When Superheroes Were Our Little Secret

[Wee67]

We live in a wonderful time where superhero popularity is at an all-time high. Comic books have moved well within the mainstream and, as a result, we have easy access to tons of hero stuff from movies to t-shirts to books... who would've thought we'd see a Guardians of the Galaxy movie?

But....

I remember going to conventions in the 80's. Smaller, usually in the basement of a hotel with much of the merchandise made in limited runs or even custom-made. But there was a bond between the people there. If you saw someone on the street with a Flash t-shirt, you felt an immediate kinship. It was like you both were part of a shared little community.

I definitely prefer the current situation (I especially love the movies), but there is definitely part of me that fondly remembers when superheroes were our little secret.

[EMCE Hammer]

We live in a wonderful time where superhero popularity is at an all-time high. Comic books have moved well within the mainstream and, as a result, we have easy access to tons of hero stuff from movies to t-shirts to books... who would've thought we'd see a Guardians of the Galaxy movie?

But....

I remember going to conventions in the 80's. Smaller, usually in the basement of a hotel with much of the merchandise made in limited runs or even custom-made. But there was a bond between the people there. If you saw someone on the street with a Flash t-shirt, you felt an immediate kinship. It was like you both were part of a shared little community.

I definitely prefer the current situation (I especially love the movies), but there is definitely part of me that fondly remembers when superheroes were our little secret.

I totally get what you're saying. Part of me waxes nostalgic for a certain BO-filled basement in Wheeling.

[Mr.Marion]

I prefer when it was a dirty little secret and my interest in collecting actual comics doesn't extent past the 70's.

It's cool to see things like the 66 Batman logo on shirts at Target but I definitely don't care for paying $50 admission for an overcrowded Comic Con to see dealers selling the overpriced slabbed "key issues", or the MCU drones going on and on about how great the latest paint by numbers mediocre installment was.

[MRP]

I don't know, I don't think it was ever that much of a dirty little secret in the 70s, except for adults who were embarrassed to still be fans. I mean you had Spider-Man on the tv on Electric Company and the Nick Hammond series, Hulk and Wonder Woman on the tv as well, Superman in the theatres, Underoos in every department store you went in to, comics themselves in every convenience store or pharmacy you went into, books like Origins of Marvel Comics and Son of Origins on endcaps at most bookstores you could see from the corridors of the mall. other apparel and lunchboxes everywhere you looked in schools, Plastic Man, Spider-Woman, and the FF with Herbie the Robot and others on Saturday mornings, etc. Comics were ubiquitous then, but it was mostly considered a kids thing. Hell, even the Jeanine fundraiser kits I had to sell at my Catholic elementary school were loaded with super-hero merchandise featuring Marvel and DC characters, and every carnival or fair I went to had at least some kind of super-hero merch as a prize at some of the booths, from mirrors to posters to t-shirts, etc. Super-heroes were pretty much everywhere you looked, but again focused on a younger demographic.

It wasn't until the 80s when comics themselves went into the ghettos of the comic shop as the primary place to buy them and became a niche product and stopped being mainstream entertainment, and when adult fans dominated the customer base for comics and super-heroes rather than kids that it became a dirty little secret and stereotypes about comic fans started to emerge.

-M

[Marvelmania]

I totally get what you're saying because for me I didn't know of any comic book collectors at all growing up. If I can across anyone else with a comic it was great and it's like we had this unwritten connection.

[Random Axe]

I liked the fact that there were only four guys in my high school of 1200 that knew who Black Bolt was. I love having the films now but I also miss the exclusivity I felt knowing the Green Lantern Oath

[Blue Meanie]

Only thing I like about any of what is happening today as far as people liking superhero stuff/movies/comics etc. is that it has made back issues dirt cheap. I've never seen so many 50 cent boxes and $1 boxes at conventions than I do now. If it's not a key issue...most dealers are want to just basically "get rid of it" than actually get what they paid for the books. It's basically why I've have practically no pull list anymore. The mindset of the new collector is they don't care about anything but that key issue. So for that I can say I don't mind all the hype.

I do miss the actual "Comic Book Convention". That has truly gone by the wayside in the last 15 years. It's not about comics anymore...it's about having celebrities. Most of which have NOTHING to do with comics. For the most part Comic Cons are run like a "Pop Culture" convention than a comic book show. It's why there are only a few that I try to get to each year. East Coast Comic Con in Jersey and Baltimore Comic Con. Baltimore is the toughest for the last 10 years or so cause it always fell either the week after Labor Day or the Week of Labor Day. They have moved the show to the end of September/Early October. The list of guests that are industry guests is probably the best of all the shows in the country. And they don't have Celebrity Guests...or it is very minimal. Maybe 5 at the most at a Baltimore Comic Con. NYCC is an absolute joke from the admission to get in to the pre-certification process before you can even get tickets to the stupidity of all the Celebs they have instead of industry vets they could have at the show. Just an absolute mess in my opinion. I miss the old comic cons...but the popularity of superheros makes the $$$$ hard to resist for some out there.

[Earth 2 Chris]

^Heroes Con in Charlotte, NC is the "purest" comic con I've ever been to. NO celebrity guests, all just comic professionals. The artist alley is the main draw, and the vendors are secondary. I've only been once, but it's kind of ruined me on other "comic" conventions, which as you said Berto, are now just Pop Culture shows.

Chris

[MRP]

^Heroes Con in Charlotte, NC is the "purest" comic con I've ever been to. NO celebrity guests, all just comic professionals. The artist alley is the main draw, and the vendors are secondary. I've only been once, but it's kind of ruined me on other "comic" conventions, which as you said Berto, are now just Pop Culture shows.

Chris

Gem City Con in Dayton, while smaller is of the same nature except they have added a gaming track, but the main draw is comics. No media guests. There's usually 6-8 big name comic draws, and lots of more local or second tier comic talent, but no media guests whatsoever. And gaming guests usually have some kind of cross-over appeal, like Jolly Blackburn who does games like Aces and Eights, but also contributes to the long running comic Knights of the Dinner Table. It's one of my favorite shows and right down the highway from us. Not sure if you ever made the trip up from Cinci for it, but it's worth considering if you are looking for a comic focused show.

http://gemcitycomiccon.com/

-M

[palitoy]

I remember on my honeymoon vacation, I wore a Green Lantern shirt to a restaurant and the waiter came over and showed me his Superman tattoo. He was honestly excited to meet another comic fan. That was only twenty years ago.

That just wouldn't happen anymore, I stopped wearing comic shirts because....Sheldon and it's just so common place now.

We do live in a land of abundance but I do miss the days of the sweaty shows at the Masonic Temple, not so much the BO though, I don't miss that.

[boss]

I’ve got a BO filled basement in Illinois you can come visit.

I totally get what you're saying. Part of me waxes nostalgic for a certain BO-filled basement in Wheeling.

[Mr.Marion]

Only thing I like about any of what is happening today as far as people liking superhero stuff/movies/comics etc. is that it has made back issues dirt cheap. I've never seen so many 50 cent boxes and $1 boxes at conventions than I do now. If it's not a key issue...most dealers are want to just basically "get rid of it" than actually get what they paid for the books.

Maybe for 80-90's comics. But not for Daredevil #92, Aquaman 55, Defenders #7 etc as an example. I never see Fine+ silver or early bronze age books for less $3 or $5 at shows. They are sky high atm unless it's Superboy or some other characters that aren't being used in films or tv.

[LonnieFisher]

Superheroes were never a secret with me. I couldn't get enough.

[Blue Meanie]

Maybe for 80-90's comics. But not for Daredevil #92, Aquaman 55, Defenders #7 etc as an example. I never see Fine+ silver or early bronze age books for less $3 or $5 at shows. They are sky high atm unless it's Superboy or some other characters that aren't being used in films or tv.

Daredevil #92 in Fine + on ebay with best offer:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/DAREDEVIL-A...4AAOSwXwxctCT8

For the most part they are more along the lines of late bronze and a lot of copper age stuff...and a lot of new books that are cover priced at 3.99/4.99 and more in the 50 cent and $1 bins. If you are looking for early Bronze and Silver age books you are definitely NOT going to find them in those bins...nor did I state that you would find them in those bins

[ScottA]

I typically get comments in public on my Batman watch or my Batman wallet when I pull it out.