My Passion

Dawn and I sampling the flora & fauna of Washington, D.C.

My Grandfather used to say that he hoped I’d become passionate about something someday. I’m pretty sure he was just talking about a career or a professional interest, but I took that hope to heart in all things. You see, I was somewhat of a nonchalant kid when it came to interests. I was never overly fascinated by any subject. I enjoyed things, but I was never crazy about any one thing. When it comes to the collection classified ads I call a resume, it’s  fair to say that my lack of a consistent passion shows through. I have yet to find a career or professional interest that truly keeps my attention, however, I do not lack passions. When it comes to things that I couldn't live with out, I only have two things, comic books and Dawn Papuga.  Oddly enough, I discovered both of these at the same time and they are forever linked to each other.

Before 2008, I was merely a passive comic book fan. I collected one or two issues, but it was hardly a passion. Then for some reason that I don't remember, I decided to read the novelization of Alex Ross & Mark Waid's "Kingdom Come" by Elliot Maggin. For those of you who don’t know, "Kingdom Come" was a 1996 DC Comics mini-series. The series dealt with what happens when Superman goes into exile for a decade and new “heroes” step into the fold and start to run amok. (If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend you do. It is a good example of how to write a story with a strong understanding of a characters history and motivations.) It was this novel that really opened my eyes to the world of comics. I was drawn in by the fantasy and the complex situations of what seem to be simple characters. So I began to pick up all things comic related and that is why a good friend of mine invited me to the Steel City Comic-Con in Pittsburgh where my life changed forever.

The Steel City Comic-Con was my first "comic culture" experience and I honestly didn't know what to expect. All I knew is that my friend was meeting another group of his "Pittsburgh Social Media" friends, which Dawn just happened to be part of. When I first met Dawn she was a bundle of energy and was bouncing from exhibit to exhibit at the Comic-Con. Honestly, I couldn’t take my eyes off of her and all I wanted to do is walk next to her. It’s funny, 5 years later and that feeling still hasn’t gone away. Our first conversation was among a large group of her friends and we were talking comic books, of course. Dawn said that she was a Marvel girl through and through, X-Men to be exact and she didn’t like DC. Of course, me being a DC fan, I had to start a discussion about the difference between Marvel and DC. It is my opinion that DC is really based on a religious model of existence and Marvel is based on the scientific model of existence. My evidence for this is that Marvel often talks about the “mutant evolution” and uses more science-fiction basis for many of their characters, while DC uses more of a mystical and ideological tone. Not that DC shies away from science, but their language is a bit softer and broader, they have “meta-humans” as opposed to “mutants” and different “Justice Leagues” as opposed to “Avengers”.  As I was exercising all my nerd muscles, it was like everyone else at the table disappeared and Dawn was the only one I was talking to. (Editor’s note:  My argument must have worked, because in the past 5 years we have only bought a handful of Marvel comics.)

In a nutshell, from that first dinner on, I was hooked. There hasn’t been a single day since where I haven’t thought about her. That’s not to say it has been perfect or easy. We’ve both gone through quite a lot to be together, but isn’t that what being passionate about something is all about? I can’t imagine life without her, so that’s why I’m marrying her. I’ve found something I can’t live without and I’m taking it with me wherever I go.  I can’t imagine being as passionate about any career as I am about her and I’m pretty happy about that. My pure bliss would be an infinite amount of time with her and a never ending stack of comic books. I wonder if it would be creepy to invite Mark Waid to our wedding since he helped to start this whole thing...worst case scenario we’ll just register at the Twilight Zone.