A lifetime with superheroes

My earliest superhero memory is watching Superman: The Movie while eating McDonald's in the front row in my pajamas. One or possibly all three of those last details may be wrong; as I often say, memory is notoriously unreliable.

However, I know I saw the movie and I know it moved me and I know afterward I asked my dad for a Superman comic and he obliged.

And from there it all went downhall of justice. 

There were costumes after costumes...and not just for Halloween:

 2nd grade; I'm masking my frustration at being forcedto wear my winter coat over my costume.
 7th grade
 12th grade




 The only pair of Underoos I remember having: Aquaman.
 The shark tooth necklace courtesy of my mom,queen of the little touch.
 The Blue Bagel and Lox Lad appeared only once:
Halloween 1993.
 In 1993, I sent in an audition tape (and went to a casting cattle call in Boston)for Robin for the upcoming movie Batman Forever.
I also dressed superhero in my secret identity (i.e. everyday life):


 For the most part I've been a DC devotee but have occasionally mingled with Marvel.
Artistic endeavors:
 Drawn in 2nd grade.
 Shazam, Superman, and Green Lantern a la Lite Brite.
 Flash, Aquaman, and Wonder Woman.
 Batgirl (?) and Hawkman.
 Can you spot Aquaman out of his natural environment?
Speaking of Play-Doh, more toys:

 Boldly showing off a superhero birthday gift likeRafiki presenting Simba to the animal kingdom...or the high priest holding up the still-beating heart ofthe sacrifice victim in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
 That's my sister and my Spider-Man.I had many Mego dolls but this is the only known photo of one.
 Note the promotional booklet for an action figure linethat blew my mind: Super Powers (debuted 1985).I have no idea about the other stuff my sister and I are holding.
 Super Powers assembled. I had every figure in wave 1 and wave 2 but none in wave 3, though I wish I'dgotten Plastic Man, Shazam, Mr. Miracle, Samurai, and Cyborg.
 Super Powers Batman vs. the Joker on 6/20/89...in honor of the opening that day of Tim Burton's Batman.
The following boys and girls are not me but rather friends each forced to hold one of the first 13 Super Powers superheroes for my "photo essay." I will spare you all 13 photos just like I'm sparing them the embarrassment of including their names.
 




 Strange that comics were such a huge part of my childhood yetI have only two photos of myself holding one. Here is one: me, family, and Batman and the Outsiders #6.The other shows me with the epic Tom and Jerry #312 (Gold Key, 1978, though the photo was taken a few years later).
 There's a Batman on that there cake.
 Two of my dear friends and a gift they got me upongraduation. Yes, of college. 
Not pictured: the Flash glass they also gave me.
Sometimes my superhero passion veered into obsession. In case that wasn't already clear...
The summer of '89, when Batman seized the throat of pop culture, I apparently sent something to a localradio station in which I apparently called myself "Batman."
They wrote me back. And indulged me.