I didn’t know what to expect at the Doberman release party. I loved comics, when I was a kid and still have a few boxes full of them in my parents’ closet. But I grew out of it. I escaped with my favorite superheroes, adventures, and intriguing battles between good and evil. I’m sure this is what keeps adults coming back for more.
Speaking of other worlds, when I entered Hi De Ho Comics, there was a clear line dividing two distinct groups. The right side was filled with Magic: The Gathering card players and the left side celebrated the release of Darby Pop Publishing’s Doberman. Joshua, their marketing director, was in high demand. He was busy rubbing elbows and connecting people. I waited for his crowd to die down so as not to interrupt his mojo.
In the meantime, I kept my son busy with Iron Man and got to speak with one of the store owners. Hi De Ho Comics is the oldest standing comic store Los Angeles. Established in 1967, they were recently bought out by Geoffrey’s Comics in Gardena.
When I finally caught up with Joshua, he filled me in on the amazing tale of one of the new owners auctioning off his entire Spiderman collection to fund his dream of becoming a comic store owner. We chatted about the Darby Pop line up and how the Doberman release itself was an adventure due to the recent port dispute. After looking over the Doberman cover art, it finally hit me that one of them looked exactly like Sylvester Stallone’s Cobra. Joshua explained that’s what they were going for as Doberman is a parody on 80’s action adventure heroes. Sounds like my kind of fun! If they ever make a movie, let’s hope it is better than MacGruber.
Final Thoughts
I did not get to chat with the creative team as they were busy signing autographs like rock stars. I wonder if they always dreamed of working in comics or if they fell into it because of their talents. Regardless, it was inspiring to see people doing what they love. Equally inspiring is seeing comic book fans carry their childhood passion into adulthood.
For more information, visit Darby Pop Publishing and Hi De Ho Comics.
Thanks for a great time true believers!
Buck
