Confessions of a Fan Boy

Today I was a fan boy. In order to fully appreciate what that means you need a little history. See I have had an on again off again relationship with comic books since I was about 8. I'm 31 and as of about 3 months ago my relationship was mostly off. Since the new job I have had a little more money to play with (very little) so I've been frequenting my local comic shop that I had long since left behind me.

It helps that I work on Saturdays and don't have to be there until 12:30pm. So my recent routine has been to stop by the book store pick up a few and head to work. That was pretty much was the deal today. I hit up the book store as usual said my wassups to my comic book guy and started to browse. The picking's were slim this week. I picked up one new book and few older ones I wanted to read. No trade paperbacks this week and no new comics stacked and arranged on the counter. "oh well," I thought as I continued to browse. As I did so a man entered the store. An older white man about my height or an inch taller (I'm about 5'8" to be exact giver take depending on what shoes I where) casually dressed an not particularly conspicuous. He seemed to know comic book guy rather well. Better than I did atleast. But I confine my conversations with him to comic books. They shot the shit for a while as old guy browsed and apparently amassed a stack of books. Load enough to be noticable but not enough to be obnoxious.

By the time old guy was on his way out I had gathered all I could find pass the time at work. I approached the counter sat my minimal stack next to old guys (his was already bagged and ready to go). He was still BS'ing with comic book guy. As he noticed the comics I had picked up. On the top was a relatively newer one. It's called Superman/Batman. I was picking up some of the back issues since I read the trade that reprinted the first few issues. He commented, "you like that huh?" or something to that effect. I noted that I was hooked on it now. He noted I had good taste. As comic book rang up my purchases, old guy asked me if I wanted him to sign my books. "Huh? Wha...?" I looked at him looked at my books. Pointed at him and said something like "Are you...?" He smirked and said, "That's my book." He extended his hand and said, "Hi, Jeph Loeb." I shook his hand and greeted him back still alittle taken aback. "Pleasure to meet you." Comic Book Guy had already arranged the books on the counter with a marker. That was my deer in headlights moment. I know this because he asked me again if I would like him to sign my books. Thankfully I was aware enough to take my hand back. Of course I said yes but he asked me if I was sure. He didn't want to put me out or anything (for lack of a better expression, I forget his exact words).

Let me pause here for a moment. See when old guy came in comic book guy called him Mr. Loeb. And yeah I knew Jeph Loeb wrote a couple of the comics I was holding but I figured what were the odds of him walking in to my comic book store. I mean really. It occured to me for about half a second.

I mentioned this to him and CBG. Naturally CBG made reference to why a guy like that would be in such a crappy show (its not really). We laughed about that and I mentioned how I felt like I needed to get 2 more so I could actually take them out of the bags to read. Even if I really wasn't I still thought about it. As Jeph was grabbing his stacks I thanked him again. Though I called him Mr. Loeb and he made it clear when he shook my hand a second time that it was Jeph. Apparently CBG liked to tease him by calling him mister. He commented again that it was a pleasure, he gathered his books and left.

That was a really cool moment.