For non north Americans: How did you become a fan?

[ludovica]

Seeing there are people from all over the world posting, I got really curious how non north Americans became comic book fans.

I grew up in Italy, where in my childhood and adolescence newsstands where chock-full of Marvel titles.
Traveling I discovered that in nations far and close that was not always the case.
In Germany there were a lot less, in Korea virtually none.
Time have changed a lot with the cinematic global explosion of superhero cinema, so I'm asking:

Where are you from?
Did you become a fan first through comic books?
How did you get a hold of them?
Were the movies that turned you instead?
If so, are you reading comic books now?

 

[OutOfBoose]

Where are you from?

Mother Russia.

Did you become a fan first through comic books?

I can't really pin point a date when and how I became a fan of comic books. It was gradual exposure during 90s. Starting with comic books, then movies and animated TV series. I think I became a fan only when internet became cheap and wide-spread, so I got a chance to read a number of classic/significant graphic novels. Mostly about Batman.

How did you get a hold of them?

Comic books from US were available throughout 90s, but they were pricey at that time given the crisis after the dissolution of USSR. I think my first comic book was Elf Quest. I also had Gen13, Jurassic Park, TMNT, various Disney comic books about Duck Tales, Chip n' Dale...

Were the movies that turned you instead?

My first CBM was Batman Returns and it blew me away. But it didn't turn me, because exposure was pretty limited. So not much really could fuel it further. Also games. But I only cared about Batman games. Good thing even in 90s Batman had a number of really good games. Unlike other superheroes (if we don't count arcade fighting games).

If so, are you reading comic books now?

I stopped reading comic books. Except for a number of favorite artists, but it's mostly about art, not about stories these days for me.

 

[Greens]

Never really been a comic book guy. Just not my medium generally. I was introduced through some of the classic CBM like Batman 89.

 

[Mandon Knight]

Where are you from?

Surrey, UK but born in the North West of UK

Did you become a fan first through comic books?

Yep, very much, starting reading and being interested and loving Superman from a very early age and my parents would buy me weeklies, annuals, and had wallpaper, duvet cover, curtains, dressing gown, costume, the works.

How did you get a hold of them?

They were readily available during this period, (late 70's, early 80's).

Were the movies that turned you instead?

The biggest influence and experience for me was Superman : The Movie in 1978, my dad taking me and it being just the most magical gift of an experience I'd ever seen. That film made me the comic book fan and film maker I am today. The gold standard for all to measure against in my view. Donner created genius with the original film.

If so, are you reading comic books now?

Rather than 'weeklies', I tend to buy trade collections in volumes, however, I think Re-Birth has really been a tremendous recovery job from DC following New 52 and so follow these in certain areas, my fave character will always be Superman.

 

[First Avenger]

I'm from Italy.

My mom always says I loved watching Spider-Man: TAS on tv when I was,like,3 years old. Turns out Spider-Man is my favourite fictional character ever.

So I started buying Spider-Man comics as soon as I learnt to read.

Spider-Man was also my first CBM at a movie theather. I started collecting other CBMs in 2005,when I was excited AF for X-Men 3(I know).

I'm not reading comic books right now because I hate the current direction of Marvel Comics(Secret Empire just started here).

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

I am from Liverpool in the UK.

I did read comic books as a kid but it was UK stuff like 2000 AD, Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper, etc. However when I was a kid the likes of the Adam West Batman show and Superman: The Movie were on TV a lot, and then of course came the Burton Batman movies and the likes of the X-Men and Spider-Man 90’s Cartoon shows which made me huge fans. X-Men and Spider-Man will always be my top 2 comic book properties due to those shows.

I do read comics now but not as often, and I read a wide range of stuff rather than just specific characters. I read TPB’s rather than single comics and I like a lot of different characters now.

 

[chamber-music]

Where are you from?
London, UK

Did you become a fan first through comic books?
Yep. Read comics when I was about seven years old

How did you get a hold of them?
Local comic book stores and News agents sold collected stories.

Were the movies that turned you instead?
Not really. I think Superhero cartoons and video games got me interested more than live action movies originally.

If so, are you reading comic books now?
I read very few comics now.

 

[OdinSon]

Where are you from?
Grew up in India.

Did you become a fan first through comic books?

I became a fan through watching animated series such as Justice League, Superman and Sipderman. DC or Marvel comics weren't widely available in India when I was growing up. However, we had our own Indian comic characters. They were really fun to read. After I came to the US, I started reading DC comics, specifically Superman and Justice League titles. I also enjoy reading Spiderman and Batman.

Were the movies that turned you instead?

Animates series were the ones that turned me.

If so, are you reading comic books now?

Yes, I am reading some of them. Currently trying to finish Injustice Gods Among Us.

 

[Trevor]

Where are you from?
India.

Did you become a fan first through comic books?
I became a fan first through watching animated shows like X-Men, Fantastic Four, BTAS, STAS, Justice League, Fleischer's Superman etc. Never really bothered to get into comic books as I am not a huge reader.

Were the movies that turned you instead?
Except for Watchmen, Man of Steel and Spider-Man series, they never really interested me much. So no, it was the animated shows that primarily did the job.

If so, are you reading comic books now?
I read some every now and then, but not much.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

Where are you from?
Bahrain, a lovely little archipelago in the Arabian Gulf region.

Did you become a fan first through comic books?
Actually, no. I got introduced through these characters through Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends, 1982 Incredible Hulk cartoon, 1979 Spider-Woman, Tim Burton's first Batman movie, and the first Christopher Reeve film.
Then I had the pleasure of reading Superman comics of the silver age, my favorite take on the character.

How did you get a hold of them?
My father has been a fan of a number of these characters since he was a child, he passed that joy down to us.

If so, are you reading comic books now?
I read old collectibles, don't follow the current ongoing stuff.

 

[markjoedelonge]

Where are you from?

Singapore!

Did you become a fan first through comic books?How did you get a hold of them?

Not a hardcore reader, but I've read a few, mostly Batman comics. A few Marvel ones like Civil War. The movies got me into comic books.

Were the movies that turned you instead?

Been following CBMs since Batman 89' and Raimi's Spiderman.

If so, are you reading comic books now?
No time.

 

[Iceman]

Where are you from?
London
Did you become a fan first through comic books?
Yes
How did you get a hold of them?
Were the movies that turned you instead?
I was introduced to comics by 2 different family friends. I then found some in my local WHSmiths (general stationery and media store) before locating my nearest proper comic book shop. From there I bought regularly from other comic stores around the area until going to regular monthly mail order subscription.
If so, are you reading comic books now?
Yes, I have a huge collection with no room for any more physical books so I read digitally now.

 

[Abudefduf]

Where are you from?
Italy

Did you become a fan first through comic books?
Nope. It was the Batman, Spider-Man and X-Men animated series that got me into superheroes. I honestly don't even like comic books that much... I only put up with them because I love the characters they are about, lol.

How did you get a hold of them?
Someone gave me a few Batman comics... and that's pretty much how I began reading them.

Were the movies that turned you instead?
See above.

If so, are you reading comic books now?
From time to time.

 

[R_Hythlodeus]

Where are you from?

Austria

Did you become a fan first through comic books?

You mean, before I became a fan of comic book movies? sure

How did you get a hold of them?

by buying and reading them

Were the movies that turned you instead?

no. as I wrote, comics first, adaptations later. the recent adaptation boom happend around the time I turned 20 or so, so I had nearly two decades of comic book experience before modern CBM were a thing. Well, unless of course one counts the first Batman movie that happend when I was 8. But even then, I've read the comics first

If so, are you reading comic books now?

Of course I do, I even produce them

 

[honestbharani]

Where are you from?

India


Did you become a fan first through comic books?

Nope. Through cartoons and animated series.


How did you get a hold of them?

TV


Were the movies that turned you instead?

Mostly. I was a DC fan (had never even checked out Marvel characters apart from FF) but the MCU movies turned me towards the Marvel heroes.

If so, are you reading comic books now?

No.

 

[russian gal]

Where are you from?
Russia

Did you become a fan first through comic books?
nope when I was a child we read folk tales & Greek myths

How did you get a hold of them?
when I tried to read 'Kick ass' I just downloaded
Also dl'ed & tried to read 'Mars' manga b/c Im a fan of the taiwanese tv show but nope its really not my thang (yet)

Were the movies that turned you instead?
yep
If Darkwing Duck counts this too t:
My 1st was Batman & Robin I watched @ the movies & didnt really like it
But 1st Xmen & mainly Avengers made me into more or less a fan of CBMs (mostly Marvel)


If so, are you reading comic books now?
still nope(i may try again in the future)

 

[jmc]

Where are you from? - Australia!

Did you become a fan first through comic books? - Probably not, don't remember exactly.

How did you get a hold of them? - First comic I remember getting was an old Phantom book in a show bag. Unless Mad Magazine counts which I use to purchase regularly.

Were the movies that turned you instead? - Film and TV more than books I'd say.

If so, are you reading comic books now? Not as often as I'd like.

 

[MarvelFan]

Where are you from?
Did you become a fan first through comic books?
How did you get a hold of them?
Were the movies that turned you instead?
If so, are you reading comic books now?

1. Japan

2. No, I Become fan first when first Spider-Man (2002) movie played, at that time I still 14 years old and still in middle school. So, that through movie i become aware that American superheroes can be this good.

3. I am not sure I become true Marvel fan until i get into the college day and since i took a English language for writing major, I started to search and read English book for my paper. At the time, I started to read a Thor book by J.Michael Stranczynki and also Astonishing X-Men by Joss Whedon. Perhaps that time i truly invest and show more interest into Marvel and other American superheroes in DC. Perhaps up until this day that Thor is still my no.1 Marvel character is I truly become "True Believer" after i read JMS's Thor.

4. MCU line up movies is the only franchise I will always watch and hyped for, outside that maybe a few of DC movies, Fox Marvel, and other, but of course the hype is not as big as my beloved MCU.

5. I am still read a few Marvel titles now, the on going title which I am still continously read is Thor by Jason Aaron, Ms. MARVEL by J.Willow Wilson.
Ouside that, maybe a big Marvel event like Siege, Civil War, Secret Wars, Infinity, Original Sin, Secret Empire that I read and collected.