MANAYUNK

Did you know that the first superhero ever published was created by Lee Falk in 1936?

“The Phantom” was just the first in a long line of beloved fictional crime fighters that include Superman, Spider-Man, The Hulk, Wonder Woman, and many more. In 1995, Marvel Comics employees named April 28th National Superhero Day to celebrate the inspiration and creativity generated by these fan-favorite protagonists. Today, this holiday allows people to have fun and celebrate their favorite heroes, both fictional and real, and the ideals that they stand for!

JD Holden is the owner of Johnny Destructo’s Hero Complex, Main Street Manayunk’s very own comic book store. We talked to JD about the store and the meaning of National Superhero Day.

Tell us about the store and what you do here.

"To be somewhat hyperbolic, I'm going to say we sell fun! From weekly comic books, graphic novels and board games to custom designed and printed artwork, stickers and shirts that I create myself and for other businesses, we have a lot of cool stuff to check out. We also have a few livestream shows that we do every week, but we'll get back to that in a bit."

Who is your favorite Superhero and why?

"Without a second of hesitation, I always go with Spider-Man. Peter Parker's perseverance in the face of adversity and his dedication to responsibility have always spoken to me, ever since I first read his adventures waaay back in 1985! No matter what the "old Parker luck" throws at him, he picks himself up and keeps on swingin'. Another really good indy super-hero series is called Radiant Black from Image Comics. The elevator pitch is "Peter Parker + Mighty Morphin Power Rangers + Invincible" and it's a lot of fun, but keep in mind not all comics involve super-heroes. If you have a favorite genre, be it action, horror, suspense, romance, or literally anything else, there's a comic to fit your taste."

How do you celebrate your favorite Superheroes?

"One of my favorite things to do is to draw them! I do commissions, family portraits, pet portraits, movie posters...pretty much anything, really. Also, as I mentioned earlier, I've been doing a comic book podcast for about a decade now and just recently brought it to Youtube.com/CultPopGo, where we discuss pop culture, films, comics, and whatever else is exciting that week! I also host a monthly Graphic Novel club and a weekly movie club. We are also finally working to bring back D&D, Board Game Night and Drink and Draw."

Why do you think National Superhero Day is significant?

"It's usually a great excuse to visit your local comic shop and pick up some new stories you've never read. Superheroes can be a wonderful example to set for ourselves as a society, in the way we should be helping each other, regardless of personal benefit as well as setting a great standard for treating everyone with kindness, unless we're talking about The Punisher, in which case, maybe don't follow his exact example!"

JD’s Hero Complex will also be celebrating Free Comic Book Day on May 6th!

For more information on Manayunk's shops and upcoming events visit Manayunk.com