The Comic Book Kid

The Comic Book Kid

Henry Moffat stood in front of his new grade five classmates and thought he was going to pass out. They glared at him with those judgemental, accusing eyes already forming a negative opinion before he had even said one word.

The teacher Mrs. Applegate smiled at him.

“Okay, class we have a new student Henry Moffat.”

There was a snicker from the back.  

He smiled and already he could sense the bullies in class were plotting all types of nasty things to do to him.  

“I want everyone to make him feel right at home.”

The girls were staring at him and a couple of them were whispering and giggling. He looked normal, not really nerdy although the glasses didn’t help. He was of average height and weight. In some respects, he was kind of bland.

“Henry, I would like you to tell us three things about yourself.”

He hesitated for a long moment.

“Well, I used to live in a town called Eaglesville because the founder some old dude (there was laughter), lived in a cabin and had pet eagles. There is a giant eagle when you enter town. I mean this thing is like humungous.”

He made gestures and there was the feeling that they were warming up to him.

Robbie Forbes, a blond kid with freckles and a sweet smile raised his hand.

“Yes, Robbie?”

“We went on a family vacation a couple of years ago and passed through that town. He’s right, that eagle is like super big.”

Henry smiled and Robbie smiled back.

“Uhm, this isn’t something about me but about my brother. A lot of us climbed the giant eagle especially in the winter when there was like lots of snow and then jumped off into the snowbank.”

Everyone’s eyes were shiny and bright at the prospect of such good times.

“Except you aren’t supposed to jump off the eagle. My older brother Johnny broke his collar bone one time.”

Shane Murdoch, with long hair and the air of coolness about him smiled. He didn’t raise his hand.

“Is that the same Johnny Moffat the baseball player?”

“Yes, that’s him you know my brother?”

Shane shook his head and smiled.

“No, man, but my brother plays ball at the same level and says that your brother could be in the major leagues someday.”

Henry shrugged his shoulders.

“My brother got all the athletic talent and I got the artistic talent.”

“What kind of artistic talent?” Heather Butler smiled at him.

“I guess if you really want to know anything about me is that I love comic books. I guess we all do?”

Everyone nodded their head even Mrs. Applegate.

“When I was a young girl, I used to collect them. Do you collect them, Henry?”

He looked embarrassed and nodded his head.

“How many do you have? Lori Gordon one of the girls that was giggling a few minutes ago looked serious.

“Well, no offence, but I was hoping that no one would ask that question.”

Everyone laughed and looked at him strangely.

  “But, since you did it would be rude of me not to answer it. I haven’t taking inventory lately, but it stands around seventy-five thousand.”

Everyone in class was stunned even the teacher. Shane whistled.

“Now, Henry, no offence but that seems like an unusual amount for someone your age.”

“I guess it does. My Uncle Clyde used to own a comic book/memorabilia store and then he died.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” blurted out Kevin Ryan.

“What was the store called?” Duff Acton said without raising his hand. He was a stuck up looking kid dressed a little better than the others.  

“Silver Comics in nearby Jonestown.”

“I know that place. I used to go in there all the time because my dad collects comic books. So do I, but I certainly don’t have as many as you do. Honestly, I think that it’s just awesome.”

“I use to work for my uncle on Saturdays. I really liked Uncle Clyde and I inherited everything in the store. He wasn’t married and didn’t have kids. I guess I was like his kid.”

“Wow, I wish I had an uncle like that.”

“Your uncle was really cool,” said Duff. “I used to talk to him all the time. He was like super smart when it came to all types of comics and collector stuff. I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Thanks.”

Everyone in class seemed a little sad.

“Now, you said that you received all the artistic talent in your family. Do you draw?” Mrs. Applegate smiled at him.

“I constantly read comic books and I want to create my own series. I am a pretty good artist and can write interesting dialogue.”

“That is fantastic.”  

“Do you have a favourite comic?”

“I’m not sure if I do. After all, it is hard to pick one out of such a pile.

“What is your most expensive comic?”

“That’s an easy one: Adventure Comics #61 that includes the first appearance of Starman.”

“What is it worth?”

“It went for a little over ten thousand in the latest auction.”

“You have to say one more thing about yourself. The teacher said you had to say three things and you only said two. God, I sound like such a nerd.”

Everyone laughed and turned to Jenny Peach. She was a pretty girl with dark hair and a nice smile.

“Well, I didn’t want to move because all my friends were back in Eaglesville and that’s the only life I have ever known.”

“That’s understandable, Henry,” said Mrs. Applegate.

“But you seem like a really nice bunch and made me feel welcomed. I hope we can all be friends.”

“I am sure that this is a realistic goal.”

Everyone clapped and he took his seat slapping palms as he walked by.

At the first recess, a bunch of kids surrounded him.

“Do you really have that many comic books?” Duff couldn’t believe it.

“Yeah, I do.”

Duff slumped against the wall.

“Where do you keep them all?”

“They are spread all over the house.”

“Aren’t you afraid they will get damaged?”

“No, because they are all wrapped in plastic, plus they are in sealed tubs.”

“What if you wanted a certain comic book could you find it?”

“Oh sure, I know where every comic book is at. I have a list and each tub is numbered. So let’s say Spider-Man number 49 is the one I am looking for then I just look at the list and locate the tub and find it in like five minutes.”

“That is so cool. I mean you are like super organized.”

“You have to be or if I needed a comic book then it would take me like forever to find it because there are so many of them.”

“I can’t believe that your parents allow you to keep all of them.”

“Well, I had a good collection maybe a thousand or so because I was always hanging out with my uncle, but since he left me all of that stuff it is kind of hard for them to say anything.”

“So do you still collect them?”

“Yeah, I do because when I get old enough, I’m going to open my own store and buy and sell comic books and all the stuff that’s related to them.”

“That is so cool.”

“So Mrs. Applegate seems nice.”

“She is a really good teacher and she is like not a teacher. I mean yeah she’s an adult, but relates to us like we are real people.”

“You dope we are real people.”

“No, Duff, we are fake.”

Henry laughed.

“Hey, new kid what are you laughing at?”

Henry shook his head.

“I had a nightmare last night about the first day of school.”

“Cool, let’s hear it.”

“Well, I dreamt that I walked in the class and my fly was down and everyone started to laugh at me. And then, the teacher was like really big and mean and she ridiculed me. So I went to take a seat and someone tripped me.”

Everyone was laughing.

“But, it didn’t turn out that way.”

“Naw, Mrs. Applegate is not big and mean.”

“Hey, Henry your fly is down.”

Henry looked down and everyone laughed.

“Made you look.”

“Oldest trick in the book.”

The bell rang and they lined up to go inside.

Once inside, Mrs. Applegate smiled at them.

“Okay, I have been thinking at recess that we need to do a project on comic books.”

“Can Henry be my partner?” Jenny Peach smiled.

“Oooh,” everyone said. 

“Okay, that is enough of that.”

“I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just that I don’t know anything about comic books and he has a zillion of them so like he is like a super brain about this stuff.”

Henry looked embarrassed.

“Okay, there will be no partners. In order to get Henry acquainted with everyone, he is going to be the centre here. Everyone is either going to interview him about comic books and you can ask any appropriate question. Keep the interviews short and then when you are done, everyone will present them in front of the class.”

Everyone nodded her head.

“I think it would be cool if he brought his whole collection to school.”

“I don’t think that is feasible, Duff.” She smiled and shook her head. “Now, there is something I would like to ask Henry about.”

“What is it?”

“Would you be willing to bring the comic book you are working on to class to show everyone how you go about creating and designing it?”

Henry thought about it for a second or two and smiled.

“I would love to.”

“That is great.”

And that was Henry’s first day in Mrs. Applegate’s class. He was the most popular guy and everyone asked him about comic books all time.  

They called him ‘The Comic Book Kid.’