Comic(al)

We had such an incredible weekend, man. My parents watched the boy on Friday night while I stole away for a date with The Sous. We met one of his best guy friends at a bar and had a hilarious evening of ball-busting and espresso stouts and goofing off. Then, I popped over to my sister’s house and picked up all of her kids (AND DROVE A MINIVAN!), swung by the shop where my dad had the boy and we all headed home. Me + two seven years olds + one five year old + one almost two year old = NUTS! Super fun nuts, but nuts just the same.

All the kids spent the night and I ended up with a boy on one side of me and a sweet, not-quite-a-baby-anymore little girl with her arms linked around my neck for most of the night. I forgot how special it is to sleep in the same bed with a baby. (No, I’m not hankering for another one… yet)

Then Sunday, I took the boy to Comic Con. I am NOT a convention girl… A few weeks ago, he started showing some interest in comic books and drawing his own comics. Then, last week, I helped my friend Rodney put together some comic books to sell at the convention. The kid was SO interested, in fact, knowing how printing works, he managed to get me to print him one extra just for him. We wanted to go see Rodney and the books we printed, but also, I wanted to take the kid because I realize that he’s… probably going to be something of a nerd.

Geek-chic… Or something. I mean, he’s gorgeous and his personality sparkles. I don’t mean to imply that he’s going to be some kind of suspender wearing, bully magnet or anything. He’s just… He’s not going to be an athlete. Bless his heart, he loves running around and has enjoyed playing baseball and soccer. But he never feels GOOD at sports. It pains me, as the three-sport high school varsity letterman that I was, but he just didn’t get those genes from me.

But one things that he is IS good at is drawing. Seriously, sometimes I think he’s traced a picture but lo and behold, he actually drew it by hand.

So I stepped outside of my comfort zone and took him to the Land of Losers (I kid, I kid). Seriously though, to the guy with the replica of KITT from Knight Rider: Thanks for showing your car to my kid but seriously, could you BE any creepier? Neither my kid or myself were very impressed with your signed glossy 8×10 headshot, curly hair stretching to the edge of the page, but thanks.

We had a blast and, although I drove it into him that I wasn’t spending any money at this convention, he still asked for this or that. “That one is only $2, mom.” “How much is that Mario stuffed animal? Man! $12! That’s too much.” Eventually, my son got over his nerves and started actually talking to the artists. We showed a few of them his comic book and they praised him and showered him with free stuff to encourage him to keep at it. It was really special. All in all, we ended up with two big posters, a handful of stickers, a drawn-to-order Spiderman (I think), a couple of things that I guess were coloring sheets? Maybe just copies of drawings? I don’t know the terms for this stuff.

And then, ol’ Uncle Rodney bid us to follow him back to the corner, where there were booths selling comics and dolls (heh, ok ok, I know they’re ACTION FIGURES) and shirts and stuff. He didn’t tell us what he was looking for, but we stood there patiently while he thumbed through boxes and boxes of comics. “What is he looking for, mom?” “I have no clue, man.” It was kind of hilarious.

And then, lookit… Rodney bought the kid the entire series of Bone! He started reading it on the walk back to the car… Then the ride home. And yesterday, he took it to school to read during independent reading time.

Nerd, nerd, nerd! But I love it. It’s so incredible to watch your kid find something that speaks to him, whatever it is.