Marvel and Me

From about seven years old until I entered my teens I was an avid Marvel comic book fan.

I had Spiderman, The Titan's, Dr Strangelove and Planet of the Apes. I used to collect them from the newsagents near my Grans house. This was a big event, as my Gran lived ten miles from my family home in another city.

That little newsagent became a magical center of my universe. I went from the wild rural countryside to the big dark city, a touch of real psychogeography going on here.

My mum only stopped in their to get fags originally, and I got her to order the comics from that shop as the area represented a little paradise away from the boredom of my school and humdrum locale. She thought it was funny.

The hero's of these comics were often existential loners, usually wounded souls, often orphaned and left to fend for themselves in an uncomprehending world.

I realised years later, this was where I got my love of reading and graphic art from.

I also believe my childhood Marvel obsession with heroic outsiders is one of the reason's why I did a degree in psychology, and my fascination with the existentialists and beat writers.

William Burroughs especially, is a very graphic, 'comic book' style writer, whenever I read him I have vivid dreams and see bright colours.

I always had a pile of little Commando comic books too, but it was the dark gothic Americana of Marvel that always fired my imagination.

Over the years, looking back, I realize now, how my passion for these books coincided with the gradual breakup and divorce of my parents and the disruption and stress of leaving the family home.

I was identifying with the heroes in the books as I felt a bit lost and ignored and worried about the future.

This was also the catalyst I think for my life long existential addiction. My heroes were misunderstood, lost and confused, but that was okay, it was cool and deep and heroic. Art can save your life sometimes when shit happens.

I'd just like to say thank you to Stan Lee.