Senior Ryan Aguilar has been collecting comic books since he was four years-old.

His favorites are The Infinity Gauntlet, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, and Civil War I and II.

“I prefer Marvel, because that is where I started,” he said.

Over the years, this comic book club member, has collected over 500 comic books.

“I have two boxes full of them,” senior Aguilar said. “I just like how big my comic book collection is, how colorful and amazing they are. How the writers express their imagination to everyone else.”

He also said he enjoys watchting the movies based on comic books, both Marvel and DC, and how accurate they are to the comics Even people that don’t read comic books can enjoy them, he said.

Comic book club member Oscar Moreno said he has over 500 comic books too.

“My father gave me his collection,” junior Moreno said. “The best day of my life. I felt so happy because I always saw them, the pictures looked cool, and I always wanted them.”

Moreno, has been collecting comic books since he was six years-old.

His favorites are The X-men, Doctor Strange, and Fantastic Four.

“They have a special place in my heart because when I was little reading comics was considered weird or no life,” Moreno said. “And reading those comics made me feel different like I’m somewhat special, in a good way.”

What excites him about the comic books is the story arcs and characters.

He and other comic book club members said they buy their comics at the Wild West Comic and Games store by the University of Texas at Arlington because it’s the closest.

The average comic book sells for about $3.99, a lot of specials go for $5.99. DC started specials for $2.99 a book.

“I have one that is worth more than $150, the others I don’t know,” Aguilar said. “I have many classic ones, so it depends.”

Aguilar said he trades some of his comics in comic book club, but has never sold any. He recommends that anyone who is interested in collecting comic books find something they “really enjoy” and then they will start collecting more and more.

Moreno said the best advice he can give to someone who wants to start collecting comic books is to start slow, to try different brands and stories. Don’t try to collect every single comic, that’s why trade paperbacks help, he said.

“Don’t let anyone influence what you like, be yourself,” Moreno said.

Anthony and Ashley, Wild West employees, said the best advice they could give to someone who wants to start collecting comic books is to start with graphic novels because they are cheap and easy to find.

Anthony said what fascinates him the most about comic books are the superheroes and villains and the different kind of powers they possess.

Anthony has been in the comic book business for 16 years. He ownes a small box of comics and about 60 graphic novels.

“Come into the store and ask for help from one of us and we’ll point you in the right direction,” Anthony said. “It is overwhelming at first, so start small. If there’s stuff that you like, do a lot of research and eventually you’ll get there.”

They stress that students find something that interests them.

Ashley has worked for Wild West for a year and a half and she owns about six boxes full of comics.

“A lot of people go into comics for the superheroes,” Ashley said. “But there’s a lot more out there.”

Moreno said one of his favorite comic book heroes is The Multiple Man because he can create copies of himself and the copies can live life, but the original can absorb them. But some are criminals and some are good. He also likes Gwenpool because she was pulled into the comic universe of Marvel from the real world.

Aguilar said Dick Grayson or Nightwing would be his favorite comic book hero because of his story and how he is a young boy who becomes powerful and works with Batman.

“I have been writing and drawing my own comic books since freshman year,” Aguilar said. “I plan to hold onto all of my comic books until I have kids so that they can read them, and enjoy what I enjoyed.”

Maria Perez

[email protected]