Statement of the obvious: Comics are flammable. Extremely flammable. I shouldn't have to tell you that, but to start this piece off, it's needed information. Recently, in Kenosha Wisconsin, a comic store caught on fire. The Kenosha News reported that the owner of the Heroes and Dreams store discovered smoke coming from his store at 9:50 A.M. Monday and reported it to the local authorities.
When the fire department arrived, they found numerous fires on the first floor and basement of the building. There was little damage, but many of the comics were damaged due to smoke and soot. At this time, the fire department suspects arson. Let's say this wasn't arson though because I wouldn't doubt it if it was. Let's say you were stuck in your house, and you smell smoke. You follow all the proper precautions you learned from Fireman Ted down the street and you know you have to jump out the window. Bare with me here... Now, you obviously have time to search through your comics and pick out TWO comics from your collection. Why two? Because I'm tired of three or five. Plus, the fire is really raging. What two comics do you save from the inferno? No trades or collections, only single issue comic books! Also, if you try and save more than two, you burn alive. == TEASER == First one I'd save is the first comic that was ever given to me. It was an insert into the Chicago Tribune back in the early 80s. Spider-Man and The Hulk. I have no clue what happens in this book because It was bagged and boarded years ago, and I haven't read in it about a decade, but I'm sure the two fought each other and then realized they were both the good guy, and then they possibly hugged. Anyway, this book means a lot to me, has a lot of sentimental value, and this would be the first book I would save.
The second book I'd grab has no real monetary nor sentimental value to it. I'd save this book purely for my interview with the local newscaster. The book is one of my favorite covers: Fantastic Four 292, with Hitler on the cover and the team debating whether or not to kill him. Again, this would be one classic interview with a reporter. "Sir, you survived the fire, and you've seemingly lost everything except for this comic... with Hitler on it?" "Yes, throughout the confusion, the smoke, and the mass amounts of things I've collected, I managed to grab the one comic that makes me smile... The one with Hitler on the cover." I could win a newscaster a local emmy with a speech like that.
So what about you guys? What two comics would you grab? Remember, if you grab more than two, you'll burn alive.
~Mat "InferiorEgo" Elfring is a comedian, teacher, comic store employee, and comic book writer.~
D@mn it, inferiorego, making me choose like this...
My first would have to be:
Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #8 - This is the first comic that I can remember my Dad buying for me when I was 5 or 6 years old that was of a significantly higher price than the single new issue he usually let me buy every time we went to the comic book store together.
And the second would be: Marvel Presents #1 - I wouldn't be much of a "Bloodstonefreak" if I wouldn't save at least one issue relating to my favorite comic book character. What better issue to save, too, than the first appearance of Ulysses Bloodstone!
I think I may actually choose to burn with my collection, though... :-D
Wow. Great question. Honestly, I am thinking in this very moment. Heaven forebid I'm ever in a situation as terrible as this, but as I am thinking about it right now I'd have to refer back a question that was asked a while back. I can't remember the exact article, but it was something along the lines of "What was your first comic?" I would grab MARVEL TALES feat. SPIDER-MAN #235(the first comic I ever bought) and my crapbag copy of GIANT-SIZE X-MEN #1.
My set of my father's Lynch Mob comics. My Street Fighter II series. JLA/Avengers. Marvel's Civil War. whatever issues of Godzilla (the Marvel series) I could find. and...Green Lantern: Rebirth.
Since I have quite a few comics I'd have to pick my Captain America #100 vol.1 and Dardevil #1 vol. 2. Then I'd follow up by apologizing to Mr Queen for not saving any Green Arrow comics :(.
I'll save my Sonic the hedgehog comics every issue and maybe all of my spiderman comics... I'm really nothing without my Sonic the Hedgehog stuff I get! But I'm always clever I have my comics stored in those comic book binders which I can save every single one and none left behind!
My dad is always joking about that. that if the house ever caught on fire, i would be carrying my boxes of comic books out the door. either he's saying that he plans to set the house on fire or he wants me to quit collection comics. in either case, he's crazy.
to be 100% honest I am totally prepared for such an occasion as this. i am paranoid so I keep all my TPB's in a waterproof suitcase at the foot of my bed, my super important comics in a lock-box in my grandmother's house and ny favorite non TPB's in this little mini safe i bought off of craig's list. So I throw the suitcase and mini safe to the bushes 2 floors down then use my blankets as a rope to shimmy myself down. (I have similar set-ups for shoes, clothing,money, and a select few pictures)
i dunno... unless it was a comic that was REALLY valuable, I'd probably go back to save it, but otherwise I'd probably be able to go and re-purchase all the issues that I lost.
I would still grab as much comics then two because there stored in shoe boxes. At my moms house I have boxes of comics and at my dads house is another set of comics in boxes so no matter what house I still got a lot of comics saved still HA HA.
" i would save my loved ones first. comics would be my last priority "
this is where being a selfish bachelor comes in handy...comics = #1 priority...of course I seem to remember on one Cribs where some rockstar had some really valuable Marvel comics in a filing cabinet that he said was fireproof so if the entire house went down, they'd survive "
Well I have a Fiancee so... I would save her first. :D you lucky Bachelor you! (just kidding, being solo actually sucks)
I have mine in containers based on publishers. And I am on the first floor with a big window in my small bedroom. I would save them all. If I could only save one container because things are really going to Hell, then I'd probably take the DC one. Most valuables there I believe. Vertigo because of the quality would be very tempting, though.
Okay enough with the realism. In your theoretical game, I'd save my Emerald City Comic-Con issue of Irredeemable #1 signed by Mark Waid because I love everything about it and it makes me feel special and... The Unwritten #12, I guess since it is such a cool one-shot issue.
My issue of Deadpool #0 (my first time reading Deadpool EVER...a life changing experience seriously AND that was way b4 he got popular) but yea not sure about #2 they're all in a box....or 2 I'm confident I could save them all.
i'm new to the whole comic book thing. i've been here about 8-9 months but got my first comic in april. i only have like 40. i'd grab my laptop and my lockbox then bail
I'll just state that there are a lot of things in my house I would save before my comics if there was fire. But if i had time to also save a few comics, I'd save the following
1-Kingdom Come 2-Witchblade compendium 3-The killing joke 4-Fables 1 to 4 5-Merlin
You got me scared now. Im gonna have to put some of them near my second exit in case of fire exit so when the house is a blaze I can grab this quick arms full and bail out. "We can only pick 2" These aren't potato chips.
Okay. Considering that I'd have the time to dig these specific issues out of my boxes in the basement, I'd have to go with The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe - Deluxe Edition #1, and Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #1. With those two issues, I could rebuild my collection...but MAN would that suck.
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