire fan too. I lived in the south (Fla) at the time and my Father encouraged/taught me to treat and accept other races, particularly African-Americans, as equals, because they were no different... even though others said and thought otherwise. I'm not sure if that's why I picked up Hero for Hire or not, probably had something to do with it. I loved in 123 when Luke shoved the cash in JJ's mouth. Serves you right JJ for giving Spidey a hard time! Also loved that entire ASM run from 120-150's.

 

Also remember Defenders 10 very fondly... WOW! what a battle! That one was read several times and it was like the SuperBowl to me. I'm still trying to find a keeper of that one.

 

Subby 69 just for the Spidey cover.

 

Marvel Team Ups... Particularly 1-15ish

 

..and believe it or not Greggy. I have some nice memories of the Flash and those oversized DC's with tons of stories.

 

 

Later on in my 2nd collecting stint... I was blown away by Byrne/Austin X-men. I happen to think Byrne owes a lot to Austin for the crisp look of the art. I'm not sure Terry gets all the credit he deserves. I find Byrne's work without Austin much less appealing.

 

Also loved anything Miller. Buying those books... Dark Knight, DD , Wolvie Limited... that was a serious reading event to be savored. The Miller DD run blew me away. I was very angry when he stopped. I wanted him to be on DD permanently.

 

Another... Moore's Swampthing with Bissette and Totleben. Incredible Story and Art, I wanted that series to go in forever too... and of course the Watchmen... couldn't wait for the following issues to come.

[greggy]

..and believe it or not Greggy. I have some nice memories of the Flash and those oversized DC's with tons of stories.

 

Is that why I haven't seen you get a book on my wantlist?

 

You've been keeping them for yourself?

 

but where's my book?

[Steve_C-migration]

Spidey Strikes Back! Spider-man and Ditko at their best. Only comic that topped it (I was 12 at the time) was when the Thing got his hands on Doc Doom in Battle Of The Baxter Building. Sorry to Roy Thomas Fans, but there was Stan Lee, and there was everybody else!

 

Steve C.

[delekkerste]

Wolverine Limited Series #5 and #6 (a.k.a. Uncanny X-Men #172 and #173): I read this 2-part WLS sequel before reading WLS #1-4...if not for Wolverine, ninjas, Japan, the Silver Samurai, etc., I may have never gotten into comic collecting.

 

Thor #339-#340 - I missed the 1st two issues of the incredible Simonson run, but jumped on board with these amazing issues.

 

Judge Dredd (Eagle) #18-#25 - "Block Mania" and "The Apocalypse War" - brilliant, over-the-top '80s British comics. The best Dredd stories I've ever read - you owe it to yourself to track these down and read them.

 

Marvel Tales #191 and #192 (reprinted ASM #96-98 and #121-122). First time I read these two classic storylines.

 

Dark Knight Returns #1-4 - Took my comic mania to a whole new level.

 

Saga of the Swamp Thing #38-39 - Underwater vampires? Once I discovered Moore's genius with these issues, I knew I had to start buying the book monthly and get all the back issues.

 

Daredevil #181 - Probably the most re-read book in my collection.

 

X-Men #137 and Phoenix the Untold Story #1 - Two takes on the best of the Claremont/Byrne run.

 

Daredevil #227-#233 - Hit me like a ton of bricks after enduring lame post-Miller storylines featuring the likes of Micah Synn and the Jester.

 

Gene