Comic Books made me the reader that I am

[nightwing1240]

As well as a real sci-fi nut. I will read most anything, just something I have always loved. But it was comics that really got me started and I would bet this is true for others.

As a child, I began as a paperboy when I was nine years old. The reason for me was twofold. I wanted to earn my own money to buy things I liked (comics, music, snacks) and I wanted to use that money to go to a barber so someone other than my dad would cut my hair. Dad only knew one haircut and it involved a bowl.

Mom and Dad would only allow me to keep so much in my pocket, the rest I had to open a bank account and deposit it. They did the same with my brothers once they got paper routes of their own. So, every other Saturday after collecting from my customers for the paper (the price was .84 cents for two weeks), off to the local drug store I went to look at the comics.

After picking up the latest Superman, Batman and Archie comics, I would head home to the upstairs bedroom we shared and read them cover to cover. It was a great feeling reading those and got me started on a lifelong love of reading. By the time I was twelve mom knew where to find me if I was not home, the library. Reading.

I loved sports too and us guys and gals would play whatever sport was in season but yes, reading was great and still is.

BTW, I purchased the original Spider-Man which debuted in Amazing Fantasy and after reading once, I kept that in pristine condition. All was fine until I attended college and mom (darn it mom!) tossed out all my comics and sports cards. I was not a happy camper when I found that out. I have long since forgiven her but man I would love to have those back!

[rurallib]

1. My story is almost the same as yours.

I too was an avid reader fueled by comics.

My collection ended up in the children's wing of the university hospital. My parents made that decision without telling me.

[Wuddles440]

2. Similar experience...

with a couple of exceptions. I was never able to snag a full-time delivery route (only occasionally subbed for a friend) and I still have most of my comic books and cards.

[Midnight Writer]

3. Same here. They guy who ran the news agency also distributed comic books and magazines

I'd go through their dumpster and scarf up all the comics returned from the stores (without covers). I ended up working there for ten years. The pay was nothing special, but I got thousands of books and magazines out of the deal. I am to this day a "reading junky". And these days I download comics from Comixology onto a tablet.

[nightwing1240]

4. Very cool!

[nightwing1240]

5. In all honesty

If any of you have read or know of the Batman Universe, that is where I take my handle from. I was a big fan of the original boy wonder, Robin aka Dick Grayson the teen thing with Spider-Man hooked me as well. But Robin, once he went on his own became Nightwing. Some old habits never fade away lol

[cyclonefence]

6. I was born in 1947, and by the time I was reading comic books

they were being blamed as the source of all readers. My father, god bless him, believed that it didn't matter what a child read so long as she was reading.

I had a big cardboard box under my bed full of Little Lulu and Katy Keene, and I haven't stopped reading since then.

[yellowdogintexas]

8. Lulu was my absolute favorite!

A friend has a giant complete collection book (coffee table type) which I intend to borrow one of these days

[cyclonefence]

10. I didn't know such a thing existed!

I'm going to check it out.

Lulu was so damn weird--I think it was sort of an adult cartoon. I have a couple of issues I found at yard sales, but I'm not a collector. I just wanted to read the comic book again.

Was it a popular comic? I'm so glad somebody else loved it!

[yellowdogintexas]

11. It was around at least until I was 10 or 11 (so maybe 1960)

It was definitely adult in many ways.

The artist/writer was really into puns.

After Little Itch (Witch Hazel's niece) froze pudding on Lulu's face,
she says "I've grown a custard to your face"

Lulu: I like breathing out and breathing in.

I think Lulu started out as a panel comic in the Saturday Evening Post?


More info https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Lulu

[kimbutgar]

7. My Dad used to buy me 2-4 comic books weekly and Mad magazine to get me reading

And my Mother took me to the library after school to discover books. I found a series I liked and became an avid reader.

[yellowdogintexas]

9. My start was the Sunday Comics! My dad read them to me

and I loved listening to him read. He wasn't much of a reader and those comics are the only thing I clearly remember him reading to me. My mom on the other hand read anything she was currently reading just to get me to settle down.

I was learning to read by the time I was 4 and reading at 2nd grade level by the time I wash 5. By the time I was 8 I had my own book collection and going to the library was my favorite thing.

Of course I read comic books too! Any comic rack was fair game!

For as long as I can remember, I always had something to read in my purse. Of course now it is my Baby Kindle