Mga Sumasampalataya

Oct 9, 2009

OF BEING A GEEK

Okay, so Engel didn't necessarily keep his geekiness a secret. He's a certified nerd. He often wears checkered polos. He wears eyeglasses. There are times he combs his hair one sided. And he wears leather shoes and jeans. This may actually show him more of a fashion victim than a geek, but then again that's also true.

Allow Engel to geek out this one time. He doesn't do this anymore and he misses writing about his favorite topics. Video games, tv shows and comic books. But this post is mainly about the hobby where 20% of his salary goes to. Comic books. Don't judge, there are people who're willing to be bankrupt just to buy shoes, watches and cellphones (ugh).

HISTORY
As a kid, Engel learned to read because of these colored picture books. He initially did not understand any of the series he's read as a kid, he just thought that the drawings were pretty. He started collecting X-Men (maybe because he had a hint that he'll be able to relate to the mutant's being not accepted because they are different). He was a fan of Jean Grey, Psylocke and Rogue (his excuse was they were hot, later on though it may have been because of something else). But he didn't follow the series until he reached high school.

Back then he would save his baon so he could buy Uncanny X-Men and X-Men every month. He shows his collections off to his classmates mainly because his crush then also likes reading the titles, and that was his way to be close to that certain classmate.

His initial reason for buying these titles may have been selfish, but one thing still remained. He was so engrossed in the stories and characters that he'd read. It was his escape from the frustrations brought about by Trigonometry, Chemistry, Economics and Grammar.

CHALLENGES
Collecting comic books was not an easy thing for Engel. For one, as a kid he never really learned how to save money. He'd often resort to "borrowing" his mother's cash to buy those things. Come to think of it, he actually became creative because of this. He learned to make up different excuses so he could have extra pesos for his allowance so he could buy his comics.

Tantrums were thrown whenever Engel wasn't given an extra fifty bucks. Threats of leaving home was his weapon (yeah, he was really a brat when he was younger). Just for his magazines his horns started showing. Blame youth.

Then again, X-Men became a crappy title in the late 90's (it actually kind of became too gay) so he totally lost interest in collecting comic books.

COLLEGE
Thankfully, he got alot smarter in College. So everytime he finishes a semester with at least one class with a grade of 1.5, he's given permission to increase his allowance by a hundred. So now, he could afford to purchase comics again. He gave up FHM (that was just a facade) for X-Men (which improved a little), the Marvel Ultimate Line and eventually the Avengers.

And so Engel became really addicted to comic books. His monthly purchases became weekly.

To be continued...

*************
You're probably not interested to read what'll be coming next. Comic book nerds are a niche. And Engel only knows a few bloggers who reads comic books. Even less for PLU's who do. But then again, Engel doesn't really care.

23 comments:

Maxwell Flux said...

i love xmen and i like jean grey the most. i always imagined myself having her powers and then using them to open the door or lift something because i'm too lazy to do so, hahaha.

The Green Man said...

Hi Dear,

don't worry, geeks comes in different form. Although it's almost always that they are identified for thier "fashion victim" presentation... but that's not always the case.

I am a Geek too (see the the proud use of capital letter "g"?) i just don't seem like it. But I am prode being one... but some time i get away with it for posing as a dumb blonde type of person. Hihihih. someitme hiding my mr.-know-it-all-personality has it's advantages. hihihi.

Mike said...

I do collect comic books when I was a kid and Xmen was my favorite too. However, instead of Jean Grey, I adore Rogue more than her.

However, I gave up reading comic books when I entered college (I think we went to the same college with Chuck Suarez :D). I have to value my money, I have to economize my allowance. Maybe I'll start collecting X-men comic books again soon. :)

Anyway, I'm wondering about your crush in high school, was he a boy or she's a girl? LOL!

the geek said...

hello, fellow geek. nice meeting you.

its nice to know am not alone.

Jules said...

Xmen was one of my favorites. ;D

Solo
Travel and Living
Job Hunt Pinoy

domjullian said...

wow RK ka pala.hehehe. I only play teks, jolens, laste and the likes. I read archie though.

astig word verfication ko dito: TANGSHT!

rudeboy said...

How nice to know na X-Men fanatic ka rin pala. I liked the Chris Claremont-era X-Men, although the art was crappy.

Storm was my favorite character because she was a fortress of strength and stability - except for her claustrophobia, of course.

I used to like Jean Grey until the writers kept killing then resurrecting her. After Dark Phoenix, Madolyn Pryor, and all her other avatars, would the REAL Jean Grey please stand up?

So you're not the only nerd on campus, engel ;-)

And oh - Scott Summers was a humorless party pooper. And still is.

Eternal Wanderer... said...

Engel: I bet you want to wear what Betsy wears hahahaha

Rude: Sacrilege! The legendary Claremont run featured the classic art of Cockrum and Byrne. I also loved the clean lines of Smith, but wasn't too hot about Romita, Jr. I'll skip Silvestri, but Lee was awesome, too!

i am beki said...

ang haba naman.

not in the mood to read.

kwento mo na lang sa akin over a hot cup of coffee. hehehe.

acebomb said...

HI...SAW UR COMMENT PO SA POST KO ENTITLED "SWIT SWETAN VIDYO"...complit po yun...meron din pong MAD dun, etc...tnx po pala..GB!

R. said...

Nothing wrong with being a geek. Okay nga yun e, you're a person with substance.Ü Stig!

goodboi said...

Nice revelation here, man. But I have two cents for you.

First. I don't think 'geekiness' is best manifested in worst fashion. There are those who wear bad clothes but could easily pull it off. I believe that a geek is someone who do not care anything about what he wears - a large shirt for a skinny man, let's say, and a pair of shorts plus slippers would do, and will always be worn most of the time. And speaking of glasses, geeks are those whose glass frames are corroding!

Second. Don't call yourself a geek because of your interest in comic books. It is normal to gain interest in usual collector's items. A geek is no one but a person who is so passionate in talking about the worst themes in a group discussion, something that is not normally talked about in your typical circle of friends. Say someone who always bring out chemical reactions or mathematical discoveries in a group of nonchemist or nonmath people.

You know those geeks, poor in EQ but relatively good in IQ. And with the way you behave and how you tell everything about Engel, I just don't think you are one of them. :-)

engel said...

russ: ah, but the thing is, di lahat ng geek may substance. unfortunately.

acebomb: tagal kasi magload nung video kaya di ko napanuod. =)

beki: sure. dami ko nang utang na kape sa blogworld. =)

EW: err eww! i have no plans of cross dressing. eww. sorry, but no thanks =D

rudeboy: i actually like cyclops. specially after he hooked up with the white queen.

dom: i'm not a rich kid.wala lang pinaggagastusan.

solo: that's what got me to collecting comic books in the first place.

the geek: that's why i got interested in your blog, i thought we have something in common. =)

mike: was your college an ex-all boy's school?

green man: i know of one geek though who dresses really well. he's actually kinda cool.

maxwell: the powers i usually daydream of having are magneto's (during heavy traffic) and iceman (every summer)

engel said...

goodboi: point taken. you're right, comic book collectors aren't necessarily geeks. sometimes they're just rich kids who don't know what to do with their money.

thing is, sometimes i am how you describe what geeks are.

and thanks for thinking i'm otherwise. ;)

wanderingcommuter said...

so i have to classify myself more of a masa geek then... FUNNY COMIKS! hahaha!

theLastJedi said...

' FHM as a facade? damn, im laughin' here so hard here.. anyways, im willin to exchange.. i'll get some from my bro's xmen collection, give me those FHM.. ehe

Mike said...

Yeap, the Den! But I wasn't part of the old school, I'm part of the first co-ed batch.

Anonymous said...

hmm... i rarely write something about myself or what i do.i usually write how i feel. hehehe

but i do what normal geeks do.i believe, that is common enough.

as for x men, i like it because of ororo and logan. hehehehe

-geek

theLastJedi said...

' hala.. ang gulo ng comment ko sau.. ahahahahaha!!! sensya na.. sometimes my fingers get to do things first before my brain.. no pun intended.. =)

engel said...

last jedi: kahit walang kapalit, i could give you my jurassic fhm collection.

geek: no it's the name, the whole geek thing's i think what we have in common.

mike: sayang di tayo nag-abot. i graduated the year the den was purely an all-boy's school.

wc: hey, i was a fan of that too. combatron, planet opdi eyps, niknok, pitit, and my favorite force one animax.

thecuriouscat said...

when I was little, I can't afford em. So after graduation and was able to earn nakakabili na ako ng comics. Grabe pagka adik ko sa comics. twice a montn ako pumupunta ng manila para mamakyaw ng mga pinareserve ko. then one day na hold-up ako ng bonga kaya ayun binenta ko mga collections ko. some of which were even signed by the artists.

Skron said...

Well, add me to your list of "bloggers who also read comic books".

X-Men is also one of my favorites. I still collect the books even though it's crap. Psylocke is my favorite too. But I think it was more of a teenage fantasy more than anything else.

Klaus said...

Not that I wanna start a debate but DC > Marvel lol but Marvel's pretty cool too :D