BHOC: CAPTAIN AMERICA #216

On that same weekly trip to the 7-11 I came across and was delighted by this issue of CAPTAIN AMERICA, a title that I didn't normally read. And it had everything to do with this cover, where, rather than Cap's usual masthead partner the Falcon, the co-star in this particular issue was the Human Torch. … Continue reading BHOC: CAPTAIN AMERICA #216

BHOC: SUPERMAN #318

Despite the school year beginning, my regular weekly Thursday trips to the 7-11 for new comic books continued. And in fact, I had begun to hold on to the dollar a day that I was given to buy lunch at school in order to be able to have more spending money for comics. (My Dad … Continue reading BHOC: SUPERMAN #318

BHOC: WEIRD WAR TALES #58

My brother Ken was still reading the occasional war comic, and so this issue of WEIRD WAR TALES, which eventually came into my possession. This is the kind of comic book that really doesn't get made any more, one designed to be read and enjoyed once, by any novice reader, and then discarded. There were … Continue reading BHOC: WEIRD WAR TALES #58

BHOC THE FLASH #256

Fifth grade had just begun when the mailman delivered my subscription copy of FLASH #256. It was in fifth grade that I met my first friend who was enthusiastic about comic books as opposed to simply occasionally reading them like most kids of that era. Don Sims was his name, and we became good friends … Continue reading BHOC THE FLASH #256

BHOC: JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #149

As summer came to a close, the mailman brought my subscription copy of JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA, a terrific surprise for me whenever it would show up. JLA at this point was an ongoing oversized title, so the stories were longer and more intricate, having the space for both greater plot and some characterization. All … Continue reading BHOC: JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #149

BHOC: INVADERS #23

Summer was winding down when I bought this issue of INVADERS at my regular 7-11 haunt. It's one of those days that I can recall vividly for no particular reason, biking back up Granny Road with my new purchase. I still hadn't branched out into Marvel any further than the Human Torch, but it was … Continue reading BHOC: INVADERS #23

BHOC: THE COMIC-BOOK BOOK

As I think I've spoken about in the past, I came from a family of readers. Both my father and my mother would read books regularly, and it was this love of reading that helped make it acceptable and unquestioned that I had an interest in comic books--they understood that reading was reading. And so … Continue reading BHOC: THE COMIC-BOOK BOOK

BHOC: GREEN LANTERN #98

I picked up this issue of GREEN LANTERN/GREEN ARROW at some non-typical convenience or candy store that my Mom happened to go to (or near) in her daily travels. That was one of the benefits of going out to do whatever errands there might be for the household on any given day--the possibility that I'd … Continue reading BHOC: GREEN LANTERN #98

BHOC: ACTION COMICS #477

Now that I was able to go to my local 7-11 whenever I wanted to, I did spend a week during this summer working out something very important: when did the new comic books show up every week? I went to that 7-11 day in and day out until I was certain that my analysis … Continue reading BHOC: ACTION COMICS #477

BHOC: INVADERS #10

In the mid-1970s, Marvel Comics had a big problem in getting its books completed and off to press on time. In those days, because press time was booked well in advance, you were going to pay for it whether you printed a title or not, so there was no margin for error. But error there … Continue reading BHOC: INVADERS #10