Issue Guide: | #01 | #02 | #03 | #04 | #05 | | #06 | #07 | #08 | #09 | #10 | | #11 | #12 | #13 | #14 | #15 | | #16 | #17 | #18 | #19 | #20 | | #21 | #22 | #23 | #24 | #25 | | #26 | #27 | #28 | #29 | #30 |	(Originally written January 2000) It had been a long time, but I did it. I knew I shouldn't have. I couldn't resist myself. How did I get in this predicament? I was just going to my bank. Thousands of men and women go to their banks everyday. That's not unusual. So, there I am, going to the bank like your average Joe McDoakes. That's how it started, anyway. The problem began when I noticed it was lunchtime, and I hate standing in line. Now since I am still living the life of a bum, I don't need to do errands at lunch, like you working stiffs. I can cruise around and go a little later, while your eyes are glazed over a spreadsheet, or worse, your stifling a yawn in some meeting. Me, I am free and easy. So I headed down the street, away from the front door of the bank, and into a bookstore, where I looked at some cool old books on magic, and on pulps of the '30's. Pretty neat stuff. I don't have a job, but that doesn't stop me from looking at some books, maybe buying a couple. Right? Right. Then I do it. Next to the bookstore is a......comic book store. I went inside. I know what you are thinking. I shouldn't have. But it had been a long time, and I just was going to look around. I still needed to kill time, right? And I was only going to look. NO BUYING. Right? Right. I started out pretty good. I glanced at the racks, nothing too interesting. I took a gander at the graphic novels. The owner keeps them way in the back. What, is he ashamed of them? That's the good stuff! "The Dark Knight Returns". "The Watchmen". All my fave's. I took a look through the back issues. Looking at the books that I used to collect. DC Fanboy stuff like "The Ragman" and "Crisis of Infinite Issues, err, Earths". I am impressed with the wooden cabinets the guy keeps his old back issues in. Everything is going good. I start heading toward the front of the store. It's high time that I went to the bank. Then I spotted it. TOM STRONG Issue Number 6. "Pssst" it says. "Come here. Look at me. Pick me up. That's right. Ain't I neat?" Needless to say, I purchased it. As well as issues #5, #2, and TWO issues of #1's (seems they have a variant cover available, and I got to have that too, right?). The next day I'm driving around town, visiting two other comic shops to get the two missing issues, so I can have the complete run. ARRGGGHHHH!!! I am back at it again. And now, as I write this I realize something. I haven't purchased a comic book since I was in my 20's! Aren't I too old for this?