Happy Friday! For this installment of “From the Collection of…” I thought I would share the two issues that started my Fantastic Four collection, numbers 161 and 177. Number 161 was a birthday present for my 8th birthday, and I’m sure the only reason my mother bought it for me is that it had a dinosaur on the cover (like most kids that age, I LOVED dinosaurs). I had never heard of the Fantastic Four, so it certainly wasn’t that. The story itself was not a good jumping on point for a new and inexperienced reader, with a complicated storyline involving multiple dimensions, but I was fascinated by the characters and the dynamic art. I had read comics before, mostly Casper and Spooky from Harvey Comics and Archie and Jughead et al; this was the first exposure I can remember to superhero comics.

The collecting bug didn’t hit me immediately, but a little over a year later I became friends with someone in my 4th grade class who was an actual collector of comic books, and I was hooked the minute I went to his house and he showed me his collection. The year was 1976, and the next day he took me to a local supermarket where he bought his new comics. It was there that I bought the latest issue of the Fantastic Four, wanting to read more about the characters I had discovered on that birthday. That issue had a Jack Kirby cover and interior art by George Perez and Joe Sinnott, and that was all it took. I’ve been buying Fantastic Four every month ever since (not counting the 2015-2018 hiatus, of course).

As you can probably see, both issues are a bit rough. A lot of the wear and tear can be attributed to the fact that I re-read them countless times, copied many panels with Silly Putty, and that at that time bags and boards were not readily available. However, that’s not the whole story. In 1977 my family went to Florida for spring break, and in fact we came to Sarasota, where I would eventually move in 2015 and where I currently live. In those days, we had a pop-up trailer, so my family piled into our station wagon, pulling the trailer behind, and we stayed for the vacation in the Sarasota KOA Kampground. At that time I couldn’t bear to be without my comics, so I packed my very small collection into the car with me. They stayed in the car during the two weeks we were there, which was unfortunate, since our car CAUGHT ON FIRE. We never did find out why it happened, some problem with the electrical system of the car was the fire department’s best guess. All I know is I was walking back to our campsite from the pool one afternoon when we heard fire trucks, and when I got there I found firefighters dousing our car with firehoses. Needless to say, my parents were rather annoyed that my only concern was whether or not my comics could be saved (answer: they could, although not without some water damage). In the years since, I have replaced them with upgraded copies, but thankfully I never got rid of the originals, beat up though they are. In fact, I decided that these issues would be the first two comics I would slab with our new company. Sentimentality is the only reason to do so, because they certainly are not valuable, but isn’t that what collecting is all about? Collect what you love.

Jeff Mara

Happy Birthday, Superman!

Eighty-seven years ago todayAction Comics #1 hit newsstands with a June 1938 cover date. Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, that issue introduced the world to Superman—the very first comic book superhero—and marked the beginning of the Golden Age of comics.

Superman’s debut was revolutionary. Overnight, publishers across the industry were urging their writers and artists to create their own Superman-like heroes. Interestingly, the original concept that Siegel & Shuster had for Superman was quite different—he was envisioned as a bald, mad scientist villain. Thankfully, Siegel and Shuster reimagined him as a champion for good rather than evil.

Over the decades, Superman has undergone countless transformations. His iconic “S” shield has seen many redesigns, and his costume has evolved with the times. He’s died and returned, rocked a mullet, become an energy-based being, gotten married, had a son, adopted a super-powered dog, and faced off against alternate, often bizarre, versions of himself. Through it all, he remains the definitive symbol of good in the superhero genre.

No other hero embodies the essence of righteousness quite like Superman. As a founding member of the Justice League, he protects not only the United States but the entire planet from threats large and small. He is as American as apple pie, baseball, and Coca-Cola—a timeless icon.

What Does Superman Mean to Me?

By Rob Pillsbury

I was six years old when Superman: The Movie (1978) premiered. I remember the excitement, the hype—it was everywhere. I also remember sitting in the theater and feeling bored out of my mind (hey, six-year-old attention spans are tough). Star Wars had come out the year before, and I was craving action, not origin stories.

But Superman II? Now that was more my speed. Christopher Reeve will always be my Superman. He looked the part more than anyone else who’s played the role—no padded muscles, just classic tights and a commanding presence. He was an incredible Clark Kent too: kind, humble, and quietly strong. Clark’s meekness—strength under control—is something to admire. He’s a peacekeeper, and the world could use more of those.

As for comics, my favorite Superman artist has to be John Byrne. Growing up in the mid-80s, Byrne’s Man of Steel and Krypton series were must-reads. While Joe Shuster will always be the original and the best, Byrne truly defined Superman for me and my generation. He was the king of the ’80s in my eyes.

Above is one of the coolest items in my collection: this newspaper Sunday strip signed by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. In honor of The Man of Steel’s birthday, I thought I’d feature this entry into our ongoing “From the Collection of….” blog series. Hope you enjoy seeing it!

Happy Easter—and happy 87th, Supes!

Rob Pillsbury