We're just a few months away now from the beginning of my comic buying life. Technically, we already passed it, as I bought Blackhawk #269 and 270. But those were a one-off until the fall of 1984 when I was able to really start buying comics.

I'm excited to get to that point so I can relive my first comic buying days.

40 Years Ago was the dawn, 30 Years Ago was the dusk. My last comics purchases as a kid were in December 1983 (GI Joe #21 and All-Star Squadron #31) I still read the G.I. Joe issues my younger brother bought, but I didn't buy another comic book until 1990.

The ones I currently own are...

Action Comics #558
All-Star Squadron #36
Amazing Spidey #255 & 256
Atari Force #8
Avengers #246
Batman #374
Batman and the Outsiders #13
Captain America #296 & 297
DC Comics Presents #72
Detective #541
Fantastic Four #269
Flash #336
G.I. Joe #26
Infinity Inc. #5
JLA #229
Legion of Super-Heroes #1
New Teen Titans #1
Power Pack #1 & 2
Star Wars #86
Super Powers #2
Supergirl #22
Superman #398
Tales of The Legion #314
Tales of the Teen Titans #45
What If? 346
World's Finest #306

A quick note: Mike's Newsstand offers two options: cover date and on sale date. We've been using on sale date (that is, when the comics were actually on the stands) for these threads.

Cei-U!
I summon the calendars!

To aid in the clarification of the clarification, try this link for comical books on sale in the Merry Merry Month of May, 1984.  And yeppers Action Ace, you are in the correct universe.  Or at least the same one I am in, and that is all that matters.


-jb the ever helpful ib -

Starting in 1983, I began a nice relationship with Westfield Comics out of Madison Wisconsin, buying my comics in a mail order fashion using their catalog and various promotion material they would send every month.   In those years they would try to second guess order quantities, and guarantee all orders sent it before a certain day of the on sale month (usually the 10th).   But that didn't mean they themselves did not have to pre-order (and anticipate demand) three months earlier, and place their order with Capital Distributors (also operating out of Madison).

Order would be mailed in,  a couple of weeks later a nice box of comics from UPS would be waiting at the door.   This became know as Comic Book Day and my wife made sure that the box was opened by sons until I got home to share it with them.  So yea, by May of 1984, we had a nice routine in play.

Looking over this months covers at Mike's Amazing World was an eye-opener.  I had become very selective in this timeframe about what I was buying, and in retrospect I am wishing I hadn't.   I think I had a budget set up of $50 dollars (not counting shipping charges), which I know I went over many times, but not this month.  So timing of when I received the comics would be much different from these on sale dates.  Still I will calibrate to them for discussions here.

I will note that I must have also been buying special reprint books or something offered by Westfield and not showing here.  Because the list seems much trimmer than I remember.

Alpha Flight 13 -  This was a "hot" comic for me at the time.  But interestingly enough, I don't remember much about it now, and when I have comical book read time, I don't think this title even made onto the re-read stack. 

Amazing Spider-man 255 and 256.  The Tom Defalco period.  No where's near as interesting as the Roger Stern years that pre-date this.

American Flagg 12
Arion 22
Atari Force 8
Doctor Strange 66  Roger Stern and Paul Smith.  Great period for Doctor Strange.
Dreadstar 11
Fantastic Four 269
Infinity Inc. 5
Legion of Super-Heroes 1
Marvel Age 17 (this came free as part of the promotion pack from Westfield)
Secret Wars 5
Marvel Tales 166 (2 copies for sons)
Micronauts 59  - this use to be a must read comic book for me, but it was wearing thin a bit when this issue came out.
New Gods 3 - reprints of the Glory Boat and Spawn on high quality paper! 
New Mutants 19 - super cool Bill Sienkiewicz artwork.
New Talent Showcase - this title would run hot and cold.  But I like seeing new blood in the field.
New Teen Titans 1 - high quality paper.
Omega Men 17 -  I remember the first few issues really well and I definitely remember this cover.  But I have no recollection of what happens with the story.  I have a slight urge to go pull these, from my messy comic room.  If I can find them that is.
Power Pack 1 and 2  - This was such a refreshing comic to read.  Louise Simonson writing and wow I loved the clean art style of June Brigman.  Nice to have them as Facebook friends today.
Questprobe - this tie into an Atari game cartridge I think.  Bought for the novelty.  It was disappointing.
ROM 57
RONIN 6 - yea, I should go back and read these.  This is comic offer that lured Frank Miller off of Daredevil.
Sun Devils 2 - something attracked me to this title.  The marketing material in the Westfield catalog perhaps.  Not sure.  I did eventually stop buying it, but not sure when.
Super Powers 2
Tales of the Legion 314
Tales of the Teen Titans 45
Thing 15 - these were a fun read.  Ben is a great character.
Uncanny X-men 184.  Chris Claremount told great stories in this timeframe.  The X-men were a top selling title and they deserved it.  Lot of people came down on John Romita Jr.'s artwork, but I loved it.  He was just starting to loosen up his style and have a command of layout.
Vigilante 9 - maybe I bought this, maybe I didn't.  I wasn't too keen on the character's morality.
Warp 15 - yea I did read these when they came out.  30 years later, I have no memory of what they were about.

-jb the (we are well out of the silver age now) ib -

I was just getting into the boyfriend/girlfriend thing with the future Wife, so my comic buying sagged a little at this point, but...

All-Star Squadron 36 (the two parter Richard Howell was born to draw!)
Alpha Flight 13
American Flagg 12
Avengers 246
FF 269 (tail end of the Byrne era)
Infinity Inc 5 (YIZZZZZZ!!!)
LSH and NTT 1 (the Baxter Era begins! I didn't keep up/w Titans, but loved the Legion!!)
X-Men 184 (about a year away from dropping this title, and most of Marvel)
West Coast Avengers 1 (a mini, but still loved this story!)