So after my podcast experience with Augie I decided to look around the net for something that could restore both my faith and enthusiasm for the Podcasting format of delivering information. Luckily I didn’t have to travel very far. Part of the great thing about the new itunes upgrade is that you can search for feeds within the program itself based on the kind of content you’d like to hear.

So I find where Augie’s podcast is listed and looked for something/ANYTHING that could be of interest. 3 words popped out at me.

COMIC GEEK SPEAK

Sweet. I quickly downloaded a couple of tracks (actually I downloaded all 33 episodes before I actually listened to any of them, the joys of 8MEG broadband meant that it took all of 3 minutes to download everything). Thank god for these guys. It’s not one person podcasting, but roughly 4 to 5 guys that get around at I guess it’s Brian Deemer’s house and record the podcast. I’ve not gotten through all of them (these things clock in at 1 hour sometimes), but they are supremely entertaining.

I miss that interaction with other comic book geeks like you wouldn’t believe, and this is where I explain the title of the post.

Solaris comics was/is (I’m not sure if it’s still in business) the premiere spot for comic books in Athens during the 90s. I remember clearly the first day I went into the store, it was a day I’ll remember forever. I’m 14 and for the past year I’ve been reading superhero comics from the newsstand. The selection was limited to specific DC Comics. This was during the whole ‘Death of Superman’ storyline, so everyone and their donkey was reading comics at the time. I was reading comics before that but mainly Archie and Jughead comics, and MAD magazine. So I’m talking to John Consolas in school who was also into comics and he tells me of this store in downtown Athens that is a comic store.

‘You serious, a comic store in Athens? Wanna go this weekend?’ ‘Sure. 12 o’clock, in front of Wendy’s?’ ‘Great’

John never showed up. I was stuck waiting for him for an hour and a half. Back then there was no cellphones going around for kids. All I had to go on was the name of the street the shop was located on. I was determined not to let my guide keep me away from my comic book nirvana. So I went to the tourist information office (which happened to be 1 minute from where we were supposed to meet) and asked them to give me a map with the street marked on it. 5 minutes later I was off.

I swear I was jogging to get there quicker. I’d been dreaming about this place and what kind of books it might have that would interest me. This was around the time Image Comics was making the rounds and Valiant was about to explode onto the scene. My little heart was beating hard as I turned around a corner and got to Botasi street.

There it is I see the sign, ‘Solaris Comics’. The store was separated into two section. The right hand side was a book store, mainly Greek books, while the right hand side had the trade paperbacks and comics EVERYWHERE. No it wasn’t as large as I imagined it, but that was OK. It had all the comics I was looking for, or at least it was a start. I’m there and I’m just picking up one comic after the other, I’ve reached 20 and it’s JUST NOT ENOUGH. It’s completely overwhelming. I’m completely engrossed and I get this tap on my shoulder and a guy in his late 30s, early 40s I guess beams a smile at me and asks me if he can help me out. This was the start of a friendship I hold very close to my heart. The man was Panayotis Kondras (check out the very last photo right at the bottom of the page, he’s the guy on the right hand side). He was the guy that would show me the ropes of comics. He was essentially my comic pimp. He now owns a great store in Athens called Relax Your Soul (Solomou 5A, Exarchia, Athens, Greece) .

Over the years Panayotis saw me grow, go back and forth to University, but I’d always go back to the store. Even if I wasn’t buying anything, just to talk comics with a bunch of like minded geeks. Great friendships I miss dearly are with George, Katerina, Panayotis, Kostas and Nickos.

This podcast Comic Geek Speak reminded me of those great times, where life was slightly simpler for me, and comics were magic. Thanks guys.