Re-Experiencing a Long Forgotten Feeling @ #SingaporeComicCon 2023
JOURNAL: I experienced something at the recent Singapore Comic-Con I've not felt for a very, very long time ago... something I've not felt at a "Comic-Convention" too, actually (ever): "Thumbing through stacks of comicbooks".
Since the inception of annual "Comic-Convention(s)" in 2008, I have been covering "designer toys" and all manner of toys, not just for the TOYSREVIL-blog, but as well for my own passion and interest. Barely a few years before that, my life was fully invested into comicbooks for literal decades!
Since my teens, I was neck-deep into comics and trading cards, until such a point in my life where I had been financially struggling to survive, and "comicbooks" was the last thing I gave up (only "toys" survived :p), and I had been resisting the allure of comicbooks since, with the occasional visit to the local library, and my odd trade-paper back purchases (in the early years of the "resistance"), all of which came to a halt at the end of 2010, where surviving my Stroke also meant my eye-sight being affected, which made reading comicbooks a literal struggle. And I grudgingly stayed away, and re-learnt a life without "comicbooks".
Growing up, my dream was to become a "comicbook illustrator" too, and that's the only thing that remained with me post-Stroke, as I doodled the odd images here and there (posted on toysrevilart.blogspot.com and #hengdraw/#toysrevilart hash-tagged on Instagram). The irony being, I remembered my passion after having Stroke, forgetting said passion amidst "paid jobs" and "life"... but that's another story for another time, if you've not read that about me already, cheers.
Then somewhen late 2023, I begun to rummage through my long-boxes, as I attempt to excavate my "past-life", and even begun flipping through my comicbooks on video, rekindling a feeling I've somewhat forgotten...
Then at the 2023 comic-con, I'd actually stopped (covering toys in a frenzy, as I had done in previous years), and actually thumbed thru a box of comics, at the venue whose photo I have uploaded here, with the booth belonging to KALIBACK KOMIKS (eShop / Instagram / Facebook) ... seeing vintage larger format "Warriors" issues, recognizing "Miracle Man" and more, and the sheer wonder which had been missing from my life, returning to embrace my being. It was such a welcoming feeling. It felt like "Welcome Home".
Immediately and perhaps instinctively I was "looking" for comic titles, like EPIC comics, with ALIEN LEGION quite literally popped into mind! Alas I did not purchase any titles, even if it would been "symbolic" for myself to have done so (*I am painfully aware of my own financial situation lol).
It's one thing to collect comics from a shop and finger through TPBs on a shelf, but quite another level of joy and fleeting freedom of "choice" thumbing issues of comicbooks, I insist. And like I mentioned previously, this was something I've not done in a large scaled "comic convention" such as SGCC (and definitely not counting the first ever Singapore comic-con in the 80s).
The feeling did not linger for long though, as I'd subsequently had an "unfortunate encounter" with another comicbook vendor, and lost my taste for the hunt. Ultimately I did walk away with more than I'd imagine I would, and am gagged for more.
Spoilt for choice! Next time, next time...
With the "welcoming feeling", so too the "solitary feeling" returned sending shivers up my spiritual spine... Of reading comicbooks alone, and having physically no one to share my joy with (unless I visit the comicbook shop), something I've felt for a long with with "collecting toys" too, but being able to "share" on the blog did help allay that, and now pouring nit all out in this blog-post, about "comicbooks" ~ MUAHAHAHAHAHAAAA
Cheers,
Andy TOYSREVIL
