A descriptive passage of items from a favorite hobby

               I love my vintage comic books. When reading vintage comics, the first thing I notice is the sweet aroma rising from the pages. The distinctive odor does not occur with modern paper comic books. Vintage comic books are lighter when held in the hands. The paper is thinner and easily flexes as I turn the pages. The chemicals and compounds in the paper show their age by the square edges surrounding the graphics and text yellowing. Sometimes, the bark-like brown paper turns brittle, and I must carefully handle my comic books. Breathing in the acrid scent while turning the pages brings me childhood memories of my first experiences reading comic book stories of my favorite heroes’ grand adventures and fantastic journeys.

                Over time, vintage comic books age, much like I, with creases and wrinkles on the exterior. Minor defects, like pockmarks and dents, may appear. Sometimes, the vibrant colors that once popped from the cover lose their glossy sheen-like varnish that has dulled over time. The edges lose their sharpness, and the corners become blunted. The outward appearance often is falsely restored by placing the comic in a shiny Mylar enclosure, which tricks the eye and bends the light to restore the vibrancy the comic initially had. But this restoration is only temporary, for when you remove the comic book from the protective sleeve, it returns to its finely aged state. Still, my love for these vintage treasures grows more potent despite the aged appearance, again, much like myself.