My apologies....

Research for the Wasp is taking longer than I though, as I am having a bit of trouble sorting through all the various incarnations of the Janet van Dyne character (Marvels various reboots over the last twenty years and various titles with different names are actually confusing me.) I will start with them very soon.

The comic pictured above is the earliest book I remember reading. It probably wasn't, as I was only five at the time (and then, this b ook had een out for ten years.) This book was part of my uncle's collection of Silver Age DC. I knew about Superman, and I do remember being attracted to this book because of the cover of Superman (I didn't know it was Superboy at the time.) This issue, however opened my eye. Part of it was the Curt Swan art, part of it was the story (written by E. Nelson Bidwell), but two things stood out to me in this story. one was near the end, where the doctor removed his mask to show his nose was on his forehead, and the presence of a flying girl that I had never seen more, one that I immediately asked my dad if she could be my babysitter.

Yes, it was Kara Zor-El, better known as Supergirl, which began a lifetime love (can it really be that for a fictional character) for myself (one that is only rivaled by Buffy, my wife and my children, in that order.) I have spent the better part of forty years (minus a few years in the late 1990s early 2000s when I was disgusted with the whole speculator scene that almost killed our wonderful pastime.) I have managed to amass, with a few purges now and then for space, almost 16 long boxes taking up space in my basement.

(This is a shot of my little Supergirl shrine, it's not much, really.)

I have met many people as a result of my loving comic books, including people who have gone on to create stores or follow the comic con circuit both as dealers and collectors, with interests that range across the full span of the hobby. One of my oldest friends, an auteur by the name of Brett Kelly, has turned his love of comics and B-movies into a career of both self-publishing comics and of making many low-budget horror and comedy movies in the local Ottawa scene (is latest is one called "Murder in High Heels", currently in post-production, it will be released soon. If it is anything like his other films, I will groan at the cheesy jokes and effects while smiling at the pure fantasy fulfillment of it all, because that's what it is really all about, isn't it? (Below is a picture of Kelly Entertainment's Jack of Spades#1, a book I reviewed a few years ago when I was doing reviews for comics for a now-defunct Northern Ireland comic site.) Brett's company has changed names now to Gray Chance Entertainment (https://www.facebook.com/Gray-Chance-Entertainment-710591989075644/) where he is always looking for local talent to help break into the business.

As I aged, my tastes expanded so that I began to understand more than DC's Silver Age simplistic stylings. I started to read Marvel (I think the first one I read was Uncanny X-Men 30 from the Silver Age, as it was one of the rare non-DC books in my uncle's stack.), and stories began to stick with me. I began to go to local stores and conventions. I remember when the current owner (Stevens Ethier) of the Comic Book Shoppe at Bleeker Mall worked for Collector's Stop in Westgate Shopping Centre. Then he opened his first Comic Book Shoppe on Carling Avenue by Broadview, near my high school. There was Arthur's, which became the Silver Snail until closing in 2016. Capital City Cards and Comics on Second Avenue near Bank. They're all gone (with the exception of CBS, which as a result has become the Ottawa areas longest running current store, beating the original Aylmer Multizone by about five years.)

I have favourite stories as we all do. The Korvac Saga, and the followup What If v1 issue 32. The Darkness Saga (from the Legion of Super-Heroes v2. This particular story was one that Brett and I bonded over many years ago.) Who is Donna Troy? (New Teen Titans v1 #38) Superman v3 (New 52) numbers 5 and 6 when the original members of the Legion come back to save Superman. I could probably go on forever, as I'm sure that we all can.

I share all of this because I have a "comic-loving story", as we all do. I encourage people to comment on what they love in the comment section (If it's clean, you can list what you don't like, too.) Whether it's a book, a storyline or a favourite place to read or hang out discussing comics. You can be from anywhere, you don't have to be from Ottawa, I report on this area, because it is what I know best, and would love to have information of  what the scene is like in other areas.

Ottawa Comic News - There were no new announcements for Ottawa Comiccon this week, as the owners chose to concentrate on the first guest announcements (and they were doozies) for the Montreal Comiccon. I know a lot of people from this area go to both or prefer the Montreal one, so as things get closer after Ottawa is finished, I will mention things here,. I do, however know, that there is a convention at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario at Duncan McArthur Hall on the West Campus, so if you feel like driving the two hours to Kingston to check it out, I recommend you do it. (https://www.facebook.com/events/1559162787494390/)

I do stress again I provide information on businesses and events as a way to help fellow collectors. I am not endorsed by or necessarily endorse anyone over the other.

Until next time...keep reading and loving...the books.