Youth and Bad Comics

Maybe comic books were my first love.

My first comic was actually based on the tv series Totally Spies. Thinking on it, it was definitely targeted towards small girls. The cover was pink, blue, and yellow and the story was simple. A group of teenage girls defend the world using stereotypical teenage weapons; lipstick, boots, and purses.

I loved it, but it was terrible.

I grew out of that and became a awkward middle school kid that always wore a winter coat despite the weather. I was never hot, either. God bless my anemia.

I stepped onto the battered BlueBird bus, the only my school could afford, book in hand. A girl in front, turned to face me. Her eyes were a brilliant amber. They shined with enthusiasm, and her skin was littered with light spots on her already lighter toned skin. Her hair was flat ironed and unkept, small strads poked out from her face.

Her smile was the brightest of all things. She was like the sun.

She asked my name; I gave it. From the depths of her book bag, she pulled out a DC comic of the same name. I laughed a bit at that. We talked and before marching off the bus to her home she told me to read and return it.

I read it over twice, and the next day, I was given the Flashpoint series by DC comics. The pattern continued.

When I graduated, our school gave us books to read. Inside the tightly sealed plastic, was a graphic novel titled Amulet. I felt like I fell in love again.

Like a child, I lost it, but that’s okay.

You know, I never did see her again. I have to thank her, because now, I’m a comic book artist.

Photo by Lena Orwig on Unsplash