The Joy of Comics and Passing the Torch

I am a huge comic nerd and have built a sizable collection over my 35 years in the hobby. I started collecting when I was 7 years old from my local comic shop with their cheap packet collections but moved onto graphic novels when I got my first jobs as a newspaper delivery boy and market stall dog’s body.

The collection expanded as I earned more from my weekend job at Peacocks and my weekday evening youth working. Then, a decade ago, a new chapter began – fatherhood. The instinct to share this beloved hobby with my daughter was immediate and profound.

To my delight, she embraced the world of sequential art with open arms. By the time she was eight, she had journeyed through the imaginative landscapes of Lumberjanes, the whimsical charm of Hilda, the intriguing mysteries of Gotham Academy, and the relatable stories of Raina Telgemeier, alongside countless other gems from the Scholastic Grafix series. She became, quite simply, a well-read young individual. Yet, as her guide through these literary landscapes, I couldn't shake the feeling of being the ultimate arbiter of her taste, a contrast to my own early, unguided explorations within the hallowed walls of Rodney's Books and Games, the iconic Forbidden Planet, the always-intriguing Orbital Comics, and of course, the legendary Gosh! Comics (and that other wonderful spot just down from Foyles).

This past week, I went to London with my family and stepped into Gosh! with my daughters. Witnessing their unbridled enthusiasm amidst the towering shelves was a profoundly magical experience. Letting go of that gatekeeper role, allowing them the freedom to wander and discover, felt both liberating and a little poignant. In light of the sometimes toxic fandom, this expression of wonder was uplifting.

Seeing them connect with my wife over the shared humor of Pusheen, their faces lit up by the vibrant covers, was a new kind of joy. That was one of the graphic novels they bought and then my eldest daughter, after some choice paralysis, finally selected The New Girl by Cassandra Calin. I did not know it but saw that it had one of the Gosh Best of 2024! stickers on. Reading the blurb it sounded quite promising so I said if she wanted it she could have it. For myself, but also for her really, I chose Ghost Book by Remi Lai as it looked pretty interesting and had that same kinda tween cartoon feel. My daughter read the blurb and said I should get it. All agreed I gave my daughters the money and they paid, proud of their purchases.

Now, the anticipation lies in the shared act of reading, the conversations that will unfold, the different perspectives that will emerge. My eldest has truly developed her own discerning eye, and I genuinely look forward to her insights. More than just sharing a hobby, it's about witnessing the blossoming of their individual identities, their unique choices shaping the people they are becoming. And in that, there's a deep and quiet satisfaction that transcends the simple pleasure of collecting comics.