I was going through some boxes the other day and came across a stack of old comic book catalogs and flyers from the mid 80’s — that glorious point in time where my meager allowance went towards comic books. I was amused at how archaic some of the catalogs appear today. You see, (here’s where I speak in an exaggerated middle-aged voice, while pulling up my pants in the front and back á la Chris Farley) when I was a kid, we didn’t have no internets. We had to use a catalog to buy our comics. True fact.
I always loved my X-Men and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I think I still have that Reagan’s Raiders comic. I miss white out.
I used to send shiny quarters taped to the insides of envelopes to get comic book vendors to send me their latest catalog. Many of these were done with a dot-matrix printers on cheap newsprint, clearly not worth a full 25 cents. Some of the bigger establishments, like Mile High Comics used a real printer and sometimes even used color inks. Oooh.
Being too young to drive, I went to as many local conventions as I could, and grabbed everything that was offered for free — a habit I am still guilty of. There are a bunch of the flyers in this batch announcing nothing spectacular and no one very interesting, unfortunately.
I actually won a comic art competition when I was 15, having directly copied the cover of G.I. Joe #21. The prize was a copy of “How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way.” I think the convention must have kept the artwork because I haven’t seen it since. Bastards.
Nowadays, I’m sure comic vendors don’t put out printed catalogs, as everything is done online. Click a few boxes, fill in your address and credit card info and BOOM! Comics at your door the next day.
I really have no idea what to do with this stuff, and don’t really want to throw it away. Anyone out there see anything you’d want? It’s yours for the asking.
That’s right- I can still remember the great Papercut Outbreak of 1990. Back in “the day” hundreds of kids had to brave the perils of something known as “paper,” “whiteout” and “dot matrixices.” Monsters were also bigger back then. And scarier. Pizza also tasted a bit better. 😉
I do miss the sound of a dot matrix printer whizzing across the page.
Brian – I love that stuff! If you want to send. Let me know, I’ll take it all!
Chip
BOOM!
It’s all yours, Chip! Glad to see it going to someone who will appreciate it.
Mile High Comics… A mecca for comic book geeks back in the day! It was about 40 minutes away from us in Denver, and my friends and I would usually sucker a parent into taking us up there once a year. I bought many a pack of non sport cards in their store. Not to mention Spidey comics. Good times.
Hey Darrin- It was always a dream of mine to visit Mile High Comics. Their catalogs were the center spread in seemingly every comic book that was released in the 80’s. I had a couple of local comic shops that I hit every week, but these were tiny and their stock was fairly small. I had to rely on the likes of Mile High for anything decent.
I loved pouring over the one page ads for Mile High Comics in old school comics. I nver did order any, but I had quite the list. Like you I am guilty as well for taking any free swag at comic conventions. As I’ve always said, “If it’s free, it’s for me!”
A mantra I think most of us collectors live by. 😉
Oh damn, I remember those. I too ordered from Mile High Comics. Carefully filling out my order and then picking a bunch of “Backups” in case the issues I wanted were sold out. So much fun. That’s how I got my issue of Hulk #181. Something I wanted wasn’t available, so they sent me a Good copy of Hulk #181 as a backup.
Damn, if someone hadn’t jumped on all that, I would have loved the DC Release flyers in the last picture.
Great share, man!
You got Hulk #181 as a backup??? I’d love to know what you ordered that was out of stock!
Yeah, I wish I could remember specifics of that order. I remember doing it.
This was back in the mid 80s. I probably ordered a bunch of early silver age Flash issues and, as I was just getting into Wolverine and X-men, threw in Hulk 181 on a lark. In good condition it was only $15 at that time. And it came a few weeks later. I still have it.
I too would order every catalogue listed in the Marvel ad sections. My mom would take me to the post office to send my order and then I’d eagerly await my catalogue. A few companies offered a free comic bag with the order. I think Rob Bell sent out pocket-sized Marvel Comics checklists too! I miss those days. Looking at things online is not as fun. I don’t appreciate internet catalogues.