Here’s the rundown. 

Son and I got to Planet Groove, the shop, and although it’s a small collectibles store with tight quarters, it’s a well-kept place and an amiable atmosphere. A handful of skater boys and skater girls were present. Some chatting, some working on their boards, some reading comics. Two of my seniors were there, so that was cool as well.

Thing 1 went absolutely 150% boy crazy over the collectible toys until he noticed the Transformers comic books. Let’s just say, if he were a pinball machine, the moment would’ve been TILT!, TILT!, TILT! I forewent shopping for myself; I can go some other time.

The precedent was getting my son there for his first comic book store run and first purchasing experience. He chose his two Transformers comics on his own, and I handed him the money to give to the store owner, a young man who--small world--happens to be neighbors with our local pharmacist. I have to give props to my two students, Juz$ and L$, for being the crazy-cool comic geeks and good students they are. Juz$ modestly tapped me on the shoulder at the counter and said, “Here, there are still plenty of free comics left over from last week.” He handed me a Hulk and Iron Man free comic, then added, “There’s an Avengers , too.” Totally awesome. So, missing Free Comic Book Day wasn’t a full-on bust after all.

And I have to say that my lil man was well-behaved though enthusiastic about the whole affair and fascinated by the “scootboards” on the walkway outside the store’s frontage, where we also stopped to look back in the plate glass windows because, hey, they had stand-up posters of Optimus Prime and Megatron on display. Thing 1 launched into his mini-dissertation of the merits of the “good Autobots” and the “bad Decepticons” for a few minutes, and we departed. Most of the drive home, he geeked out in his booster seat and flipped through the two freebie comics. He’s just gotten through regaling his mother with tales of “good Autobots” and “bad Decepticons” and is flipping through his small yet (hopefully) growing collection.

Oh, and the plastic and the backing boards for the two Transformers comics? We’ll just set them aside. He can become a true collector one day at his own determination. For now, it is to enjoy the comics for themselves, tucked away in his little desk drawer, read sometimes at night and found on top of the covers.